The billboard (July-Dec 1898)

JO THE BILLBOARD managers, who had found time to be present at this, the first international meeting of its kind in the "world. There were present at this sumptuous repast the entire Executive Commit- tee, excepting Mr. Walter Hill, of Lon- don. Mr. J.O. Rodgers.President; Mr. 'Jos. Bruton, Vice President; Mr. Roekley, late President; Mr. Grime, Manches- ter; Mr. F. H. Simpson, Cardiff; Mr. Alderman Sheldon, Leeds; Mr. J. Mc- • Arthur, Dundee; Mr. Joshua Sheldon, Leeds; Mr. R. A. Jackson, Liverpool; Mr. Councnior W. B. MeMillan, Greenock; Mr. David Allen, Jr.. Dub- lin; Mr. Horanx Long,' London; Mr. p I Johnson, Leicester; Mr. \V. Robinson, * * Nottingham; Mr. Hartley,' Brighouse; : Messrs. Robinson, Halifax. After the toasts, I was again called upon to make a few remarks, in which I gave them a general outline of our method of doing business in the States, and altogether a very pleasant evening was spent. I informed them of my de- sire to return as quickly as possible, and they decided to appoint air. Al- derman Sheldon as niy traveling com- panion for the few days that I had to devote to sight-seeing. The following is an outline of the tour. On Friday, the 19th, we visited Belfast and were shown around the city by Mr. Prout, of the Irish Bill Posting Co., afterwards being enter- tained at luncheon at the Grand Cen- tral Hotel with the following gentle- men, among others, present: . Mr. Wardman, of the Theatre Royal; Mr. Moulitt, of the Opera House; Mr. S. C. Allen, of David Allen & Sons, after which we were driven to the Iitho- . graphing and printing works of David Allen & Sons, one of the most ex- tensive concerns of its'kind in the Old World. After which, Mr. Prout again took us in. hand and gave a three hours' spin around Belfast, leaving at 4 o'clock on the steamer Adder for Glasgow. Arriving there at 9 o'clock, we were met at the station by Mr. John Gibson, of Robert Peith Sons' Co.,. bill posters. The evening was spent at the Empire Palace Theatre, through the courtesy of the acting manager, W. H. Howard. At 10 o'clock the next morning Mr. Gibson was on hand and drove us around Glasgow, showing us all points of interest, and" also incidentally the largest bill board in the world, being 600 feet long and 74 feet high, which I think all my American brethren will agree with me as being entitled to be so called. Back to the Stenoch Hotel, we were again entertained by a dinner, Mr. Gibson occupying the chair, supported by Mrs. McDonald, Mr. Adamson, Mrs. John Locke and others: after which, bidding them all good-bye, we jour- BOVRj, , .C°U>S.CHIUS-f ] NFILIENZA PRIZE BEST iNEWfSTl neyed to Liverpool. Here we were met by Mr. R. A. Jackson, who was one of the best fellows you ever met, and who did all in his power to make us perfectly at home. On Monday, Blackburn and Black Pool were visit- ed. Mr. Smalley, of Blackburn, hon- ored us with a luncheon at the hotel, after which we went to Blackpool, which, by the way, as an amusement resort, is second to none I have ever visited, not excepting Coney Island. The location is delightful, with a large list of amusement places.- It certainly outclasses everything in that line. The doors of everything were open to us. Mr. T. Sergenson, Manager of the Grand Theater, as in every other in- stance, delegated himself as a commit- tee of one to show us through his the- atre, as did Manager Huddieston. of the Empire; also, Manager Hariff, of the Tower; Manager Brighton, of the Winter Garden, and the Empress Ball Room, which is the most magnificent ball room in the world. The beautiful winter gardens, with its grand pavil- ion, hall, fernery and palm house, the handsomest billiard room in Europe, grand buffee, grill room, Indian jun- gle, the Indian lounge, conservatory. Italian gardens, Oriental lounge. The splendor of these marvelously fitted up apartments is the talk of the entire globe. After a very pleasant after- noon, back to Liverpool. Tuesdav we were the guests of Messrs. Crookes & Grime, of 81 Lever street, Picadilly, Manchester. Here we saw the. largest bill posting plant in the world, having over 2,000 different locations and em- age had been secured on the steamship New England, leaving the next morn- ing at 10 o'clock, I was soon to bid farewell to those who had made it so very pleasant for me. Nearly all of them were down at the wharf the next morning when the great big ocean liner left and we could see them waving handkerchiefs in the fond adieu. I, myself, feel very highly flat- tered at the reception tendered me ev- erywhere, as everybody did every- thing in their power to make it pleas- ant for me. Hon. Alderman Sheldon is one of the best traveling compan- ions it has yet been my lot to meet, and oftentimes now I smile as I think of some of his bland sayings. Others deserving especial mention are: Mr. R. A. Jackson, of Liverpool: Sir. J. O. Rogers, of Belfast; Messrs. Grimes*& Son. of Manchester: Mr. Smalley, of Blackford: Mr. Joshua Sheldon, of Leeds, and Mr. Prout, of Belfast; also Mr. David Allen. Jr.. Mr. S. C. Allen and Mr. Fred. Warden. Also. Mrs. Jackson, Mr. Gibson and Mr. Beith. of Glasgow. These people did everything in their power to make tliiuu-; 'pleas- ant for me, and they certainly did it. I "nlv hope that at some future time I will have the honor of returning the courtesy. Now. speaking of my observations. I think the Old World is a bit ahead of us in some tilings: their bill posters all use short-handled brushes, and work on ladders. Their sheets of paper are not so large as ours, and tlier put it up much more carefully. You will sec by the illustrations herewith submit- ted, of photographs in various cities, that there are no ragged ends. They blank everything in. which a great many of our bill posters are doing A Bi» BMbairJ ia Owmein Avenui, Belfast,"Ireland. 2 I ploying over 150 bill posters, capital- r Ized for $2,500,000. Manchester is in the center of a very thickly populated district. Of course, to us Americans, this sounds fabulous, but Manchester, like the rest of Great Britain cities, is an old city. Here we see a saloon which has held a continuous liquor li- cense for 547 years, during which time its doors have never been Closed. Manchester is a wonderful place, and Mr. Grimes is a wonderful fellow. Af- ter showing us around, all arrange- ments had been made, for a very pleasant banquet at the Victoria Ho- tel, after which we journeyed back to Liverpool, only to find arrangements already made for another banquet at the Adelphia Hotel. Aud so ended ten of the happiest days I have ever spent. As my pass- r vmirna .. In Colerain, Ireland. now. Bill posting is a great business over there, while we have but very few large bill board advertisers; they have hundreds. Nearly every mer- chant or tradesman uses bill posters of some sort there, and theatrical work only forms a very small part of the posting done. Railroad and steam- ship companies depend entirelv on out- side display work to advertise their business. Nearly every brand of cig- arettes and tobacco sold in Great Brit- ain is exclusively advertised on the bill boards, to say nothing of the va- rious brands of tea, matches, ink. whiskies, ales, porters, condensed milk, sauces and ketchups, and in fact nearly every manufactured article. Their bill boards or hoardings, as they call them, are truly metropolitan, ana for the most part well and strongly built. The Irish Bill'Posting Co. have boards twenty-six feet high and 280 feet long, and considered to be the finest permanent hoarding in Ireland. They also have branches at London- <!<•!".•?-. Moville, Port Rush, and Color- nine, Ballymena, Omagh, Portadown, Lurgan. Strabane, Lame, with general offices at Dublin. Mr. J. O. Rogers is the manager, who. with a very ef- ficient corps of assistants, lias been very successful. Their price for post- ing is higher than ours, as their sheets are only about one-fourth the size of ours; what we call a quarter-sheet they call a crown; what we call a half- sheet, they call a demy; our ordinary one-sheet, a royal. They also put a great deal more matter on their type sheets than we do. They do not post paper stuck together like we do, and they cut it apart and post it in smaller pieces. As you will understand, it is' usually a damper climate than ours. A gable in Bradford, England, 60 feet high. with more rain. Taper has to be put up in the best possible manner to stay. They use the same kind of paste that we do. but they do a great deal more snipping, or, as they call it, fly post- ing. They are, however, beginning to see the advantage of having as little matter as possible on large stand.-, this being introduced by American amusement enterprises, who, when they make tours of Great Britain, use American printed paper. One sees a good many familiar pieces of paper on the boards, prominent among which are Quaker Oats. Curtlss Bros. Blue Laliel Ketchup, Nestles' Food, Singer Sewing Machines, etc. The ad- vertisers of Great Britain use a great many enameled signs. The exterior of all railway stations is literally cov- ered with the same, as are the tram oars, or as we call them, street cars; signs being displayed inside and our, which makes them present a very ani- mated appearance. I think a good many of our American advertisers could benefit by a similar trip like the one I have just taken, as the English manufacturers certainly believe that outdoor advertising is a sure cure for dull business. Now. after a very pleasant voyage back on the steamship New England, arriving in Boston Friday. Sept 2. just in time to come into the harbor with the warships which were return- ing to Boston, headed by the Massa- chusetts, with Gov. Wolcott and Mayor # Quincy on board, it was cer- tainly a triumphant ending to this - hurried totfr to the Old World. Im- agine how proud I felt on hearing that the war had been satisfactorily set- tled and peace declared, pending the negotiations for a surrender; to see the grand United States once more. Everything that could float was draped with flags and was out to meet the battle ships. Every whistle was blowing; every bell was ringing; every building decked in the gayest of gay bunting, and everybody In holiday at- tire. It was certainly a sight never to be forgotten. Arriving at the wharf, and getting as quickly as possible down to the city. I dropped around to see Mr. Edward Downley, Boston's popular bill poster, who was delighted to see me. and entertained me with a dinner at the Hotel Touralne, Boston's new palatial hostelry. An evening spent, jaunting around the theatres, and then to New ork via the N. Yi, II. & H. R. R.. leaving New York at the Grand Central Station, via the New York Central & Hudson River Lines—a delightful trip Indeed. Back again, safe and sound on the evening of Sept. 4. being gone Just exactly thirty days, leaving friends never to be forgotten; but still, at the same time, glad to get back, and with noth- ing but pleasant memories of those who were connected with the United Bill • Posters' Association in Great Britain and those who made It possi- ble for me to do the honor to represent Item. Yours respectfully. ISAAC M, MONK. THE BILLBOARD. U « fair Department « i OMAHA. The Annual Convention. The annual convention of the American As- sociation of Fairs and Expositions will be lii-ld at Omaha. Neb.. Oct 25 and 26. agree- able to resolution adopted at the last con- vention, held at Milwaukee. Wis. The conven- tion will convene at 10 o'clock a. in.. Oct. 25, at the Millard. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss matters pertaining to fair and exposition management, in general, and to further the interests of agricultural and the mechanical arts. The combined experience of the different delegates will' enable the asso- ciation to crystalize the best thought, the most economical management and the safest rules for recommending back to the individ- ual members or fair organizations. Uniform- ity in rules is one of the essential objects sought. The members of the association are ear- nestly requested and urged to send as full delegations as possible to the forthcoming convention. Fair and exposition organiza- tions not holding membership are also ear- nestly invited to be represented and to iden- tify themselves with the association. Dis- cussion will be open and free to ail inter- ested, and a large representation from the different fair and exposition organizations of the United States and Canada, will result in much good to each one represented. The convention is held during the latter part of the Trans-Mississippi International Exposition, and much of unusual interest will occur in that connection. It Is hoped that every large fair will see the propriety of be- ing represented. A fixed program is announced, in which some very interesting and important topics are included. ROBT. W. FURNAS, President, Brownville, Neb. JAS. W. FLEMING. Secretary. Columbus. O. Notice.—Organizations sending representa- tives, please notify the Secretary at Colum- bus. 0.. and if possible at this time, give names and post office address. The headquarters will be at "The Millard." OCT. 25—10 O'CLOCK A. M. 1. Call to order by the President. 2. Call of roll of members. 3. Reading of minutes of last convention. 4. Annual address of the President. Robt. W. Furnas. 5. Report of the Secretary. 6. Report of the Treasurer. 7. Unfinished business. 8. Communications from the President. 9. Communications from the Secretary. 10. Report from Executive Committee. 11. Report from Committee on Transporta- tion. 12. Admission of members. 2 O'CLOCK P M 1. What can we do to establish "uniformity in rules of admission? (Address by H. J. Hill, Manager and Secretary Toronto Exposition.) Discussion of subject. 2. Should live stock sales be inaugurated un- der association management? (Address by J. W. Fleming. Assistant Secretary . Ohio State Fair.) DIscuEsIon of subject. -. The rights of exhibitors. (Address bv William M. Liggett, Minnesota State Fair.) DIscuEsIon of subject. 4. What is the best system of dairy tests? (Address by S. C. Bassett. Nebraska State Fair.) Discussion of subject. OCT. 26—10 A. M. 1. The fair, the farmer and the community at large. (Address by S. H. Ellis, Ohio State Fair.) Discussion of subject. -. What privileges should be granted on fair grounds and how they should be con- trolled. (Address by Chas. Downing. President Indiana State Fair.) Discussion of subject. .i. How can we reduce the issue of compli- nifntarleg. and would it be wise to abol- 15 tne system? (Address by John M. Tiue. Wisconsin Board of Agriculture.) Discussion of subject. 2 P. M. 1. MircdianeoUB and new business. r, : „ port of Committee on Program. , ;., port ot Committee on Dates. 4- £ iTtlon of officers. ■>■ Si Uction of place and date of next meeting. Judges at Fairs. ...21 :J- . Morr 's. of Warren County. Iowa, nnk.s the following timely suggestions with •V,nj"il . . ln >P°rtant question of securing f; irs- judges to place ribbons at the "i would Uk e to urge upon Intending cxhlb- u»is the importance of Inducing fair nun- r,ii»ii 8ccure the services or competent and «„,.„, c .! per , t J" 0 ** In the live stock rings. ,'',\' °. r , the leading fair associations are up m-ifi i lm ? s .'? th ' 8 feaoect. but some county 11 if J. l,,cl fa,rB ar6 Btl " behind. Last year I „7„ a "umber of county and district fairs, r r..j B °me instances the society had em- slmr. „? X EIF U '.'""-called, who fell very far Kti.lL.. °*ing experts. They were college t "letvlw h0 ottered the,r services cheap, the t" maK pen,e "; Most of the managers wanted 1.ad ,„„. a . BttvlnB ,0 the society, while if they nau secured competent Judges, they would probably have had to pay for their services. It is all right for fair associations to econ- omize, but it is poor policy to jeopardize the interests of exhibitors for the sake of a small saving to the society. I have all due respect for the students and for the colleges from which they come. They are all right in their place. Of late, in some of the colleges, ef- forts have been made to teach stock judging. The students are called together and prizes are offered for the best judging of live stock, and then a fat horse or cow is run out, and perhaps for a pastime, as much as anything else, they proceed to judge it. Nine out of ten of the boys would prefer a football game or a bicycle race. The fact is, a young man can not gain the competency that should be possessed by an expert judge by taking a college course. It requires a man who has had a long experience as a breeder, dealer and handler of stock; one who has been at both end of the string, both as a purchaser and a seller. It is true that a good judge can point out many good characteristics, but there are a thousand and one little important things that one can hardly teach to another and that can only be learned by years of practical experience. Some may think that almost any kind of judge will do at a eounty fair, or a "pumpkin show," as it is sometimes called. It does not make any difference, how- ever, even if It be only a pumpkin show, the judge should at least know a Yankee pump- kin from a gourd, and there should be just as much competency in a judge of a county fair as at a State fair. As a rule, exhibitors are not thoroughly versed in the points of good stock, and they go to the fair as much to learn whether they are falling into any mistakes in their breeding as for any other purpose. If the animals they show are su- perior or inferior, they want to know it. and to know at what points and why, and if they do not And it out at the fair, attendance is not profitable to them, as they hoped. More encouragement should be given by fair man- agers to farm stock, such as draft, coach and driving horses, cattle, swine and sheep, with a little less attention to racing. Better fairs would thus be built up. and it would be bet- ter for the country at large. Managers will spare no pains to secure the services of a good starting judge to start the races, but they are often quite negligent in securing competent judges to award premiums. Often the starter awards the premiums as well, and while, in nine cases out of ten, he is all right as a starter, he is not competent to make awards." The matter referred to is a timely one, for a fair association misses its' chance, for use- fulness if it fails to make the show as large- ly educational as possible, and to do this, judges who understand what they are about, who know animals thoroughly and well, and who, upon occasion, are able to give reasons for faith that is within them, should be em- ployed. They should be men who can detect faults and recognize points of excellence, and who are able to give due weight to each fault or blemish and each excellence, neither un- der-valuing or over-valuing them relatively to the balance of the animal. The larger the practical experience a judge has had, the greater will be his ability to judge, other things being equal. In some of the colleges of the country great pains are taken to teach students of live stock what constitutes a good animal, and how it should be judged. This systematic teaching is productive of good re- sults, and while it may not and does not at once make a full-fledged expert judge, it gives an excellent skeleton on which to hang after-acquired experience in the handling of domestic animals. So far as we have been able to observe, the students who become competitors for prizes in the stock-judging, courses, such for instance, as the Ogilvie foundatiqn at the Wisconsin Agricultural Col- lege and some others, are earnest and ener- getic young men who may, perhaps, have a fondness for football, but only in its place and not to the detriment of the more serious duties of life. This is not saying that the course they take makes them at once expert judges, fully competent to place the ribbons to everybody's satisfaction at fairs, for prac- tice must go hand in hand with science in order to do this. But it does mean that the courses do them a great deal of good and will probably make good judges out of them eventually. In this connection it might not be amiss to recall Eome work.that was done at the Wau- kesha County Fair in Wisconsin. Recogniz- ing the fact that live stock fairs did not pos- sess the educational value that they ought to have, and did not teach exhibitors and oth- ers interested as much about what consti- tutes a good animal of its kind as they ought to teach, Mr. George MeKerrow, Superin- tendent of the Wisconsin Farmers' Institutes, held three short Institute sessions at the fair named, and used the prize-winning animals in the fair stock rings as texts for brief lec- tures on the subject of judging, telling the reasons why each point was a defect or an excellence, as the case might be, and, in short, letting those who were interested in the subject see just how the mind of a com- petent judge worked when engaged in deter- mining the question of how a lot of premiums should be distributed. We last year com- mended this work at the Waukesha fair as worthy of imitation everywhere. We have since seen no reason to withdraw .such com- mendation, and believe the value of fairs, so far as live stock is concerned, would be in- creased many-fold if the practice of holding such sessions we're general. TOLEDO, 1903, Will Celebrate With a Big Exposition and Numerous Conventiors. The people of Toledo, O.. have decided to have an exposition in 19re; to commemorate the anniversary of the organization of the btate of Ohio. This they intend, whether the btate Legislature aids them or not. They have already gone to work on the conventions and have secured many for that year They made a special effort to get the G A R., and have virtually succeeded. Toledo is deserving or much credit. The Trans-Mississippi Exposition is boom- ■PS W'tb a big B, says a correspondent. All the showmen and concessionaires seem satis- ■ned. Howard W. Sexton is now receiving bids for the material and work of constructing a large exhibition hall, a stable for trotting horses and three stables for cattle, for use in the coming fair at Oxford Lake, Anniston, Ala. A Word on Fairs. There has always been a disposition among certain manufacturers to kill off the fairs. Some would have a grievance against the management; their experience one year had been unsatisfactory on account of it being a bad year, or something or another had gone wrong, but they would come back in line and the exhibits at the fairs this year will probably average bigger and better than ever before. The season has been good and the dealers and farmers are prosperous and happy. The best fairs will stand for all time for many reasons. They afford the best op- portunity for the renewal of old acquaint- ances and the forming of new ones between manufacturers, jobbers, traveling salesmen and farmers. At a big fair a farmer or dealer can examine more implements and vehicles in a single day at a nominal expense than be could by traveling over the country for weeks at a large outlay. Besides, he can see many machines in actual operation. The. agricultural implement "and vehicle display has always been the chief attraction at many fairs, even to the women and chil- dren. The towering wind-mill, the buzz- ing machinery and beauty of the displays come in for a large share of the attraction of the fair sex. There are souvenirs of all de- scriptions handed out by handsome and pleas- ant salesmen, and the souvenir hunter finds time spent in the emplement and vehicle row most agreeable and productive of the best re- sults.—Farm Machinery. The Paris (Ky.) fair grounds and trotting track are soon to be sold at auction. Annual meetings have been held on these grounds for fifty-six years, and the Paris Fair Associa- tion was the oldest one in the United States. Paris will hold street fairs in the future. The initial one this season was a great success. France gets enormcus trade from America, but the latter gets little from Franco. England buys more than ten times as much of our exports. The British colonies alone buy more than three times as much. France sympathizes with Spain. France insults American tourists. France is pervaded with anti-American sentiment. Let France go to hell and take the Paris Exposition with her. At the New York State Fair two colts, aged three and four months, pulled a wagon and driver one-quarter of a mile in thirty-nine seconds. While the feat excites the admira- tion of some horsemen and shows what can be accomplished with colts, others object, al- leging that cruelty must have been practiced to break the steeds to harness. Join the American Association of Fairs and Expositions. "There is "no such thing as certainty in this life." exclaimed the melancholy man. "Ain't there?" responded Farmer Corntos- sel, contemptuously; "I guess you didn't never play games with any of these men that goes around to county fairs?" if if « Government Building, Trans-Mississ'pp ilnternational Exposition, at Cmaha, Neb.