The billboard (Jan-June 1899)

THE BILLBOARD. owing to his miserly greed and inordinate stinginess alone that Council Bluffs prohibits sample distributing. No cathartic should be put out unless it is banded to an adult in the house. No distributor can walk to side doors, knock, # wait for the door to open, hand in the sample and average over 000 pieces per day of ten hours. The best, the most ex- perienced distributor you ever saw or heard of can not do better than this. And yet some advertisers offer $1.50 per 1,000 pieces. There is lots of inducement for a distrib- utor to remain honest under these circum- stances—Jiit. Fake Associations. On Distributing. BY JAMES A. CUR RAN. Denver, Colo., April 15. 1899. I noticcda few good articles in your splen- did journal in reference to distributing, which I read very carrefully. Now distributing is a very fine point in advertising. When a circular, book or pamphlet Is properly distributed, put inside of dwellings, offices and business houses, it is an individual solicitor, and the advertiser distributing such matter is an individual ad- vertiser, as far as the merits of his circular, pamphlet or book go. Of course in distrib- uting you have to rely upon the honesty of the distributor, as of course it is impossible to check up distributing unless you follow up the different streets, and ask individually at the houses whether your advertising mat- ter has been left there, at the same time showing one of your circulars. And adver- tisers would often do more distributing than they do if it were not for the fear of that deadly foe. "The dishonest distributor." There are all kinds of distributors, and all kinds or prices. There is the distributor who does his work in a hap-hazard-manner, go- ing along the street and dropping the adver- tising matter over the fence, or throwing them on to the porches. Then there is the dishonest distributor who puts three or four pieces of advertising matter in one place, or not putting it out at alt, or is in a hurry to get out the work and send in his bill for distributing same, and kicks if he does not hear from the advertiser at once. Then there is the distributor who is lazy: who works only the thickly populated portion of the city where he is distributing, lie does not go to the outskirts, or on streets where there are only a few houses: ncr does he go into the top floors of the business blocks, or up to top floors where families do light house- keeping. Then comes the honest distributor, who is a painstaking man. who distributes carefully, going to each aud every bouse and family and leaving one piece: who thorough- ly works the outskirts of the city or town, and inquires from the different druggists or grocers, or whoever carries the line of goods he is advertising, about the sales, and keeps the advertiser informed of his article by fol- lowing up the results of bis advertising as soon as possible. That mail is a success, and the goods that he advertises are always successful. A great mistake many prosepctive adver- tisers make when they are about to have distributing done is in beating down the prices. They say, "Is that the cheaptest you can do it for?" -Now, I argue that no distributing can be done properly and leave a fair profit for the distributor for less than $2.00 per I.ihhi. One instance out of several that I could quote is of a distributor of this city who sent out a solicitor, and told bim to get the distributing at any price. "No matter what you have to take it for, get it. and I will take care of the rest." He got 10.000 dodgers from Brooks, the Tailor, who has a large establishment in this city, and by contracting to put them out for $1.00 a 1.00O. The result was. that Mr. Brooks caught one of the distributing boys in the very act of burning his circulars in their stove. There were from ".000 to 5.000 de- stroyed. The distributor said: "I will make it all right." and tried to hush the matter up. so it would not get out. But here was a case where the advertiser lost his cost of printing, the price he would have to pay the distributor, providing he had not caught him burning the circulars, and most of all. the advertising value, or the results he would have obtained if the circulars had been properly distributed. I also argue that when a distributor once' secures a customer, and-.uses his utmost en- deavors to see that the matter is properly distributed according to contract, and calls on the different stores and keeps in touch with the advertiser, he will not lose him. If advertising does not pay. why is it thnt the most successful merchants are the heavi- est advertisers? Therefore, when the dis- tributor succeeds in getting a lot of distrib- uting to do, he should make good the above outlines. The aim of every successful distributor of the presendt day is to promote the interests of the advertiser as far as he possiblv can. He should also correspond regularly with his customers, and make bis IettPrs as short as possible, and if he misses their patronage should write that he would like to know why he is not receiving more distriboting, and if it is bis fault he would like to know it. and that be desires an answer to his letter. Tf possible he will call on the advertiser per- sonally, and ?»swer all letters promptly. Yours respectfully, JAS. A. CURRAN. Distributors in the South complain a great deal about traveling men employing negro boys and cheap labor to do their distributing. They say that the matter is invariably wast- ed, and if such be the case it would be im- possible to get results: hence, cause adver- tisers to form the impression that it does not pay to advertise in the South. The Pinhead Advertiser. (Prize Contest.) Council Bluffs will shortly pass an ordi- nance prohibiting the distribution of medi- cine samples. This is due entirely to bad service. The distributor is at fault, it is true, but the real culprit is most frequently the advertiser. The niggardly price he al- lows the distributor will oftentimes not ad- mit of an ablebodied man earning a dollar a day. This is a fact. We know of several in- stances. While it is true that distributors should refuse work that does not bear a fair price, it is equally true that to do so means inviting opposition, for inexperienced men, willing to undertake an experimental con- tract, are plentiful. Most distributers know this, and prefer the lesser, evil of accepting an unfairly low- price rather than see some one else start into the business. The advertiser who offers a distributor less than $2.00 a 1,000 on sam- ples, comes very near to being an outright criminal. In speaking of the Council Bluffs movement the Omaha World-Herald, of April 17, says: "The City Council will be called upon at its next meeting to take measures to prevent the miscellaneous distribution of patent med- icine samples in this city. This has been one of the common methods of advertising patent: medicine, small packages of pills or bottles of liquid medicine being carried from house to house and dropped in mail boxes, thrown on porches and steps, or behind screen doors.' "About a year ago a child named Hansen ate a quantity of pills distributed in this careless icanner. and died from the effects cf the drugs in them. There was much in- dignation at that time, but no action was taken by the city. The occurrences of a num- ber of similar cases of poisoning of children by patent medicine samples recently, has again aroused public sentiment, and a strong demand is being made that something be done to stop the practice. About a month ago a little daughter of J. A. Gorbam, of the firm of Treynor & Gor- ham, got hold of a box of large pills, which a distributor had left at the door, and, at- tracted by the sweet taste of the sugar coat- ing, ate a considerable portion of them be- fore she was discovered by Mrs. Gorham. The prompt administration of an emetic averted serious consequences. Mr. Gorham followed up the matter at that time, and re- ceived a promise from the agent who caused the medicine to be distributed that care should be taken to place medicine samples directly in the hands of some adult member of each family visited, and he earnestly im- plored Mr. Gorham not to make any public complaint. "The reckless distribution of medicines bas continued, however, and Mr. Gorham and a number of others have taken the matter up, with the determination to have the city au- thorities to act." If other cities follow the lead of Council Bluffs, or if the State or National Govern- ment takes the matter up and stops this potent form of advertising, the advertiser will have no one but himself to blame. It is The Manufacturers' Advertising Co. (Inc.) is the newest. They have the nerviest propo- sition that has ever been brought to our at- tention. Here is what the sucker signs: "l desire to accept your proposition, and hereby agree to distribute one thousand pieces of advertising matter, which, with $3.00 en- closed, entitles me, without further expense, to a fully paid-up life membership." For pure, unadulterated, double-distilled gall this is the greatest ever. And in spite of its transparency, they will get enough bites to make it pay. The Nichols Advertising Co., of Galesburg, Mich., shroud themselves in silence, and re- fuse to answer "The Billboard's" letters re- questing evidence of their standing, honesty and integrity. If they are not grafters they are just damp phools. There is no distributor in the land but can afford 10 cents a month advertising himself and his business. That is just what it costs to have your name in our distributor's di- rectorv. It is alphabetically arranged, and your name will always be found just where the advertiser is looking for it. Is your name in it? Do you believe in advertising? I want to compliment Mr. M. F. Sprenger. of Poughkeepsie. N. Y., on the fine line of stationery he is using. If distributors and bill posters generally would pay a little more attention to stationery, it would improve their business a great deal. True, good sta- tionery costs considerable, but as a man is judged by his stationery in a great many cases, it seems to me that it would pay any one in the business to use the best. Mr. C W. Stutesman. the hustling bill poster and distributor of Peru. Ind.. is send- ing out a descriptive four-page folder. Dr. Burkhart, of Cincinnati, sailed for England on March 2S. The doctor will make a house-to-house distribution of samples in the cities of London, Liverpool, Paris and other large cities on the other side of the pond. -.j i This is the distributor's weather, and the proper season to do the work. Any one in tiie business who has not about all he can look after at present lacks something. Either he did not solicit at the proper time or did not solicit enough. All those who are complain- ing of dull business should take the bint and go to work. Do not only advertise, but so- licit the work through correspondence. Use a well written circular. It is a good idea to give list of patrons, also testimonials. Refer advertisers to your old customers, and if you have been doing their work in a thorough manner, they will be more than pleased to recommend and help you to get new busin- ness. Each new customer is worth at least $25.00. A well-known distributor in a large city recently stated to me that it cost him at least $100 in advertising, corresponding, etc., to obtain each National advertiser's contract. Of course the shipments are large: consequently, the cost of each customer is comparatively small. A distributing agency, who has a good trade in a large city, where it takes from 75,000 and upwards to cover the territory, is worth all the way from two to five thousand dollars in good, cold cash. Distribution Methods. (Prize Contest.) About three yours ago two young men came to this city, from where the public knew out, hired a store for three mnnths, and opened their doors as an "outlet." ol men's clothing. Before .their' lease had expired it wan re- newed for six months; ere six mouths had passed it was renewed for eighteen months; and now they have a lease for ten years on the store in which they first ventured in the clothing business in the city of Providence. The combined influence of the cloihing merchants was directed against them, and was effective in influencing the Providence Journal to refuse their advertisements. They took up the work of distribution, and have since regularly and methodically-covered the State by this method of advertising. There is another man who, to my knowl- edge, has on two different occasions had 10,000 posters printed with which to cover the city. : Net meeting with the immediate anticipated results, he condemned the method as a waste of money. This man, also, had a method which doubtless was a waste of money, although his scheme of advertising was not necessarily so. His method of dis- tributing was to stand In front of his store door until he saw some rag-a-muffln ol a boy dragging his snail like form along, .'when' he would call out. "Ha. boy; want to peddle some bills for me?" This man re- fused to pay $1.75 per 1,000 to a local distrib- utor, as being robbery; but he paid an irre- sponsible youth, 1 know not bow much, to scatter his posters broudeust on the high- way, very much like the gossiping old wo- man, who was sent to scatter the feathers of a hen to the winds as she walked the streets of her city, and then attempt to pick them up again. Distribution with the first-named firm is a success, because it is well done. Distri- bution with the latter is a failure, because it is poorlv done. Nowhere is the truth ol the old adage. "If a thing is worth doing it is worth doing well." more fittingly applied than in the work of distributing. To the business advertiser it is an ele- ment in his business that must be given re- spectful consideration, and systematized, as does every profitable department of business. To the distributor it means method, which is the foundation of success. The man with- out method is in darkness without light. _ Like a battle without "a plan is distributing j without method. It is an undisputed fact that the most successful business men are the greatest ad- vertisers; the greatest advertisers are the ones who patronize the best distributors: and Who -Tis Items. A report reaches me from Stanton, Pa., ■ isit lirs. 1*\ IS. te J. A: Ureone'H matter was ■tincl'ully wasted in lust distribution made ■Mr. K. E. Mafer, General .Manager of the iw Chase Co., Philadelphia, sailed for Eng- l.io.l on. March-22. to look alter the large and umi-. using business of the above named con- .. rn. Mrs. (Mara McNeill, of Lancaster, O., is .M-iidiug out a neat little folder, giving the r liitistics of the territory she controls. Mrs. .wi-Ncill is tile leading bill poster and dis- iriliulor of Lancaster. [lie W. I). Husted Advertising Co., of Mansfield, Pa., have issued a very attractive ■ uvular, calling advertisers' attention to the '■ivut Maustielu Kair, to be held ut Smythe park, Mansfield, Pa., September 2ti-21», IS'JU. Distributors are advised to be on the look- out for the Consumers' Distilling & Tobacco io.: also. Spermine Medicine Co., and Paul Tartiel. Accept nothing but cash in advance liioii these firms. Inning the month of April the I. A. 1>| has added twenty recruits to their list, and the Secretary has on hie a large number of ap- plications which he is giving the usual rigid investigation. Distributors are requested to quote prices on work advertising the "Klks" Carnival and .\iidway," to Le held at Kindlay, O., June 11M7. Address Mr. Henry L.lilessuer, tii>7 W. Sandusky street, Findlay, O. Mr. A. E. Drier, of Burlington, Iowa, re- ports business xcry good. He says that the city Council has recently passed an ordi- nance creating a license of $25.00 per: year for distributing. I have the following report from a Cirele- villc. O., correspondent: **H.. 11. Bacon, Rochester. N. Y.. is having this town sam- pled with "Celery King." Their own man is looking t?) "after the work—two and three packages in a yard; as usual, done by boys." Harry Gear, representative of the I. A. D. at El Paso del Kobles. Cal., has extended his territory to San Luis, which will be his headquarters in the future. The local paper of the last named city gave Mr. Gear quite a nice notice in a recent issue. A. J. Finn, Cheboygan. Mich., reports busi- ness slow up to the present date, but says that he will soon commence a distribution for Dr. Greene and one for Drs. Kennedy & Kergan, and will also place samples for B. 11. Bacon, of Kaehester, N. Y. He is now the best distributers are they with the best] working oie ::,tw samples for Dr. Brant, of methods. ! A,b, °»- M "' h - If you were to ask the successful business; man the secret of bis sucVess. he would, on; reflection, say "method." Ask any man who! has made a success of life the reason of his; success—he is a man of method. Who have won the greatest battles? The general of strategy who plans every step. Of one hun- dred men, let us say, striving for success. W one receives a greater measure than all the Since the last issue of "The Billboard" It is reported that the Dr. Miles Medical Co. are having a larger demand for their celebrated remedies than ever before known in the history of the firm. I believe that < onsiderablev of this increase is due to the improved service they are receiving in their house-to-house'-distribution. - ' rest. You ask wy? and arc told that he has the best methods. • , A scheme which I adopted long before I became an association member, was to start out with three men, each, like myself, carry- ing as much as he could, without being bur- dened. Each man was apportioned exactly the same amount of matter. We would then start on the east side of the river, which divides the city, and selecting a certain street to serve as our temporary boundary on the north, with the city line on the south. With a companion I would then take one street, and send my most trusted man. with an assistant, to the adjoining parallel street, saying, "do that." and 1 will meet you at sui-h a place. Meeting him there we would r.everFe our direction, and meet at another appointed place, and thus we continued until ' all was completed from the city line to the street I had selected as a boundary. This much accomplished, what had been our boundary on the north now became our boundarv on the south: anotner section was then marked out to he covered, and the same method pursued. Knowing the city thor- oughly, and the number of houses that I sent my men to visit, like any man of ordiiiars intelligence, I could readily detect. jiidgmP from the relative sizes of our bundles after meeting at our appointed place, whether or net anv waste had been made. I have had the same men work with me in winter that I had in summer, and this «■ what I alwavs liked. For I have found it to be greatly to the advantage of the distrib- uting business to employ men who ran ion a sense of responsibility and interest in their work. Give a man respectable pay »"<'"' will have that interest. The element that hinds a distributor, and also his moil. In Ki" faithful, enthusiastic service, is the cleiucni of remuneration. Good wages will hire K™« men: good men will have good method*, good methods will accomplish good results NEW ENGLAND BULLETIN SIGN < O. Providence, 11. I.. April 22. 1839. there has been a change of proprietors of "^ie Twin Cities Distributing Agency or Pitts- Tiiirg. Pa.. Mr. Hudson having sold out to lr. .1. K. Mi Manama. The new proprietor is most highly recommended by prominent l'ittshurg firms. To avoid unnecessary trouble for errors, it is requested by both the publisher of "The Billboard" and Secretary Steinbrcnner that all remittances due "The Billboard" be for- 1 warded direct to that office, and all money intended Tor the Association be paid to the Secretary. The Jones Advertising Co.. 19 Lucerne ave- nue. Cleveland. O., would like to hear from distributors. In writing them vou arc n- 'Hiested to state first the teritory you cover; si cond. the number of pieces neeessarv to reach the better classes: third, the rate* per l.ooo; fourth, the commission you are willing | to allow for placing the work. ■Mr. G. A. Brannan. of Troy. N. Y.. in re- mitting ror I. A. D. dues, writes ns follows: It has been worth ten times this amount to me in the last year." An endorsement of tins kind should satisfy anv distributor who is hisitating about joining the 1. A. I). Sec- retary Steinlireiiner says that he receives many similar testimonials. Crew of The National Distributing Co., Detroit, Mich. V.. W. Rush, a distributor at Altnona. Pa. has invented aud patented a shade linn-K" that will prove a hlg bonanza. He """■ intiitnl to put it on the market, and any on with a few hundred dollars to Invest ran get a share of a mighty good thing by writ- ing him. .1. Long. Shcrmnn. Tex., sends In a report saying that Home time ago Williams tiros "Nine O'clock Ten" samples were disiriD" id. Work was done In such a poor '<"""']. that he reported lo the firm, who nl on < sent mi Inspector to his city, nnd uponi "» vcHlIgiiiloii. found things Just an report". The, Inspector promptly made rontne t w" Mr. Long for another distribution to « made at once, and Mr. Long was hlgn. complimented on the thorough manner which the work was done. THE BILLBOARD McCarthy & Getter, Kalamazoo, Midi., Members of the I. A. of D. No doubt distributors throughout the coun- try are receiving circulars from the "Manu- facturers' Advertising Co.," 114 W. Thirty- fourth tsreet. New York City. This concern is alter $3. I think it is about time that dis- tributors would hold on to their money, and would advise every one of them to turn down any proposition they may receive from con- cerns of a similar nature. Messrs. J. 11. Hayncs & Son, of Ironton, ()., have sold out their distributing business to Mr. Crossley, and the gentleman at once n.ade application ror the I. A. D. franchise. Mr. Crossley comes very highly recommend- ed, having on his list of patrons a number of the leading advertisers. Mr. Haynes states that Mr. Crossley was the only competitor whom he considered worthy of notice. We give the- following abstract of a letter received from the Spaulding Advertising Agency, Boise, Idaho: "We are aware that we are a long way out West, and the Na- tional advertiser thinks we are Indians and cow-hoys, no doubt, but we have a fast- growing population of plain out-and out Eastern people, troubled here, as elsewhere, with the several aches and pains that the human kind are heir to." It looks like Messrs. Stevenson & Solomon, of Jackson, Mich., are having their full share of patronage. Here is a list of work done by them during the month of March: Mor- row & Co., a.ooo; Greene's Nervura, 5,000; Horse Shoe Tobacco. 8,000; Dr. Chase. Co., "..nun; Leonard Beffel (local), 5.000: Dr. James Co.. 7.1MI0; Trades Council (local I. 1.500; Boardman's Millinery (locan, 2,500; Elks' Pair (IcoaD, 10,000. C. I. Hood & Co.. Lowell. Mass., of "Sar- sapariila" rame, are to be congratulated on the improvement in their distributing at Cin- cinnati. 1 understand that their distributor had been reported for poor work by one of his competitors, which immediatelv brought an inspector on the ground. Matters were just about as reported. The offending dis- tributor was reprimanded and given another trial. Kor the benefit of all concerned, 1 will state the Steinbreiiner Distributing Service is not handling Hood's work. Mr. Geo. Fischer, of the Fischer Distribut- ing Agency. Omaha, Neb., reports that the advertising matter of the Foster-Milburn Co., Buffalo. N. Y., was put out through cut-rate drugigsts of Omaha. We quote Mr. Fischer's own words in speaking of the matter: "The work was simply vile—not a single one went into a house. We called the attention of a druggist at Sixteenth and Corby streets to the work, who saw the man. a "nigger." It will be a complete waste of advertising mat- ter." So much for shipping matter to a druggist. Very few of them employ a reli- able distributer, as it is cheaper to employ some roustabout. There is net the least doubt about having a big attendance at the coming I. A. D. con- vention. Distributors all over the United States have signified their intention to be present. These reports are not only font near-by towns, but from Maine to California. There will be a great many distributors at- tend who are not members. Anvone who can possibly afTord to do so, should not miss being present. It will be a splendid oppor- tunity to get pointers and meet with many of the leading advertisers of the United States. There will be ample arrangements made for the entertainment of the delegates and guests. A good time is assured every one. Con.e, you will be welcome. Mr. Steinbreiiner relates the following: "A shott time ago a local merchant called at my* otl.ee and made inquiries regarding a house- to-house distribution, stating that he would make a trial of 20.000. When the price was quoted he thought it was too high, but after talking the matter over, placed his order. The matter was distributed in a thorough manner, and when the work was completed the bill was sent in. The cheek arrived in the next morning's mail with a letter re- questing a representative to call at his place of business. The request was complied with, resulting in an additional order of 20,000, the merchant stating that he was perfectly sat- isfied with the service." If local merchants, generally speaking, would onlv give a high- priced distributor a trial order. I am con- vinced that they would never look for a cheap service thereafter. I take it for granted that every one who reads the items in this column is interested in distributing in one way or another, and is anxious to get all the news and wonders why there is net more of it in each issue of "The Billboard." Did it ever strike vou. dear reader, that if you had sent in the little news Items you hear of what an improve- ment it would make in the Distributors' De- partment of this journal? You may think that the bits of news in your locality would not be interesting to others. What if every one thought that, where would 1 get my in- formation for these columns? Let me "urge you to send in everything thnt vou have as news in our line. "The Billboard" is Im- proving right along, and will continue to do so if every one will contribute their share Try writing an article. See it vou can not win the prize offered by the Editor. It is worth n trial. At least, let us hear from you once in awhile. The following clipping from the Detroit News of March 22. 1S99. may be of interest to distributors and manufacturers of pro- prietary articles: In spite of the fact that prominent dealers In proprietary medicines deny knowledge of any movement to effect a consolidation of the principal manufacturers, it Is claimed that such a scheme. Is on foot, and several m a nil- ■ facturers hnve been approached with over- tures. It is alleged that the medicine trust will be capitalized at $25,000,000. While no plans arc given out. it Is claimed that there is no intention of doing away with any of the • well-known medicines. Knoll «*lll be sold under its own special name or brand, with due regard to Its •popularity. The saving would be In the cutting down of expenses In the managerial and executive branches. Wm. C. Williams, President of the big De- troit firm, of Williams, Davis, Brooks & Hincbman Sons, was asked about the com- bine this morning, and said it was news to him. No overtures have been made nere, and he doubts the feasibility of such a com- bine on general principles. For instance, the J. C. Ayer Co. and C. 1. Hood & Co. both make celebrated brands of sarsaparilla in the same town, and Mr. Williams tailed to see how their business could be pooled or made anything but competitive. Williams. Davis, Brooks & Hinchman Sons are large manu- facturers, as well as jobbers of proprietary medicines, and make a well-known brand of sarsaparilla, called Johnson's. They ship it all over the United States. Mr. Williams exhibited today's orders from Texas. Florida, Colorado and half a dozen other parts of the country. Advertisers will note recent additions to the I. A. D.: Chamberlin, Harrington & Co., Peoria, 111. (Address Burlington, la.) H. F. Malinski, Cairo. III. P. J. Murray, 834 Micnigan Ave., Hammond Indiana. Sylvester Johnson, 114 Chestnut St., Fort Madison, la. Merle A. Thompson, 600 Main St., Osage, Iowa. Harry C. Ernich, 2 Main St., Fort Scott, Kansas. Jordan Adv. Co., C2 Elm St., Mechanics Falls. Me. Wm. W. Ramsay, Box 362, Uxbridge, Mass. Albert H. Furrows, 18 Mampden St, West- field, Mass. Wm. F. Mosher, Cauandaigua, N. Y. (ftS Cbapin St. Dr. J. W. Griffith. Greensboro. N\ C. H. C. Crossley, 109 N. Fifth St., Ironton, Ohio. Geo. E. Pence, 316 E. Church St., Urbana, Ohio. Marion Bill Posting and Adv. Co. (Chas. E. Perry, Mgr.), Marion, O. H. W. Davis. 2S W. Pine St., Mahanoy City. Pa. John H. Faga. Pres. Maueh Chunk Bill Posting Co., Mauch Chunk, Pa. Edw. C. Hoyt, Yankton, S. D. F. J. Paoli, 210 N. Fourth St., Charlottes- ville, Va. Andrew K. Andreason, C17 S. Ashland Ave., Green Bay, Wis. W. ACHESS. TIPS. Try The Following Adveitisers. Bon Ami Co., 100 William street. New York City. Newark Drug & Chemical Co.. Newark, O. R. H. Ratttrman & Co., Ho W. Front street, Cincinnati, O. Electric Luster starch Co.. 45 Commercial street. Boston. Mass. Heller-Merz Co., New York Citv. B. F. Stiuson & Co.. Toledo. O " The G. C. Bittner Co.. Toledo. O. Bostou Medical Institute, 269 Dearborn street, Chicago, 111. R. T. Bootn Co., 20 Auditorium Building. Chicago, 111. Munyon's Remedies Co.. 1505 Arch street Philadelphia. Pa. U. S. Baking Co.. Mansfield. O. Kohler Mfg. Co., Baltimore. Md. Celestial Oil Co.. Baltimore, Md. The Peruna Drug Mf.. Co.. Columbus. O. Centaur Co., 77 Murray street, New York City. J. L. Preseott. New York City. Nonotuck Silk Co., 19(1 Market street, Chi- cago, 111. Allen S. Olmsted, LeRov. N. Y. Vaupel Samaritan Co.. Cleveland O. S. R. Feil & Co.. Cleveland. O. The Franco-American Chemical Co., Mon- treal, Canada. Jas. S. Kirk & Co., SCO N. Water street, Chicago. III. Dr. Pfeiffer Mfg. Co.. St. Louis. Mo. S. H. C. Bixler & Co.. Greencastle. Pa. International Soap Co.. Lancaster, Pa. Chas. A. Henderson Chemical Co., Ander- son, Ind. Killbuek Sanitarium. Anderson, Ind. (H. VerMillion, Manager.) Chas. B. Knox, Johnstown. N. Y. John T. Wood. Box 1. Sorento. III. C. F. Simmons Medical Co., St. Louis, Mo. The Dr. James Co.. Ogontz. Pa. Williams Bros., Indianapolis, Ind. Omega Chemical Co.. 29 Central street,Bos- ton, Mass. (Easttrn States only.) J. H. Zeileu & Co., Philadelphia. Pa. C. L. Deitz & Co., Indianapolis, Ind. Ache-Head Chemical Co., Indianapolis. Ind. F. W. Feigner * Sons Co., Baltimore, Md. Wellman & Dwire Tobacco Co., St. Louis Mo. L,ovell & .Buffington Co.. Covington, Ky. Foster Mfg. Co., Council Bluffs, Iowa. James Beach & Sous, Dubuque, Iowa The Meade & Bak«r Co., Lester and Ash streets, Richmond. Va. The J. c. llubinger Bros. Co., New Haven, Conn., and Keokuk. Iowa. Dr. Miles Medical Co.. Elkhart, Ind. The \V. T. Hanson Co.. Schenectadv, N. Y Orator F. Woodward. LeRoy. N y" Dr. Kilmer & Co.. ninghainton. N. Y. Dr. Shoon Family Medicine Co., Mavfield Ky. n ?y°* P r /.- ch » Be Co - - 1 *■'■ Tenth street, Philadelphia. Pa. Raymond & Co., C2 Car.-oli street, Brook- lyn. N. Y. J. M. Connolly. Areola. 111. (Illinois only.) Mayfield Medicine Co., Mayfield, Ky. (Southern States.) Ballard's Snow Linament Co., St. Louis Mo. (South only.) The Piso Co., Warren, Pa. Hamlin's Wizard Oil Co.. Chicago 111 Southern Cotton Oil Co., Savannah. Ga (Southern States only.) Smeads Hair Tonic Co.. Sheldon. Iowa. (Iowa only.) Lyon Mfg. Co.. Brooklyn. N. Y. Dunkley Celery & Preserving Co., Kalama- zoo. Mich. Belton Medicine Co.. 191 River street. De- troit, Mich. (Michigan only.) H. E. Bueklein & Co.. Chicago. 111. Washington Medical Institute. Chicago 111 Acme Chemical Co., New Orleans, La. (South only.) Smith. Kline & French Co., 301 Cherry street. Philadelphia, Pa. Bayer Medicine Co., 1706 Adams street. To- ledo. O. The P. L. Abbey Co.. Kalamazoo. Mich Bloch Bros . Wheeling. W. Va. G. F. O'Brien. Coldwater. Mich. "Dixie" Publishing Co . Baltimore. Md. H. Walton Norma. Advertising Manager of "The Cornucopia." Nor'olk. Va. Brown Medicine Co.. Erie. Pa. Hazen Morse, or Hoffman Drug Co.. New Rcchelle, N. Y. Reason For Congratulation. We have had the pleasure of reading two remarkable letters during the past month One was from the Dr. Kilmer Co.. of Bing- haiuton, N. Y.. to the Cuiran Bill Posting Co.. of Denver. Colo.: the other was written to Mr. Cbas. Bernard, of Savannah, Ga.. by Robert E. Blakoly, representing J. C Hu- bmge.- Bros. Co. (Elastic Starch). New Ha- ven. Conn., and Keokuk. Iowa. It is seldom, indeed, that such warm prais<> such unqualified commendation is brought to our notice. The letters are proof positive or the excellent service in Denver. Savannah and Charleston. We regret that lack of space prevents us acccrjing them any more than this brief mention. A Splendid Brochure. The New Haven Bill Posting Co. has is- sued a splendid brochure, which is calcu- lated to interest an advertiser in that city at a glance. It is profusely illustrated yet not a single picture of a bill board appears Colombia. •-. c . offers many inducements that should be noticed and talj.n advantage of liy dealers and manufacturers in all line* of good* There arc within the city limits three cotton factories, two nhosphate mills, railroad shop* hosiery mill*, three college*, etc.. etc. The pop^ illation i*al o it 2S.000. and increasing ronstantlv Ihe city also enjoys a large country trade, aiiil" has hundreds of visitors and purchasers of its goods from the neighboring towns alone the various railroads. The following testimonial shows how I work- "1 hi* is to certify that our sales of Paine'sCel- ery Compound have ircreased veiv material!v since the di*tributton of ariv-etUsing matter til our city by Mr. R. S Marks. We cheerfullv commend his thoroughness in the woik which he did. Veiy respectfully. 'THE BKICE DRUG CO" By \V. O. Brice. Picture Machine M« w'Atow|t Vivi J. PKDPft PShHV ■** tMB StCT- New, Novel, Vivid, Pleasing, Instructive and Entertaining. The Perfection of Picture Machines. Pennies or Nickels. No Noise, No Dirt, No Expense, No Batteries, No Lamps. Adjustable Focus, Spring Motor. We furnish the new l : reiieh transparent, finely colored pictures for any slot machine. ytjtjtjBjtjljtjtjtjtjtjtjtjit NEW YORK SLOT MACHINE CO. 83 Nassau Street, New York.