The billboard (Jan-June 1899)

*m*mmmq* >...: < 1 " .. ' ll.l ! "HI I I. ■ I ■ - ll -I I U. I J . 1 I . . i t l lTJ.MI nvwiwjw!',.' ^v^--^—^ - .,. „ . , , ,1.1 I,,,,-.»-—^^-v a n^,,^. .3 I: II *».' i- ; . THE BILLBOARD DILL POSYERS DEPARTMENT ^ Convention of the RockyMoun- tain Bill Posters* Assn. Persistent Advertising. As incessant drops of water ■With persistent, tiny blows. Beat down the rugged mountains And dissolve the deepest snows; As when thread to thread is added. Larger still the fabric grows. And the most persistent knitter Wears the longest, wannest hose; As the dog, by dogged gnawing. Tastes the marrow of the bone, And repeated mallet tapping Brings the statue from the stone; As the most untiring printer, "With incessant "click, click, click," Marches largest verbal armies By divisions o'er his stick; As letter to letter added Makes complete the longest page. And minutes oft recounted. Tell the sun of longest age; As oft-gained bits of wisdom Make the store of knowledge great, And man after man enlisted Fills the armies of the State; As rivulet Joining rivulet. Swells the river o'er its banks. And continued penny savings * Aggregate the wealth of banks; So the constant advertiser. By a law of common sense. Builds his business enterprises Into volumes most immense. —Inland Printer. The Southeastern States' Bill Posters* Association. A GREAT SUCCESS. The meeting, convened in the Kimball House parlors May 15th at 11 a. m. The bill posters present and by proxy represented about thirty-five towns and cities. J. D. Plummer. of Asheville. N. C. was selected a temporary chairman, with H. J. Rowe, of Athens, Ga., as secretary. A speech by the Chairman, placing the purpose ot the, meeting plainly before those present, result- ed in a resolution being passed that Virginia, North Carolina. South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana be the territory comprised in the new organization. This was followed by a splendid discussion as to who might become members of the new association. Charles W. Keogh. of Charleston, S. C, was the advo- cate of an open association, and made numer- ous speeches denouncing the amalgamation with the A. B. P. A— A recess was taken after over an hour of bitter contest in speech- es for and against open association. Imme- diately after meeting was called to order in the afternoon, Mr. Bernard read a motion, viz.r That we organize an association to be known as the "Southeastern States Bill Post- ers' Association," comprising the States men- tioned heretofore; that It amalgamate with and be subordinate to the A. B. P. A., sub- ject to their constitution-and by-laws. Keogh at once objected, and endeavored to again discuss open association, -but question was repeatedly called, and a vote followed, which was almost unanimous in adopting the mo- tion. A committee was then appointed to examine and pass on applications for mem- bership. This committee-consisted of H. E. Stoops, of Chattanooga: R. J. Sale. Dawson, Ga.: and B. F. "Ward, Rome, Ga. Committee also appointed consisting of. M. J. Dooley, Atlanta: Mr. Tisdale. Montgomery, and Mr. Jones, of Anniston. to draft constitution and by-laws. Commute on Membership reported favorably on the applications-of the follow- ing list^ which, -were accepted in a body as. charter members, and voted in, subject to conditions of constitution and by-laws; M. J. Dooley. Atlanta. Ga. J. D. Plummer, Asheville, N. C. Chas. Bernard,. Savannah. Ga. Stoops Bill Posting Co., Chattanooga. Tenn. Mrs. Geo. W. Tisdale, Montgomery, Ala. L. G. Jones. Anniston. Ala. " Theiss & Smith, Birmingham, Ala. H. B. Elmore, Sheffield, Ala. H. B. Elmore, Tuscumbia, Ala. B. F. 'Ward. Borne. Ga. Chas. Lingo. Americus. Ga. R. J. Sale, Dawfon. Ga- ll. J. Rowe, Athens, Ga. Kuns & Perry. Carrellton. Ga. J. A. Giles. Elberton, Ga. L-C- Baldwin. Madison. Ga. Mrs. C. R. Rowland. Augusta. Ga. Fuller & Bernard. Charleston. S- C. Ed. Seaman. Shreveport. La. J. Garllck, New Orleans, La. W. T. Pfoht. Winston. N. C- Johhv'R- Banv Spartansburg. S- C. Southern Bill Pcsting Co., Knoxville. Tenn. Committee on Constitution and By-laws re- ported in favor of using the same form as that used by the Ohio Bill Posters' Associa- tion, except that the annual dues of the A. B. P. A. be substituted for that of the Ohio As- sociation; also the order of business > and clauses inserted making it necessary for each member to use a regulation form of bill for services rendered; form to be adopted by the Executive Committee. (The object or this regulation form of bill is to show kind of service rendered, time of display, and price, thereby overcoming that old scheme of agents who show a receipted bill for posting at 3' cents per sheet for work done in some town where they claim to get cut rates, when in truth they are using a "chance may offer" price to secure cut rates on a thirty-day showing.) Also a clause requiring each mem- ber to give a bond of ten times the amount of his annual dues, which is to guarantee his service to be up to the association re- quirements. The Constitution and By-laws as recommended by the committee was adopt- ed. An election of officers then resulted in the selection of the following: H. E. Stoops. President. Chattanooga.Tenn. J. D. Plummer, Vice President, Asheville, N. C. Chas. Bernard, Secretary, Savannah, Ga. Martin Dooley, Treasurer, Atlanta, Ga. By the Constitution and By-laws adopted the above officers constitute the Executive Committee. H. E. Stoops, of Chattanooga, was elected as delegate to the annual con- vention of the A. B. P. ". at Chicago, and Chas. Bernard as alternate. The schedule of rates used by the A. B. P. A. was adopted. A committee, consisting of Chas. Lingo, H. J. Rowe and B. P. Ward, were appointed to investigate the causes, and endeavor to have repealed the excessive State license and city licenses against -circuses and other tent shows. Resolution of thanks was passed, and a committee appointed to visit offices of At- lanta newspapers and present the resolution; also, notice that each member of the associ- ation would at any time during the current year post gratis 100 posters (one-sheets), in the respective towns for said newspapers, if so desired, in consideration of the courtesies extended to the visiting bill posters. Reso- lution was also passed to aid and protect the interests of Mrs. C. R. Rowland, at Augusta. Ga. Third Monday in May was made the date of holding annual conventions, and after a spirited contest, in which Chattanooga. Tenn.. Asheville, N. C, -Anniston, Ala. and ' Savannah. Ga.. were contestants. Savannah, Ga.. was selected as the place to hold the next annual convention. A very interesting and instructive speech on the value of har- mony and co-operation, the importance of first-class service and strictly nonest meth- ods, was delivered by President Stoops, as a very fitting close to a most successful meet- ing, which adjourned at noon, the 16th. The remainder of the day was devoted to an in- spection of Bro. Dooley's plant, and a visit to points of interest in and around Georgia's Capitol City. That Dooley is a splendid en- tertainer, as well as an experienced bill post- er, can be vouched for by ail. A departure for an advertising agency is the step taken by N. W. Ayer & Son, ot Philadelphia. They are placing $200,000 worth of bill posting for the American Biscuit Co., of Chicago. The firm .of Ayer & Son is one of the oldest in advertising in the United States, and the fact of their going into bill resting is quite significant.—Advertising World. Minutes of the fifth annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Billposters' Association, comprising Colorado. Utah. Wyoming. New Mexico and Arizona, held at Denver, Col., Satuiday. May 6. 1S99. Meeting called to order at 10 a.m. In the parlors of the Windsor Hotel by President John Colman, of Leadville. All officers being present. Minutes of meeting held May 21. 1S9S. read and approved. Arbitration Committee that was appointed September 25. 1S97, reported that the Colorado Midland Railway was now giving its work to the associated member at Leadville, and that everything had been arranged satisfac- torily. Moved that a letter of thanks be sent to Mr. Baily, General Agent of the Midland Railway, and also to Mr. Anthony Sneve, its Leadville agent. Carried. After a lengthy discussion In reference to firms that give work to opposition bill post- ers, it was moved that a committee, consist- ing of Mr. Anderson and Mr. Curran. be ap- pointed to revise Section 1. Article 6. of the -constitution and by-laws, and make their re- port at the afternoon session. Carried. Applications for membership were read as follows: The St. John Bill Posting Company. Trinidad, Col.; Dave Downer, Lamar. Col.; Orton & Lyttle, Walsenburg, Col.; Lou J. Wood. Canon City. Col.; A. M. Anheler. Durango, Col. Upon being put to a vote they were all duly elected members. .On motion Jos. L. Graham, Provo, Utah, was dropped for non-payment of dues. Adjourned until 2 p.m. Afternoon session. Meeting called to order at 2:30 p.m. Committee on Revising Section I. Article 6, of the constitution and by-laws, recommend- ed that it be changed to read as follows: Section 1. When at all practicable and for a protection against opposition bill posting firms to any member of this association in good standing, it is recommended that no member of this association shall post or dis- tribute or tack any advertising matter of any description for any person or persons who shall have patronized a bill poster working in opposition to one of our members in good standing, and when such a case does occur the association bill poster shall immediately notify all association bill posters in the sur- rounding towns and cities, and they may re- fuse to post or distribute or tack any adver- tising matter of any description for the said parties until notified by the President of this association that same was justifiable. In the meantime the association bill poster will notify the Secretary in writing, giving him a full statement of the case and facts. The Secretary shall notify the President, who will thoroughly investigate the matter, when, finding that the association bill poster has given a true statement of the case, all asso- ciation bill posters within this jurisdiction shall be instructed to raise their prices to the advertising agent or advertiser for such time and until they shall cease to patronize the opposition bill posters. He shall also issue such instructions as in his judgment may best suit the matter. Moved that Section 1, Article 6, be amended as read. Carried. President Colman made a -verbal report giving a brief resume of benefits accruing to him during the past year through belonging to the association. . Treasurer Searles read the following re- port: RECEIPTS. May 2L 1898, balance on hand $50 35 June 27, 1898. F. M. Heaton 3 00 October 7. 1898. Hudson Adv. Co 2 00 October 22, 1S9S, R. C. Holland 2 00 November 15. 1S98, Dave Downer 3 00 November 29, 1S98, E. W. Paine 2 00 December 1, 1898, W. S. Talbert 2 00 Orton & Lyttle 3 00 John B. Lcdou 2 00 E. A. Haskell" 2 00 December 16. 1S98. John Colman 2 00 May 5. 1S99. St. John B. P. Co 3 00 Lou Wood 3 00 Total '. S79 35 The above is one of Gunning's Prominent Double-deck Boards, located at 1209 Wabash Ave , Chicago, HI. EXPENSES. July 8, 1898, per capita tax...\.....:.....1 6 28 August 29. 1898. seal.... i in December 16, 1898, membership cards... 1 bo May S, .1899, postage 6 00 Total |19 75 Balance on hand .....69 60 Moved that report be placed on file. Car- ried. B. A. Haskell, or Grand Junction, stated that hereafter he would do no work In Grand - Junction at less than 83 per thousand for dis- tributing, 82 per hundred for tacking, and would not accept any job that came to less than 81. Moved that the new Executive Committee be instructed to prepare a schedule of prices for smaller towns and to embody in it that no work will be accepted .where the amount is less than 81. Carried. Letter read from Van Beuren & Co., of New York, making complaint against R. C Holland, of Boulder. Moved that It be re- ferred to the Investigating Committee. Car- ried. Nominations being In order, the following were nominated and duly elected: President Scott Anderson, Salt Lake City. Utah: Vice President, Jos. A. Quinn. Victor, Col.; Sec- retary-Treasurer, A. H. Searles, Denver, Col Moved that a telegram be sent to Mr. Rob- ert L. Anderson, Sale Lake City, notifying him that bis father had been elected Presi- dent. Carried. Delegates elected to attend the meeting of the Associated Bill Posters' Association in Chicago: Jas. A. Curran and Scott Anderson. President Anderson, appointed the following on the Executive Committee: John Colman J. A. Quinn and Jas. A, Curran. Geo. W. Jutnam, advertising manager of C. I. Hood tc Co., Lowell, Mass., was Intro- duced and made a few remarks. Invitations were read from the following: Sackett tc Warde, managers ot Bacholor's Honeymoon, to attend the performance at the Tabor Opera. House; manager Orpheum Theater and manager ot EUtch'a Gardens. Moved that we accept the invitations and that a vote ot thanks be tendered to each of the managers: also to Messrs. Wiggins and Renard for the use of the parlors of the Windsor Hotel for our meeting. Carried. Moved that the Executive Committee de- cide when and where to call the next meet- ing. Carried. Moved that a vote of thanks be extended to ail officers for services rendered during the past year. Carried. Moved that we adjourn. Carried. A car ride was tendered the delegates on Sunday by Mr. Jas. A. Curran on the car called "Seeing Denver," which includes a ride of 25 miles. We also asked all bill post- ers to show all the courtesies they possibly can to Sackett * Warde, managers of the Bachelor's Honeymoon, for kind attention and courtesies to the bill posters while In convention In Denver, and any favors ex- tended to Messrs. Sackett & Warde will be highly appreciated by the Rocky Mountain Bill Posters' Association. The meeting was a grand success all through, and several arguments were brought up both pro and con about different matters of great importance; that all bill posters should attend their conventions as often as possible. The remarks made by Mr. Geo. W. Putnam were Interesting and in- structive. He had good words on account of the improved service his Arm is getting from the associated members In general all over the country. Outdoor Publicity. An attractive novelty In the way of road- side advertising Is that adopted by Bryce Bros. tc. Co.. clothiers, of Columbus. Ohio. They have bought from Geo. Foreman, of Bucyrus, Ohio, a number ot Iron figures, which have been placed along the principal roads leading into town. These figures are just about life size, and dressed and painted to give them a life-like appearance. Each figure has a large traveling case, and on this Is painted the firm's advertisement. They have both a man and a woman, and this gives variety to the landscape. The figures are placed about forty feet from the road, and those who drive along are struck with the curious sight of a well dressed person walking through the field carrying a travel- ing case. They are, from a distance, a very good Imitation of live people, and the Incli- nation Is to see what the lettering Is on the traveling case. These Iron people are bolted to very heavy posts, sunk Into the ground. eo that in the roughest kind of weather they will not be moved. A very Ingenious plan was adopted In put- ting out these advertisements. Wherever thry were placed the owner of the land was given a due bill for one dollar for the privi- lege of having the advertisement on the place and for agreeing to protect it. Of course these due bills come back to Bryce Bro.'s store. They are frequently the caUBe of very large purchases: for. as most ener- getic buelncss men know, it is worth a dol- lar to get a new customer started; and those who buy only to the extent of one dollar with the original due bill, will probably come back again, and will try and keep the firm posted on the condition of the advertising signs. Mr. Young, advertising manager for Bryce Mros., says they havo already heard enough In regard to these signs to Indicate that they arc volng to prove a great success. —Advertising World. The signs and harbingers of spring AM former records now are smashing; The north-bound goose Is on the wing, The bullfrog in the swamps is splashing. The crow Is cawing in the glade. The bluebird pipes his lithe euphonies. And all the papers have displayed Tremendous ads. of liver tonics. —Turf, Field and Farm. Billposters'Notes. "Consistency is the heroism of little minds." This may be so; yet that Is no sign that all Inconsistent people are great- minded. In reference to bill board advertis- ing we come across more Inconsistent state- ments, tbat appeal to us as simply amuslig. First, there are the rampant Art Societies, who decry the use of posters, and would del- egate all out-door advertising to the lower regions. A brilliant member of one of these said recently that there were large open stretches in their city, marred by being used either as dump heaps or for bill board ad- vertising. What a comparison. This wall comeB from Baltimore. Chicago takes it up, and freely discusses the "Growing Bill Board Eyesore," remarking tbat it can never shake off the habiliments of. an overgrown country town so long as It tolerates thus nuisance. By the way, what would Chicago look like minus its signs? We will be just to-Chicago, however, and allow the truth of their claim, tbat the paper torn from the bill boards and thrown onto the sidewalks is a disfigurement, and bill posters should not be so careless in this matter. Boston, classic Boston, grows frantic over the matter. It haB appealed to the Legisla- ture, to forbid a man making known his busi- ness,' and says, "Etrange, but the Legislature hesitates to do it." So these execrable things dominate the whole view, and Boston has a settled melancholy. The truth of the matter Is that some people must kick all the time about something, and just now it Is the fad to be down on bill boards. And fortunate It is, for the more a thing is condemned the more attention It attracts, and the more ef- fecting the advertising of the boards Is. Such is human nature. Theatrical Manager—"Who Is the highest priced man In the company? Why, Mac- Booth; he plays Hamlet, Othello, King Rich- ard, Cyrano de Bergerac, Richelieu, Josh Whltcomb, Colonel Sellers and Davy Crock- ett." Country Hotel Clerk—"Gosh. Talented. Isn't he?" Theatrical Manager—"Talented? I should say he was. Why, the cuss does all our own bill posting for us, too."—Puck. We have received a chatty letter from the St. Lawrence Advertising Co.. ot Montreal. Can. Mr. Arthur Ware, the proprietor, says: "Theatrical business here during the past season has been good. We have In Montreal five good play-houses. As for bill posting here, it has formerly been done in such a rotten manner that merchants even now are Iothe to advertise in that way. and we bill posters have a hard time to make both ends meet. I wonder how my brother bill posters across the line would like to post paper at 3 cents per sheet per month in a city of 300.000, and in some cases for even less than that. That is the best we have been able to get. and the paper has been listed besides. We expect, however, tbat things will soon be better, as we have secured a number of con- tracts from American and English firms who are willing to pay a fair price for good work on good locations, and ours are 90 per cent. on car lines, and the other 10 per cent, oppo- site churches. "We are ready now to bill the biggest cir- cus that comes along, and are the only people here that control any of the out-of-town boards. One of our suburban boards will hold 275 sheets. Tell the agents that our office is at their disposal at any time they wish. It is not very large, but is cozy and central." Siebe & Green, of San Francisco, are still having trouble with the Bill Posters' Union, but indications point to an early settlement. Sam. T. Jack, the well known manager ot burlesque theatrical companies, who died in New York on April 27. started In life as a bill poster. He was 47 years of age. and one of the most successful managers In his line of the theatrical business. The Pasadena Bill Posting Company has bought out its opposition, which gives it 4.000 feet of sign boards, running ten feet high. It claims to control the largest plant of any city of 15.000 Inhabitants. The John Chapman'Co.. of Cincinnati, has just secured 309 feet of frontage of property on Gilbert avenue, Cincinnati. This avenue Is one of the most prominent in the city, and Is the gateway to more than hair the suburbs of that city. It la. therefore, very valuable space for advertising. F. Pattee, In Ads. Los Angeles, says: "The dally newspaper Is the rapid lire light artil- lery of business. Indispensable In the field. Magazines are the siege guns, which reach home. No successful general ever undertook a campaign without both." We might also add that no successful general ever undertook a campaign without flags, banners and mar- tial music, and to IIicrc stimulants to action we may compare bill board advertising. The Acme Chemical Manufacturing Co., of 622 St. Lculs street. New Orleans. La., is putting out three and eight-sheet posters and ID x 12 indoor signs and some 6x8 street signs. Enoch Morgan Sons * Co., New York City, are contracting with bill posters for the ad- vertisement of Sapollo. C. 8. Storm A Co.. of New York City, who handle cigars, are posting. Ohio Gum Co., Third avenue and Ferry street. Pittsburg. Pa., are advertising Coca Cola quite extensively. Gen. John T. Cutting, of New York, the man who Is behind "Germca," says: "My Idea of bill posting? There Is no method so THE BILLBOARD effective and that will bring quicker results, considering the amount of money Involved. If properly done the dealer is at once Im- pressed, and will many times take hold of an entirely new article, when otherwise he ■ would not give the salesman a minute of his time. Bill posting, to be successful, must be thorough and continuous until an impression is produced.—The Bill Poster. Harvey discovered the truth about the cir- culation of the blood, but no man has ever been able to discover the truth about the circulation of the average newspaper.—Life. The New Minister—"My boy, is your father a Christian?" Little Boy—"No, sir; he is an editor," Thomas W. Kelley. proprietor and manager of the National Theater, Philadelphia, and one of the owners of the American Bill Post- ing Company, died on Sunday, in tbat city, of heart disease. He leaves a large estate. Thirty bill posters, employed by the Union Bill Posting Company, of No. 916 Eighth avenue, are on a strike. They claim they were ordered to post over bills with those of a tri'vt, and being opposed to trusts could not do it . t. . .£. a 1'JlO Two dealers trading side by side. One for bis trade on ads. relied; One to old fogy methods trusted; The first one's rich, the other's busted. R. J. Gunning & Co., of Chicago, have got- ten out a most effective lookipg little booklet In black, yellow and white, with "Hows," "Whys," and "Becauses" within, which they are sending to advertisers. F. C. Zehrung. of Lincoln, Neb., writes that business is great in his city, and that he has not had a foot of vacant space this year. Sidney p. Bell, the enterprising bill poster of DuBois, Pa., says that he has all the bill posting and distributing that he can possi- bly do. ■ Ohio State Association. The State Billposters' Association met May 10 and elected officers as follows: President, P. B. Oliver. Findlay; Vice President. Chas. B. Hood, Delphos; Secretary, W. C. Tirrill. Lima; Treasurer, H. H. Tyner, Springfield. Several new members were taken into the association, which . has now. sixty-six cities and towns represented. _ The delegates chosen for the National Con- vention at Chicago are C. B. Hood, C. D. McGuire. E. Riblet and A. Yonkers. The association decided to hold the next session at Xenia. Poor Advertising Medium. The National Advertiser tells the story of an old bachelor who bought a pair of socks, and found attached to one of them a slip of paper with these words: "I am a young lady -of 20. and would like to correspond with a bachelor with a view to matrimony." Name . and address were given. The bachelor wrote, and in a few days got this letter: "Mamma was married twenty years ago. The merchant you bought those socks from evidently did not advertise or he would have sold them long ago. Mamma handed me your letter, and said possibly I might suit you. I am 18 years old."—Wisconsin Farmer. Southern Billposters. The formation of a Southern Association is the natural outcome of the extraordinary good quality of work that has recently been given by the southern bill posters. The na- tional advertiser will tell you that some years ago there were very few good sou thorn cities, so far as the bill posting end was concerned, and it is only within the past year that some of the best work has been done. I have had paper on Harry Stoop's bill boards since the "year 1," and always with the best reports, and that is why I thought he should be a member of the Association. Plummer, of Asbeville. is another good one. and I have only recently expressed my opin- ion in these columns about Bernard; with the help of Dooley. of Atlanta, the new asso- ciation is making a good start, and the ad- vertiser now has the best section of the uni- verse in which to post bills—a section where the weather is right twelve months out of every year. t 8AM. W. HOKE. In Springfield, Mass., recently. The French Folly Company posted the town with their rather loud posters, and the venerable fath- ers of the town entered complaints, with the result that the Folly Company had to cover up parts of their damsels on the boards, and their decidedly patched appearance was queer. The "folly" was on the part or the venerable fathers, for they drew the attention of every- body in town to the presence of the show, and of course everybody in town wanted to go, so as to see what it was that they should not see. Mrs. W. K.Walker, manager of the Bur- lington (Vt.) Bill Posting Co., has just added four new boards to the plant. A war is being carried on in Los Angeles between The ^ilsrhire Bill Posting Co. and William M. Garland, a real estate dealer. Trouble has been anticipated, and Wilshlre's men were guarding the disputed boards when Garland sent a force of ten men. who quite outnumbered the bill posters, and after some parley the destruction of two large sign boards was effected by the superior force. The signs were broken up and thrown into a cellar. Wilshire will appeal to law for re- dress. He had rented the lot from the own- er's agent, and had a right to put the boards there. Garland claims to be a new agent for the property, and remarks that he believes in demolishing these glaring eyesores on every possible occasion. He may come to think that other people have some rights in this world, especially when he has a nice lot of damages to pay. Wise in His Generation—Nit. Wisconsin Convention. The ninth annual convention of this asso- cition was held May 10, at Milwaukee, in the cldbroom of the Republican House. Each of the twelve local associations were repre- sented. The following officers were elected: President, Frank Fitzgerald. Milwaukee; Vice President, William Kuehn, Ashland; Secretary-Treasurer* E. J. Kcmpf. Sheboy- gan: Executive Committee, A. E. Hartman. Manitowoc: Karl Stussey, Eau Claire, and J. E. Williams. Oshkosh. The Executive Committee was authorized to incorporate the association, and W. H. Stoddard, of Foud du Lac, and E. A. Hart- man, of Manitowoc, were elected delegates to the National Convention, which will be held in Chicago in July. It was decidrd to hold the next State Con- vention in Milwaukee during May. 1900. "Everything in the poster line has im- proved of late years except the circus bills. They are the same as they were twenty years ago. No modern poster designer can outdo them in original conception of the impossible: Spring would not be spring without them, and the small boy and his father would not be wholly satisfied wkh their joint enter- tainment unless the circus poster had en- ticed them, as it has been enticing them these many years. There is no hope that the circus poster will ever improve."—Wor- cester (Mass.) Telegram. No man has made more of a success in business than Gerhard Mennen, the sole own- er of Borated Talcum Powder. Of course his success is due to advertising. The following excerpts from an interview with him we take from Printer's Ink: "I have been advertising in the general ui8g87incs for five or Fix years, and am well satisfied with the results. I also use posters --•' sf-et car signs, for I believe that no IWST^I ; . From^Oshkosh, Wis. One of J. E. Williams' Up-to-Date Boards. single method can be productive of good re- sults in advertising. Publicity ■ has a wider meaning than -merely advertising in news- papers. In the big cities I advertise first of all with posters. After they have been up about two weeks we sample the city, deliver- ing at every residence 1 an envelope containing a sample of the Borated Talcum Powder, ad- dressed to the lady of the house. About the same time we have our cards put in the'street cars, and then our work la over. Sampling Is an effective way of advertising, but it has Its drawbacks, too. You know our ads. con- tain the offer to send a sample free on re- quest, and it frequently happens that some 'sample fiend* will send us a dozen or more postal cards, all signed by different names, but asking for a sample to be sent to a cer- tain box in that town. On comparing the postals, which we can do when they come in one mail, we find that all have to be sent to the same address. Of course we 'smell a mouse,' and only one sample is sent- It is the professional samplers—those who send for anything that is free—who make the ad- vertisers disgusted with sending out sam- ples." Painted a Bill Poster. Fred. Buckland, Joseph Ottinger. Michael Dempsey and Fred. Kelly, all bill posters, employed by VanBuren & Co., and George H. Clark, in the employ of a rival bill poster, were locked up last evening, the first four for disorderly conduct and the latter for as- sault. The first four named* men were at One Hundred and Sixth street and Broadway, when they saw Clark coming towards them. They decided to paint him. and when he came up daubed bis clothing with their brushes. A fight ensued, during which Clark struck Ottinger on the head with a cane. The scrimmage was stopped by a policeman, who placed the five men under arrest.—New York Times, May 8. Post Office Billboards to Stand. (From the Chicago Tribune's Washington Correspondent of May 9, 1899.) "Nothing will be done by the Treasury De- partment in regard to the bulletin board around the Post Office site, and as predicted in the Tribune last week the signs will not be disturbed. Architect Henry Ives Cobb, to whom the whole matter was referred, re- turned today from Chicago, where he made an investigation of the matter." "He learned, as claimed by Senator Mason, that the row was started by unsuccessful contractors, with the sole view of depriving the R. J. Gunning Company of the revenue derived from the signs. Architect Cobb saw some of those who protested against the signs, and they admitted the protests were signed at the request of those who did not secure the contract. It was also admitted the Jackson Boulevard fence, on which there are no signs, docs not look as well as the other sides. There are many precedents which show that it is not the custom to per- mit signs on fences around public building sites, and Chicago is the only city in which it is allowed. Architect Cobb says it is cus- tomary for Chicago contractors to have ad- vertising on fences, so as to pay the expense of construction, and as it makes no material difference to the Government, and costs noth- ing, there is no reason why the signs should be removed." Chicago Notes. Mr. Gunning had made all arrangements to sever his connection with the St. Louis Bill Posting Co., and an option was given Mr. Chas. K. Hager on his stock. At the Direct- ors' meeting in New York it was charged that Mr. Gunning, as President of the St. Louis Bill Posting Co., had violated the rules of the Association, had been guilty of fraud- ulent dealings, etc, and on this account the option above mentioned was withdrawn. Mr. Gunning intended to apply himself Industri- ously to the outdoor advertising situation In Chicago, but when the news reached him of the charge made at the Directors' meeting he decided to stay with the St. Louis Bill Posting Co. until after the convention in July, and on the action taken by the Asso- ciation depends his connection with the St. Louis business. If the decision is against the St. Lcuis company, and a fight is made against It. he will stay with it. The Rcyal Trust Company, of Chicago/ have just taken a most advanced step in ad- vertising their savings bank and safety de- posit vault departments. An order was placed by them with the R. J. Gunning Co. for a wall, bulletin and fence display, to create a greater familiarity with Chicagoans with their business, and also to educate the people to the necessity and advantages of a savings bank account. This is probably the first bank to systematically employ outdoor advertising, and to the Gunning Company is due the credit for opening a new line of cus- tomers for outdoor display. There always has been and probably al- ways will be a discussion between bill post- ers and newspaper men with reference to the relative value of the respective methods of advertising. No doubt there Is a great deal to be said on both sides, but neither class of enthusiasts can detract from the good of the mediums ot the other. Bill posters find it profitable to use newspaper space some- times, and many newspapers get good results from bill boards, and it is probable these exchanges of values from a publicity stand- point will-continue, even though the discus- sion of the respective merits ot the mediums grows warmer and warmer.—Advertising World.