The Billboard 1901-01-05: Vol 13 Iss 1 (1901-01-05)

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4 THE BILLBOARD. Published Weekly at 27 East Eighth Street, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.A. Address all communications For the editorial or business departments to THE BILLBOARD PUBLISHING CO. Subscription, $4.00 a year ; 6 mos., $2.00; 3 mos., 1.00, in advance, “ADVERTISING RATES: Advertisements will be published at the uniform rate of ten cents per agate line; no discount for time or space. Copy for advertisements must reach us before noon on Siturday previous to week of issue. Our terms are cash. The Biliboard is so din London at Low's Exchange, 57 (Charing Cross, and at American Advertising its oar Agency, Trafa:gar Buildaings, Northumberiand Ave., W.C. dn Paris at Brentano s,37 Ave.del’ Opera. The trade supplied by the American News (0.and tts branches. Remittance shouid be made by post office or express money order,oryv gist vedlett raddiessed and made payable to the Billboard Pub Co. The editor can notunirrtake tovreturn unsolictted manuscript; correspondents should ker pcopy. When itts necessaryto wire us theinstructions and copy for advertisements, gre: t saving inthe matter of telegraph tolls may be had by recourse to the Dona/dson Citpher Code. Entered as Second-Ciass Matter at Post Ofice at Cincinnati, Ohio. Entire Contents Copyrighted. All rights reserved. Saturday, January 5th,1901. It is quite evident that the suggestion to the fair managers of the country that they fix dates for the fairs as early as possible is being favorably acted upon. “The Billboard,” last week, presented a list of fairs, which is increased by several additions this week. This paper is virtually the official organ of the fair associations of the United States. It is the only paper that is published in their interests, and gives fair people complete and impartial news relating to all out-door legitimate amusements. We. shall strive to make the fair, exposition, street fair and convention departments more comprehensive and than ever before. We hope for, and think entitled to the hearty support and co-operation of the promoters of all these worthy and instructive enterprises. interesting that we are, He eo All but the irreconcilables among the poster artists now openly admit that the late strike at Donaldson's mistake. There was but one man who was employed under the offending “piece work” system. This one man was a member of the American Lithographic Poster Artists’ Alliance. He was subject to its rules and amenabie to its orders. It Was a is obvious that the wisest course for the officers to pursue would have been to order out the one man. The fact that these officers decided to order out fifty-seven men instead of one, is conclusive proof that they were not fit to be intrusted with the power which they used. without doubt, much merit jects of the Alliance. It is capable of doing great good, if properly conduct There is, in the ob ed, but so long as there is danger of its indulging in utiwise and inexpedient measures, so Jong will it) be with distrust by lithographers. viewed those who employ * * The San Francisco Post raises the plaintive ery that the bill posters of that city are masters of the situation. Since the Knights of the Brush have won their fight which they have had with the so-called promoters of art, b the daity papers are exceeding wroth, and are using their editorial columns THE BILLBOARD. freely to show what a wicked thing it is to allow the bill boards to. stand. The aforesaid Post, ia an editorial, uses the same old threadbare argumeuts that the bill boards are a menace to public health and safety; that they constitute during the rainy sea son unsanitary nuisances, which could be abated by any property ownev in their vicinity. The article winds up with this statement: “We believe, however, that the bill boards should be abolished on the sole ground that they are a desecration and an optical nuisance. VPerhaps, when the people come to meet in their municipal nominating convention next year, they will say something upon this subject, which will form a basis for future legislation. But at present we are evidently in the hands of the advertising fence owners. Whatever they give compelled to tuke.”” While “The Billboard” feels sorry for the discomfiture of the San Francisco papers, it is at the time that the unreasonable and illogical crusade against the bill boards on the Pacitie Coast is practically a failure. Public sentiment is with the bill poster, and the peopte will not be blinded by the rabid attacks by Us We are same glad to know which are moved solely by selfish and sordid inMore power to the bill posters of the country is the wish of this paper. newspapers, terests. a a a Much of the trouble that upon the bill posters is Wanton vandalism of artists. There is no defacement of has come due to the traveling excuse for the Sigil natural scenery in remote and inaccessible places. Even the spirit of commercialism will not justify such sacrilege. A sign to have value and to bring results, even in a financial way, must have circulation, or rather must be read by a sufticient number of people to publicity. Unless the cost of the erection, and maintenance of such signs can not be taken in by the over-zealous advertisers. give it wide this is the case, painting There is serious doubt if any of these signs, far from the beaten paths of travel, pay. There are few people who see them, and those who do have their feelings irritated and their indignation aroused by the marring of some beautiful spot or freak of nature. The merchant or manufacturer who permits himself to be influenced by the sophistry of the sign artist, who would persuade him to desecrate towering rocks or imatinmoth trees, makes a grievous mistake. The bill posters and poster printers are deeply interested in this subject, and should co-operate heartily to put an end to the evil. os oa * It is sheer nonsense to say that street fairs have seen their day, or are relics of the past. A number of writers have recently stated in’The B board” and elsewhere that the street fair is dead and buried, but the truth is it is very much alive, and there will be nore Of them next year than ever before. In many localities last season the public were much disgusted with the conduct of the carnivals, and the ribald and indecent midway shows. A reform is needed in that direction, and unless it is brought about, the fate of street fairs in 1901 will be very un certain. The whole matter is up to the managers. If they conduct the earnivals the coming season as they should be conducted, there is no good reason Why the street fair should not ecentinue to tind indetinitely. This form of amusement is a good adVertisement favor for particpating exhibitmoney-maker for lodges or hospitals, and a strong card to attract ors: a good out-of-town people. ‘To restore position which they ocenpied in the minds of the public a year or two ago, it will be neces street fairs to the sary to curb the cupidity of the grafters. It is an open question whether it would not be a good idea to shut out the licentious features. In any event, young boys and immature youths should) never, under any cireumstances, be allowed access to the risque exhibitions, there should be plenty of good wholesome fun, which can be participated in by all classes of people, without shecking their modesty or offending thelr morals. The obscene midway should be relegated will not disturb women and children, and where that class of To some place where it men who revel in such morbid and unnatural sights will have trouble in tinding it. The street fair. When properly regulated, is a worthy ferm of amusement, but it been Make and in No sensible manager, who has badly handled in many towns. the shows structive. clean, attractive has invested his money in this class of ebterprise, and who desires that street fairs should) continue to grow and flourish, will “kill the goose that lays the golden egg.” by pandering to the tastes of the vicious and depraved. Frontispiece. One of the best-known and vaudeville managers in the West is Colonel John H. Whallen, manager of the Buckingham Theater in Louisville Colonel Whallen is also a member of the Empire vaudeville circuit He is a powerful factor in the politics of Louisville Mr. Whallen is about fifty years of age, and has bad a wide and it teresting experience in the theatrical busi ress most popular RATE LD. ATI LETTER BOX € IBS CF! OATH Our readers and subscribers in all lines are invited to avail themselves of ‘“‘The Billboard’s’’ new mail scheme. We have an ex perienced clerk in charge of this department He keeps track of people and forwards their mail wherever possible, the moment it is received, thus avoiding delay Letters are only advertised when we do not know the where abouts of the persons to whom they are ad dressed. Letters advertised for four weeks and uncalled for will be returned to the post office. Circulars, postal cards and ne wspa pers excluded. Letters are forwarded without expense ADVERTISED LETTER LIST Kloss Baving. John F. Palmer E. H. Boone. Wim. Ribble Joe Frank Wm. Powley The Great Gautier ID). Saunders H. T. Glick Joe Schimich S. Gordon. Walter Sheridan San Spairea Co, Parson Taylor Arthur Warner Chas. Johneon Louis Kalbfield (2). A. Leiss Harry Welsh Mr. Lockhart N. E. Whelan (4) Mark A. Noble (2) Jno. F. Williams. Biggest Wire Sign in the World. Work was begun last week on placing in position the largest sign in the world, on the Singer Sewing Machine Company's factory at Elizabeth, N. J. The sign is 68% feet long and 15 feet high It is of the wire screen order, and upon this screen woodew letters nine feet high and four feet wide have been fastened. The screen is stretched on a mass ive iron frame. The sign is longer than two ordinary city blocks, and its height is greater than the ordinary residence room ceiling Comments. __— J. PF. MeManama, manager of the WwW Cities Distributing Agency, Pittsburg, ms locking for a poster suitable for advertis »o ap up-to-date friction shoe polish. ° A minster in proof of the value of advertising. Des Chicago has given a pew to preach to a full house on Sunday ever he put a “want advertisement”’ in the new papers, asking for 500 girls to attend the se: ices and hear a sermon on the subject If | Were a Girt’ The church was packed, and the preacher gave the young women a of more or less good advice J}. H. Patterson, of Stanberry, Mo., has sent out the following unique letter to his patrons “Gentlemen-—This will inform you that while the year 1900 has but a few more days to linger, | desire to thank you for your liber: patronage during the past I have recipro cated to the best of my ability in endeavor ing tu serve you honestly While I have very scattering territory to work, I thatt: myself that out of about 900 families in and near Stanberry, there is not a lady but w reach out her hand and accept the book o sample, as the case may be, and now with th: McKinley prosperity for 1901, I hope to merit your confidence with a growing support the future Onee more thanking you for past favors, accept my compliments of the season, with best wishes for success in business and a merry Christmas and happy New Year, | remain, yours, etc.” The modern printed advertisement is the successor of the public crier who, before the invention of printing, Was wont to announce, for a stipend from the interested party or parties, the time, place, and conditions or sales, says the Minneapolis Tribune. When a salesman was too poor to employ the serv ices of a crier he performed that office him his own behalf. Venders of all kinds of commodities, however, soom came to perceive the value of the newspaper as an advertising medium. In the year 1657 a weekly newspaper was issued in England, called the “Publick Advertiser,’ which consisted almost entirely of advertisements Announcements of books were still a prominent feature of tt early-day advertis ng Among the curious advertisements to be found of this time are announcements of the then newly started tea and coffee empor.ums. These now commo! beverages were then a gfat novelty, and the wonders and virtues of the ‘“‘cophee and that excellent and by all physicians approved China drink called by the Chinese tcha by others tay, abas tee’ were set forth it the advertisements cf the period in great length The greater part of the adveftisements of the day, however, related to fairs and cock fights, burglaries and highway rob beries, tl departure cf the coaches and stages, and what would now probably come under the head, Lost, Strayed or Stolet To a recent number of the Annals of the American Academy, Dr. Delos Y. Wilcox cor tributes a paper on the relative percentage of advertisements which appear in the leading American newspapers. Taking the principal news centers of the United States, which are of course, the chief cities ranging from New York, Ph ladelphia and Chicago, through a goodly list to Kansas City, Detroit, Milwau kee and New Orleans, it appears that the highest percentage is secured by the City of Buffalo, with 42.3 per cent. This total is made up by 5 of “want” advertisements, 2.10 of re tail trade announcements, 2.4 of medical, 75 of political and legal, 6.2 of miscellaneous and 1.6 of ‘‘self,” or, I presume, cf a per sonal character New Orleans figures at the foot of the list with 229 per cent. The fo lowing are among the other totals seit o1 29.9 per cent: Boston, °0.8; Philadelphia, 2s Chicago 15 Baltimore and Washingtor SS: Pittsburg, 37.7; St. Louis, 30.2; Cine nati, 2940; Minneapglis and St. Paul, 2° Kansas City, 276; Louisville, 30.7; San Frar ciseo, 35.1; Cleveland, 29.2; Indianapolis Omaha, 29.6: Detroit, 35.2: Milwaukee, 56 + Rochester, 34.5: New Orleans 22.9, and Der ver, S10. It seems that in the details Omaha and Detroit go im for most “‘wants,”’ having 7.7, and New Orleans least with 14; Pittsburg leads the way in “‘retails,’’ with 24.4, and New Orleans is last, with 5.7; Cleveland and Ct: cinnati are the most susceptible to the “med ical with 5.6 each; Buffalo and San Fra: cisco are far ahead of all the rest in ‘‘polit ical and legal with 65 and 7.5. respectively and Baltimore and Washington top the ‘mis cellaneous and ‘‘self’ with 10.6 and 22 per cent, respectively A Lesson in Spelling. A sentence in which words are used that prove a stumbling block to some of the best spellers of the country, is now exciting co! siderable amusement and comment. The set tence was dictated to more than sixty peop! by the editor of “The Billboard,”’ and in that number only one bad every word spelled right. It is as follows: “It is amusing to ob serve the exaggerated embarrassment of «4 fiery peddler gauging the unparalleled syn metry of a peeled pear.’ Nearly all of thos: who prided themselves on their orthography) fell down on the word “embarrassment which they had only one ‘‘r or one Several gave up the word “unparalleled cespair. Strange as it may seem, mans these scholarly ladies and gentlemen spell: peeled pealed.”’ A number insisted having only one “m"™ in “symmetry. mo than a dozen slipped up on the word “aus ing, putting the ‘‘u'’ before the ‘‘a bu ‘embarrassment “symmetry,”’ and “‘unpe alleled’’ were almost uniformly misspell: It might be suggested to advertisers that t dictate this as a teat sentence to their st ographers It will certainly afford a «! deal of amusement to any party of lad and gentlemen who are looking for ent tainment out of the usual line, —— eS eee A