Newspaper Page Text
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TTEARST’S SUNDAY AMERICAN, ATLANTA, QA„ SUNDAY, AUGUST 3, 1913.
TO REGULATE
In August, Buyers
See Santa’s Line
Aeroplanes, Autos and Innumerable Dolls
Already on Hand for the Glad Christmas 1
Season.
Illegitimate Returning of Mer
chandise by Retailers Grows To
Be Really Serious Evil.
NEW YORK, A a*. 2.—A strong
effort Is being mnfle by the National
Association of Clothiers to minimize
and regulate the cancellation of or
ders and Illegitimate returning of
merchandise. While, according to
William Goldman, president of the as
sociation, most retailers do not can
cel at all and are seldom guilty of
the return evil, the practice has grown
so rapidly that It is not a rare thing
to have the cancellations and returns
together equal more than 10 per cent
of the gross business done. A well-
defined plan is being worked out by
an association committee, and Presi
dent Goldman Is confident that in the
course of a few years one of the
most necessary trade reforms will be
satisfactorily accomplished. Describ
ing the association plan, he said:
“The association has had a com
mittee analyzing the question of can
cellations and returns for some time,
and it has been settled definitely that
the first point in controlling the evil
is to install a uniform record in all
houses showing a retail firm’s can
cellation record for a period of years.
Some Keep Records.
“Some members of the association
have kept private records of the re
turns and cancellations of their ac
counts In the past, but others have
not. After this record is obtained the
association will establish a system of
cancellation reports along the same
line as the present system of credit
reports.
“When association members make
application for a report on any re
tailer. the association will send to
all members interested in that firm
to get his cancellation record. This
will, of course, be taken from the card
system Installed under the association
agreement. A condensed record will
then be made up, which will show
how that particular retailer handles
cancellations generally. This will as
sist materially lq giving manufac
turers information needed when new
accounts are taken on. If the man
ufacturer finds that a retailer Is a
moderate canceller generally, he will
know* that he is not to process any
thing until orders have been revised
or confirmed. If. on the othei#hand,
the retailer Is found to be an abusive
canceller, the manufacturer can re
fuse to tAke on the account.
An Important Point.
"In short, the handling of the can
cellation question by the retailer will
be made as important a point in the
acceptance or reftm&l of accounts by
the clothiers as his financial rating
This, we believe, will in time make re
tailers as JeaJuuH of their record on
cancellations as they are of their
financial standing.
“Cancellations can In may cases be
traced to enthusiastic work by sales
men, so In addition to reports to
members steps to correct the evil at
its source by uniform instructions to
salesmen will be undertaken. The
association has authorised the estab
lishment of Joint committees of
clothiers and representatives of sales
men's organizations to confer on the
matter. Steps have been taken also
to establish Joint committees of retail
ers and manufacturers through the
retail associations that have been
formed in several States, and which,
it is expected, will soon consolidate
into a national retail association.
“With these committees and the
association record at work, there will
be small reason to doubt a solution
of the cancellation problem that will
be satisfactory to all concerned. The
question of returns, whether legiti
mate or illegitimate, will be settled in
the same general way."
Stationery Business
Above Last Year's
Gain in Volume Averages More Than
Twenty Per Cent—New Tariff
of No Effect.
NEW YORK, Aug. 2.—The whole
sale stationery business is heavier
than last year, the gain averaging
more than 20 per cent. The new tar
iff will have practical’-'' no effect, as
foreign goods, especially pencils, can
not undersell the domestic product.
Imported stationery' is moving fairly
well, and some slight advances are
noted in bone goods.
There have been no price changes
in staple goods, however, and exist
ing prices are firmer than in several
years. City ordering is heavy, esne-
cially in school supplies for August
and September delivery. The holiday
trade is also opening well, and West
ern buyers have ordered freely in the
local market.
Toy aeroplanes and dirigibles which
really fly, ladder trucks and fire en
gines which run under their own pow
er, pay-as-you-enter cars, circus wag
ons, gymnasts of marvelous ability,
automobiles of all descriptions—these
are among the toys which go to make
the display room of Montag Bros, a
real paradise for children.
These hot days It seems strange to
think of Christmas. But Christmas is
coining and someone must prepare for
it The wholesalers are showing their
holiday' lines, and the retailers who
will be in Atlanta for the great’mer
chants’ convention will make their se
lections for the happiest season of
the year.
Borne historian remarked, once upon
a time, that modern printing ma
chinery was the supreme product of
man's ingenuity. This may be true
but man's ingenuity was not exhaust
ed when the linotype, the rotary press
and the stereotyping devices were
perfected. Almost as much has been
devoted to the grateful task of mak
ing life happier for the youngsters.
Very Real Airto*.
Take toy automobiles—here is one
In which the youngster sits, propelling
it with his feet. It is equipped with
real lamps, a real horn which honks
most effectively, steering wheel, an
engine hood, and every other device
to give verisimilitude. There are
toy autos, too, which run with springs,
perfected In every detail, and equipped
even with a diminutive liveried
chauffeur.
For the boys of mechanical turn of
mind the latest thing is the “Dyna-
mobile.” A few turns of a little crank
and w’lth a most realistic droning, a
model of a big electric motor speeds
up. It can be belted to miniature
flour mills, trip hammers or pumps,
and, in fact, usually is equipped with
these things.
Another toy shows two monoplanes
circling about a pylon, passing and
repassing each other, and performing
other spectacular evolutions in the
air. There are dirigible balloons, too,
which make remarkable flights.
Miniatures of circus menageries cages
are filled with very ferocious looking rors and the like.
wild beasts, and as the cages run
along the floor the animals move
about In lifelike fashion.
A “pay-as-you-enter” trolley car
about eight Inches long has real doors
which open and close with a lever,
and a cash register which rings as
the doors swing shut.
Automaton Plays Pool.
fan you Imagine an automaton
playing pool? Just such a toy has
been made, and it is likely to amuse
adultR as much as their children. A
doll stands at one end of a pool table,
his left hand “bridged,” his right
wielding the butt of a tiny cue. Wound
up, the doll begins to shoot pool balls
the size of peas which drop into num
bered pockets at the far end of the
little pool table, and which are re
turned by clever machinery, so that
th*> pool player always has a supply
of balls before him.
Then there are cats chasing strings,
clog dancers, acrobats and dolls—
dolls of every kind; rag dolls, sawdust
dolls, china dolls, indestructible dolls,
Japanese dolls, dolls grotesque, dolls
beautiful, dolls which talk, dolls which
go to sleep, dressed dolls and un
dressed dolls—there are more kinds
than this, but let this list suffice.
Many are the beautiful things for
the grown ups, ss well. The traveler
seems to get an unusual amount of
attention this season. For him there
are “Cubist" toilet sets, which fold
into unbelievably small space—even
the toothbrush folds, though this may
sound like a Joke.
Silk hats to wear on the Journey are
sold in tiny pockets—the hats crush
into a flat wad the size of a man’s
palm. Pullman slippers, too, fold in
to small leather pocket. For those—
presumably a very few—who are in
terested there are poker sets small
enough to slip Into any satchel. Auc
tion bridge set* come in the same
style.
Another novelty for men is matched
cigarette case and match safe in sil
ver.
For the ladles there are cut glass in
new designs, brass goods, fancy sta
tionery in elaborate boxes, and a big
line of novelties In toilet goods, mlr-
Will OFFERS
HER ADVICE TO
Says Factories Should Keep Close
to Experienced Clerks
on Designs.
Custom of Inviting
Buyers Is Growing
Return to Old Methods of Mer
chandizing Seems Under Way
After Long Interlude.
Rag Carpets Worthy
Place in Any Home
Quaint Old Floor Coverings Ought
Not Be Neglected In This Day
of Antiques.
Formerly it wae the universal rule
for the merchant to visit the market
Periodical fairs attracted the jobber,
the wholesaler and the retailer. In
some countries each trade has its spe
cial fair; in some, all kinds of handi
work and craftsmanship, from the
product of the loom to the product of
the foundry, w r ere assembled quarter
ly, semi-annually or annually, and to
these the dealers resorted in great
numbers. In many European and in
some of the Asiatic countries great
fairs are still maintained and the old
system of bringing the producer and
the dealer together is maintained.
In most countries, however, and es
pecially in those of Western Europe
and North America, the traveling
salesman superseded the fair some
years ago, and in these for a long
period the jobbing and wholesale busi
ness was conducted on the commer
cial traveler system almost exclusive
ly. But a change is under way, and
now It would seem as if there might
be, before long a general return to the
fair system.
Exhibitions of trade products for
purpose* of bringing the manufactur
er and the merchant together have
been held with great frequency of
late. Almost every branch of indus
try has now' its periodical exposition,
and from being mere shows for the
benefit of the public at large, these
are rapidly becoming convenient sales
agencies. It is not necessary to dwell
upon the automobile shows, in which
the sales run up to Immense figures,
or office equipment show s, or shoe and
leather shows, or exhibitions of the
thousand and one things that enter
into modern wants and needs.
Here is a matter in which a great
change of methods in merchandising
is being wrought rapidly and yet si
lently. Trade Is returning, in a way,
to methods that were supposed to
have been outgrown 100 years ago.
Cartersville Leads
In Mining of Ocher
Georgia Output Largest in United
States for 1912, With Pennsyl
vania a Poor Second.
The production of ocher in the
United States in 1912, according to
the United States Geological Survey,
was 15,269 short tons, valued at $149,-
289, compared with 11,703 short tons,
valued at $109,465, in 1911, an in
crease of 3,566 short tons in quan
tity and of $39,824 in value.
The output from Georgia was larg
est, 10.107 short tons, valued at $101.-
790; Pennsylvania was second, with
a production of 3,300 short tons, val
ued at $28,950.
Practically all the output of Geor
gia comes from mines near Carters
ville, Bartow' County.
SHIRRED RIBBONS USED.
Ribbon trimmings that show
through the outer material of lace
or net on both waist and skirts are
losing none of their vogue, though
one sees such effects everywhere.
Shirred ribbons are used as well as
gold and silver ones, and contrasting
<olors are often employed. For in
stance, if a broad satin ribbon of
geranium red is worn around the
w aist. there will be a higher one of
Lght blue or old green* tied at the
aldtt a full l>ow.
Phosphate Output
Two Billion Tons
Florida Produces 81 Per Cent of
United States’ Supply of Valu
able Fertilizer Ingredient.
Phosphate rock, which is the prin
cipal source of one of the three fer
tilizing elements necessary for plant
grow’th. was marketed in the United
States last year to the extent of 2,-
978,188 lOBg tins, valued al $11,675,-
774. This was a slight decrease in
both quantity and value compared
with the figures for the preceding
year, but the amount of phosphate
rock mined was greater than in 1911,
excepting in South Carolina. In Flor
ida the increase w'as 3 per cent, in
Tennessee It was over 12 per cent,
and in the Western phosphate field it
was over 10 per cent.
Stocks of phosphate rock on hand
also increased in the two main pro
ducing Southern States. Florida and
Tennessee. On the whole the indus- I
try in the main Southern phosphate
field was active.
The production of phosphate rock I
in Florida was 81 per cent of the en
tire output of the United States. The
output of this State, which at the
present time leads in the phosphate
industry, was with one exception, that
of 1911, the greatest in the history of
the State. The quantity marketed for
the year was 2.406,899 long tons, val
ued at $9.461,297—a slight decline
both in tonnage and value compared
with 1911.
In flue time, It Is Raid, Mrs. Wood-
row Wilson Is to be presented with a
rag carpet woven by two women of
Winston-Salem, N. C, They are work
ing on the fabric now and It is ex
pected they will have It ready by the
time the President’s family gets back
to Washington. Report goes even
farther and says that the rag carpet
Is to be accompanied by hand-made
druggets and portieres.
Everywhere people are returning to
the four-poster. The old-fashioned
rocker Is In great demand. Whatnots
find a ready sale. Secretaries and
drop-leaf tables of the most approved
antique patterns go to collectors as
fast as they can be turned out by the
factories. Samplers are picked up so
quickly that unless a purchaser Is
right there when one comes In It can
not be hod at any price. As to high
boys and lowboys and footstools, to
use a business article phrase, the mar
ket is animated, If not excited. But
the rag carpet is neglected. This,
perhaps, Is partly because there are
no antique, that Is to say, solid ma
hogany or veneered rag carpets. In
homes where antiques In furniture
have been preserved as heirlooms,
where the grandfather’s clock ticks on
the landing, where glass globes cover
wax flowers on the mantel, where the
corner cupboard Is a treasury of old
china, where there are priceless ma
hoganies. silver services and Ivories,
the doors are likely to be covered
with modern carpets and rugs.
It would seem that the women of
Winston-Salem, of Wyoming County
and of all other places in the land
where the art survives should be grant
ed a Federal subsidy, If necessary. In
order to Induce them to replenish the
homes of America with rag carpets.
They are not as elegant as the Ori
ental rug, of course, but neither Is the
patch quilt as elegant as the satin
coverlet, and yet one rag carpet or
one patch quilt will do more toward
giving a home-Uke air to a house
than all the Oriental rugs and satin
coverlets In the world. On second
thought. It might be a splendid thing
u millionaire philanthropist
should found and endow a national
rag carpet school where the girls of
the period could learn the art at first
hand from women who acquired it
in the bees of long ago.
VELVET BRACELETS WORN.
The narrow neckband of velvet
ribbon with or without Its slides and
ornaments of rhinestones or dia
monds is often accompanied by vel
vet bracelets tied about the wrist in
a careless bow on the outside of the
arm. The same arrangement is often
worn over a lace sleeve. A lat* fad
in line with the liking for upstanding
neck ruffles is to finish the velvet
neckband with a butterfly how of
tulle at the back of the neck that
shows becomingly at either side.
Miss M. Lee, manager of a shoe
store in Washington, D. C., has some
startling things to say about the
trade, as viewed from a woman’s
angle. The Interview has attracted
wide attention. Among other things,
she says:
"The success or failure of a shoe
depends entirely upon the manufac
turer and the clerk, a common inter
est which should draw them together;
but they are as far apart as the
poles.
“Many of our merchants do not care
to have their clerks come in contact
with the manufacturer, or their rep
resentatives. Why should this be?
“An experienced shoe clerk makes
a study of the human foot; the man
ufacturer, a study of a block of wood
which h£ calls a last; the result is
the clerk has the knowledge of real
experience, which would be a great
help to the maker of footwear could
he communicate his knowledge; but
the latter prefers his block of wood.
“There are sensitive parts to the
human foot in constant torture, that
but the slightest change In the forma
tion of a shoe would relieve and give
perfect comfort to the wearer; but
how' can these changes be made? The
block of wood gives no evidence of
these sensitive parts, the manufac
turer is ignorant of them, and the
one who does know Is never consult
ed.
“There is not a shoe made with
more style or beauty than a Blucher.
When the manufacturer made a short
vamp, he came close to making It fit
a foot; but the customer, while she
admires the style, informs the clerk
she has had her large toe Joint (the
part of the foot which pilots us
through life) 'ruined by a Blucher
shoe.’ Many manufacturers seem ut
terly Ignorant of the position of the
large toe Joint, or are wilfully de
termined to have the heavy, thick
point of the Blucher strike the most
tender spot of the joint, and they
strike it as true as a good marksman
hits the bull’s eye.”
Mercantile Precepts
Full of Wisdom
E. P. Lewis, one of the right-hand
men in the McClure organization, has
compiled a booklet called "Mercantile
Precepts,” w’hlch is well worth the
study of any retailer. Himself thor
oughly experienced in mercantile
lines, Mr. LewMs has condensed in
pithy paragraphs the most valuable
advice to small storekeepers. Ex
cerpts below give a better idea of the
book than a yard of description:
"Almost every merchant carries
more stock than is necessary. When
ever a retail merchant decides to let
the wholesale house be his stockroom
and use his store as a display stand,
he w’ill And it easier to sell more
good*», he will turn his money over
oftener and wdll always have a nice,
clean stock of goods.”
• • •
"The store that Is using male help
exclusively, In my opinion, makes a
mistake. Salesladies serve to draw
trade to a store and usually are
quicker to wait on customers than
men. This is especially true in notion
departments.”
• • •
‘Tf a customer lias been coming to
your store regularly and you feel a
personal interest in him, always make
ft a point to keep him well informed
on new goods that you have received.
Frequently after he has bought all
that he intended, you can sell some
thing else by suggesting such things
as you think he would likely need.”
• • •
“There Is no stronger drawing card
to a store than 5, 10 and 25 cents
counters. If you vHsh to draw trade
to your store, dress up a few counters,
carrying as many different items of
merchandise as possible In as «nall
quantities as possible, and place sign
card marked In plain figures: *Choice
of any article on this counter for
10c.’ ”
• • •
“In storing glassware, when barrel
lots are broken the contents should
be put in bin?. The bins should be 36
inches deep by 24 inches in width.
Tumblers should be stacked on end,
with bottom up. After first tier, card
board should be used, placing between
each tier; in this way tumblers can be
stacked to top of bin. There is no
chance for them to damage, fall out or
break.”
• • •
“Goblets should be nested, changing
ends so as to tie four to bundle and
Mack. Use cardboard as on other
small glassware.”
• • •
"Tinware should never be stripped
of paper until placed on counter for
sale, as It will damage in stockrooms
quicker than any other merchandise;
and. when soiled and rusted, it is not
fit to place on sale. Bins may be used
for this clas’s of goods, but larger bins
than heretofore described are neces
sary.”
PALACE HOTEL
36 Madison Avenue
Opposite Terminal Station
-—~ Phone Main 994. .—■—-~
P. W. Breitenbueher, Prop.
REASONABLE RATES BY DAY OR WEEK
M.KLTZ COMPANY
Announce their first Fall Showing
of Fall Millinery to the Trade
Beginning Monday, August 4th
And Continuously Thereafter
THE STOCK IS FULL
AND COMPLETE NOW
Work Room opens August 8th to
accommodate visiting Milliners.
Corner Pryor and Mitchell Streets
ATLANTA
SHEPHERD CHECKS POPULAR.;
The most worn skirt of the season
for general use is the shepherd’s j
check in black and white, quite small
blocks being reckoned smartest. I
Worn with a black or blue cloth coat. .
built in loose cutaway lines, these |
make a trig and becoming rig. Waists |
of cotton voile, crepe or the washable j
silks made on loose simple lines with j
turned back collars and frills finish- I
ing the front complete these get-ups, j
which are as practical as they are
stylish. j
/1\ Merchants Welcome
I^AILITAR^
P m WA
MANUFACTURERS OF
Neckwear, Suspenders, Garters and Belts
Three Impure Shipments Found
in Thirteen Years by Govern
ment Pure Food Chemists.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 2.—Following
the receipt of several Inquiries as to
whether a large part of the olive oil
in ported Into the United States is
adulterated with cotton seed oil. the
Department of Agriculture ha. made
of t?e , eS “ 8a,l0n ln, ° the
Of the olive oil admitted
The Government’s Interest In the
other oUve grow nJ n l a ' A rllona and
1800 the depinme'A "rough ,tfvT
famine;
olive oil. 2,149 lm P°rtatlons of
and'only *thr^ y of° th«e r *' USed entry
These 'co^n^T . c . ott f'’-M!
date back to 1908 when dU , ltera, l 0ns
a m nd nt I 9 oY re w h f ro n r £?
-
Which has given /vVn°ee "o^oj
seed oil adulteration In 1910, seven
shipments of olive oil were refused
admission because adulterated with
peanut oil, and since that time there
have been no cases discovered of
either cotton seed oil or peanut oil
adulteration.
The addition of cotton seed oil to
olive oil, the Government specialists
report, 1s very easily detected. Indi
cations. therefore, are that all olive oil
admitted to the country and branded
as olive oil has been pure olive oil and
has contained no cotton seed or pea
nut oil. Occasionally the Government
discovers shipment?* of sardines in
which the olive oil contains some cot
ton seed oil.
The experts point out that it would
be illogical for the importer to bring
Into this country olive oil adulterated
with cotton seed oil. and pay a duty
of 60 cents a gallon on the cotton seed
oil that is contained in the mixture.
Similarly, nut oils are admitted under
the tariff act, and the specialists say
that it would be absurd for an im
porter to bring from Holland olive oil
adulterated, with peanut oil, and pay a
duty of 50 cents a gallon on the mix
ture, w'hen he could bring them over
separately and avoid paying any duty
on the nut oil.
Georgia Shale Sixth
In List of States «*
4
Material Used for Manufacture of
Pigments and Fillers for Oilcloth
and Linoleum-
Slate and shale are used to a con
siderable extent In the manufacture
of pigments and as filler. In tb*
manufacture of oilcloth and linoleums,
the total quantity used for thl. pur
pose in 1912, according to the United
States Geological Survey, being
20.964 short tons, valued at $121,482.
This was an Increase of 4,464 ton.
in quantity and of $16,031 In value
over the output of 1911. The 1918
output of slate and shale used for
paints and for fillers came from
Pennsylvania, New York, New Jer
sey, Indiana, California and Georgia
—named In the order of their pro
duction, Pennsylvania producing over
84 per cent of the total output In the
United States.
The shales which are used In the
paint trade are classed as black, yel
low and red shales.
J!. -- - ■ L-UMM-J.
V0LLMER MANUFACTURING COMPANY
M4>ore Banding
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
MAKERS OF FINE JEWELRY
Special Designs in Platinum
Engravers Diamond Setters Watchmakers
Specialists in Jewelry Repairing
r . f
PROSPECTS
Are bright for a good crop and a lively Fall
business.
Are you ready to get your share? Maybe we
can help you. Here’s how:
During the Southern Merchants’ Convention,
August 4th to 15th, we will close
Three Hundred Cases
of floor goods at a big slice off their real value.
These are all clean, new goods which we own
in small lots.
Some in odd sizes, large and small, a few lots
of unused samples, and some factory seconds.
Out of the lot you are bound to find several
kinds you can use at a big saving. THE SAF
EST WAY TO GET EXTRA PROFIT IS IN
THE BUYING.
In our regular lines we have a half-million-dol-
lar stock ready for your call.
A Glance Ahead
We will have on display a full line of RED
SEAL styles for next Spring.
These are the handsomest—both in design
and workmanship—that we haye ever produced,
and we are naturally proud of them. Even if
you’re not ready to place your Spring order at this
time, an inspection of these samples will be a help
ful “look ahead” into the ever changing style
situation.
Put these three dates on your Convention
schedule—a visit to our Clearance Sale, a look at
next season’s RED SEAL Models, and last, but
not least, a trip through the RED SEAL Shoe
Factory.
J. K. ORR SHOE COMPANY
RED SEAL FACTORY
ATLANTA