Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1872-04-16

nobody down there, and had but one
little article to be inserted. 1t was
received as freely, and attended to as
carefully, as ifitwere a part of thous-
and dollar contract. This little waif
passed through this great establish
ment, and was as closely watched as
column advertisement.
The day of objections to railroads,
sewing machines, labor-saving agricul-
tural tools, tclegraphs and advertising
has passed. No sane man builds Con
estoga wagons or stage coaches for trav-
elers no lady sighs for the good old
days of hand-scwing; no farmer uses
Except in Berks Co., Pa wooden
plows; defaulters curse the lightning,
and the maker of soothing syrups
writes bis name in every baby linen
box in America by the means of the
press. The advantages resulting from
advertising are too well understood in
these days to need any argument. 1t
is our national characteristic to push
commerce; to bring buyer and seller
into acquaintance and thus benefit all.
There are only two ways Of advertis-
ing: either by personal attention or
by committing it to the hands Of re-
liable agent. Even in our cities the
aid of an agent is beneficial; but when
it is desired to embrace the country in
the circuit of advertising, the agent
becomes indispensable. But few per-
sons are acquainted with the extent of
this business, as carried on by this
firm. A stroll through their office
will be interesting, and we ask the at
tention of our readers while we walk
them through the various rooms. The
door of entrance is on Park Row.
After ascending the first fight of stairs
you are ushered into the mail-room.-
There, every day, are brought the
mail-bags for the firm, from every
quarter of the continent. Seven thous
and papers arc disgorged from their
capacious maws. Here is first to be
seen the order which exists through
out this vast establishment. Every
paper is placed in its proper pile, a
book of entry is opened, and the fact
of its receipt is noted This book is
arranged in States and Territories
When the clerks are through with
this mass of papers, they are passed
into the examination room Here the
papers are examined. Those which
contain advertisements in which the
house is interested are marked upon
the front page heading.
The clerk openes his book of ad-
vertisers, and under each name and
date marks the notice, specifying de-
scription of advertisement. Then the
papers are placed in their proper racks
there are 5000 of them, arranged as
States, alphabetically, beginning with
Alabama, and so on throughout the
list. These papers are kept in the
racks for six months, after which they
are tied up, marked, and laid away
Here again the perfection of the sys
tenn is shown. IF the second clerk
book don't show the proper marks of
insertion, then the receivers book is
searched, to learn if the paper has
been received; if it be not received
word is Immediately sent to the pub.
Usher announcing the fact, the missing
are Immediately sent, the ad-
vertisement, if inserted, is posted !;
if it be forgotten, the advertiser is
not charged for it, nor is the paper
paid for it. There cannot be any mis-
take. No private advertiser, unless at
great expense and trouble, can do this
work as efFectually as this firm. The
visitor, if desirous of advertising, is
then taken into the private office of
the head of the establishment. If un-
with the best modes of ad-
vertising, he is informed of everything
interesting upon this point. The i'm
preston made upon his mind by this
intervicw,is that he is talking with
thorough master of his business.
His means are limited, and he wants
to know how he can best reach his GUS
toners, and he is made acquainted
with all the available points When
a list Of papers has been selected, the
form Of advertisement is drawn out
and handed to the clerk, an estimate
is made and given to the customer,
and a contract is signed. If the ad-
vertiser intends to use a cut tho artist
is first consulted, and an engraving is
The olectrotyper is the
next man set to work, and if there
should be needed twenty-five hundred
plates they will be ready in two or