Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-03-08
"D.ummers" "A City Nuisance.

frequent all public ,horoughfares, in +
fest h tel siiting-rooms, etc known in t
common parlancc as "drumm,rs"-l
They may be seen swarming around
every wharf and depot to greet the
arrivals of boats and trains, and are
always the first to leap aboard with
a "h1w-do-ve-do" to this man and that
man, from the country, whom, per.
haps, they have never seen before, but
are nevertheless $50 happy to meet
YOU They must ask you 'how's all
at home - "w hats the news from the
country - &c, &c, until they feel
hat you have become thoroughly in
faiuatcd with their wonderful socia-
biliiv, and then You are presented with
q card" and directed to some excel
lent establishment where the best
bargains can he had in all the differ /
cnt articles Of trade. No matter what !
YOU may want, they can tell ycu
where TO find The best and cheapest
Doubtless not one Of our readers ever
visited a ciIy without coming in con-
tact with some Of this pestiferous
gang, and most Of our friends are "a
miliarly acquainted with Inc numer-
Gus schemes and arlful wiles to which
these chaps resort for gaining custom
But perhaps it is not known to all
how these fellows get their pay. OF
course they must be paid, and, one
would think, TO zee them working,
pretty well paid at that The modus
opcronoliis about this: They receive
a certain amount, say 10 or Is per
cent on all the patronage they bring
or send to houses purporting to be
repre>cnied ny them, and this per
cent-is added IN TO the price of goods
sold 10 said customers, thereby draw
ing heir pay OM Of lie pockets Of the
men whom ;hev conduct into a Store,
which, for au,. Int they know or care,
may sell goods a. high, OF higher than
any other house in the city. These
"drummers" are sometimes employed
= in this way by house, doing a large
business on a small capital, who are
not able to pay the per cent, neither
, give good bargains, nor even solicit
r patronage at the trifling expense of q
: small newspaper advertisement.
We feel it to be a duty that we owe
10 the people of the country, as wei
as to the siaunch business firms Of the
: city, to caution our readers against
= the tantalizing persuasions Of these
troublesome .harpers. The city rs
Establishments that can offer superior in
ducements 10 the country trade, arr
such as WELD an immense capital, q
portion of which being set aside fol
advertising purposes, under the judi
cious management Of the highest com
: mcrcial wisdom, is thrown out "a
r bread cast upon waters" until theii
business proposals have been laid be
fore the citizens of all surrounding
!. towns and nei.hborhoods through The
| columns of their home papers, anC
t a pairenage is gathered about them by
which a worldwide repu' alton is es
tahIished that dcfies the puny assault:
q of SANDER and bravelv challenges com
n re,ition The best houses of ,hi
!, kind do not employ these "drummer>'
- and hence it is that we would advis,
+. our readers, when they visit the city
: not to be persuaded into purchaSin:
: from houses they know nothing about
T. Go to some house of your own choice
a whose name and fame is spread fa
e and wide through the columns of tn
, city and country newspapers fo
= which you subscribe. You may know
;, that they mean business, and bav,
n the money back what they say
is Such an establishment, for instance
], as the celebrated Dry Goods Empc
L. rum of SCMARFF BROS, in Vicksbure
: whose popular name is familia
q household word throughout the South
al They employ no "drummers, and
d not reasonable to suppose that SEE
e ond.raie house could compete wit
such an able firm either in quality
d quantity, or prices. You can selec
= your place or places to trade at, be
c fore you leave home, and pay no a,
y tention to the "drummers" who mcc
"a you upon trains and steamboats,.
J. you follow them you will only hsv
l. to pay them for the privilege of doin
re SO, at rate of 10 or - yer cent o
!, what you may buy.
90
= Midway is the name Of pIeasan