The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-01-02
4Ere9ateIlgenter.
Tnllx WitI, n prummer.

G4Mk Win u AEuAeEs
We had a conyersatits with one Of our
Wheeling drummers II evening who is
just in "off the road,n ad he tells us that
things are not lookin as bright and
attractive within the dcmain Of country
Travelled by Wheeling drummers as he
has seen it. Collection are slow, and, in
some cases, difficult, and apparently,
there is more Of deposition to settle
by note than fOrmeIy. Goods are
being sold very close probably never
more so-and notwlths sanding the good
crops Of the last seas6l the farmers are
still largely in debt to the country mer-
chants, and still running their credit with
them. He thinks that ii is good time
to go slow in tho way ,t pressing goods
on the country trade. Goods in store are
at least as desirable as dose sales and diff.
cult and dangerous collections.
As to the reason why this state Of things
prevails, our friend bays that over in
Ohio the tobacco crop ia still unmarked.
ed, and out along the B. q o. road the
trade are suffering from the almost total
suspension Of the "shlck' business, and
also from the depression in coal around
Cumberland and Frosiburg. He tells US
Of one country merchant, in one Of the
best agricultural counties Of West Vir-
ginia, who has $4,000 standing out
among the farmers, ard who is obliged to
indulge them, inasmueh as they are, gen.
orally speaking, all solvent, and profits
are very satisfactory On the goods sold to
them.
Speaking OF profits, he says that there
is wide margin between the prices at
which goods are retailed in the country
and in this city. For instance, at some
places in the county, dealers will sell
three bars Of soap for quarter, ont Of
box bought at 50 75, whereas retailers
here give six bars for the same money.
This is only a specimen, he says, oil the
difference In the margin oil profit expect
ed in the country as compared with that
obtained in the city. But for identifying
our friend too closely, we could give one ro
two other specimens Of prices quoted TO
Us az Illustrative ofthis wide difference.
He just'ies the country merchants on the
ground that their sales are limited and
their payments delayed. We asked
him why more OF them did not follow
the example Of wei! known merchant up
atLagrange, Mr.. w. IL. Rogers, who has
acquired the reputation OF selling goods
cheap, and In consequence, commands
a trade covering an unusually wide scope
oil country on both sides oil the river. he
replied that Mr.. Rogers was a very un-
usaa! merchant. Besides being anexpert
In his business aad thoroughly posted in
prices, he had made IT. a practice to at
tend forced sales oi goods in the cities, as
Tor instance in Pittsburgh, and had se-
cured many extraordinary bargains which
bargains he had distributed very hoet-
ally among his customers, 1t took capt.
tai, experience and energy 10 carry on
business in thatway, and 1t wasn't every
country merchant, oy copslderaoie, VINO
had these advantases, especially The hrst
named. Not leweountry merchants do
buslnes. on avery small capital, and have
but limited experience, and inasmuch
as they buy only ~ small quantities they
cannot compete win q retailer IN this
city who has capita long experience, and
sells most oil his goods ior cash or on
short credit
These obseryatisns ot our friend, the
drummer, remind y oil an incident lateiy
referred to IN our columns, oil agentie
man VINO came 70 The CITY from one Q!
the surrounding bwns to buy apair oil
winter noo's, anu tno In the course oi q
short call At this once remarked 'hat ne
had saved more III p enough IN the price
topay the expehss Oh his "Trip. II We
remember correctly, he claimed to nave
saved over thfee doIiafs, Whieh was GER