Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-11-05
New Ysrk Tribune.


Seven years ago, said Mr.. Nissan,
Of the firm Of Nissan 4 Allen, there
was no system and very little money
in the advertising sign business, Per-
sons who had something they wanted
to advertise by sign in some public
place had the work done by any sort
Of dauber. Those who made a trade
Of it used material that washed of
with the first rain. That was the no
madic period. Board SPACE was not
considered valuable. Tne result was
that neither expenditures nor receipts
amounted to much. This is all
changed now. People throughout the
country, but especially in the neigh.
borhood Of New York, have aesthetic
ideas on the object as well as many
others. If it is desired that sign
shall last Tor 3 period Of mouths or
years, it must be painted with mate
rial that will stand the weather. IL
has to have some merit, besides, in an
artistic way. Mere letters must be
done neat enough to meet the criticism
of a printer, and when it comes to pic.
lures, they have to sustain pretty
sharp inspection. We have four ar.
lists in our pay. Ono OF them has his
pictures in the Academy every year
aud two years ago he had one on the
line. He has to have his
sketching vacation every sumner
camps out like the rest, and get.
wild over sunsets and sunrises. Hasty
as this sort Of painting is, it will pass
muster alongside OF the theatrical
scene painting in this county. There
is q patent medicine advertisement
but 1t is very good picture Of a life
boat out in heavy sea, and- without
the advertisers title would have {
purely artistic meaning no difference
where it was painted, whether on {
canvas or on a fence. And that por
trait Of the patron saint of a wei
known panAcea was taken from q ia.
nous model in this city. Neptune
riding in his car and brandishing hi
trident is good advertisement Of I
seaside hotel, and is all the more val
liable if the drawing happens to b.
good and the colors something likl
those Of nature. 1t is of no use Il
talk about bad work; people will no
have it.
"0t course there is row RAISED
when We get a sign on some spot which
the alleged lovers of nature are likell
to observe. will not say that paint
ing a tobacconist's sign on the side o
the Balanced rock in Colorado wa
just the thing. But our agent, VIII
accomplished that, had a correct eyl
to business. It would surprise yOl
to see how many letters we receivu
asking us to pAint advertisements Of
Palisades. But we always refuse
We don't want to run right in tn
face Of all the people who travel OF
the Hudson. And | don't mind say
ing-this with a quiet laugh that tn
Palisades are not a good place to paint
anyhow. They are too muddy.
1T takes fifteen tons Of white leat
every year to keep our branch Of ar
before the public. A new sign il
Hoboken, fifteen feet high aud 20
long, required 1000 pounds Of lead
Signs that cover space Of ZOO Il
1000 square feet, are not uncommon
You ask about those small boards
they are not painted as rule. The,
are printed on cylinder press. The,
are tackled up on the fences all th
way from Maine to California, an,
there are too many of them 10 b
painted in the ordinay way.
This business has made blanl
space on walls and fences valuable
There is a wall in the neiQhborhood Q
Twenty third street and fifth avenu
which rented at $500 year before
was touched with brush. The ad
vertiser had to pay more than 5000
for a notice he put there. This sol
Of advertising does not interfere wit
the newspapers. We cannot put man
words in our signs, so we say, 20
the papers with the details ard "
will call public attention. The pub
lie look st the papers all the MOI
readily for having an emphatic sug
gestion in words or pictures which
can see every day." %