Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-09-05
FACTS ABOUT DRUMMERS.
small Fortunes Packed Away In
sample Bags.


a small man, dudishly dressed walked
ncrvouslv to one of tho clerks ~ the
Grand Pacific, and he inquired # his
trunk h.d come. lie was "A New York
drummer.
Haven't seen it >" carclcssly replied
the man behind the counter
That's strange Ii must he here"
"Oh, it'll turn up all right"
81 know, but | must have II immeli.
atelv, answered the drummer, with "a
tlnge of anxiety on his countcnancc.
is it necessary that Won should have
the baggage right away" intcrposed
another clerk.
That trunk has $4,000 worth Of
samples in it" replied the travelling
man.
The eyes of the two hotel men
sparkled more than did the diamonds on
their shirt fronts. Hurriclly % porter
was called and instructed In lind the
missing baggage immediately. Lcis
urely he went to a pile of heavy trunks.
accompanied by the travelling man.
The baggage was found and sent 10 the
salesmans rooms.
Many men bothered with such loads
as that?" asked reporter Of the
stranger, as he returned to the hotel
lobby.
"Oh, a few of them," he replied. "os-
peclally those who represent iewelrv
establishments. Sometimes drummcrs
carry pretty valuable loads. Not long
ago went to Beliot, Wis. and, register
ing at one of the hotels. asked for a
room. A tall, smooth-faccd fellow,
with black eyes and hair, followed and
registered Just below me. Ho said he
wanted a room. It's always best To- ask
for room without arguing, and let tho
clerk assign you. If You go to talking
he's sure to send yot oil to the top.
The man in charge of the Office on this
occasion asked if We objected to
taking u room together. The latest ar
rival opposed such move, and wasn't
at all anxious to he put with stranger
with such goods as had in my posses
sion. There was no alternative, how
ever, and We took the room. On going
up the stranger said his actions might
have seemed queer, but he would ex-
plain everything in the morning. After
We had been in bed about fifteen min
utes, he whispered To me: Asleep
yetT l told him NO. and began to
grow little suspicious. Presently he
asked the same question again. heard
him, but pretended to be asleep. He
turned over and was soon snoring, and
before long l followed suit. When
awoke in the morning the stranger waa
up and dressed, and apparently waiting
for me.
Did Y on hear me ask il you were
asleep last nightY he inquired.
Il told him yes and he replie that
he never would have gone to sleep if he
had known that
'Why?' l asked.
Immediately he pulled Off his coat
and vest, and opening his shirt showed
me buckskin belt. with pockets,
around his body. I've got 500 900
worth Of diamonds in there he said
AS had q trunk full of jewelry
worth more than that, l told him | was
i'll the same box with him.
We've got to be mighty careful, and
watch our samples. stay right with
mine, and have them in my room at
night. No matter where am always
go heavily armed"
Statesmen for jewelry houses carry
more valuable samples than any other
class of drummers, do they not?'
Men handling fine silks, laccs aud
dress goods sometimes have costly sam
pies. They are generally loaded down
with trunks. / met q man in Milwaukee.
last week, travelling for fancy goods
house, that had seventeen .Saratogas.'
He had to have four rooms for display.
ing his samples"
"HOw manv drummers arc there in
the country"
Last year there were more than CO.
600. This took in the men who are
running around selling on commission.
Some travelling men get as high a. $IO,-
600 year and expenses. They are
few in number, however. and generally
represent dry goods or fancy goods
establishment. Lorillard has q man
that he gives $4,000 to, and allows -
day for expenses. Quite number of
men receive 5000 or $1,000 year.
The average salary, however, is about
81 800 and expenses. The latter will
average about $6 a day for men who
make all kinds of towns. Those who
stop at cities of 10000 people only
have to have more, as their
railroad fair amounts To con.
siderable. Many of the drummers are
rather reckless in their expenditures,
as they cost them nothing. They will
stop at the best hotels, ray for the best
rooms and buy wines and cigars. charg.
ing it up to the firm. They're great
men to try to cheat conductors out OF
railroad fares and pocket the money.
One great scheme is to he asleep when
the conductor goes through. Another
is to get hold of the conductors card
before he enters, and have il in q con.
spicuous place in their hats as he goes
through.
Every large city has its character.
istice salesmen. From New York comes
the dude drummer; from Boston the
clerical looking: from Philadelphia the
men that can tell the smuttiest warns
from Cincinnati the gambling crowd
from st. Louis the sleepiest set. and
from Chicago tho cheek ,est man a,d