Delta chief., 1884-03-26
A Word to Our Merch.nt..

10 tne EIltOr OF lHE tHltf
DELTA, March 22.-I have just returned
from a trip to North Fork and Paonia, and
perhaps some thoughts that have suggested
themselves to me may not be out of place.
During the few days | have been in Delta ii
has been brought very forcibly to my mind
that there is considerable ill feeling gendered
by the storekeepers in this place toward the
ranchmen in the vicinity named. ] learned
this ere setting out on my trip; for being a
"tenderfoot' in the city, wanted to get all
the information possible, and therefore had
intercourse with "a good many individuals.
Some Of the storekeepers were candid enough
To tell me that the ranchmen could get their
goods little cheaper at Montrose than at
Delta. This set me to think ing, for i could
not believe that the short distance between
the two cities would make as big difference
as to be any object TO the ranchmcn going up
there to trade
Well, there is always two sides to story.
and one is good enough until the other is
told. Being of rather inquisitive turn of
mind, land that remind, me OF what friend
of mine was wont 10 say, "lf you never ask
questions you will never get information" "
| asked a good many ranchmen the reason
why they went to Montrose 10 do business.
aud gave Delta the cold shoulder. From
nearly all | got the same answer. Ii is a
well.knOwB fact that iii all new countries, es-
pecially agricultural, money is rather scarce;
but at the same time If the rauchmcn don't
have money. they have what is equally
good, and what can he turned into money
very easily, viz: produce, such as eggs, but
ter, grain. etc. Now, many of them told me
when they took these things to Delta in the
hope Of trading them for other goods. the
siorekecpcrs laughed at them, aud would
take nothing but money, as they (fhe store
keepers couid not dispose OF the articles in
the city. This is all true bu; the merchants
at Monirose are more alive in business mat
tiers, and take the produce from the ranch.
men. They cannot have a sale for IL either
they ship it to some poinJ where there Is
a demand for il. In my travels in Utah |
learned that the stores there all took produce
giving in exchange what they call store
pay. that is an order stating they will pay
Ia goods yaluc fu- the am6uIt of produce re-.
cciycl. These orlcrs are circulated Just like
money. II the farmer has hired man, he
paws him - much store pay, and the re-
mainder in cash il be wants to trade with
the tailor. the shoemaker. "r, in fact do nj
most any kind OF business, pays much
store pay and -, much cash And then again
these indy iduals do the same IA turn, So
that the stnrcseepers who take produce make
a double profit, trst on the!r goods, aud see
ond. on the pr..1ucr they ship.
am far from bsiug q bel lever IN this mode
of doing blsincss, bat peita IA slti, nrye-th,-
l,,s, draw a les sou from it. When a ranch.
ms brings in pro 'u'e to setUthcr article. IN
exchange, IL would he t6 the Interest OF the
storckeepros to take H. aud if the demapi in
Delta il not sufficient 10 meet the supply, let
them ship IL to " here a market can br found.
True, il will cause l,tiIe trouble. but life is
made up OF troubles: and ia he lulc run il
will he the means of bringing trHlle to the
city that flows Ia other channels. ! would
net be in favor OF issuing orders they do in
liiah for il appears To me shat such mode
of doing business j. demorliEiag. Merely
let Ihc ranebmrii get the goods. pay produce,
aud thns tic tradc would he ~ al cnd. This
Is no new idea. \ person has aa old waspn
and he wants a new one lie goes 10 the
Hreut and trades oil his old wagon. giving, Of
course, something To- boot. 4 sewing machine
agent visits our houses, and lac very gladly
acce,ics tp the request to trade the old ma.
chine for new Que, getting the difference of
the price In money II man has u horse
that does not suit him. he tradt, i: oil for au-
other either gesiits or giving the difference
IN yHlue. Even hook-a.vnis sometimes are
willing to take books in exchange for others,
Aud thus business Is conducted ia various
ways, al tending. however, TO bcnrGt both
the trader aud the one who takes the trade
Delta Siorekecpcrs therefore. viii b. stand.
ing IN their own light II they cpntinue to re-
fuse % take produce irbm the rauchincn, In
the course of IA few W wstEs there viii BE- the
greatest demand for all kinds of produce IN
the mining camps Of the state, and no diili
cully will be- found IN diSpss'pg of Ms m ich
s~ thry can get In time this will become
separate branch OF business, but until com.
mission men come in. the stnrekecpcrs Ought
to make ita part of theirs. II they do not.
50 much the worse. North Fork aud Paonia
VIII not always be iir from railroad de-
pot for at no distant date they are sure To
have railrnad through the valley. The
merchants here olght TO take steps IA time.
4 AMgg. 4, \ LOW \N