Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-08-10

large window display with prices affixed
la the lsg ltlInats ready made clothing
establishments Of the city. Bat inside
everything possible vas idOns - set out
and show the stock - tho very best
advantage. Ga wire frames about
the size u a mans shoulders were
stretched huntred or more coats
u ali styles. Ia mosr instances they were
clever limitations Of the finest and most
expensive goods Of foreign aud home
manufacture. The pattern, the soft
wooiiy appearance, and the gloss were
there at perhaps half or one third the cost
% the genuine article. Each coat bore a
ticket made out in this way:
Lengths mhees
breaAttn-s7A inches
Aru-j- inches
Price-s37 80. Original price-s5
sent from-Dun 8 Parket.
kemaTks-suit Imported cork screw.
The prices Of suits seemed 10 run frou'
s25 20 SIS az this place. Each one was
credited % some unknown drm. The visit
OF asked the salesman IL he could show
a suit from any OF the we'll known
custom tailors here. Hs said that
tho styles OF Chicago custom tailors did
not suit them; that they got their sup
plies from the Eastern States, and that
they found BY experience that Eastern
goods only were salabls. He called atten-
tion TO tho fine workmanship and trim
mings OF his goods, and said tho Chicago
custom tailors here were far behind their
Eastern rivals; and la respect 70 tho lin
ing binding and trimming generally these
/ goods appear equal 10 the most expensive
OF custom made goods This is the secret
OF the success OF the imposition. While
the reporter was in the store sale was
made by another salesman of a suit for
s35, which had bean originally ordered
Tor SO" This was vouched for by the
whole staff.
Several other establishments OF the mis-
fit persuasion in the heart OF the city were
visited With slight variations the mode
OF procedure seemed tho same. One place
seemed to run lower class OF ,ods than
the first. aad made speciality of odd
trousers aud children's suits. In every
case the goods seemed of the same class
made expressly for the eye, but the wear
ing qualities had been left in the back
ground Ia answer to inquiries az expert
enced clothing manufacturer gave the fol-
] Anb Mt1ub buSl-
nesss l could tell you something about it,
Its first start was in Philadelphia about
nine years ago. A man who then
clerk on South street there first
thought OF IT, He got Who'll esale
firm there 20 back him and opened a small
store. In three or tour years be built up
an enormous business. and his place COW
cred halt a block. He spent enormous
sums for Advertising He was smart and
piled mp money rapidly. The business
spread all over the East and North, and
for a long time was the A l racket. But
IT'S about played out there. / am told the
originator has chan ged the name OF his
place. He sometimes used 70 have a few
suits made by the best tailors in his own
city and New York. and make a great
show In his windows aud in the newspa-
pers about thom. They were worn alter
wards by him or his clerks. l don't sup
pose an outsider ever got one on his back.
The whole thing Il in the trimmings and
cut. Most people know what piece
II silk or a good binding is. but
not on in 50O can tell within :.
n yard what piece Of cloth Is worth
These goods ara made up by men who
make study OF It. The piece OF good,
they buy must be we'll finished aud OF tn,
most fashionable patterns; they employ
good cutters aud have their garment,
made up in the best style possible. Blu
their main point l. sparng no money OF
trimming. Often the trimming OF th'
goods costs more than the outside mate
rial The 'suckers seeing the fine trim
mlags on these goods take the cloth OF
trust aud pet badly left -
rs the making and selling Of thes
goods profltableg"
II should say 40. The retail dealer
make from twenty-five 20 sixty per cent
prohs and the manufacturers make
good deal more than they could on stapl
p goods "
The reporter then visited what il know
(, in the clothing business "a a "ire store.
This = worked on different pr nci pie
sa catches 4 fferent class Of people
They ara travelling concerns. and tax
= a "a on a we'll known street for fe'
. weeks. he length Of their stay altogeth
er depends on their success. They p8s ou
ziarinx advertisements. Offering suits T.
&l-p. trousers for - cents. hats for 2
I cents undershirts. socks. etc. az simos
less than nothing. l. their handbills the
.tase that the stock = the salvage ~ a
enormous fre in New FORK The firm the
I, naentioa aobody ever heard ~, and tho 81
cation given could not be found hy th
most experienced sxpressman. Tor the hes
I. 0f al reasons that NJ such strest "a th
one mel "a known In that city On vts
I. ting this place it viii "a seen thss n
= money hss been expended in fittings
show. On plain plsuks ia a mass ~ .ood
p mostly ~ tho rou CHEST description. II
price char ysd ia most csses "a much moI
thaa The same class of goods could be- ol
falned for IN the outdtting houses her
who supply the working class They kee
fsir supply ~ better class zoosis, sn
. from si0 - 81. but the prce charged
IA IN NJ case lower than IN the regui'
- HOUSES. Those who have any know efl
81 spch xoods VII st once see that n
farni ishinx goods. hats, shoes etc. Al
he ~ securing snd rsfuse from sucsic
snf tcbhing houses al over he countr-
"A a. .n.ssnce y this the man who gas
(. the lrtornsas on rsspecfinx the m ~
SUI -ofTr h@c rs1a - U-eTa suo trTz
-uas uuo seua i9ef.sc ct e slaa-uh arIl