The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1886-10-07
Curious Money-Making Schemes.

To be in the commission business is
considered an honorable calling, but it
has come to pass that there are a class
| of commission men who are not only
| nuisance to their employers, but they
are an ulcer on the nose of honest deal
ling, quite offensive.
1t happens almost every week, >" SAID
! q well-known butcher. that l am ap-
preached by stewards either of private
| families, hotels, or steamboats,, who
give ME to understand that for quiet
tip once in while they will turn their
EMPLOYERS trade to my market"
What do YOU do?''
IF | think the trade is worth having
l give the fee. Why not? Others do
it. and the only way | can fight 'em is
with their own weapons. Why, only
| the other day had the meat cook in
| one of the largest and most fashion
able boarding-houses in the city tell me
that if l would give her five per cent.
commission she'd bring me the trade
of the house, which probably amounts
| to 800 or S25 week"
.'And YOU didn't take the bid?'
No; because | have reason to know
| that she couldn't fill the contract"
The reporters next visit was to one
of the leading grocery stores in the city.
and when the object of his visit was
| made known the proprietor remarked:
'Yes, hear of such things once in
awhile. In fact, | kicked a great
mealy-mouthed man out of my store
| one day last winter who had informed
me that unless did the square thing
| with him he would take his employers
| trade to another store. | asked him
what he thought would be square, and
| he replied that ought to furnish him
with what groceries and canned goods
would be used by his family"
That was modest enough"
Eyes, that was cheap, but didn't
| like the cheek of the fellow. Those
cases are rare, but I'll tell you a system
not so rare. Cooks and stewards often
make bargains with butchers and gro
GERS through the drivers of the delivery
carts and wagons That's common,
| and I've even heard where the drivers
make quite little commission in this
| way"
Next a visit was made TO prosper
Gus carriage builder and repairer, who
| didn't hesitate to say that coachmen
and hostlers tapped him for tips. ''Only
| this afternoon a hostler came in and
| asked me for fifty cents. | knew that
he wanted it TO get Il drink, but | gave
| it to him without a question, because |
know he has the placing of the horse
| shoeing of man who owns three
| horses"
| How about coachmen?"
''Well. a little over a year ago l sold
RI "a nd
for it. True, | made the sale somewhat
through the influence OF the coachman,
and 1 would have been willing to pay
| him slight commission"
''What did he demand?'
He called around and said he want
ed S25. | offered him so, and he ap-
peared insulted. Then got mad,
words followed, and the meeting ended
| by my saying l would smash his nose" ="
Served him right"
'But that didn't end it. About a
month later the man who bought the
carriage came around and limited that
| had cheated him; that the wheels
wouldn't track and that it pulled a
| great deal harder than when he first
| bought it. | asked him to bring the
| buggy around to the shop, and when he
| did SO | took the wheels off and found
| that the aXletree had been wrenched.
and by main force, so that the wheel
did not set squarely on it. In this way
! friction had ground the axletree Just
where the box hits the shoulder"
| How do you know that it was done
| by main force?'
Because, suspecting that, told the
employer of the demand the coachman
had made on me, and he taxed the fei-
| low with it, at the same time charging
him with having bent the axle. Then
| the man confessed. That's how |
| know. ''-Detr0U Free Press