Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-25
A REALLY BIG THING.
Grocers, at Their Banquet, Learn and
Teach Great Arithmetic,
TALKING OF MILLIONS LIKE UNITS.
A Glimpse of the Double Feast That Closed
the Convention.
WHAT THEY DID BEFORE THEY DlNED


In compliment to the Retail Merchants
Protective Association of Pennsylvania, the
Pittsburg Association royalty banqueted the
Avenue Hotel last evening. There were $50
covers laid, and the extreme good fellowship
induced by partaking of an epicurean treat.
surely made it an occasion for remembrance
for the participants
Almost every county in the State had its
representative, from Philadelphia to Erie,
and the one prime object of this commingling
of merchants, both wholesale and retail, was
the discussion of their interests and to put
both on a perfect basis of protective organ
ization.
There were toasts and pleasantries galore,
while the soothing sweetness of Toerge's
strains was a specific for indigestion, which
no doubt would have resulted after the gas
tronomic "gem" had been gotten ''away
with"
BIT OF TONGUE.
After the chef had been paid hearty
compliment by the diminutive amount of
debris sent to the kitchen, Major Montooth,
POSTMASTER. arose rather languidly with
two lower buttons of his vest out of their
customary position OF security, and. in his
infectious, humorous manner, informed the
people present what they were there for:
"Some come here to listen, others to talk;
now let. us proceed"
The first toast wholesalers, /" fell to the
lot OF W. K. Gillespie for response. The
gentleman made apologies for having poor
memory, so mad to read from manuscript.
In substance he read:'
The wholesale grocery trade represents 25
per cent, of the mercantile business done in
this city, and has a monetary representation Of
$50, O0O 0O0, with employees numbering $50 men.
1t has grown steadily with the population of
Pittsburg, and is prospering under the release
of the burdensome expenses Of transportation
and other contingencies which we have had to
battle with in by-gone years. In distribution
where once the tide of our commerce was STOP
hped by competition and our supply is never
less the demand. In this line there are engaged
some of the leading financiers and business
men of our country.
COMPETITION, YET UNITY.
The speaker referred to the pioneers of
the wholesale business who had gone, be-
fore, and admitted that there had been no
phenomenal growth in it since then, but
pointed with pride at the financial worth
and fearlessness in competition, though he
added: "What we want, retailers, is unity,
organization; with this we cannot fail, and
the wholesalers want you to trade with
them, and in turn wish for you unbounded
success"
Commercial Statesmen" was the next
toast, and Major Montooth in a few prelim-
mary pleasantries compared a drummer
and lawyer very favorably together, so far
as they had any relation with truth. Mr.
GaIbraith responded to this, and he was
splendid representative of the typical travel
ing man. He said:
The commercial man is the connecting link
between the wholesaler and retailer. Nearly 98
per cent of all the merchandise sold il the
United States is done through the aid of trav-
cling salesman. Wide-awake retailers have
found out that it is more beneficial to purchase
this way than to lose time and money by travel
ing themselves to select and purchase goods
For honesty and integrity the commercial man
stands at the top of the heap. T"Ohl Obi Ohr'
and laughter.l
EXPoSITIoNS IMPORTED.
S. s. Marvin responded to "Pittsburg's
Exposition" something like this:
Expositions are not of this century and birth.
We find the first one was held in London as far
back as l76l. From that date they were taken
up as educators for the people, and Napoleon
I. organized one in France, which only con-
tanned Ito exhibits. France continued them
year after year, until now they have COM
one that the world ever saw.
The PIttsburg Exposition scheme was
born a little over three years ago. with
capital stock consisting of the back of an en-
velope and the stub of lead pencil; but we
have persevered and lived through adversely
until we are all but assured of our great insti-
tuition, which will serve as the greatest public
benefactor and educator: Nothing but enter
prise has done it; just the same as has built
Pittshurg up to her standing as the great COM
mercial center she now is. We have our Ex-
position; but we still need money. Have we
the enterprise? 1t is for you to think over,
good people.
NEW YORK'S MILLIONAIRE.
F. B. Thurber, the great millionaire gro
Ger of New York, expatiated at length upon
"The Metropolis" and argued that selfish
people living there didn't know anything
about the progress being made in outside
cities, such as Pittsburg, Chicago, Kansas
City and Oklahoma, until they once came
out this way and saw for themselves. He
complimented Pittsburg in high terms,
saving the phenomenal growth since the
war was astounding. He gave the
retailers and wholesalers quiet "roasting''
for their Indifference to progress and organi-
zation, and very potently intimated that
there was semblance of mountain moss
still clInging to their backs. "Join hands"
said he, "and prosperity will come along,
like the running of placid stream-smooth
and sure
Percy F. Smith honored "Pittsburg'with
very characteristic speech, in which he
gave startling statistics, interspersed with
his usual fund of funny SNAPS" which
season his conversation at any time.
Between each toast music by the cele-
brated Haydn Quartet, which was a very
pleasant advertisement Several other minor
toasts were responded to, after which the
toast master spoke OF the genial treatment of
the hotel proprietors and bespoke in behalf
of the guests hearty thanks The whole
body then, as one man, said s'good night
no. good morning''-to each other their