The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-06-25
LETTER FROM HOT SPRINGS
THE HOT SPRINGS DRUMMER NOT THE
JOLLY COMMERCIAL YELLOWSTONE
OF HIS METHODS OF WORK. HIS
PERCENTAGE AND COMMISSION
HOW He IS REvILED, ETC.
Hot SPRINGS, ARK, I
June 10, 1890. !

Editor Democrat +,
The drummer is the "bete noir" Of {
the city of the springs; he is the blot
upon the fair landscape-he is as the
spider to the fly. Stop! Don't mag
inc for an instant that l mean that (
genial, broad minded, generous, poker7
don't care-if-I-do fellow properly
known as the commercial traveller,
and sometimes recognized by the great
size of his "cheek" and the check of
his pantaloons.
No, the kitten / have reference to
is of another color while Of the same
stripe-at least as far as the cheeky
adoption of the nomenclature OF an
honorable calling is concerned.
/ have incidentally alluded to the
"cheek" which it has long since been
unanimously conceded the genuine
drummer possesses in great munif-
ccnce, but his Hot Springs bastard
brother "lays over" him completely
for unlimited gall, and could give in
structions in the brazen art to the most
audacions of the brethren.
The manner and the opportunity
and the different work of this pseudo
commercial tourist commends itself to
the disgust of every decent citizen.
His field of operation is unrestricted
by any limit; for his talent is in de-
mand by good many of the profess
sions which are sometimes ironically,
l think, known as the honorable.
To be explicit this drummer ~ is
chiefly employed in securing patients
for greedy, constituencies physicians
whose clientele is small (as 10 their
, merit perhaps) and whose ices are
} high; in securing customers for the
drug stores, which here are innumera.
bile as the sands of the seas shore In
"steering" the unsophisticated into
: some of the high-priced dry goods
8 stores, where for his trouble he re-
9 ceives 25 per cent Of the money pait
in by the unsuspecttng fly and III
e advertising most exasperatingly thu
: merits and cheapness of his pariicula
d hotel, or boarding house. In othe
$ ways he engages his versatility, but
- have quoted enough for my purpose
When it is known that frequentl.
! half of the fee extracted from the un
o fortunate patient is turned over t
d Mr.. Drummer one may expect his en-
e ergies to be quite aggressive in tn
direction of capturing these geese wit
~ golden eggs-for him; and as til
is pharmacy grants him a premium o
L. all the fish he drives to the pharn,
y ceutical net. and as the proprietor {
J. the chest and cheapest"-(more ofte
ia the worst and dearest)-hotel grac
e. ously bestows him dollar head fl
T. boarders who will wonder that til
OF fiend has to be restrained by munic
pal law or ordinance for the protectic
~ of the newly-arrived visitor to Fl
in Springs. AS has been said his auda
i,v is great. 1t is his habit to sal
We forth, like the wolf, in quest of b
%, 90 prey.
ID This city is located at the termIn
lat of branch railroad, which is twent
lse two miles in length, and taps the ma
to line at Malvern. All passengers mt
We change cars at the junction of Nj
~ vern, on the Iron Mountain Railroa
mr. who are destined for the Springs, al
lie it is at this point that the drnmm
on begins to get in his work. No one
he too sick for him to leave undisturbe
al, Planting himself in your seat, he p'
in sists in conversing with you, gives y
cards of his doctor and his hotel, EXP
cd tiating, oh so feelingly upon thu
's- superiority over all rivals. He c
h;s presses the most unhounded sympat
in for you if you are ill, and maintai
in his very unsympathetic attitude a
Tin wearying remarks.
w. w.. Finally, when he, in bis egregic
,is conceit, imagines he has charmed y
to his will, he calls some subordin'
will and says to him coolly and witht
na' Your leave: "Put this gentlemen in
on bus and take him to the - hot
les. and see to his baggage" Then
.ra- takes a seat by victim number t,
not and the thing is repeated.
or Of course, unless you are "gree
uh- you don't permit yourself to be bust
- L