Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-28
NOT WHAT SEEM
The Formidable Looking Safes Are
Sometimes Only Pine Boxes.
BOGUS AS GOOD AS THE REAL.
An Old Salesman Gives Away Some Of the
Tricks of His Trade.
HOW A STURDY GROCER WAS CAUGHT
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE p1sPATcH.1

CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DIsPATCH.1
tricks in the safe business than you ever
dreamed Of" said safe expert connected
with ole of the leading houses of the coun-
try. 81 have been in the trade for over 15
years, and have sold safes in almost every
city in the United States. have made
from nothing to 5000 week at it on COM
mission. But the competition has grown so
what it used to be-"
He was long-limbed, sharp-eyed fellow,
an insinuating voice and dead ripe self
assertion in every movement. As he
lighted fresh cigar from the stub of one
just finished, he sighed. A slight sugges-
tlon started him off again.
New York, Chicago and Cincinnati take
the cake in the safe business. It takes a
smart man to sell now-a-days-to make
money. The bogus safe"
whats bogus safe?"
Didn't you ever see bogus safe2 No,
of course not. You wouldn't know it if you
saw one. Well the bogus safe is safe
made for appearances. As in good many
cases safe is merely tor show, the bogus
safe, was going to say, has knocked out
large section of the legitimate trade. There
are hundreds of bogus safes in this city and
they answer the purpose for which they
are created-that of impressing the custo-
mers of the owners with the solidity of the
latter's business-in highly satisfactory
manner.
JEWELLERS PRETTY SCHEME.
II know jeweler in Maiden lane who
FnrIr Co., .f
genuine and two bogus. These counterfeits
are Just like the others, but are made of
wood, painted up and with imitation comDi-
nation locks. The four have an imposing
appearance and leave the inference that the
stock is twice as great as tits. A good many
bogus safes were once genuine. That is.
they were originally considered good but
have been painted over and rigged up
freshly from old and worthless stock.
'They do just as we'll for appearances,
and. as there is usually nothing in them
that wouldn's be just as well off in an ordi-
nary desk in case of fire or burglars, they go
Just as far as the genuine article and don't
cost much. It isn't too much to say that
about half the safes in use would no more
stop fire or burglars than kitchen door.
In many cases, of course, the owner doesn't
know this, but then again many owners do,
pose.
ON THE INsTALLMENT PLAN.
"Even when a splendid genuine safe of
most approved pattern is exhibited in a
New York Office it is no longer any indica-
tion of business. Anybody can buy safe
now just like you can buy most anything
ture, watch, clothes, diamonds, carpets,
etc.-on the installment plan. I'll sell you
$500 safe for $50 down and if you can't
pay $50 I'll make it $25 rather than let you
go, see? The balance can be paid from
month to month. I've put safes into the
swellest kind of offices that way.
Loose them? Well, it's hard to get away
with safe. We missed q big one down
town one day when one OF our collectors
called for the second installment. You see
we have regular collectors who look after
these installments when they become due.
This man found the Office cleaned out, safe
and all. We found it about month later
In storage warehouse covered up with stuff
and looking six months older. More safes
are now sold on the installment plan than
any other way. It is astonishing how easy
it is to sell something on the credit system
that men will not buy if they have to pay
the money down.
CATCHING A CROWD.
"And this does not apply only to men
with little money, either, but also to those
having plenty. Another queer trait of
human nature we take advantage of and
that is the tendency Of people to follow other
people. You go into a restaurant for lunch
and if you haven't fixed in your mind just
what you want the chances are you will
order something the other man next to you
= IL -
have pork and beans it is four to five the
will order pork and beans. Now.:it Is the
same thing with safes, though you
would not think so. would you?"
''"I pick out a prominent grocer or saloon
Keeper in neighborhood and work him. I
tell him 1 must sell him one if I have to lose
money on 1t, because then can sell the rest.
He treats me like I was an insurance or
book agent, and tries to drive me away. ]
knock off the discount peg by peg. No, be
won't have it. Suppose he is q saloon
keeper. I order drinks and cigars every
time come in. I praise his place, his
whisky. I make him drink with me. ]
make his friends drink with me.
HOW THE LEAvEN WORKS.
"I never say safe to him except when he
doeseve time. You see, it is on his mind.
Then put in my best licks. offer to split
nv commissioning cut off my commission
altogether. show him by arithmetical cal
cuIatlon that it will cost him only 30 cents
a day to pay the installments-one man s
drinks-my own drinks-and what is 80
cents day? He may lose the price
of the safe from till-tappers any
night. If he has been in the busi-
ness long Of course he has been robbed.
Every saloon keeper has been robbed at
some time. If he hasn't been robbed he has
been burned out, or has lost his "slats" OF
accounts.
ST talk to him about the size and style OF
safe he would want if he ever had one.
He begins to dream of safes and burglars
and me. Then some day when business has
been brisk I pull a printed order on him
with exactly that kind of safe described
in it and tell hin to sign it and I'll deliver
the safe and take it back at the end of the
month if he don't want it. He will sign
that order. He can't help it The proba-
bility is he will sign it for the regular price,
commissions and all.
CATCHING THE OTHER FELLOWS.