Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-07-02
VALLEY CITY INDUSTRY
The Committee Of Supervisors on
Court House Furniture.
INSPECT THE WORK OF GRAND RAPIDS
school Furniture compAny-its Methods,
Facilities and WoramanshiP-A
Closely Contested Contract
Who Will VIM


court house, nave been carefully IN
speeting samples. listening To eloquent
pieadings of manufacturers represent
atives, and working pretty hard gener-
ally on what would seem at first 10 be
a comparatively easy task. The odds
are long, however. that the committee
have long since found out that the job
is no sinecure. The committee consists
of supervisors Ii. q. Schermerhorn, NJ.
j. Ulrich, Charles T.. Hogadone, Frank
Ladner, L. c. Wood worth, and an ad-
visory adjunct composed of Circuit
Judge Adslt and County Treasurer
Stebbins.
The Emuious Bidders.
The bidders are the Ketcham Furni-
ture Company, of Toledo. o., A. IL.
Andrus Il Co., of Chicago, and the
Grand Rapids School Furniture COM
pany, of this city. Tne competition has
been very fierce. Both the foreign
firms have had their representatives
continually on the ground, and tney
have spared no pairs or expense IN
their efforts to convince the committee
that they could easily beat the Grand
Rapids people when 1t came To provid-
ing furnlturc; and they are artists.
One of the supervisors said yes
terday: II do not know that
III ever ran across n man
I'd rather hire as my salesman than
Mr.. BilIingsley. You can't help but
like him, and the company undoubt-
edly picked cut their best man TO work
through this contract as they knew
that Grand Rapids is the leading furnl-
ture center OF the world. He has showed
us all kindsof argument. samples of ele-
CANT work aud lists Of big jobs his COM
pany has done; but after all
some of the samples his company
wouldn't Care to Have Us Inspect
are to be seen right here in the city, and
they are not very strong arguments III
their favor. Then, too, we were shown
the furniture of the Hackley Library in
Muskegon. The able representative
who took us there to snow us his
samples, didn't tell us that his company
furnished but small part of 1t, and
left us to infer that they did is all. I"
Yesterday morning the entire commit
tee having been through the mill with
thc:Others. concluded TO end their labors
and went to the factory of the Grand
Rapids School Furniture Company to
inspect their methods, facilities, work
mansiiip and completed articles
Work That Speaks For Itself.
To say that the tour was devoid OF
profit and that the articles offered for
sale were not strong in speeches. COLI
viction were to ignore facts Every de-
tail of the work WIS carefully examin-
at ,,,I .l.,,., Tho ri drv.
kilns, of the very latest and most ap-
proved makes, were exhibited IN Oper-
alton. TINS company makes Il practice
of keeping constantly on hand Il stock
of hardwood lumber valued at from
S65, 900 t. SIS 900. AS Mr.. Reed SAID:
This ties up IA good deal of money,
but we never put piece OF any lumber
in sthe kllns that Is not at least
first. AS n result our goods never warp
or swell as do those of other makers"
The saving and wood working depart
ments and hundreds of the most
skilled workmen obtiipable were seen
busy. In the desks aud other furniture
of the same character no soft woods are
used, ms is generally the case. but only
the hardwoods dove-tallcd IN the draw
ers, front and back. The painting,
staining and polishing departments
showed the same
skill and thorough Workmanship,
This company has about $500, 900 in
vctred, or three times the amount IN
vested by either of the other companies.
Though comparatively youncs their
work, on account OF tue thurougi:ness
of detail, and elcg ,nce has already an
established reputation. They furnished
the city hall OF Springfield. ONO, and
the letters of approval since re-
ceived from that source are
good material for Advertisements.
In speaking of methods and processes
Mr. Reed made the following statement
to the committee: Gentlemen, j
don't care TO argue with you over these
point. We will make all the goods IN
any manner you direct. and will be
guided entirely bv your dictaton. We
will, If the processes he left to our
judgment, give you the best We can
produce. We have none but the very
best of materials, of machinery and
appliances and the most skilled labor
IN the business. | don't want to bore
you with repetItions Of high sounding
self praise that you are surfeited' with.
We will let
Our Goods Tell Their Own Tale
In case we are awarded the contract,
YOU are at liberty to appoint an over
seeing committee to inspect the manu-
featuring at any time and as often as
you see fit at our expense. Our bid IS
about $1,000 lower than that Of any
other company and that 10y no
means, indicates that we shall
give inferior work. Ii means that We,
ON account of our location. have no
freight to get out of 1T, no travelling
expenses Of high sslaried salesmen TO
pay. Our supenntendeuts are here at
hand. OF course this is an old point,
but il comes IN strongly IN the dollars
and cents columns, namely that our
woTkmen are Grand Rapids citizens.
They are many of them househ0iders
and taxpayers and are helping 10 pay
for this court house.
Home Patronage.
If We got the contrscs. the money cir
cuIates here instead of n Chicago, or To-
ledo. Now am authorized 10 make
tins proposition. We viii put in the en-
tire furnishing on trial. You may keep
lt 20. 90. 90 days or longer, as Won see
tit, and st the end Of that time, II not
iu every way satisfactory, the contract
may l.e placed where you zee st, and
We will take the goods free Of all ex-
pense to you. We are not depending On
salesmanslaIp 70 cell these goods. bat we
merely wsnt far snow and fair con-
sfterstsoB- We place oHr sid hPfore
YOU ltemIzed, guarantee everything.
absolutely, place ourselves under your
dirs ct5on and hope FOR a chance 10 give
you satisfaction