The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-03-28
INTER VIEV

! With RECORD UNION reporter of Satur-
/ day last, reproduced in this. our adver-
Using space. 1t viii fully explain to the
! public why am about to make a change
/ IN the Red House:
A rumor upon the streets that c. H.
| Gilman OF the Red House mercantile es-
Enlistment is about to go out of business
was inquired into by a RECORD UNION
head.
Mr. Gilman was found at his place of
business, and entirely open to question
ing Perhaps in no better way can the
iacts involving the rumor be given than
10 present the conversation that ensued.
Question-Mr. Gilman, they are SAYING
! upon the street that you are going out of
| business
Answer--They are? They do not know
anything about it.
Q:-But whatever affects the business
OF Sacramento, like a change in a mer-
que mouse, the closing or opening of bus
mess, IS OF public moment. Can't you,
therefore, afford to give me the facts about
( this rumor?
A. es, certainly. There is nothing to
conceal, and there is nothing that at all
! feHectS upon Sacramento. Oh, no; BUSH
| ness changes III my establishment tho
| public can know all about. In fact. I
| advertising space.
Q.-Well, then, are you going out of
| business?
A.-Well, yes and no; am and / am
not.
| Q.-How is that?
| A.-Ihis way: I am going to close
down in some lines and continue in others
that Is, if the plan for disposal of lines I
want to close out comes out all right.
Q.-Do you mean that you may, or NAV
not, retire?
Al am positively going out of many
iInes, but L cannot know all that will
drop until about July lst. I shall GER
mats ana caps and furnishing goods,
| lines.
Q-4ou propose, then, to sell out of
these certain lines Of goods wholly?
| a Yes. The only way to do so is to
dispose OF them at cut rates, and to buv
no more in those lines. In this case
shall buy no more in the classes / shall
| abandon, though l had ordered in my
! spring stock before resolved upon this
movement.
Q..Then the new lots go with those On
hand?
A.-4es in the lines L give up. may,
oi course, 10 keep my customers sup
pIleu, have to buy to some extent. saw
from 10 to 10 per cent. of my sales, but
not largely, for my plan is to wholly give
up sales of certain lines of goods.
Dwell, how about the disposal of
certain lines of your stock?
A.-That Will be announced. and the
pubic viii then see on what goods the
change VIII affect. Millinery and all
that goes with it will be retained. kept
up|that is, will carry that line; you
understand.
Q.-Yes. But viii that mean no reduc-
ton on millinery prices now?
A.-No. That line during the closing
Out VIII have 10 suffer some with the rest.
| Understand, the sale will be general. but
the cut will be heaviest in lines I shall
not keep up.
Q.-Ah! / see now.
Ayes. The staple lines will not be
exempt from the change.
Q.-N hat, Mr.. Gilman, are the reasons
tor this change. and which, you say, may
mean closing out?
A.-Well, not embarrassment I assure
| you. The chief reason is that I cannot
make profit that repays for the effort
and investment. Most all goods in Sac
ramento are retailed now 80 close to the
wholesale price that when the expenses
incident to, and part of the business are
met, there IS LETT no profit; none, at least,
Red House consist mostly Of staples, on
which the profits are light, very light.
Q.-HaS trade declined?
a. Some, and competition has become
sharper. do not complain of the trade
IN Sacramento that | have had. AS a
rule 1t has been large from the first day
started. But the expense that has kept
along with 1t has rather increased, and as
the margin of profit is now so narrow, as
explained, that to lower one and widen
the other can't be done. For an estimate;
lets see; | have paid out since l started
IN business in February, 1874, I should
| say, over a half a million of dollars
| Printers, advertising, landlords, em-
| ployes, taxes-these swallow up large