The morning call., 1892-10-18
IF NOT SICK GET SICK. "
The War of Prices Waged by
the Druggists.
A DRUGSTORE BOYCOTTED.
Cur Sick Folks Will Have to Pay Tor the
Fun-some Of the Ways in Which the
Losses Will Be Made Up.

One of the greatest trade wars ever
known on the Pacific Coast is. now being
vaged by the Retail Druggists Association
of this city against a certain drugstore on
Market street. 1t Is q case OF almost every
drugstore In the city, wholesale and retail,
fighting this one concern, and the slaughter
of nrices which resulted from the first en-
counter has caused both sides to run up the
black flag. and no quarter is askek or Will
be given in future.
Patent medicines are now being sold at
cost. and even below cost, by every drug
store In town, and it is probable that III a
day or two another cut in prices viii be
made.
The trouble was started by the Market
street people some two months ago. when
they announced that the public could buy
at their store such standard medicines as
Hoods Sarsaparilla, Scotts Emulsion, etc.,
at wholesale prices.
The Retail Druggists Association. CON-
posed of all the proprietors of retail drug
houses in the city, with the exception OF the
owners of the Market-street store, at once
called the stten ton of the wholesale drug
gists to the cut in prices made by tie pro-
prietOrs of that store ana promptly notned
the wholesale people that II they sold any
more goods to that concern the members OF
the Retail Association would withdraw
their patronage. The Retail Association
justified their boycott of tie renegade
store" as they call it, on the ground that
every dealer in patent medicines has to
pledge his word OF honor that he will not
sell certain standard preparations for less
than the price fixed by the manufacturers,
and that it was upon these very articles the
Market-street store was making its cut.
The wholesale houses at once Informed
the Market-street store that they could no
81 ID, o
thought that as soon as the stock then on
hand ran out the proprietors Of that store
would come to terms and raise prices.
Several DAYS ago the Market-street people
and a committee from the Retail Druggists
Association had a conference, and it is
alleged by the latter the Market-street peo-
pie agreed IL the boycott against them was
raised to behave In the future. At any rate
the retail association telephoned the whole
sale houses one day at noon that they could
90 ahead and sell the Market-street store
goods. and before O'Clock that same day
the proprietors of that store had laid in a
stock of between 5000 and $1,000 worth
of drugs and patent medicines, and then
made another cut in prices.
The retail association was furious and
the boy bolt was not only restored but at
special meeting the association determined
to fight the Market-streat people with its
own weapons aud in consequence ordered
all of its members to cut the prices on patent
medicines to the lowest notch. The follow
ing advertisement was then inserted in the
daily papers and the war commenced in
earnest:
Get honest goods. Patent medicines at
cost. Deal with your own druggist The
! following list OF genuine patent medicines
can be purchased at any drugstore in the
| city," aud then followed list which is here
reproduced with the cost and the regular
and cut prices at which the articles are
| being sold. The first column of figures gives
| the net wholesale cost of the medicines, the
| second column the price at which the drug
/ gists are pledged to sell the same and the
] Incf 10 In mn 4ha emf M ice nnNp nreunilinr