The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1894-07-11
FIXIN'S FOR STOVES.
A DEALER IN HEATERS TELLS HOW
THEY CAUSE TROUBLE.

Tribuiations of People who Think They
Know About Their stoves, but Find
When They Desire 20 Repair Them That
Their Ignorance Is Appalling.
The life of dealer in stove repairs
is not one of unalloyed bliss. He has
I'll classes Of people TO deal with, and
,ho greater portion of them seldom
know what they want They think they
do, but they don't. This will be readily
understood when it is known that there
are manufactured today between 20, 900
and so, 900 different stoves. AS each va
riety has from to 10 component parts
this will make total of between $50, =
900 and $40, 900 different pieces. IL
will he seen that unless minute details
are given there are possibilities of hav-
ing n mixed stove on your hands. A
visit to one of the largest repair shops
in the country was productive of some
interesting information rs well as some
amusing incidents
''It is singular, said the manager,
show little the general public knows
about stoves. People will handle stove
for years and still be stranger to it.
Then, when something happens to it,
they come to us and expect us to know
what part is wanted by general de-
scription. We carry supplies of about
so, 900 different stoves. There are about
300 stove manufacturers in this country,
and they turn out on an average 5000
new designs every year. As we are
called upon to supply the different parts
Of all Of them, we have to keep pretty
large stock on hand.
1--WE have four stories full of sup
plies, which weigh 2, 500 tons. Besides
these we have 300 tons of patterns and
pay $4,000 yearly for new designs.
Our stock is an accumulation Of over 90
years. Some of our supplies are for
stoves that haven't been manufactured
for years. One would think that people
Tould want the latest pattern in stoves,
but they don't. They will hang onto n
stove as long as there is anything to
patch up. Why, only the other day we
were asked to supply CRATE for stove
that was made in 1886. You see, there
are lots of people, especially in the
country, who use the old fashioned wood
stoves, and although one of the new
stoves would save them enough in one
season to pay for itself they stick to the
old ones.
"We have any number of amusing
experiences, although some Of them
would try the patience of saint Peo-
pie will come to us who think they have
enough information if they give us the
name Of their stove. An Irishman
walked into our place the other day.
He was one of those positive Irishmen
who think it impossible to make mis-
take.
Good mornin, he began. 'Oi was
laid off yesterday, an Oi just came
down to git some fixin's for the stove.
The ould woman's been lackin for o
new back this long tonne.
What kind Of stove is it?'
"'Oh, just a common livery day
stove
"'Does it burn coal or wood?'
"It's coal stove an burns divil
Of lot Of coal. Sure, it takes the best
part Of me wages buyin COAL
"'What is the name and number of
it?'
"'No. 8 Star.
"'Are you sure?'
Am OF sure? OF course Dim sure.
Dye suppose Olive sat in front of it for
the last eight years an not know what
kind Of stove 1t is? Phat do you t'ink
Oi am, a choomp?'
but there is no such stove made
Is that so? Maybe you t'ink you
know more about il than Oi do, an ye
niver sane the stove at all, at all.
But there are several kinds Of
Stars Who is the maker, what is the
date of the patent and what is the size
Of the oven?
An do you have to know all that?
Sure, the next tonne Oh come down for
job loike this Oi'll sind some one
else.
"Then there is the handy man, who
comes in with piece of string or q
stick. There are knots in the string and
nicks on the stick to show that the stove
is so long and SO deep When we tell
him what is necessary before he can be
accommodated, he beats hasty retreat.
And there is the lady who thinks we are
Just horrid, when we tell her that we
don't know what kind of stove she
has, that there are between 70, 900 and
30, 900 for which we have repairs, and
that hers might be any one Of them.
"The other day n German who keeps