The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-06-10
SUCCESSFUL WOMAN pRuMMERs.

Many Branches of Trade Represented by
Clear Headed Travelling Ssleswomen.
t'The woman drummer has come to
stay, and we men won't be in it in a
short time"
The above is from the lament of a GER
tain travelling salesman. who confded
some facts about his business to report
er the other day. He is nournful, it is
true, as who would not be when he saw
his vocation slipping away from him?
But he seems to feel that open confession
is good for the soul and accordingly de-
scribes with exactness, narrowing to the
souls of other commercial travellers, the
full extent of the success of his feminine
rivals in trade.
"There is young woman of the name
of Lincoln" he says, with dogged resig-
nation. "She sells imported hats. So
doI-when l get chance. But i'll expect
to do anything on my route lam obliged
to keep ahead Of her, for when she strikes
a town she carries away every order in
it. I must confess that these women
knights of the grip as you newspaper
folks calls us, do much better than the
men in the same lines. They are strong,
clear sighted and clear headed women.
some of them very pretty and all Of them
perfect ladies. Some of them do exactly
as men do-visit a merchant in person
and solicit his orders. Others engage a
sample room in the hotel, and after mott
flying the merchants wait and receive
them there. There is another class of
feminine travellers who are very swell
and cater to individual custom. Iknow
of several from New York who pursue
this method entirely.
Probably the best known woman on
the road is Miss Virginia Poole of New
York, who sells nothing but perfume.
She stays in town sometimes two or
three weeks, and she does big business.
There is Miss Airline Carson, who sells
millinery in all the large cities east of
the Mississippi and north of the Ohio.
She sells over 800, 900 worth of goods a
year and gets big salary. Mrs. K. B.
Henry is awell known woman drummer.
Her husband formerly travelled for an
underwear house of New York. He died
and left her with several children to sup
port.
'sShe went to the firm and asked for
his route. They had never sent woman
out, but they gave it to her, and she
made such success Of it that she is now
a member of the firm. She goes out on
the road occasionally. and 1 heard good
story about her not long ago. She was
at the Weddell House in Cleveland and
1. 800 II, (which tO tCb
her train. She went to her room, put on
her travelling dress, paid her bill, ordered
her baggage down, called carriage,
was driven to the depot five blocks away
and caught her train. There are mighty
few men who could have done thatr'
and the drummer subsidized into sorrow
full reflections.
Zone of the women travellers who de-
pend on individual customers is Miss NJ.
A. Wilkins, who travels for Philadel-
phia house that deals in children's wear.
She carries eight large trunks. She mails
a letter to each of her patrons, saying
that she will occupy certain suit in a
certain hotel on certain day. When
the time comes, her customers drive up
in their carriages and are shown to her
room, where, I can tell you, they leave a
lot of orders. Her trade is worth $75, 900
year to her house. know of one wom-
an who sells chewing gum, another
laces, another buttons, another furs.
have even heard of woman who sells
collins. I'll bet she sells so many that
the undertakers have to make kindling
wood of them to get their stock reduced"
New York Sun.