The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-04-24
MERCHANTS ORGANIZE.
A Branch OF Cooperative Associate
Formed.

fOrmRd.
About sixty merchants responded last
night to call issued for meeting I'm
Dougherty's hall to organize a branch Of
the Merchants Retail Commercial
Agency. The grocers, hatters, furniture
dealers, dry goods men and men in all
branches Of business were represented
either in person or in writing and the
movement secured good start.
The meeting was not the outgrowth of
a spontaneous movement, but in accord
ance with well considered plans brought
about by two organizers, Messrs. Hall
and Patterson, representing n state organ
ization which has headquarters in phila-
delphia and which represents an interua.
tional organization having branches i'm
all parts of the United States and Canada
The fact that the call for the meeting
was issued on the same day that the HER
AID published a leading article on the
peddler system led many to believe that
the object of the meeting was to get the
merchants to take some action on the
system complained of, but it was not.
The publication of the call and article
was merely coincident and neither had
a bearing upon the other
In addressing the meeting Messrs Hall
and Patterson explained the object of the
meeting and of the organization they rep
resent at length and apparently to the
satisfaction of all concerned. The pur-
pose is to organize all the business men of
the town in an association of cooperation
with view to having all merchants make
reports of irresponsible customers and
take other steps for mutual protection
Mr. Hall stated that his company was so
well organized that should a man leave
Shenandoah owing bills to merchants he
would find record of the indebtedness
on file with the merchants at his new
place of residence and that record would
serve as notice to the latter merchant
to sell the customers for cash only. Mr.
Hall argued that the system is destined
to ultimately revolutionize the retail
merchantile trade by eventually abolish
ing the credit system. Documents were
produced TO show that branches of the
company are in existence in every place
in Lackawanna, Carbon, Luzerne and
other counties of Pennsylvania where
there is place of business, and vouchers
were also produced showing excellent
work the company has done for several
merchants of Schuylkill county in col
lections.
In addition to this Messrs. Hall and
Patterson produced papers and letters
showing similar effective work done for
merchants in all parts of the United
States and Canada. Two Shenandoah
merchants in attendance at the meeting
gave oral testimony for good work done
A temporary organization was effected
by the election of Michael Graham chair
man and Andrew Meluskey secretary. Mr..
Patterson read the constitution and by
Jaws and the meeting adopted them
Mr.. Patterson called attention to the
fact that the fountain head of the move
ment, "The Merchants Retail Commercial
Agency of Chicago" is chartered under
the laws of Illinois, has paid up capital
of $4,000, and has been authorized to do
business in Pennsylvania by the execu-
tive authorities at Harrisburg.
1t was finally decided to make a per-
manent organization and a nominating
committee consisting of Messrs. IL. A.
Swain, A. u. Jones and John ). Bobbin
was appointed. After a short deliberu-
tlon the committee recommended the
election of the following officers: Presi-
dent, h. G. Brobst; Vice President,
Michael Graham; Secretary, Andrew
Meluskey; Treasurer, John p Williams;
Executive Committee, A. f. Morgan,
Samuel Davies and Charles Radziewicz.
They were all elected by acclamation.
The branch then adjourned to meet again
upon the call of the president and execu.
tive committee