Birmingham age-herald., 1895-03-06
DRUMMING LONG AGO.
A VETERAN ON THE EARLY DAYS OF
 SELLING GOODS BY SAMPLE.


 Tales of the Times When Canalboats Were
 the Best Means of TranspottationHNot.
 ing the Wonderful Growth of Many
 Western Cities.
 "I believe was the first drummer who went west from New England, Z said John B. Curtis of the firm of Curtis & Son, land am very sure that was one of the first. made my, first lopg wsstsrn trip A years ago, and I've just returhed from a trip that toek me to the Pacific coast.
 1T sometimes wonder when meet the men who are iised to rapid travelling, the best of hotels and good living generally, I sometimes wonder what they would do if they were suddenly put back and made to do as we bad to 50 years ago or little, less. Sofne,of the poorest of them would give up their job, but think that tho rest would stick to 1t and make success of tho business, just as we did in those days.
 Nearly 5a years ago. when the busi- ness of selling goods by samples was in it's infancy and when tic drummer had but just been discovered, we were com- pelled to make slow trips and of course not many of them in year. Tben 1t took about three weeks to go from Poftland to Chicago, and dealers ordered goods enough to last six months. Then. the drummer had to endure many priYatiops, but wo were a hardy set and were content with llttle-that is, if we could get plenty of or ders. The villages were miles and miles apart then, and yet we in some way felt the coming commercial importance of many of them and knew that we must keep in with the men who were trying to build up trade under what seemed many times to be disheartening circumstances.
 'I have passed hundreds of nights camping out when on long trips, with only blanket for a covering and the ground for a bed. We, who drummed trade in the west then ip behalf of eastern houses didn't mind that, but wo did ob- ject to the ratt1eSnabe sometimes It did not pay to have them get too familiar. We were happy when we could travel by canalboat or by steamboat, but the dread full western stages were what tried our pa tienoe.
 "Time and time again, but for the fact that my samples and baggage had to be carried, should have preferred to walk and could have beaten the stages under ordinary circumstances. Many times did walk, but it was beside tlie stage, with a rall on ny SHOulucf Icduy oO ucip pfJ the stage itself out of tho mud.
 ''In those days canals were the best. The canalboats would make from two to three miles an hour, but if the time was long the stories told by tbe captain and passengers were commonly good The beds were hunks, but they fed us well--that is, as things went then.
 "Qf course the ordinary everyday meal of the drummer of today, the meal he's in- clined to erumble at, would have seemed Thanksgiving feast to us. We expected little, and commonly got it. Still, as said, we were content, and even happy, if only business was good.
 'sThe drummers of today won't sec the startling changes we have seen who began back nearly 50 years ago. Of course the old time drummers who traveled in New England saw less of the rough and tumble of life than we who went west, and who struck out boldly for trading posts that we were destined in many cases to see grow to be great cities. Still never went through any of the thrilling experiences people tell of as part of the life then, and I am inclined to think that adventures come to those who seek for them.
 I've made long trips in those days, longer than most drummers would think of taking now, for then one man had to do all he could and cover as much ground as possible. .Forty-three years ago l went