The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-06-20
THE. GROCERS' REPLY.
They Deny the Statements of Hunter &
Co.-Their Side of the Question.

Ihey Deny the Statements of Hunter x
Co.-Their Side of the Question.
To whom it may concern:
Messrs. Hunter X Co. want some cheon
advertising 50 they shall have it even
though it must be paid for by gentlemen
whom they, Hunter X Co. seek to iniure
i'll the estimation of the public. Recent
~ the American retail grocers of Roanoke
feeling that through illegitimate and dis
honest competition they We're being slow
ly but surely ruined in their business.
banded together and formed an associa-
ton for the following purposes:
First. To get rid of illegitimate and
dishonest competition.
Second. To protect themselves against
dead beats, who traded everywhere and
paid nowhere.
Third. To procure if possible cheaper
and better telephone service for them
selves and patrons.
Fourth. To promote such other meas
ures as might be suggested from time TO
time for the interest of themselves and
their patrons, and especially to bring
about Il closer and more friendly feeling
between those engaged in the same bust
ness.
This association was formed about the
time of the coming of Hunter Il Co
Uricnds OF the public, and they were
asked to become members of the same
which they did. In one of the meetings
of said association, among other proposi-
tions which were considered was one to
agree mot, mind you, as is stated by Hun
ter " Co. to raise prices to II uniform
price on five staple articles--to wit: Ar
buckles coffee, lard. meat, hams, and
sugar. 1t was proposed to fix the price
a.. q .. in, Il
price that had been ruling but mt the
price usually asked for them, except in
the case OF coffee, and it was proposed to
advance the price but two cents per
pound. To all this Hunter * Co friends
OF the public objected. 1t was then pro-
posed that Hunter X Co might fix the
prices on these articles, and the associa-
ton would abide by the price they fixed.
What splendid opportunity the said
Hunter X Co. had to do the public Il real
benefit by reducing the prices to such fig
ures as they profess to think the people
are entitled to, but they scorned so igno-
bic proposition, and withdrew from the
meeting and association.
But remember, that before this little
episode occurred Hunter a. Co friends
of the public confessed to the fact that
they were getting as much as POO per
cent. profit OH some articles-yea, even
more, they confessed they were selling
hams little lower than the ruling price.
but they did it in this way: y case of
hams on being opened and weighed falls
short from say two To six pounds per case
of 100 pounds, in which case they, Hunter
x Co, averaged up loss on each ham,
marked the weight of ham up, hung it
up to dry or drip, and sold it not by the
actual weight ut time of sale, but as
weighed up when received.
Our hams are weighed to the customer
at time of sale, and our sales are square
and honest. A man gets what he buvs.
and pays reasonable price for it instead
of paying less price and getting less
ham than he pays for Such business
methods may suit Messrs. Hunter & Co.,
but not the honest grocers of Roanoke.
Such methods may look like undersell-
ing other dealers, but IL fraud is shown
on the very face of it.
Mr.. Iluntec talks of the man who mort
cages himself and makes Il powerful an
peal to the people for their support. The
people of the city should know and real.
iZe the fact that Messrs. Hunter s goods
are brought here from their wholesale
house in Clifton Forge, 50 it has been
stated, and not dollar of the money that
goes into their business here is spent
with our wholesale dealers, and then left
In the town. These facts only want to
he known to be appreciated by the people
of the city.
1t also might be well for people who
buy goods TO be sure as to whether they
are getting pure or and inferior article
when their purchases are made. Most
or us have been here for years, and have
established reputation for honesty and
lar dealing with the neODlp and tbot IL
more than can he said of the treatment
accorded the Grocers Association Inv
Mcssrs. Hunter & Co.
Do,,I l,.o.a..,