davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31
The Science Of
Keeping a Store.
John Wanamaker, the Prince of Retail
Merchants. Explains How to
Succeed In Business.

VINO cannot command the markets for
| lowest prices. best assortments and best
Facilities of service. The small shop
Keeper has his place the same as the
small private school but the cofnmun-
ty is not sympa thzing with the horse
dealers when the cars adopt electricity
for quicker travel.
THE lack of success or the limited
success In small bookkeeping is because
Of the imperfect conditions under which
they are organized. Some people are
quick to ascribe failure to prosperous
neighbors. and there are always some
persons ready to even send flowers to
condemned criminals. Many store
Keeper whose business has succumbed
to dry rot has nailed himself to his
counter as martyr to rivalry in trade
when his failure came from want of
capacity. Instead of storekeepng his
education and trade had only fitted him
for boiler making or farming, in which
he had been n success"
l suggested that men did not have
the same difficulty making bookkeeping
profitable before the great combination
stores developed.
That is mistake said Mr.. Wanna
maker. Finder the old conditions men
who had no aptitude for the business
undertook TO keep store and became
barnacles. Ninety-six per cent of them
failed. A woman whose husband work.
ed In n factory somewhere saved n lit
tie money and they moved into u store
building and she began to sell candy
and newspapers. She had an uncle,
perhaps. who was worth some money,
and after time she borrowed 81 900
from him and opened dry goods
store. She bought on credit The bust
ness was not successful, and in n little
while she closed the shop Her cred
itors had to take 10 cents on the dollar.
Her uncle lost his $1,000. That is one
of thousands of cases In which men and
women have thought that to keep store
1t was only necessary to buy something
and sell 1t again. That is not all that
Is necessary. So many things enter in
TO storekeeping that 1t has become a
science.
There are different ways of keeping
store today. The merchant who can
buy for cash and buy in large quaint
ties can buy cheaper than the man of
small capital whose credit is poor.
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31
The Antiquity of Gold.

Gold was probably the first metal OBJ
served and collected, because of the In
stinctive understanding of its intrinsic
value. About 1t superstitions grew, re-
ligious and ceremonious rites, and
strange crimes were committed for its
possession in the days when II was be-
lleved that 1t was of such stun that the
sun itself was made and the halls OF
Valhalla paved Rock paintings and
carvings of Egyptian tombs earlier than
the days of Joseph indicate the opera-
ton of washing auriferous sand and n
subsequent melting in furnaces by the
aid of blowpipes. Less than 20 years
ago the old mines of Nubia so graphic
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31

progress made and the manner in which
the work is being done.
one of the largest ship hospitals Is
just above Pike street, and below It is
the quaint little floating Seaman $
chapel OF the Episcopal church, and on
bright Sundays after service a fayorite
spot of the worshipers for a quiet pipe
and an almost solemn conclave is on
the drydock, under the shadow of one
of the big boats that tower above
them into the air and toward the blue
sky. On other days they crowd around
the doorways of the smithy on the 9TH
er side Of the street. where they make a
picturesque contrast with their sea dog
"togs" to the sweating toilers whose
faces and arms glisten in the light of
the forge as bolt, plate and cleat are
fashioned to supply some missing part.
1t is probably asking too much of the
average sailor but If he knew the lines
he would certainly quote
Oh. happy ship.
10 rise and dip,
With the blue crystal at thy llpl
on, happy crew.
MY heart with you
sails and sails and sings anewi
as he thinks of his pet ship restored to
her element and once more free to move
in 1t, with her own grace and beauty.
This anxiety. too, would undoubtedly
be shared by her owners but for the
different and unsentimental reason
that for each ton of registered meas
urement their vessel has they are
compelled to pay &c cents a day as long
as she is on the drydock In addition to
the cost of the repairs. whatever they
may chance to be. The former charge
was 10 cents day. but tho spirit of
trusts which is abroad pervaded the
drydock owners. and by combining they
have recently fixed and kept the rate
at the figure named. In this connec-
ton it is interesting to know that by
the pumping machinery now in use
1t only requires the labor of eight men
TO raise the large sized iron boats such
as those that have been mentioned. All
ship hospitals" therefore. like most OF
their landlubber counterparts. are lux
uries and may be INDUCED in only in
case of necessity and when recovery
means further usefulness and activity.
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31

make them seem different from what
they are; to hypnotlzc the public He
would have to sell on a reasonable mar
gin of profit, and he would have to
make the public understand that he was
serving 1t. That is one of the secrets
OF success In storekeeping--to make the
people who deal with you understand
that you are a public servant"
'But this young business man would
have none OF the advantages which
great wealth. broad credit and large
trade give you"
That Is true. a manufacturer who
gives 20 of to the trade may say to me.
III give you so of and 10 and 10 If you
VIII buy certain amount of my goods
Now 10 and 10 is as good profit as we
wnnt. The small store must depend on
other things than low prices for sue
cess, The convenience of the small
store helps its trade. Then the small
storekeeper can help his business by
personal acquaintance with his GUS
toners. People like TO trade where they
are known. A thousand customers will
support good store. and a man can
know 1000 people. In IA big store. OF
course, that Is impossible. We have
had as many as 6000O people in this
bloie III VHe uhN. IN tne new YORK
store we have had as many as 10000.
Another thing the small storekeeper
must often do is to give credit. We
do not give credit. We allow people.
for convenience, to send in checks at
the end of the month. IL their checks
do not come in by the 10th, we send
them another statement. II they do not
come in by the 18th, we put the bill In
the hands of one of our collectors be-
cause we dc a cash business and sell
goods on a cash basis
But with all these limitations. is not
the small storekeeper under many dis
advantages2"
Yes. but he has advantages too. And
there is one thing to which / want to
direct your attention. While this busl-
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31

portionateIy. think. The municipal,
tax lists will show that
Then you believe that you could go
out OF this store without n dollar and
without the credit OF John Wanamaker
and succeed In business?'
II am sure that could"
How win man succeed most surely
4 In storekeeping?
by being useful to people, by repre-
senting things as they are, by selling
only what is reliable and by showing
his Willingness to correct "A mistake.
You and ] don't want to take the time
TO study the quality OF furs SO that we
shall know Just what we are buying.
We don't want to become exports in
diamonds before buying a diamond
ring. We want to know some one who
Is trustworthy who will select these
things for us, tell us honestly what they
are and sell them to us for no more
than they are worth. for we don't want
to pay some one more than the value
OF what we buy. If we have money to
give away. we want to give 1t to some
one we know who needs 1t. a man who
keeps store must build up a reputa-
ton for fair dealing and be satisfied
with an honest profit on what he sells
II | wanted to close my eyes. l could
make in three years what ] would make
ordinarily in ten, but 1T the end of that
time l would have killed my business.
We make mistakes like every one else.
but we go to any length to correct an
error. and we discharge man or wom-
an who lies about anything in this store.
when ] say the storelSeeper must
sell at fair profit. l mean that he
must handle all goods at a fair margin
above cost and sell at the same price to
every one. 1t Is the practice of some
stores to sell some goods at a fraction
above cost or even little below cost
as bait to bring people into the store.
had letter from my manager In New
York yesterday saying that store
there was advertising popular book
at 10 cents. II cost rs cents. The next
day the price was put up and sales
girl was threatened with discharge for
taking an order at the advertised price.
We make our price at a reasonable ad-
vance on the cost of every article. and
the price is the same to all excepting
olergymen. who get discount of 10 per
cent. We buy things as low as we can
and we sell them at a reasonable profit
Our employees have instructions to be
courteous TO every one and to solicit no
one to buy. We have no patent on our
Ideas. Any one can follow Them
In the course of my conversation with
him, Mr.. Wanamaker spoke of A. t.
Stewart and Marshall Field as men
whose business career was unique.
They We're great merchants" he said.
There never was any one like them"
So is Mr.. Wanamaker unique. His
success has been SO marvellous that IL
makes his figure as well one OF the
monuments of success In retail trade.
As he says there are no patents on
his business ideas
l wonder If any merchant who reads
this letter can adopt them and become
millionaire? Or Is there needed be-
yond and above these principles. some
striking Individuality which only the
one man in a million possesses?
For my part, ! don't believe precept
VIII make John Wanamaker. But
there 1t is. for the free use of any one
who disagrees with me-
GEORGE GRANTHAM Balm
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31
SHlP HOSPITALS.
Scenes Along the Water Front of
Great City.

ne water froht of New York is a
busy place. DaYl and night, winter and
summer, great Trucks drawn by stout
horses clatter alDng the street: horse
cars jangle by with noisy bells and
holster cries FROM their drivers and con-
ductors; stevedofes lend their shouts
to swell the tumllt. which includes such
minor factors ss marketmen offering
their wares anti the crealiing and
straining of the craft which lie at the
docks; noise, tunult and discord: ap-
parently no rest for anybody or any
thing. Even such glimpses of the river
itself as are caught through the screen
of swaying masts and riggings reveal
hundreds of hul'rying boats darting
hlther and thitiier, putting with their
exertions and shrilly footing away to
call attention to their restless activity.
Eve. ear and mind grow tired and the
question arises, How can the strain on
man, beast and boat be kept UP with
out a breakdown"
The answer is simple enough. 1t Is,
"They don't" The men succumb and
go TO hospitals, horses, II they are good
ones, do the same. and the great ships
they go, too, to hospitals, to ship hos
pitals," that is, where they are cared
for as faithfully and as well as the
tired man or exhausted beast Is.
To the unfortunate people who have
no Imagination these homes for sick
ships are known as drydocks. and as
that class of being Is usually Stats
teal he will inform you that on South
street, from Gouverneur street to Eighth
street, there are eight drydocks in OPP
Grafton and that they can handle any
hAn f,-a, I..1. f.11,
the giants who boast their 5000 to 1000
tons, But 1t is not those things that
are worth ones while. and they are
quite forgotten when sick ship is be-
ing. so to speak put to bed" Take, for
example. such boats as the Puritan, the
Priscilla or the French merchantmen
the Labrador, If in the course of
trip any accident has happened to them
that makes repairs to the hull neces-
sary, a little tug draws along as fussy
and as important almost as an am
bularce surgeon is ashore. The big ship
is given forthwith into Its care and IL
slowly towed to the ward in the ship
hospltar' destined for its use, for the
larger drydocks have a capacity for
more than one boat Here the vessel
Is gently placed on the he'd or keel
block" as 1t is technically called, and
steadied by "bilge blocks" placed along
the sides; then the dock Is pumped out.
and the ship rises slowly until the whole
OF the keel is clear OF tho water. This
TASK. great as IT appears to the un-
initiated, is accomplished by eight men
IN ABOUT one hour and n quarter The
case Is then ready for diagnosis and IL
u Is found, for Instance that the seams
nave been strained straightway a small
army or M2n is set to work, and off
comes the copper aheathing which COW
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31
Street Railway Ownership.

Municipal ownership of street raii-
way properties is making such strides
In Great Britain that II seems only a
question of time when ownership by
private corporations will be a thing of
the past. In Blackpool, Huddersneld.
Hull. Leeds, Plymouth. Sheffield and
Glasgow all the street car lines are
operated by the city authorities. In 30
other cities. including Birmingham.
Liverpool, Manchester. Edinburgh and
London, the municipalities own or oper-
ate part of the lines within their lin.
its. In Cardlff and Southampton the
change to municipal ownership will
probably be completed before the end
of the present year. In various other
cities the street railway tracks belong
to the municipality and are leased for
so much per mile. with a percentage on
gross earnings. 1t is cardinal feature
of British street railway grants that no
charters are ever extended beyond q
years.
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31

than others, just as human beings differ
one from another. and n stout old
triple plated warrior who has turned to
commerce. as the Labra'-- did, will
ind that his treble coat of armor has
worn his strength away SO that his con-
valescence is more tardy than that of
the smooth built merchant boat. which
was adapted to business from the start
and has known no other calling.
This likening of boat in need of re-
pair to n creature in need of care and
nursing is not strained. for It Is almost
proverbial that not only do the captains
or ships form an affectionate attach
ment for them. but the crews also love
them as though their crafts lived and
appreciated the affectionate care that
Is lavished on them with unstinting
hands, and while their boat is under
going repairs there is scarcely an hour
OF the day that one or more of the men
do not find time to take at least an
hour or two to visit the dock and watch
with almost proprietary interest the
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31

spiritual bondage. 1--WE are told" he
says. that we must not give up the
thought of the existence OF hell FOR fear
we shall encourage men TO live In sin.
Hear me, the fear Of hell never saved a
man from sin. We are saved by hope"
Professor Il. ]. Conklln, in claiming
that evolution has been fully establish
cd, said. IT is no more atheistic TO
hold that species came originally ac-
cording TO the law of evolution than
that individuals came into the world
according TO law of development"
In speaking OF the preaching of the
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31

famous Welsh preacher. John Evans.
Rev. Edwin Thomas said: "To give u
full description OF hismanner in preach
Ing q Welsh sermon Is as impossible as
to print thunderstorm or TO photo
graph IN emotion Of the soul. The whole
man breaches. Tongue, eyes. hands.
hcavins breast and glowing cheeks are
all taxed and made TO contribute to-
ward the finished whole"
Bring me the book" said Sir Walter
Scott to his son-in-law. Lookhart, as he
lay feeble and near to death. What
book, Sir Walter?" There is but one -
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31

ers the wound as fast as skillful and
willing hands can take 1t Off. Staylngs
are meanwhile run up alongside the
part to BIO repaired, fires are built under
watts filled with pitch, and then ham
mers and mallets vie with each other in
the effort to put the invalid in proper
condition for the business of life.
Just how rapidly this is accomplished
may be Judged from the fact that IL the
repairs are not of n serious nature such
boats as the Priscilla and Puritan could
be placed in the drydock on the morn
ing of one day and ovcrhaulod, repaired
and put back in the water ready to
make their regular trips on the follow
Ing afternoon. of course, the length of
time necessary for the recovery of the
patient Is determined by the character
of the injury to be treated, but even
the entire resheathing of large ship
occupies but the short space of two
days. Some cases are more difficult
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31

Philadelphia. Dec. so.-"Keeplng store
is science" said the Hon. John Wan
amaker. 'rhat Is the reason only pei
cent of the men who go into business
succeed in it" Mr.. Wanamaker ought
to know, because he started with
nothing and has made himself mill
lonGire. 1t is because he Is repre-
sentative self made man that came to
philadelphia for the express purpose OF
asking him about the big store-the de-
partment store as it is called--and its
influence on the retail trade. Mr.. Wan
amaker has been Il small storekeeper.
He Is one of the most important and
influential business men In Il big city
today. He has been part of the de-
velopment of tie new trade conditions.
and hescan compare them with the old
conditions more successfully than most
men. Thcorists know all about the de-
partment store and the way II has de-
moralized the retail trade. Mr.. Wanna
maker does not have to theorize on the
subject. He hts been and Is a part Of
the great trade movement.
sat for more than an hour at little
table opposite this self made million
aire and propoed to him the theories
of thinkers, and he answered them.
"In the first rnce." he said. what do
you call department store?"
"a store in Which they sell everything
from diamonds % coal" replied.
1T is hard to draw the line between
the department store and the general
store" said Mr. Wanamaker. Down
the street here Is the biggest jewelry
store in ephia-Bailey, Banks &
Biddle. They so stationery and glass
and other thing besides jewelry. be-
lieve they have 1 departments. Yet you
would not call tat department store.
My stores in NtH York and Philadel-
phia l do not hill department stores.
They are genera stores. And the gem
eral store, as / Understand It, is one in
which great nlny things are sold, but
each one is handed with as much care
and thoroughness as though that was
the only thing II which the store dealt.
] believe that q store of that kind,
which sells good at a reasonable mar
gin OF profit beleflts the people,"
But how abOit the small shopkeeper
whom It hurts?'
why not ask about the hundred peo-
pie that are hirt by one shopkeeper
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31

said the dying man. and Lockhurt
brought him the Bible. The great au-
thor had gained fame and riches from
his books but his judgment was. as life
was ebbine away, that the Bible was
the one book
1t Is stated that the Mormons have
HOO missionaries and that they arc
pushing their work among the ignorant
with great energy, and they are bound
to gain political control OF Utah
Paris has Il asylums for the home
less. which last year lodged 1900 per-
sons. OF whom 1900 were women and
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31

1900 children. Among the dodgers were
professors students. teachers, authors.
journalists, actors and singers
Dr. II. N. Barnum, "A veteran mis-
sionary of the American board. in re-
cent letter states that the only change
In his missionary career for three years
has been change OF massacres"
With the beginning of the new year,
The Christian Register" says the ed
itor will appear In a new dress. It
win be a family Journal of religion,
ethics and theology"
1t is proposed to hold an exhibition Of
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31
BABES IN CHILKAT PASS.

the
uh Eastwood the twin and daughter esoo the
1907 children We're New Years sft at in
they We're Ia old IL baby Mrs geswcod would
tax the slender accommodations
1T has terrible to be
VIII be old
Upon his
n
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31

ness has been growing other great
stores have grown up in this city. and
the number of small stores has increas-
ed as WE'LL
Have the small stores increased in
proportion TO the Increase in popula-
tion?''
Their increase has been greater pro-
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31

| ing one day In his garden ana was asIs-
cd by a friend what he thought of
Christ. He pointed to the falrest flower
before them ana reverenuy answered.
What the sun is TO that flower. Christ
is To my SOUL"
Rev, u. Fay Mills urged the over
throw of the belief in the possible and
certain eternity Of what we now call
evil. He believes that the modern view
OF hell is keeping millions OF people in
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31

Christian art in Paris during the year
1900.
The grand total of the contributions
Of the Methodist Episcopal church for
missions during the past year is ST.
1lO,l2s.7s.
Some one says, when writing your
sermons keep your mind OF that schol-
ar who may sit before you and think Of
the uneducated in the remote corners"
Professor d. W, Hayes of Evanston,
MS said at the Methodist church con-
gress. THE revival worked up in two
weeks will work itself out In less time"
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31
RELIGIOUS INTERESTS.

II is now stated that the Old Tesla
ment is used in China by imperial de-
rec as textbook in the rigid exami-
n''tion OF Chinese students. The states
men of that country, her scholars and
Hrr Students are said to be studying the
.flp'e because it is the classic of Chris
tan countries.
Among the many beautiful stories re-
corded OF Tennyson the following de-
ssfves special laention: He was walk
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31

Then the great merchant goes to Lii
moges and picks out the blanks for his
sets of china and orders the decoration
of them. He picks out the blanks of
glass and chooses the cutting which he
thinks will please his trade. If he
wants Japanese goods. he sends man
to Japan. he imports thep in such
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31

Several friends OF the late Rev. VIII
liam S. Lnngford who have been assoc
eiated with him In Christian work In
New York have, as a token of respect to
his memory, presented the sum OF $780,
GOO to his widow
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31
A TORNADO IN ACTION.

Mr. r. t I'm
tWer While most the the
window his photographic gallery
going In the
that accompanied
"''e""''
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31

quantities as bring the freight rates TO
the lowest point he hauls them from
the railroad station in his own wagon.
and he sells them by the piece at less
than their wholesale price in New York.
The small merchant goes to a iobber
and orders dozen sets or more of what
he finds in stock. He not only has not