The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-03-01
DRUMMING LONG AGO.
A VETERAN ON THE EARLY DAYS OF
SELLING GOODS Bv SAMPLE.


Tales Of the Times When Canslboats Were
the Best Means OF transportation Not.
ing the Wonderful Growth Of Many
western Cities.
Al believe was the first drummer who
went west from New Englspd, said John
| b. Curtis Of the firm OF Curtis Il Son,
"and am very sure that I was one of the
first. made my first long western trip
| ~ years ago, and I've just returned from
| Q trip that took me to the Pacific coast.
II sometimes wonder, when meet the
busy, pushing drummers Of today, the
men who are used to rapid travelling, the
best of hotels and good living generally,
/ sometimes wonder what they would
do II they were suddenly put back and
made to do as we had to so years ago
or q little less. Some of the poorest Of
them would give up their job, but think
that the rest would stick to 1t and make a
success Of the business, just as we did In
those days.
NEARLY 90 years ago, when the bust
ness of selling goods by samples was in
its infancy and when the drummer had
but just been discovered, we were COM
PEELED to make slow trips and of course
not many of them In year. Then 1t took
about three weeks to go from Portland to
Chicago and dealers ordered goods enough
to last six months Then the drummer
had to endure many privations, but we
were a hardy set and were content with
little-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
Il 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 in behalf of eastern
houses. didn't mind that, but we did OBJ
ject to the rattlesnake sometimes 1t 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
thence
thine 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 1t was beside the stage, with
a rail on my shoulder, ready to help pry
the stage itself out of the mud
I'm those days canals were the best.
The canalboats would make from two to
three miles an hoar, but If the time was
long the stories told by the captain and
passengers were commonly good The beds
were hunks, but they fed US well-that is,
as things went then.
"Of course the ordinary everyday meal
of the drummer of today, the meal he's in
clined to grumble at, would have seemed a
Thanksgiving feast to us. We expected
little and commonly got It, Still, as l
said, we were content, and even happy IL
only business was good.
1.-THE drummers of today won't see the
startling changes we have seen who began
back nearly so years ago. OF course the
old time drummers who Travelled 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
am inclined to think that adventures
come to those who seek for them.
1--WE 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
from Portland to New York, then by canal
to Philadelphia, from there to Pittsburg
by canal, from there to ST. Louis by boat,
down the Ohio and up the Mississippi, and
from st. Louis to ST. Paul by boat.
I'm those days St. Paul was but trad
ing post. There were few business
houses, but l saw sight then that no
man will ever see there again. 1t seemed
to me that there were at least /, 900 In
dams at the post trading their furs. They
brought them in curiously constructed OK
carts, made without the use of scrap of
iron, the wheels section of q tree, and
drawn by one OK dashed to the poles. They
were drunken crowd, all but few, who
seemed to be committee appointed to
keep sober and to see to 1t that others
were not cheated. Sometimes the crowd
would give a yell that fairly seemed to
take the roof off
Il went to the falls of St. Anthony and
looked at the surroundings. Where Min
neapolis now stands there was not single
building. When i was there last, l went
to the falls, and as looked at the great
cities / wondered If it was possible that
could have been there before they were
built. 1t seems strange and almost be-
yond comprehension that my business ca
reer could have antedated those cities and
sven the commercial Importance of Chi
cago ITSELF but SO it is, and am still a
vigorous man..
lyon spoke of having Visited Chicago
A years ago, Mr.. Curtis What sort of a
place was 1t thenf''
Then there was but one railroad, a
small local affair, rather contemptuously
called the milk route. went there from
Buffalo by boat and was five days on the
way. / tried to do little business every
time we stopped to wood up on the way,
and In fact, we drummers had that sys-
tenn on the route from st. Louis to st. |
Paul and along the canals" replied Mr.. |
Curtis.
Il reached Chicago Saturday night and |
put up at a wooden hotel on Lake street,
near where the fremont house now stands.
I'm those days Chicago had but few |
brick buildings and the wooden ones Uera