The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-02-26
UNSUCCESSFUL HAaa11Na.
A House Which Stood BY It's Travel.
ing Man.
CFrom the Lewiston Journal.)


From the Lewiston Journal)
Some firms stand by their travelling
men and some don't said the chap that
sells railroad supplies.
I've got a firm that does" he con-
tinued. THE old mantle founder Of the
house-is dead, but he's left son that
has just his fathers ways about backing
up a travelling man. When l say So a
dozen TO customer he can hold off till
hades is turned into an ice rink without
getting copper OFF from the house.
Most people have an idea that they can
do better with the house than they can
with the man on the road. l run into
'em once In awhile, and when | do / let
EN- go right ahead. They'll never try to
do business that way twice.
ITO show you what sort OF support the
old man gave his boys, I'll tell you about
an experience / had a few years ago.
"One of the Maine street railways had
shifted from horses to wires and needed
some oil headlights. l went to the fellow
who was running tan old schoolmate of
mine. by the way.
- Yes. he said, 4 want some headlights,
and I want 'em right off. What's your
rock bottom price,
II can sell EN- to you for IS apiece,
said /.
TOO high he said: I never could buy
anything of you. But I'm going into Bos-
ton tonight and I'll drop in tomorrow and
buy EN- OF the house You have to go to
house TO get the right price. No man
on the road can give you bottom figures.
81 said all right. but when my daily
/. report went in on the Pullman ! mention
ed seeing thus and so quoting them this
and that. The report reached the house
with the morning mail and the old man
read It at o'clock.
Later on the Maine fellow showed up.
The old mans breakfast hadn't digested
well that morning and he was crankier
than usual.
THE Maine man said who he was and
that he wanted ten headlights.
'What'll they cost ne? I want a rock
bottom price he said.
4" Twelve dollars, said the old man.
Twelve dollars,' gasped the railroad
man. Why, your travelling man offered
em to me for S.
why didn't you buy em ~ him. re-
| torted the old man. I can't afford TO sell
| lights for so cents apiece ! suppose We We
| got to back him up in it, but if you buy
any of me you'll pay s12 for EN-
But can't you fill the order and give
your Maine man the credit
"'No, / can't snapped the business
man. He can write his own orders.
| Whatn blazes do you suppose We keep
| MIN 1OT-tO tTaVel TOulu anu tutu let us
| do his work here in the Office? No. sir;
| won't write any order for him or any
other travelling man.
THE Maine man was getting raw under
| the collar.
Don't seem to care whether you sell
i goods or not he said finally.
No. can't say as we do. We've lived
without your trade for forty years and
| guess 'twon't break us If We don't get il
now was the answer
THE Maine man left. He secured the
city, but he couldn't find headlights In
! stock anywhere. Baffled, he turned bach
to the office he had quit with his head il
the air. He tried to get his order il
through some one else, but twas no use
| the price of headlights was still Sl2 anG
| showed no symptoms of dropping
AT last he asked where their Maine
| travelling man could be found.
LIN Bangor, grunted the old man
Perhaps if you wire him, ne may stoI
off and see you when you get home. Ant
praps he won't; / don't know whether
he will P'raps he'll sell you headlight!
for IS and p'raps he won't. That's s
cheaper than ! am selling them, but if h
wants to sell 'em for half dollar
haven't got any objections-we'll stand b!
| him.
THE Maine mar wired NE and ] mad
him come up TO the station on my wa!
home, sold him ten headlights while thu
train waited. and from that day till h,
sold out of the railroad business he neve
! went into the house TO try and get lowe
figures.