The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-02
CURIOSITlES OF ADVERTISING
lnY MANAGE p. RREnl

In England advertisements are taxed,
aud this burden IS a serious Inconvenience
to the poorer classes.
Such thing would be impossible In this
country. because the American press In
reality controls the government and shapes
legislation,
In tho course OF a5O yeers advertising
has developed into an art, but II doubtless
has many new aud flrprieing features held
in reserve for the future
Some intelligent people profess a singular
ignorance OF the nature of an advertise
ment. and they are all the time urging
newspapers 10 publish, free OF charge.
reading matter which plainly serves the
private interests OF those who hand II in
or request Its preparation.
This scr, OF thtng used to make old Hor-
ace Greeley mad and It drew from him
the following pertinent advice:
when you want an article inserted 20
subserve some purpose other than thu pub
lie good you should oiier to pay for 1t. It
is not Just that you should solicit the use
OF columns not your own to promote your
out offering TO pay for them. The fact that
YOU are subscriber gives you no right IN
this respect; II the paper Is not worth It's
price, don't take It. True, you may often
crowd an article In, through the editors
complacency, that you ought TO pay for,
but he sets you down as a sponge ana a
sneak. and is generally right II you wish
10 use the columns Of any Journal to pro-
mote your own or some other persons pri-
vate interests offer TO pay for III there 10
no other honest way"
~
When Swain published the Philadelphia
Public Ledger he held Grecley's views
about advertising.
on one occasion gentleman asked him
to insert without charge an advertisement
for poor widow.
Cant do It," said Swain, business Is
business, and charity is charity"
Wont you reduce your prlce?" asked
the gentleman.
mo. sir; you will have to pay the regu-
lar charge. 81"
with great reluctance the other handed
over the money and was about TO leave,
when Swain took $40 bill from his vest
pocket.
please give this to the widow" he said,
land hope it will help her."
~
For many years ingenious advertisers
have filled the papers with business no
tees which open with the announcement
OF some important event and conclude with
few lines about patent medicine or a
sewing machine.
This style of advertising is very old.
More than nifty years ago Henry j. Ray
mond wac engaged TO write every day a
fancy advertisement of some vegetable
Pills. and his contract made II necessary
for him to connect the pills with some
leading event of the day in order to at
tract the attention OF his readers. Ray
mond did this work with the same ability
and energy which he afterwards displayed
as the editor OF great paper
| In Paris Mosseux devoted himself en-
tirely to this peculiar business and he fire.
quently received 500 for writing COZ
umn advertisement
Hts contemporary. Leon Goslan. wrots
short stories In which he introduced the
names OF leading merchants, and his work
made him a rich man
In this country there are several adver-
Using writer's who have accumulated com
! Portable fortunes
7, ro,ant or.tcIa 1ava come r,ni-
niscences Of Robert Bonner and showed
how he built up the New York Ledger by
his startling methods of advertising.
The story OF how Bonner sold his coun-
try residence may be OF Interest. he
wanted to dispose OF the place, and having
no confidence Id ordinary real estate ad-
yertisements, he published the following
in several daily papers;
81 hereby offer for sale my country
Residence. near Melrose Station. where
have lived for the past three summers,
but do not think could live much longer.
have heard that people desiring TO pur-
chase a country home could never ma one
where they had chills and fever, II is al
ways mile or two on. but never right
there at the place that IS for sale, Now
I offer for sale curiosity, something rare
the precise, exact spot where you VIII hnd
chiIls and fever. I VIII warrant II to be
there. Three of my children have IL; my
gardener has It.; my groom has the pre-
monitory symptoms, and have touch o.
IT myself. Any doctor with large family
who has a sure cure for fever and agu'
would nnd this most eligible situation
The neighborhood is full of the disease
and II he could keep It out Of his own fam
lily II would give him reputation tha
would insure his fortune. Besides the
: fever and ague. the estate consists OF
fine double house. with all the modern con-
veniencss, and two acres OF land, with
good barn and stable. II is really beau
I tifui place. The grounds are handsome.
laid out, with choice trees and shrubbery
. These trees afford not only delightful
4 shelter, but harbor for mosquitoes. Tn
3 mosquitoes thus far have net been 80 much
= affected by fever and ague as 10 proven
4 their biting-in fact. It Is good place 10
$ mosquitoes. bought It 70 please my wife
/ and | shall leave Il to please the who'll
h family. Terms cash. am afraid any Sc
y curity would get the fever and ague. an
II become shaky. The town authorities ar
8 improving the adjoining streets, and Il
: they drain the place as thoroughly as the.
>. do the pockets of tho land owners, 1
s may become healthy"
q ~
y This remarkable advertisement wa'
/" ,aIkad about and conied and Thousands o