Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1899-02-24

of free delivery wagons, paid for on
the basis of use, by those who use
them. Have these sufficient in num-
Der to cover the entire territory be-
! longing 10 Alma's trade, each alternate
day, carrying out those things ordered
| during the previous day over the tele-
phones, 10 those ordering. Produce
might be returned by these same wag-
Ons, yet the main idea would be for the
| farmer TO bring in for himself and
neighbors Oh certain specified days,
| those particular articles wanted on that
day in order TO secure therefor the
| highest market price, which could be
secured IN this concentration of ship
ping interests, of which, more anon.
Ii could be arranged for the wagon
drivers TO become government employ
ees, for the free delivery OF mail on
| their respective routes enabling large
/ liz incpcased benefit TO accrue 10 the out
/ lying citizens and lead TO government
aid IN planning good for ourselves, be-
sides which this threefold experiment
would place Alma in the eyes Of world
of interested investigators which would
do more TO bring our name into public
! prominence than any other means OF
advertising.
progress would have some man, or men,
whose duty it should be to advertise
Alma and her business facilities by
means of circulars, posters and general
advertising matter, TO be carried out
over certain specified routes on the same
days, thus separating the territory into
six or twelve divisions as might be for
the best, each to have regular and sys-
tematic attention, all its dead walls
covered with advertising signs of local
dealers or business concerns, all of
which would be borne by personal ex-
pense, pro-rated among those for whom
work was done Ia this way two men
and team would keep everybody post
ed on what Alma could do for the pub
lie. and having the service OF the tele-
phones, aided by good roads, no reason
exists why all the business done within
a reasonable radius, should not be done
in Alma.
Then again there is no better
land anywhere for raising small fruit,
produce or garden truck than that con-
tigous TO Alma on which, thousands of
car loads can be raised every year and
if Systematically placed on the market
would bring the very highest market
prices in solid cash.
During the fruit, produce and berry
season, our telephone system would
demonstrate its greatest value, as
though this medium, the exchange
manager could know what 10 expect
and the minute il could be depended on
IN order 20 have that particular car
filled, with nothing left over, and billed
out 10 start the minute loaded.
For instance. "a car of plums was
wanted for New York, one of pears for
Detroit, one of peaches for Duluth, one
of apples for Pittsburgh, all could be
ready and shipped without rehandling a
single thing as everything would
come in the uniform shipping crate
marked ready to enter the car and start
of on the express freight Of that day.
Again some one wants carload of
strictly fresh eggs, the telephone system
would secure these for loading at the
hour required and not Il case have to be
handled or candled, 10 insure their be
ing all fresh, as the sellers name goes
a. Il guarantee TO each case. But only
hv unity OF action can this be done, yet
once done and done right, Alma fruit,
vegetables, eggs or butter, would find "a
cash market instantly for al IL could
produce, while every lot would bring 10
article. Properly handled along cor
rect system that insured the best of
everything all the way through all the
time, this could be accomplished, and
within five years the stamp of Alma on
box OF vegetables, jar OF butter, crate
of eggs or basket of fruit would sell it
without inspection at the highest price,
even as "Greenville potatoes" sell now
anywhere exposed for sale in the nited
States. often bringing double price, side
by side with potatoes grown elsewhere.
Now, while beet sugar factory Will
be a great thing for Alma and all her
people, the expense considered, good
roads, good market, honest brands and
united effort as herein outlined, would
IN my opinion put dollars into the peck
cts of the people, where sugar beets will
grow dimes, besides which, we would
be a people, place, cOrpOl alton,
II niQue on the face of the earth
Something talked of, patterned after
and paid royalty TO through the pride of
American people in an off spring of her
citizens, who. through accident of
birth. were placed in our peculiar en-.
vironments, and we that accident.
The future of Alma rests only on its
men. as the means are right in our
hands to make Alma famous for its
fruits as well as its sanitarium for its
produce as well a. its college, for its
business men as well as its teachers
preachers and philanthropists; for its
union of interests a. well as its patriot
ism for union; for her inherent worth
in stricking to the right as well as that,
as the world we'll may say. Wright sticks
TO her, until our fame becomes world
wide, and when these predictions are
fulfilled in fact, Pine river for miles
each way from Alma will have reared
along its banks beautiful homes 90 be
the country seats of retired millionaires,
brought here 10 be in the garden of the
world. Then Alma takes on its true
character of being foremost in growth,
worth and value. Manufactures, mines,
machine shops, mills, electric roads,
ship canal across the state, new rail.
roads and world wide interest could and
would concentrate here 10 make Alma
one of the first cities in Michigan. All