Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1899-11-09

the Greater New 1OTh, out lOI us
tances outside. In order to get real
knowledge of the bargain instinct 1t is
necessary to know something or the
history of soap wrapper coupons. And
this history develops one thing that II
is good to know that the bargain IN
stinct is not alone confined to women.
Women use the soap, but great many
men get the prizes.
II was a bright man who concerted,
the idea of printing coupons in the
wrappers of his soap and Offering Tor
certain number of coupons prizes OF
varying merit, to be sent post paid TO
any one sending the coupons ana nam
ing the article desired. The business
has developed to mammoth proper
tions. In the mandatory of one firm
of soap dealers who offer prizes to their
patrons there is one corner OF the
lower floor of the building which is a
regular stock shop, where the wares,
all marked, 10, %, 80 or 100 coupons
are displayed in attractive show cases,
and there residents of Brooklyn OF all
classes, from the people who come IN
coaches to the barefooted boy whose
mother takes in washing, come shop
| ping
The wife of the professionl man told
| the truth when she said she bought
great number of Christmas presents
for her boy with soap coupons, and
there are other people who do the
same. In the shop near the river there
is nearly as much of a display Tor
Christmas as in shops doing business
according to standard methods
The place is gayly dressed with greens
and Christmas trees, and there are ~
clerks behind the counters, receiving
the shoppers, counting the wrappers,
and helping in the selection Of pur-
chases. There are on an average 600
persons a day going in, and LOU let
ters opened by a special force OF clerks,
who count the coupons and send out
packages.
The shoppers are men quite as often
as women, and they are all as partic-
ular to make their coupons go as far as
possible, to spend them to the best ad-
vantage, as me ordinary Christmas
shopper is to get the best worth OF the
money spent. AS one old Irishwoman
said:
Sure they needn't try to chate abody
for the sake of bit O. paper.
The prizes include a wide variety OF
goods. There is considerable silver
plated ware, including spoons OF differ
ent sizes and forks-three silver-plated
teaspoons for fifty coupons and two
tablespoons or six after-dinner coffee
spoons for 100. There is solid silver
thimble for fifty coupons and toilet art
icles of silver for 100 coupons each.
There are toys, small china dishes, BIZ
cycle whistles, matchsafes, for ten and
fifteen coupons, panel pictures for
twenty-five. and the solid gold ring
that every other baby TO be seen in
street car wears, it is ten chances to
one, was bought with coupons, for 1t
will only cost 100 of them.
At ordinary times in the year there
are five men in charge of the coupon
work, one buying, and four opening
letters, sending out packages and re-
ceiving customers who call. There
are, on an average, 10000 letters a
month. and two big bags of packages
go out every day. Occasionally let
ters come saying, please send me two
teaspoons" That is all. The man
who opens the letter not being ac-
uuainted with me" that package has
to wait before it is sent. If the sender
lives in Brooklyn there is apt to be
some excitement for a few moments
when the paterfamilias comes down TO
see why those spoons have not been
sent But his feelings are quickly
soothed.
Up to the first of this year there were
prizes on the prizes, 1t takes postage
and some work to send off package
and to save this a toy or little dish
or something of that kind was given to
any one bringing the coupons around
TO the bargain shop as a reward. That
is not done now, but there is some in
ducement to take the coupons around,
for some things are never sent through
the mails-an umbrella, for instance;
stickpins, or framed pictures. Then
there Is the pleasure the shopper en-
joys in seeing the goods to be pur-
chased and being positively sure that
the best for the coupon is secured.
Saturday in summer is the small
boys day As soon as it begins to get
warm enough to play ball the small boy
begins his demand for coupons. He
gets every one he can by hook or crook,
and Saturday he is to be found at the
bargain shop in numbers all day long,
exchanging his boarded coupons for
base balls, bats and gloves He comes
in such numbers and so constantly Sat
urday after Saturday that II is hard to
believe there are so many small boys
in Brooklyn.
There are certain standard articles