The Opelousas courier., 1900-08-25

hgANsdA This is the way their
m, ANISAS4 business card read:
~ .3rnaII The Jones Brothers
Co., Proprietors Of the Arctic Storage
Rooms, S15-S23 S. St., New York.
Now New York City Is n large place,
and few firms, II any, expect to do
business there without sharp competi.
lion. The Jones Brothers Company
had no desire to own the only cold
storage rooms in the city; but then
1t did infringe ON their ideas Of right
md wrong when young Oscar Hamp.
ton purchased the extensive tract of
lind adjoining Number Eight Hundred
pnd Twenty-three s - street, and
expressed his purpose OF erecting q
large and strictly modern cold storage
house upon his new possession.
What could the Jones Brothers do?
IL young Hampton had the necessary
money, who COULD prevent him from
building cold storage houses all over
New York City?
As the immense building neared com.
pletion, the setting sun cast a shadow
far beyond the limits of the Jones's
dominion. An up-to-date artificial ice
plant was placed in one portion Of the
ground floor, and the ammonia Pipes
were distributed through nil the rooms
that were to be rented. An immense
elevator was placed In the centre of
the building, close to which wagons
could be driven for loading or unload
ing.
When the doors Of the new Hampton
place were thrown open to the public
q great rush was the result. Thomas
Jones was sitting in his Office when
be saw one of their Oldest customers
wagon coming up the street.
"There comes Barnes with a load
Of beef, jake" he called to one of his
men. Hurry around and help him
10 unload"
Jake hurried out to the main build
Ing and opened the door. but Barnes
never so much as looked his way;
he drove IN, and stopped at the office
Of the new concern.
WELL" asked Mr.. Jones, when Jake
returned, "how much beef did Butcher
Barnes have?"
"None."
%None?"
'That is, he didn't stop here; he tool
et to Hampton's."
Oh, no! Mr.. Jones didn't swear: but
fou should have heard him rave!
1t was plain to be seen that the
Jones Brothers were fast losing trade.
Somehow the patronizing public fav-
ored the modern hosting machinery,
the easy running trucks, and the new
rooms that were to be found in the
Hampton building.
1t was evidently a case of the old
irm sitting idle and watching the new
sae hustle.
About this time the druggists and
eonfectfoners commenced to charge
their W soda fountains. This was
done, as it is to-day, by using a car
donated gas dealt out to them In long
cylinders.
The Joneses held the undisputed
right to the sole agency Of a large con-
Germ that manufactured this gas. They
sold q large amount of it; and the soda
water vendors took kindly to this new
method because it was cheaper by half
than the old.
The Joneses held the undisputed |
right TO handle this new product for
Just six months. At the end of that
time Oscar Hampton thought that the
trade had become sufficiently familiar |
with the new method to justify him In
taking hold Of 1t.
This act on his part was q signal for
the Joneses to east to the fowr winds
of heaven another sampla of their
rage. How they did so ON about 1t!
But Oscar Hampton did not care one
whit.
Il k5tell you what, William, we must
do dd~Something about this" said
Thomas.
"Nvffat arg we going to dol" asked
William.
That u what puzzles me: but 1t
Is q settled fact that we must do it,
Thomas and William Jones bent
their heads together for two hours
that day, and not without resdlts.
One week later Robert Whitcomb,
the proprietor OF a large drugstore
which had the distinction OF having
the largest soda water trade of any
store In that settion OF the city. en-
tered the Office dc Oscar Hampton.
"Mr. Hampton, the last lot of cylin-
dcrs that Won sent d were no good"
he said.
"No good? ! do not understand you.
What do you mcau:'
+ mean that there was no gas in
'sSiirs " there was some mistake
There was no mistake 1t our end.
! assure you
Il viii scn.i for my foreman ana
ask him about it"
Accordingly, MI. Hampton sent
word to his foreman that he wished
see him in the Office. When he
lie asked:
John, what gas cylinders did you
send to Mr.. Whltcall b. ye~sterc"'
AThcy ss;re DC Tie new lot received
Wednesds
lie says That there was no gas In
Ihcm-or int tl.ay s-ere not full,
+ do not un.lc1 stand how that could
b, for you know what q lively time