The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1901-05-23
COMMERCIAL VALUE OF NAMES
Peculiar Reasons for Sorting Lists
for Special Dircctories-tsed
by Swindicrs.

by Swindicrs.
In the average farmhouse mail there
is always an abundant grist OF cir
culars and prospectusesr ranging all the
way from green goods TO patent med
ieines. This literature is of a sort that
never comes to urban people; il is de-
signed for hucolic consideration only,
and the collection of the names of
, the farmers to send 1t TO is an art in
itself, says the Chicago Journal,
The simplest form of the advertise
ment for the names is the announce
ment that the advertiser is about to
issue new and enlarged edition Of his
agents directory and that for ten
cents any name and address will be
registered whereupon .'you will re-
ceive much valuable and important
reading matter" In many instances,
no doubt, the advertiser is man of
straw. He has no agents or other
directory, the ten cents is clear profit
and the victims scarcely care to
make a fuss for dime. But there
are many honest dealers who do all
they say they will do. and this is
proved after a brief waiting period by
The receipt Of circulars and advertis-
ing material from every state in the
union.
There has been 50 much competi-
tion for these names that all sorts Of
extra inducements are offered, the
dime remaining as fixed fee. To
get these names offers are made in re-
turn Of all kinds Of iewelry, Alaska
diamonds which will deceive the most
| expert Judges of gems, gold rolled SO
| aeftiy that it will resist every acid
test. Nothing but the failure of the
advertisers ingenuity seems to limit
the rich rewards which are to flow
| from sending ten cents in silver or
stamps, all being in addition to the
mail matter that is to result from
| the printing of the name in the adver-
tiser's directory. Whether the di-
| reetory is ever printed or not, the
names received have selling value.
| There are several such directories is
sued more or less Systematically.
The charge of dime for the inser-
| tion of the name is not due merely TO
| he directory mans desire to catch
money both coming and going. It is
that dime which gives the name its
/ selling value when he seeks TO dispose
of il. He goes to the name brokers
| with a long list of names. ''all good, 7
in the language of that odd business
and offers them for sale. The term
all good means that the vender has
the original documents to show that
the owners of the names have spent a
dime each on his scheme; therefore
they may be counted on to bite at any
catch-penny scheme which may be
sent to them by circular. 4 mere list
of names such as might be compiled
by asking the village cobbler who his
neighbnrs were would have no value
10 a name dealer. The charge Of Tho
dime TO get into the agents directory
is the thing that Sits out the gull
ible
At this first sale the names go 70,
a small sum, and that is by no mean,
a fixed figure. for this trade has it.
bull and bear movements as have 9th
ers. The buver tries the list with hi!
own little game, which may allure Til,
farmer to the extent of a quarter o1
4 half-dollar. This creates d SECOND
and smaller list. which can be sold fol
a considerable advance, for the name,
are only Of those who have parted
with their good money like cas-,
marks.
BY this wedding process the list
from all over the country are reduced
toa very few names in each rural conn
~. These top-noteh names, hose VIII,
have bitten every proposition witheu
rlucaling when parted from thei
money, are worth from 30 10 30 cent
each, according MS the market chance
f. run. These are the people to WHOM
the @reengoods circulars arc sent an,
0 .hcse are they who become come-on
and 20 home shorn.
MI these names are sifted out b
the men with different confidence
t games. But at the same time tha
4 the owners are being preyed upon b
\ one set of swindlers the cheap med
|, cine men keep sending them sampl
a pills and tablets to cure every know
4 III. In This department Of The industr'
Z there is the same process of selection
and at last the medically gullible farm
!. er's name comes into the posscssio
a Of really reputable proprietary met
/ icne houses.