The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-10-05

mentioning. and At this writing the Amsri-
can sewing Machine g. considered by far
the hes; and II gets the trade.
Our American foods are slowly but surely
pushing their way into the markets OF
Paris. Not a few OF the larEes. grocery es-
Establishments advertise American goods. and
some OF them make such goods a speciality
l visited to-day the grocery Of Felix POtin
at the junction OF the B~OuievardS Hauss-
man and Malcsherbes II Is the greatest es-
adjustment OF the kind in Paris and per
haps the finest grocery OF the world. I found
the windows piled high with American goods
and placards hung up here and there adver-
Using American soups. California fruits and
other delicacics. Among the curious things
were little neck clans In tins and Goldfish
balls from Boston There were also tins OF
potted ham. tongue. turkey and chicken. sill
Yer spray succotssh and cans OF corn on
the cob. Among the soups We're oxtaii. mock
turtle. hare SOUP and clam chowder. each OF
which sells for 3 cents per can, green tur-
lie and terrapin soups at 20 cents per can
and mulligatavney and others at lower
rates.
CEREALS. WHISTLES AND CRACKERS
FROM NEW YORK.
I talked with the manager. He saws that
American goods are steadily increasing in
popularity and that they are making their
way among the French.
I heard the same from another grocer
NAG@ 10 III EAlGE EuQome. IN the heart OF
the Rue de Ia Prix. where the leading
French d-ressmakers are situated. This man
Is handling American cereals. American
WHISTLES. crackers and biscuits from New
York. as well as the various goods l saw
at POtin's.
At all the grocery stores our goods are
well displayed. The French are the most
artistic Of all window dreSsers. and they
can give US many points on preparing mer-
chandtse 80 that IL will catch the custom
ers' eye l spent some time looking over the
fruits. vegetables and meats at Potin.s.
Among the fruits were ripe strawberries.
each strawberry lying half wrapped in a
green leaf and In regular rows in nat boxes.
The boxes appear to be covered with glass,
and the strawberries are p~rettier than any
fruit you have ever seen. They are as big
as hens eggs and as rosy as the cheek OF a
freshly washed baby, The covering Of the
boxes is & thin film OF hard gelatine. as
transparent as glass.
Then there were peaches in boxes laid in
the same regula- order on white paper.
with a pinch Of red tissue paper tucked in
each hole. where four peaches touched. The
effect was beautiful. other peaches. espe-
cially fine. were displayed on beds OF white
cotton. and l noticed that the price OF eight
OF these was ~ francs. or almost % cents
each.
The chicken. and game were dressed with
their headc turned under their wings. They
were lalQ on their breasts on the Counter
and a little printed price mark was placed
In the center OF the back Of each Of them.
looked clean enough to kiss. and I
not wonder they sell. Each cut OF meat
was beautifully wrapped or tied up and
each bore its price mark
OUR GOODS IN THE
DEPARTMENT STORES.
I find American goods for sale Iu the d.
stores OF Paris. There are sew
erai such establishments here and some
quite as large as any in the United States.
Indeed, I doubt whether there is a DEPART
ment store In America larger than either
the Bon Marche or the Louvre. The Bon
has five eoors and q basement. each
OF which covers an acre. so that II has
about six acres OF floor space. II employs
700 clerks, and does a business running
high into the tens Of millions OF dollars per
year II was founded by the son OF a hat
named Boncicault about nifty years ago.
began In a small way. but who gradu-
ally built uD the business into one OF the
OF Pans.
A peculiar thing about the Bon Marche Is
Il - managed On the cooperative prin-
cipie- BoIciault married a common work
Ing girl. and ate he died his wife took the
business. When she died she made a will
leaving II to her employees and assistants.
20 that the establishment now has about zoo
stockholders. and every clerk gets some
percentage over. the amount paid HIN for
In 1850 the shares in the company
worth about $4,000. the same shares