The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-10-30
CHANGES TO BE MADE.
Plans of the International Harvester
Company Outlined.
From Saturdays Daily.

| Company Uutilne0.
From Saturdays Daily.
1t was announced in Farm Implement
News of Oct. l, that some important and
sweeping changes affecting the selling
system of leading harvester companies
| were under consideration, if they had not
already been determined upon, and that
the same would probably go into effect
in the near future. The item related
principally to the International Harvest
er company, who, it may now be said,
have practically completed their plans
along the lines referred to, although the
changes will not be made before Nov. l,
and possibly not until the end of the
year.
Although no authentic statement has
not therefore obtainable, it is known
that the general agencies of the five di-
visions of the company, which since the
combination was effected have been con-
Quoted as they were when the five con-
stituent companies were doing business
in competition with each other, are to
be consolidated and the business at each
distributing point placed under one man
agement. Instead of five separate
agencies at Kansas City, Omaha, Mime
apolis, Dallas and the numerous other
points where the five divisions have been
independently represented, there will be
but one agency at each place and that
will be branch house in all that the
term applies.
The consolidation plant also contem-
plates the abolishing of some of the
smaller agencies, which will be trans
ferred to the nearest point at which the
company will maintain branch house.
On the other hand, branches represent
ing the entire five divisions may be es-
tablished at points where only one or
two divisions are now represented. In
some sections, if not all, this will in
volve general alteration of territorial
lines. One rumor concerning this fea-
ture of the change is that the entire state
of Texas will be handled by two branch
es, one at Dallas and one at Houston,
the former to have charge of the territory
lying north, and the latter south of an
imaginary line east and west through
Waco
The branch house, it is said, will have
direct control of their respective terri
tories, making annual settlements with
the company. They will each be in
charge of a manager and the required
number of assistants, the former cloth
ed with authority to hire and discharge
help in all branches of the business I'M
der his control. Reports have been re-
ceived from several states purporting to
give the names of those who will be
selected as branch house managers and
assistant managers, but this is one OF
the details about which nothing authent-
ic is known, except that the selections
will be made from the present force of
general agents and doubtless with due
regard to ability and length of service.
The consolidation of agencies will Of
course permit, and in some cases ne
cessitate, numerous minor changes about
| which there are many rumors afloat,
which are of so contradictory nature as
| to render them valueless as indicating
the intentions of the company. These
relate to the block system, canvassing,
the travelling and clerical forces, etc., and
no definite information concerning these
| features is, obtainable at this time.
Contemporaneous with the foregoing
changes will be consolidation of the
various departments of the five divisions
in the general offices at Chicago. Six
general departments have been organized
as follows: Experimental, patent, man
lufacturing, selling, collecting and general
utility. Each of these will be under the
direction of one manager and will per-
| form its functions for all divisions.
For the purpose of handling their Can
adam trade to better advantage the COM
pany have organized and Incorporated a
Canadian branch to be known as the In
ternational Harvester Company of Can
ada. This company have capital stock
of 100000. They will control the par
emit company's manufacturing plants in
the Dominion and act as selling agents
for the products of the company's Ameri-