Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-08-05

t6y VI dll bullullS Ill
S- Maiden in 1888, with but the
y two proprietors employed, TO
comparatively ample quarters in
L-ewistown in 1856, with one employe,
was the progress made by the Argus
In three years. For ten years the
Argus gradually increased its equip
mont, rs warranted by its patronage,
but managed to do business in a small
building and with the added services
of but one man and a boy. In 1896 the
present large stone structure was
erected, and the writer recalls that in
that year the proprietor thought a
great deal more space had been pro.
vided for the uses of the paper than
would he needed in his time, but for
more than a year past every depart
ment has been cramped. And it is
a peculiar coincidence that of the
three buildings occupied by the Argus
in Lowistown, two of which we're wide
ly separated and the other not built,
all three should now be situated with
in three hundred feet of each other.
The first location was in what was
known as the DeFrate building, then
standing on Fifth avenue, but since
moved about on the same square I'M
i'll il stands on Main street midway.
and is the home of the Wilson Stage
company.
The second building in which the
Argus habitated, stood where is now
the handsome building of the Judith
Hardware Co. Ii has been moved up
the street and Is now Occupied by the
Lewistown Meat e Provision Co. The
Argus building stands upon the site
first occupied and the two frame
buildings are side by side a half block
distant.
When started in Maiden in 1883 the
size Of the Argus was eight pages of
five columns each, four of which pages
were patent insides. BY steps the Ar
gus has reached its present size of ten
pages of seven columns each and all
home print. First zane the home
print of the smaller size, then a larg-
or size and for a time liberal use of
snakes" as plate matter is common
IL known. Then an eight column To-
lilo shape printed from type set in
Lewistown. Then a six column eight
page form, then a seven column, and
this spring the change to the present
size.
Advertisers Know the Value.
Liberal patronage from the pro-
gressiye merchants of Lewistown and
an occasional adj. from some other
town has made this possible. The
leading business men of Lewistown
long since learned that it paid to adj
vertise in the Argus and we do not
now recall an instance of n more
than temporarily, and for some good
reason. ceasing to use these columns
who had made a fair test of its mer,
its. 1t has never been the policy of
the management to solicit advertise.
ments merely ito help along the pa
per-" but to bring to the advertiser
a larger share of the public patronage.
There are those met with now and
then who say nobody reads my adver-
tisement." but let a small error creep
into that advertisement and see how
quickly the advertisers attention will
he called to It by many readers. This
happened with a firm about a year
ago. Their advertisement was not
read, said the manager Of the estab'
lishment. but the printer accidentally
made the price on bob sleds SIS in
stead of S25-all his bob sleds would
have been disposed of in two days
had he stood by the price. Last win
ter "boys over shoes at l5c" appeared
in an ad. II was seen quickly enough
and the printer was told to see that
the price read 75c next week, and not
let it happen again. The successful
advertiser offers bargains in his ad
vertisements, if he is selling goods;
the public does the rest.
The Argus Is today proud of its ad
vertisers: they and the enjoyment CT
pubic patronage have made the pres