Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-24
THE FAK|H BUSINESS
A Fourteen Year. Old News
boy Was the Founder.
SOLD POCKET KNIVES
SINCE HAS EVOLVED AND sYS-
TENTED THE TRADE.
Street Men Must Never Tell a Lie to
Dispose Of Their
Wares.
SOLD POCKET KNIVES

It has been thirtS-five years ago this win
ter since a New York newsboy originated
the fakr business.
This boy walked into the Nassau street
store Of one Of his daily customers one
morning and said
"Mr. Hughes, I've been thinking over
what you said to me the other day about
not always being a newsboy. You know you
| told me to come to see you when I'd an
idea what 1 wanted to do
Yes" replied the hardware merchant,
Il remember. Tell me what you think you'd
like to be-
Well said the fourteen-year-old lad.
1--WE been noticing lately that nobody sells
anything to the crowds in the streets ex-
cept few foreigners who don't half try
to peddle their feather busters. I'd like to
sell things on the street,
But they don't make living. and how
could you do any better?' asked the man,
The boys answer was earnest.
You give me chance with something,
and I'll show you right here two blocks
from your store. I've thought it all out
and all I've got to do is to YELL
ITO what?'' the merchant queried.
ITO YELL" said the boy. LET 'em know
I'm selling things and get crowd around
me-" t-
by Jove!' the man calculated, half to
himself. after moments thought over the
DOy original 10ea, we ii try II.
Then he went to a show case in which he
kept pocket knives. He took out two dozen
and handed them to the boy.
These haven't been selling WE'LL" he re-
marked, but maybe you can do something
with them.
Tell me about EN-" requested the boy
"Well.' said the merchant, they've the
same name as the famous Blank knife made
in England, but they are made in this coun-
try by man by the same name, and are
supposed to sell for so cents, while the En-
glish knife sells for $1.50."
Five minutes later the boy had taken up
his stand in front of the old post Office
building in Nassau street. and was yelling
with all his power:
BLANK pocket knives, only SO cents! Step
up lively, gents; get 'em while they last!
Blank pocket knives, only 80 cents-5O
cents-50 cents!' =
The Knives Sold in Jiffy.
It was something unheard Of for a per-
son to yell merchandise on the streets, and
the passersby were attracted at once Then,
too, the price at which the boy was offering
the then famous and universally used poe
ket knife was phenomenal. The result was
that those who stopped through curiosity
fell over one another in their eagerness to
secure the knives, and in less than twenty
minutes the boy had sold his stock
He returned Immediately to Mr.. Hughes
store.
"Tve sold all the knives" he said simply.
as he laid the money on a counter, land
I've come for two dozen more"
mercy on us!" was the exclamation with
which the merchant expressed his astonish-
ment. How'd you do ft7'
Just yelled, as I said would" replied
the boy.
either he added, For I didn't say that
they were the famous Blank knives"
The answer quickly secured the boy two
Univ
went to his stand, and, as with the first lot,
sold them in a jiffy. >
For the second time he returned to the
store and asked for another two dozen, but
Mr.. Hughes would not accommodate him.
He was cautious soul.
mo more today, George" he said. Lets
wait and see whether any body makes q
complaint. You come in tomorrow and IL
everything is all right, I'll supply you with
more knives. But before you go want to
give you your share of the sales-1O per
cent. That's 81. 40"
The next day the boy was at the store
when Mr.. Hughes arrived. AS the latter
had received no remonstrance over yester-
days proceedings, he again sent the boy
out with lot Of Knives, and before the day
was over the youngster had disposed Of
gross. And in a week he had sold every
American Blank knife in the store, some
thing that the merchant had Vainly tried
to do for over year.
A Monopoly of the Fakir Business.
In SuCn manner the Iak1r Irdue was oilSl-
mated, which today gives steady employ
ment to hundreds of men and represents
and invested capital Of several hundred
thousand dollars. And the boy who con-
ceived the initial idea is at the head of the
business which he has spent life time In
Systematically organizing, with the result
that his fortune is conservatively estimated
at half million dollars, despite the fact,
as he says, ''that I've had to raise and edu-
cate family of eleven children.
Indeed, this one man has practical mo-
nopoly of the fakir business. Wherever
to be called-is found, it is pretty safe to
assume that he is barking his wares on
commission for the original street man.
often dubbed, to his disgust, the King or
the fakirs." For the king not only mas an
office and two big warehouses in New YORK,
but branch offices, with store-roomS, IN
Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago. st. LOUIS
and a half-doZen other cities, from Which
the fakirs of the different sections OF the
country are supplied and sent out to sell
the novelties From the day he began
selling pocket knives, the boss, as ms
men call him, has extended ms business
until now it reaches to the racine,
branch having been established IN San
Francisco only year or so ago. AND ne
cause he has gone about 1t SO thoroughly
he has never had to meet with any compe-
tition worth speaking OF.
The mans story of how he has evolved
and kept his grasp on the fakir business Is
simple and interesting. Among other things
it tells how the tray, the push cart, the
wagon, the two-herse truck were brought
into the business; how merchants pleaded
with mere boy tofhelp them get rid of
stock that had incambered shelves for
years; and why-stfangest thing or all
his street men are oraeredGnever to yell
lie in order to disposefef their wares.
How the Tray Was introduced.
Gust as I was abotit through selling the
knives" he said the other day, IAN inn
porter Of Japanese trinkats came to me
while I was standing I'm front Of the old
post Office in Nassaunstreet and said:
1--we been watching YOUR success with
the knives. and I believe you can help me
sell some stuff I've had my hands for
year or more. lsp!ss
Il went with the man to his store and
he showed me gross on, gross of small
japanese handkerchief boxes and smaller
boudoir ornaments. For some reason or
other the retailers ohadn't been able to
make 'em go. and, as a result. the whole
saler found that he had made bad in
vestment.
well. after he had promised to give me
commission OF 10 per cent on what l
could sell, started thinking out how I'd
go about It, The knives I carried IN my
pockets, holding two or three at a time in
my hand But couldn't do that with the
.IananaSa 4tllff