davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-12

possibilities of expansion at Stafford,
Kansas, it was transplanted to an $50
lated location on North Fifth street,
in Kansas City, Kansas, illustrated by
the picture under which appears the
date of 1890.
These three store rooms were called
the graveyard of various failures.
Nothing but the cOb-webS and the
haunting spirits of broken merchants
were said to tenant these three innocent
looking rooms. The pounding of car
penterS' hammers and knocking out of
partitions the opening of our store in
this deserted location brought forth
from the local gossips the old stories of
"Hoodooed" location and such other
unfavorable comments, but the work
went merrily on The store opened
March Is, 1890. In two months, another
partition was knocked out adding still
another room to the impatient store.
In two and one-half years, by fall
ure in the best store room on Mime
sofa avenue. Kansas City, Kansas,
we secured what seemed plenty or room
for our crowded store. Within year
we went TO cutting archways again to
the east of us adding another building
with two floors. The illustration here
given over the date of 1893 shows a
correct picture of that store.
Expansion After Expansion.
In 1895, unable to get still more room
for the swiftly expanding business We
leased a Six-story and basement build
ing fifty feet by one hundred and forty
feet i'm size at the corner of Sixth and
Main streets, Kansas City, Missouri.
The picture over the date of 1895 shows
that building. Here was indeed and in
fact a. ''hoodooed" location. Sure and
certain we had found this time a dead
location, past redemption and beyond
resurrection. Good friends said they
were sincerely sorry for us and they
were.
Fire Destroys All but Spirit.
A little after midnight on the Sum-
day morning of Nov. 4, 1899, the tel
ephone rang. We got out of bed and
answered the call, and were informed
the store was burning down. Soon
we were in the fire patrol wagon, driv
ing like mad three miles through the
dark streets to the fire, which lit up
the heavens like the terrible confiagra-
ton it was. We stood on the street
and saw our store, the pride of all our
struggles, totter and fall into the fiery
volcano that was rapidly devouring it.
As we stood there watching the fire
men with heroic efforts saving the
building on all sides-as we watched
the walls totter and fall, we first felt
as if our life work had been obliterat-
ed in one swift moment-instantly the
old rebellious spirit was at work again.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-12

In many another crisis it had come
up and at it again. We reached home
at o'clock that Sunday morning and
returned to the scene of the fire and
found the loyal store force ready for
their orders. We had been running
little store at GIL Main. street. The
keys of this store were burned in the
main store. We ordered one of the
men to break open the lock. We told
the boys who were dressed in their
Sunday clothes to don overalIs
and working jackets as we intended to
have that store ready for business by
the following morning. We had a ware
house full of goods and the manager of
the delivery department was ordered to
get his wagons, the warehouse man to
take a force and get goods ready.
Quick Resumption of Business.
following morning, Cbeing Monday. at
8 O'Clock, we opened the doors at GIL
Main street, for business. Our usual
opening hour was o'clock. We there
fore, lost one hour of business because
of the fire. The people came in such
crowds to the little store at GIL Main
street that frequently we had to lock
the doors. We tried to buy a half
dozen different stores in Kansas City
SO we could start up at once, but they
were all making money and wouldn't
sell, so we had to take the only vacant
buildings we could find, being those
that are shown over the date 1899. At
1215-1223 Main street.
The people told us we were across
the 'dead-lne-" They told us that we
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-12

money than it costs to make them be-
cause the manufacturer must have the
money even at a loss not always, but
often. We mark the goods at our lit
tie narrow spot cash profit, and turn
them loose among our great army of
customers. They melt away rapidly,
thus making room for other great pur-
chases.
In conclusion, we wish to say that a
sketch such as the foregoing is deli
cate thing to write, as it becomes
selves; yet we have been asked so often
for an outline of the growth of this
store, for some information regarding
it's history that we have been persuaded
that a short truthful history of this
stores life will not prove totally lack
ing in interest to the people of the
great Southwest.
The Factor of Liberal Advertising.
Lawrence NJ. Jones, President and
Treasurer, and j. Logan Jones, Vice
President and Secretary of the Jones
Dry Goods company, are the men who
founded this store. These men were
raised on a farm in southern Illinois,
and as before stated, attended district
school, went to college, taught school,
saved their money and entered bust
ness. They believed implicitly in the
principles on which this big store is
being conducted. They believe that
through their methods of buying good
merchandise at it's lowest prices, and
through liberal newspaper advertising,
by which they are making these low
prices public, they are causing the
people to buy their merchandise every
week, month and year for a great
many thousand dollars less than this
merchandise could be purchased for if
it were not for store of this char
acter conducted our stores are
conducted. They believe that wherev-
er a purchaser may enter a store in
this trade territory and buy that at
that particular store the prices are
forced to be reasonable. because of
the publicity which is given to the
good values put forth every day by
this big store and advertised in the
newspapers.
Days of Floor Walking.
All! those days VIII en- we walked the
floor and tried to devise ways to col
lect credit accounts due us! How easy
the road would have been if they had
only paid promptly! How the dark
cloud of ruin often threatened us be-
cause our precious cash capital was
out on the credit books charged UP in
the shape of merchandise to people
who took their own sweet time about
paying. Some, yes many, are still
waiting, taking their time to pay. They
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-12

still have our goods. We long ago
burned the books in which those heart
rending records and figures were writ
ten.
Out of this bitter experience, out OF
this Gehenna of business folly grew
the idea on which this store was
launched in Kansas City. Mo, nine
years ago. This idea deserves to stand
in letters of gold. Here it is:
Underbuy for Cash, UnderseH for Cash
Satisfaction or Your Money Back.
There is no power under the blue
canopy, there is no scheme among men
that will give goods to the public at so
low prices as will this cash plan-spot
cash all the way through
Some stores have, with enormous
capital and inflexible rules of credit to
only the supposed commercially good
accounts, achieved material success be-
cause they got enormous profits; be-
cause they got enormous profits to
cover the losses that will always come
in any sort Of a credit business, ana
then had enough left to come out
ahead. But whoever heard of such a
store making the claim-honestly-
that it was the store for the great peo-
pie, that it was the store for those who
desired to economize?
The exclusive high priced credit
stores may make the statement that
they can sell cheaply, and these state
ments would go very well where all the
stores are of that particular class, but
where the spot cash store exists, such
statements are taken as JOKE.
So today this store, so far as we
know, is alone in this couKtry as
store standing on the above exact plat
form. To the great masses of all the
people this store opens its generous
doors and it's generous miles of match
less cash values. AS an evidence that
the idea which gave it life is the cor
rect idea, we need only point to what
it has achieved in serving the public
well-so well that the people have kept
coming and bursting its walls until to-
day it is in serious danger of having
greatness thrust upon it by a loyal pub
lie. 1t is in real danger of being hon.
estIy termed THE biggest retail store
in the United States west of Chicago"
Just a word more before we close.
We want your patronage. We want TO
serve you and make a nice cash profit
in our business transactions, but we
had rather. you would go elsewhere to
trade unless you have confidence in our
honesty We expect you to profit by
the big values we give, but we also
want you to feel that our stores are
your stores because of its integrity,
because of its henrt-to-heart generous
determination to treat the whole world
and the public fairly. Justly and right
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-12

were in a "hoodooed'' location. We had
been in so many 'hoodooed'' locations,
however, that we paid little heed to it,
so we signed a lease for these build
ings, which were one hundred and
twenty-five feet front on Main street,
by about one hundred and twenty feet
deep, being four stories high in part
and in other parts five stories high.
We got possession of these buildings on
November 10th. We put an army of
carpenters, painters and stone-masons
at work. We cut a dozen archways
through the walls, connecting them up,
put in the fixtures, bought an entirely
new stock of goods, got them here,
marked, open and ready for business
on December LIST, just twenty-one days
after getting possession of the vacant
buildings. And still the business con-
tinued to grow and expand and
Cry for More Room.
We began planning for space in
which to get this room which was so
badly needed. The outcome of it was
that we negotiated for the erection of a
white enamel brick building six stories
and basement on the corner of Twelfth
and Main streets, and for the lease of
the buildings between that and our
store shown over the date 1899, cutting
archwayS through the walls and join
ing them all up into the store of today
which is shown over the date, 1902.
This store with the warehouses that
we have covers a floor space in round
numbers of three hundred thousand
square feet, or over seven acres of
floor space altogether.
Already many departments are de-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-12

handing increased recognition in the
matter of more space in which to ope-
rate. This store contains more floor
space than any other department store
in the state of Missouri and SO far as
we know any other department store
west of Chicago.
Our Business Principles and Methods.
Naturally, we have been asked hun
dredS of times how this remarkable
growth has been brought about. Our
replies to these questions have been
uniformly one and the same and we
think you will admit the reply is very
simple. Absolutely honest business
and do underse1 for cash-your money
back if you wish That's the short but
ample platform on which the business
campaigns of this store have been con-
Quoted from the little ''cheese-box on a
raft at Stafford, Kansas, up to this
great white modern department store.
Today this store is known throughout
the length and breadth of this country
and is becoming well known in the
markets of Europe as a heavy spot cash
buyer of large quantities of merchan-
disc. There is scarcely a manufacturer
in existence, but at some time during
the year, finds it necessary to sell large
blocks of goods for instant cash. 1t is
impossible to do this to the small mer-
chants because their outlet is not SUI
ficient to handle the quantity They
come to the big stores such as this be-
cause here they find the outlet and
here they can get the cash. This being
the absolute fact, we buy goods in hun
dreds and thousands of cases at less
The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-08-16

Out in Kansas they are too busy
raising crops to bother with politics
this fall. Roosevell.. is good enough for
Kansas and everybody is satisfied that
he Will be elected The Arcadia Times
settles the political question in few
words:
1.-The Times viii not discuss politics
in this campaign 1t viii say few
words now, and then hold its peace.
We left the Republican party in 1896
and supported W. ]. Bryan For eight
years we have followed his leadership.
We are with him today and expect to
be with him tour years hence. The
ST. Louis platform is not altogether
satisfactory, and the ticket is worse
We think that Parker and Roosevelt are
both owned. soul. body. and breeches
by the money power.
ION the other issues we are for Par
ker, and shall vote for him Roose-
velt will be elected It will take six
figures to write his majority in Kan
s4s. This is our individual opinion,
and this is the first, last and only
mention of the matter in these col
umns. The Times is distinctly local
newspsper."
The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-08-16

There seems to be q general spirit
of disfsvor shown for junketing trips
taken by city officials especially where
the municipality is required to foot
the bills incurred. In Springfield the
officials in several Of the departments
took pleasant little Jsunts for the pur-
pose of looking into this thing or that
and presented their bills to the city for
payment. The recent examination
of city affairs there made by a state
inspector resulted in several expendi-
lures along this line being criticised
and the amounts ordered paid back in
to the treasury. The city solicitor
afterwards held up two bills of MEM
bers of the board OF public service.
who in accordance with a time-honor-
ed custom, attended the meeting of the
National Waterworks association at
St Louis, last month. Bellefontaine
in her time has paid for not few of
these excursions taken by city officials
but the attention that has been called
to such matters in other places will
probably decrease the number of thes9
trips for inspection and where any
jaunts are taken the officials will no
doubt be required to pay their own
bills.
The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-08-16

Scarcely a week passes but what the
readers of the press dispatches are in
formed of the death OF some prominent
Senator Each distinguished man
seems to have been called when he had
reached the height of his usefulness
and those of his constituents who bad
depended much upon the leadership of
so brainy a man for a time were at a
loss to know whom to select to fill the
place. Death as it chooses the men
of affairs whom the people had held to
be wen nigh Indispensable deals the
nation one crushing blow after another,
but there come from among the ranks
others who have been well trained and
who readily take up the duties so ably
performed by those who have gone be-
fore. The deaths of so many great
men whose busy lives were linked
with the political affairs of the country
lead thinking ones to ponder over the
hardships of men placed in positions
Of political honor. What nerve rack
ing lives they must lead and how
foreign to their experience is the night
Of solid rest such as those in lesser
walks of life enjoy. 1t is true. that
many statesmen and leaders in the po-
hticsl world live to ripe old age. but
contemplate the number who are called
away in their prime crushed down by
the nervous excitement connected with
life among the managers of the nations
affairs 1t is pleasant and sometimes
profitable in financial way to be
counted among the great ones of earth
but yet with political greatness come
added responsibilities and more arduous
duties that sap mans life blood and
generally bring him to an early grave.
There is too much hurry in America
and it is telling upon her people by
abnormally increasing the population
of her silent cities of the dead.
The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-08-16
GERMAN ASPARAGUS
ITS CULTIVATION A APRoFITABLE
INDUSTRY IN THE EMPIRE.
How the Plants Are Cultivated -
Should Be Replantsd Every
Twelve Years-Loose, Sandy
Soil Is Needed.

The raising OF asparagus for export,
as well as for domestic use, is an indus
try OF considerable Importance in parts
Of Germany. 1t is confined chiefly to
certain localities of North Germany and
parts of Baden. In Baden much atten-
ton Is given to the industry, and the
asparagus is said to be superior in quail
ity to that grown In other parts Of the
empire.
The soil in which asparagus is raised
in Baden is the sandy loan common in
the upper Rhine valley. IL well ma
nured, this soil also produces good
crops of potatoes. sugar beets, hops and
cereals.
For asparagus raising the land Is first
very thoroughly manured and the roots
are planted at intervals of from four to
five feet in rows about the same dis
tance apart For the first three or four
years no crop is harvested; the land ls
kept clear of weeds and we'll culti-
waited, and is fertilized with stable
manure in preference to commercial
fertilizers, although these are used
to some extent. During these three or
four years the ground Is kept hilled up
around the plants with a hoe, and the
shoots are cut back until considerable
bunch Of strong roots forms at each
hill with fibers running In every direc-
ton. meeting those from adjoining
hills.
A fair crop can generally be harvested
the fourth year. AS soon as the ground
is in condition to work In the spring
the process Of hilling up the earth
around each bunch Of plants begins.
This is done with hoes. and each row
now shows a succession Of small mounds
from 10 to IA inches high. with a base
a yard or more in diameter and with the
top fiattened to surface Of perhaps half
this diameter.
In the first warm days Of April the new
shoots begin to appear. Just breaking
The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-08-16

ment unsafe. Now from New York,
the very spot that should have been
most affected by the Slocum disaster,
comes a story of two Coney Islands
steamer captains jeopardizing the lives
of thousands and sending most of their
passengers into a panic by running
down boat load of fishermen. because
they were racing for pier. and neith-
or would obey the others signals to
change his course. Coroner Scholer, a
passenger on one of the boats, urged
the captain to alter his course and
avoid danger. He was gruffiy told to
mind his own business. II the captain
of the Steamer Slocum had had the
proper respect for the safety OF the
hundreds of lives he had on board he
would have listened to the words of tine
lad who ran to the pilot-house and
gave the alarm of fire at time when
according to dozens of witnesses. the
captain could have run his boat ashore
and saved nearly Thousand women
and children from death in awful form.
The Slocum's captain told the boy to
mind his own business. 1t viii not be
long we hope until corporations who
hire men to carry humanity through
dangerous places to safety will compel
them to look first to the protection of
life and limb. The man who greets a
word of warning with ''mind your
own business Is unfit to run Chinese
junk to say nothing of crowded ex-
cursion steamer or a train loaded with
human freight
The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-08-16

through the top or sides of these
mounds. A long knife is run into the
soft, mellow earth of the mounds and
these shoots are cut off from five to
eight inches below the surface. The
shoots are entirely white. except at the
tops, where they show a slight trace of
color. They are tender for the most
part throughout their lengths and are
finely favored. These shoots are some
what larger than those commonly seen
in the United States. being generally
from one-half to three-sighths of an inch
in diameter.
The quantity of cuttings taken from
each hill or mound during a season
varies much with the weather, the quail
ity of the soil. and other factors II Is
reckoned at from two or three to four
pounds.
An asparagus field is supposed to be
at its best from eight to IL years after
planting. From that time on the
shoots are apt to be less tender. though
they may not decrease in size or quality.
Replanting OF the field is thought to be
advisable after the twelfth year, though
many tracts are said to have remained
without replanting from 20 to rs or even
30 years.
As land on which asparagus is grown
is worked mainly by hand and requires
heavy manuring each year. the crop is
said to require considerably more labor
than the raising Of potatoes II yields.
however. a somewhat better income, one
year being taken with another. The
crop is reasonably certain and always
brings a fair price. Canning establish
ments buy large quantities Of asparagus
and generally pay fair prices. The bulk
Of the crop. however. is sold at Mann
helm and other nearby cities for imme-
diate consumption.
The high esteem in which this product
is held by Americans living or travel
ing abroad would suggest that its culti-
walton in the neighborhood Of our large
cities might be greatly Increased. espe-
cially in localities where loosed. sandy
soil exists.
H W. HARRIS
The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-08-16
1t takes but a day or two at the mo

1t takes but day or two at the most
for American people to forget the
disasters that occur in their midst
The Iroquois horror now seems like a
dream, the Slocum disaster appears hk e
an old story and almost before the
victims of the Rio Grand railway
have been laid away in their
graves the subject as been crowded
aside and busy, bustling humanity goes
about its affairs unmindful of the
warnings against recklessness. The
nation was startled by the crew of the
sister boat of the General Slocum run
ming the steamer within a few days
after the burning of the former boat in
defiance of the orders of Government
who declared her equip
The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-08-16

An Illinois farmers institute has
set an example which might be follow
ed successfully in Logan county and
we suggest that the idea be adopted
and given rousing start at the next
meeting of the Institute to be held In
this city. The Illinois farmers wish.
ing to interest the boys throughout
the county in the work Of raising corr
offered prizes for the ten best ears.
Each boy made application and
received a package Of selected seed
Yellow Dent and Boone County White.
Hundreds applied
In the fall the boys sent in theiI
corn The prize. a bicycle. was award
ed. The winner proved to be the
14-year-old son of a poor widow who
lived in a humble cabin and the lad
had secured the prize bv carrying
buckets Of water from the we'll to the
corn patch He was invited to the
next meeting OF the Farmers Institute.
lifted upon a table and given cheer
hAt-f CuccE bl tuc CiOMu oc-ciuoitu-
rne Governor of the state came down
to make an address at the Institute and
becoming interested offered $1,000
Holstein cow for first prize. Other
prizes were offered-wagons and
ploughs and windmills Seventeen
Thousand boys wrote for seed and in.
formation. Two farm wagons would
not contain all the letters. The state
went into wild enthusiasm-over corn
Samples of the crops raised by these
boys are on display In the Illinois sec.
tion at the Worlds Fair. a mountain
of yellow corn and before each tier OF
10 ears each is the picture of the boy
who raised it. The selected output oi
5000 Illinois boys is represented.
The boys in Logan county can raiss
Just as good corn as those in Illinois.
Why not give them a chancef 1t is d
good thing TO keep the boys at work
The devil never goes in partnership
with a busy lad.