The Tupelo journal., 1905-11-17

from lUelu.
THAT isn't it; the question is, how
am | going to take care Of all this
business with my present facilitics?'
insisted the laundryman.
Expand, expand" was the grafter's
suggestion.
Indeed, l won't have time to ex-
| pand, besides, I'll be in the insane
asylum before three weeks, to say
nothing of three months, il this keeps
up"
Il suppose you have lots of com
petition suggested the CRATER.
Yes, we have plenty of that"
well, we will put all the other
laundries out of business inside OF 81
days, and then all you will have to dc
is to buy their plants cheap and mo.
nopolize the business"
That's all right to talk about, but
your methods would break up a dozen
men like me in no time. What's going
to be done? If you keep this up, I'll
be ruined financially inside of a week
| am not a millionaire, and have
WOIhcu UGIu W CoIdUlloh lila iAtsi~
business, and there is no use in your
going on with this work, because ]
can't stand it."
But your bondsmen are all right
are they not? Perhaps they will see
the necessity of backing you in this
enterprise"
mo, I'll never ask them to do that
the laundryman vowed, "and you might
as well let up right away"
you understand, Mr.. -" said the
CRATER, that this contract is worth
a lot of money to me-" and in order
to prove it to him, he showed him in
plain figures just how much it was
worth. Then he explained that the
pottery concern allowed him a commits
sion of Is per cent, or 30 cents, for
each jardiniere. The CRATER paid his
~canvassers 20 cents each for every CON
tract secured, leaving him a profit OF
80 cents on each contract, which, 20
gether with 80 cents more on each jar
diniere, made him a profit of 60 cents
on every contract taken, and 900 a day
lIlCdlI ~ Ia q SICoi ploaN IA YcPOI
or $500 per week, as the canvassers
| paid their own board and all other eX-
penses, except railroad fare.
This was a revelation to the laundry
man, who by this time began to realize
the sort of game he was up against,
and instantly began to plead for a set
Element.
How much are you willing to give tc
| be released" the CRATER asked.
You tell me the least you will take
and let me out of this muss."
Well the CRATER replied, you car
figure, if it takes about three months tc
finish this city, that will mean about
Is weeks, of six working days each
which means Is days, and if my profit:
are $500 per day, you can see that my
gross personal gain for that length oi
time will amount to $3O,400 cash"
By this time the CRATER had his vic.
tim walking the floor; and, anxious tC
settle on the spot, he once more asked
for bottom figures.
We'll, I'll tell you. I'll take 5000
in cash and call the deal off,"
This, the CRATER explained, was al
ways his compromise offer, and while
he had, on two different occasions, re-
ceived that amount, he figured on get
ting $4,000, and wouldn't refuse nall
that amount if he couldn't do better.
After the CRATER had finished his
story, | said | thought he could MAKE
the scheme a legitimate and well paying
one by going into a large city and con
tracing with several different laundry
men to secure, for each one, from 5000
to 10, 700 contracts, and keep up the
business, in a business way; or, if he
could find a laundry concern with a
large enough plant and sufficient
money to back the scheme, they could
all make big money out of it.
He laughed and said: Eyes, | know
that is true, because l struck one on
Germ, a stock company, who had sew
eral different %laundries in the city, and
money and nerve enough to carry il
through, and l made money very fast
as did the ~canvassers, and the laundry
firm.
| then asked him to explain how ne
could satisfy his canvassers, who
worked on a commission, and who
after the first, or possibly the second
days canvass, would be out of work.
"Oh, that's easy" said he; while
they are waiting for me to make an
other laundry contract in a new city,
they are all out canyassing under the
management of my brother, for a
like wildfire, and which keeps them all
busy. Besides, as | guarantee each
one a certain amount per week-and a
good amount, too-of course they are
satisfied"