Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-07
SOURCE OF SUPPLY
THE WAY THE MAN YOU BUY
FROM GETS HIS TOBACCO GOODS.
What Method and Enterprise Have
Done to Revolutionize Whole
sale Merchandising.

sale Merchandising.
How does the retailer procure his sup
ply of cigars and tobacco? This. to The
Stars representative, presented one of
the most interesting sides of his inquiry
into the industry in Washington. His
numerous questions ELECTED the response
IN every instance, The Washington To-
bacco Company"
He decided. therefore. to visit this firm
and found to his surprise that here. in
Washington, thrives one Of the best
equipped and most thoroughly systema-
tlzed business organizations he has ever.
in the course OF considerable expert
ence in many cities Investigated. His
local pride was highly gratffed by this
discovery and he devoted more time and
space, perhaps to the subject than under
ordinary circumstances would be justi-
fable.
Immense Business.
His eyes were opened to the immensely
of the cigar and tobacco industry In
Washington when he learned that this
house-a jobbing, and not manufacture
ing concern-employs in supplying the
retailers of Washington and Alexandria
alone upward of forty men. fourteen of
whom are city statesmen. In addition, 1T
has four county statesmen who visit the
retailers OF the neighboring states OF
Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia.
Wholesale Only.
The keynote of its success he found to
be the fact that 1T sells its wares to deal
ers only and will not, under any cfrcum-
stances, sell to a consumer. This step
marks new era in the wholesale bust
ness in Washington, which. before the
formation of this company, had no ex-
elusive wholesalers. All wholesale bust
ness houses formerly sold also to indi-
viduals and in SO doing drew customers
away from the very dealers whom they
We're supplying To this the retailer
naturally objected. The institution of
this new feature was. therefore, a large
stride ahead In the progress of merchan-
dzing in Washington, placing. as 1t did,
the wholesale business in a separate and
distinct class. AS a result of this policy
this company has been able to eliminate
from this market the firms of Philadel-
phia, Baltimore and other neighboring
cities who formerly did a large business
here, and to keep within the. limits of
Washington the business which legltl-
mately belongs to it.
System Of Work.
In system the work Of this company
stands we'll in the vanguard with the
most up-to-date corporations Of the
country.
The business is divided into many de-
partments. each one of which has a re
Sponsible head Chief among these depart
ments are selling. credit. accounting with
twelve employees packing, out-of-town
shipping and delivery.
The office, the second floor OF their
five-story building. is replete with the most
modern paraphernalia. using card systems,
loose-leaf ledgers. filing cabinets arith-
mometers and a private telephone ex-
8. 900 accounts and the large business done,
wonderfully few errors in bookkeeping and
instantaneous access to all records.
Service Prompt.
The delivery service Is also remarkable
for speed and accuracy. Five large de-
livery wagons are sent out twice daily, two
deliveries being made in every section of
the city, no matter how remote. In each
twelve-hour working day. AS the city
statesmen mail in their morning orders by
special delivery each noon. and report each
evening. these orders being packed prompt
~ and sent out the following morning and
afternoon, respectively, Ii will be seen that
within twenty-four hours after the sales
mems visit the customer is in receipt of
his goods.
The Selling Department.
In the selling department. the city is d.
vlded into eight sections, each of which is
placed in complete charge of salesman
whose duty 1t Is to visit every dealer in
cigars and tobacco at least once. and in
many case as often as three times week
Besides these district ment, there are sales
men who devote their entire attention to
cigars. pipes and other specialties.
The first floor of their building at 61S
Pennsylvania avenue northwest Is devoted
n Nn1lyf, -I.t,
chandise. On the second floor are the ac-
counting rooms and the pipe and cigar de-
partments
A Revelation.
This latter was revelation to The Star
man. Never in his life had he imagined that
Washington or in fact, any other city, con-
tanned so many of the fragrant weed with
in the compass of four walls. A room
larger than one floor OF The Star building
all compactly filed with tables and shelves
each covered with little building made
of cigars. cigars. cigars. Buck Truth Ell
Toro. Continental and Cremo were few of
the many score of brands he deserted about
him.
Stack After Stack.
At one end of the cigar floor was what
appeared to be a small frame dwelling The
door was opened and to the reporters en-
vious gaze there appeared stack on stack
of cigars, the names OF which have always
appeared in the dreams of Elysium-Bock,
Carolina, Cabanas, Vencedora, Garcia
Henry Clay and many others products OF
that little island blessed by all connois-
seurs, Cuba Then, others esteemed al
most as highly. Ell Principe de Gales Gatos
mailing from Key West, each In scores OF
shapes and sizes. This little house. capa-
BILE of containing over 10000 cigars. he
was informed, is technically called a hui
midor. in which these more valuable brands
are kept In all their original delicacy OF
brand and sweetness by means of a uni
form temperature and state of humidity
These are maintained at a heat of IS d.
grees Fahrenheit and 20 degrees of mois-
ture by automatic appliances.
Pipe Department.
The pipe department. in a weu-hghted
room at the front, was bewildering in the
assortment and quantities displayed. From
dudeens for the laborer. cobs for the Mis-
sourian and porcelain for the German to
III All eadi7o Im,