New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-04
EMPIRE PUSH" MEETS.
NoUel Gathering of Statesmen at
Bloomfield Cream Separator Factory

BtOOmfetG cream separator FdctOry
The belief that nothing is too good for the
, man behind the order book is responsible for
unique business gathering which took place last
week at Bloomfield. n. J. The Empire Cream
Separator Company which has a large factory
there worked out the plan of bringing all its
sales agents together for a weeks conference
and a course of factory study. It involved the
use of special Pullman train from Chicago to
Bloomfield. where 1t was run into the Empire
freight yards and turned into a hotel on wheels
for the week.
The agents of the Empire company from all
parts of the West gathered in Chicago on Febru-
airy "a They came from San Francisco. from
Seattle. from Omaha and from Houston-in fact,
from every region where the dairy interest has
HOLLAND the company paid every expense. At
Chicago they became acquainted with one an
other and were conducted TO a special train OF
four Pullman sleepers a dining car, an observa-
ton and a baggage car.
This train was named The Empire Way and
strips OF bunting every car proclaimed 10 all
who cared to read that it a special bound
for the Bloomfield factory, where wonderful
cream extractor was made. The run to Bloom
field was over the Grand Trunk to Buffalo and
then eastward over the Delaware Lackawanna
and Western Railroad. No attempt was made to
break speed records but in the matter of en-
thusiasm the Empire push certainly won
medals. They enlivened Niagara Falls last Sum
day, spending a part of the day there The
train reached Bloomfield at $50 O'Clock on Mon
day morning, and the company had rented IT
for the entire week il was sidetracked at the
factory.
After putting the sleepers and dining cars in
a convenient position, the powerful locomotive
NJ had n tba trail Ruff
into the Hoboken yards for a grooming. Then
it that the special became a private hotel.
Special cooks We're engaged elaborate the
menu of the dining car, and every meal was a
feast.
From their hotel on wheels the statesmen and
some thirty owners and editors of Western agri-
cultural papers, who were the Empire company's
special guests, marched in a body to the hall
which had been erected in the factory yard. 1t
was gayly decorated with flags and bunting and
here every sort Of comfort that could not be in
stalled on the train was 10 be found. There was
a barber shop. where the statesmen could have
free shaves and haircuts for the asking There
was tailor shop for pressing and cleaning their
clothes. A branch postoffice had been arranged
with the Bloomfield postmaster. and a laundry
agent on hand TO for the linen.
In fact. of the party put it, 1T is full
hedged, up-to-date Waldorf-Astoria, except for
the absence of the egg-shaped diamonds with
dapper clerks fastened TO them"
I'VE get along without the clerk" de-
clared another, for there is not going TO be any
bill at the end of the week"
The travellers as noisy as a bunch of
college undergraduates after a football victory
when they arrived at the factory SITE and their
cheers made most Of Bloomfield sit UP and take
notice. The gayly decorated the siding
Gle c|a5
sands of commuters who passed on the trains
The first meeting of the Empire push" was
held Monday morning. and it opened with
cheers for the officers of the company J. c. Rob-
| inson, who is at present the manager of the
Empires Pacific Coast branch. the oldest mem
| Der of the company's sales organization, was
elected chairman. There time when he
was the only salesman in a department that
| now numbers about five thousand
The formal programme of the meeting COM
| prlsed a general discussion OF separator trade
conditions. Topic after topic of pertinent inter
est TO the business of selling cream separators
ives brought up. One would tell of a diff
hculty he had met in his territory. and ask the
way around IT, Another salesman was ready
With the answer. Just thing was insisted on
throughout the meeting-the absence of any un-
fair criticism or knocking" illusions TO COM
| petitors. The Empire family, as they call them
selves. adopted as motto, Push, but don't
80 r., a quartet eHItFeIeo the business ses-
| Sion with songs, some Of which told of the COM
pany's affairs.
One Of the most important features OF the
gathering was the opportunity afforded the
! statesmen to study the home factory, which is in
| many respects q model one. 1t covers several
| city blocks and is remarkable for its general
| airiness and uniform cleanliness. The statesmen.
| In small groups. conducted by foremen or ex-
! pert workmen. were taken through every depart
| ment Of the factory from the foundry TO the
! nnishing room. Every piece that goes into the
separator which they Sell watched throug Oh
the making, and they will go back TO their re-
spective territories with complete knowledge of
their ma chine
When a Tribune reporter visited the factory
early in the week he found some of the agents
In overals engaged IN this factory study. Others
were gathered IN small groups about or an
other OF the general agents. exchanging new
business ideas. Still others were engaged in
going over their past orders with officials of the
company and mapping out the spring campaign.
| The Empire colnpeny's effort in behalf of its
order book men does not stop at providing them
with luxurious living at the hotel on wheels
On Tuesday night the travellers We're the guests
Of the company Ct the Hippodronne. In this city
train. and az the New-York ferryhouse they
found automobiles IN which they were taken &c
the theatre Three orchestra rows across the
entire house held the party. each member OF
which wore q blue ribbon badge with a mode
or the cream separator stamped upon IT
On Thursday night the hall on the factory
grounds wes the scene OF a smoker and enter.
tainnent In addition TO the professional talen,
. which tho company provided. the agriculture.
newspaper men gave original skit, which
oeeit with amusing personalities and incidents
or the trip. They demonstrated that they knew
theories OF farming
On Friday the entire party came to this city
and spent the day visiting various points Of In