Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-08


49, and is so Viewed from any angle
by the men who engage in the enterprise.
To these it means from one to three days of
steady, unremitting hustle, work that ex-
cells In mere physical effort any work they
undertake at home, while the mental ac-
tivity is surely OF the high pressure kind.
1t Is real work and in no sense of the word
is It a picnic. Three days is as long as the
most enthusiastic cares to remain out.
The object OF trade excursion is to bring
Omaha's business men into personal con-
tact with the business men of the smaller
communities throughout the territory in
which the city sells its wares. Especially
is this true OF that part OF the territory in
which rival jobbers compete for the busi-
ness. This personal contact is achieved in
only one way and that is absolutely per-
sonal. The head of the firm or one Of its
responsible partners joins the party and
at each town makes a commendable en-
deavor to meet each customer of his house
and to form an acquaintance with him.
After this the next thing is to meet as
many prospective customers and to give
20 each the most favorable impression.
I During these short interviews complaints
are heard, comments made and plans ar
, ranged for a furtherance OF mutual inter-
ests. Grievances are either adjusted or put
in way by which they will be remedied
and a current is established along which
flow in the future much good feeling and
not little increased traffic.
Drummers Help the Heads.
From time to time along the way the
travelling statesmen join the party and
with the firm member assist In the work.
This in a large degree facilitates the pro-
cess OF making acquaintance and puts the
matter on an easier footing. 1t has another
good effect, too, for indirectly 1t convinces
the head of the firm that the travelling
salesman still has his troubles. One young
man who carries large sample case out
of Omaha over a large and steadily grow
ing territory was a direct gamer in this re-
spect as the latest of the trade excursions.
He was with the general manager of his
company for two days and as they walked
up the dusty road from the depot to the
town time after time, the conditions i'm
pressed the manager as they had never be-
fore. Finally, after one particularly trying
walk. he came back to the train, and On
getting his breath he said:
MY boy. I'll never kick on your charges
IN the expense account for bus fare again.
think they're too small as 1t is"
.
Planning the Expedition.
Long before the expedition starts from
Omaha the route has been laid out and q
time schedule arranged, so that each town
IL allotted a certain number OF minutes.
depending on its size and accessibility.
The merchants OF each town have been
notified that at such an hour on such a
day the party will be with them. Each
man has provided himself with a men,
orandum list of the men he expects to see
In each of the towns visited. and far
the plan is all right and only awaits fulfill
ment. Just then the circumstance of the
reception gets in it's work. 1t has rarely
been found that the time allotted to q
town is long enough. Before the busy
visitor gets half through with what he has
assigned himself the warning shrek OF the
engines whistle calls him back to the train
He fingers. and eventually reaches the de-
pot on the run, swings himself onto the
slowly moving car, and in fifteen OF
twenty minutes more he repeats the opera
tion. This he does from early morning
until the sun goes down. and after he has
spent an evening in one Of the larger
towns attended a reception OF something
ing car. ready for such rest as he can get
.
What They Take Along.
Such an array OF hand baggage as Il
seen on one OF these excursions can b'
found nowhere else. When the train starts
from the Omaha depot on its expedition, Il
seems as II every seat in all the cars is piled
with suit cases and bags. BY and by these
are ranged In a little more compact order