La Junta tribune., 1907-04-13
'OLD TOWN WAKING UP
Merchants Will Advertise Prices
In Home Newspaper.
COMPETE WITH CATALOGUES.
The Editors Hints as to How Mail
Order Houses Explicit Their Wares
Start Two Local Storsksspers on .
Campaign TO Recover Lost Ground.

OruSf SNVbsSS eSptOsN sVsW "erSs
Start Two Local storsksspers on
Campaign to Recover Lost Ground.
March winds hcing abroad. the little
group OF old nciShbors was glad to
gather around the big stove in the OF.
flee of the Grand Central hotel. Near
ly every town. you know. has a Grand
Central hotel. and this was just an av-
erage town. So chilly was the wind
that even the newspaper editor stuck
by the stove instead OF going to the
depot. as usual. to see the evening train
from the city come In.
You'll miss some personal Items for
tor.
Not likely" the editor replied. This
old town has grown 80 dull of late that
scarcely anybody from the city stops
or here. and since the mail order
houses have been doing so much ad-
yertisinS IN these parts it's not neces-
sary for anybody to run up to the city.
They can just stick d postage stamp
on an envelope and order what they
want or what they think they want.
though they don't always want the
goods after they zee them"
Have 10 take EN-, though" com
mentcl the hotel clerk
''Of course, since they're already
paid for. It's like the way we used To
trade pocketknlycs. 'unsight unseen.
you know. when we We're boys. But
l prefer to see what l buy before
hand
whats that you say about these
mail order houses advertising;" asked
the dry goods merchant. Il haven't
seen any OF their ads. In your paper"
NO. but II you would keep your eyes
peeled. as a man In your line OF busl
ness ought to. you'd find out that these
big city houses are simply flooding the
country with price catalogues an inch
thick and as Ion: AS the unabridged
dictionary: also they're advertising
In all sorts of cheap skate weekly and
monthly periodicals called mail or'er
papers which circulate for about
ullle VI N a. sSAi. huss phaAss
their prices-don't forget 'that-and It's
easy TO order"
The dry goods man looked little
uneasy.
"Ycs." continued the editor, the mail
order people print their prices right
there. with the descriptions of the
goods. Did you ever take enough
space in my paper to print the price Of
yard OF dress goods or u suit Of
clothes or anything of that sOrt:''
well. l keep standing ad. In your
paper all the year around"
"Yes. that's true. but what does your
ad. say: Just this: Jones \ ThOmp-
son. dealers In dry goods. clothing.
bats, caps. boots. shoes. ETC. Now.
what do you expect? Doesn't every
body know that you're Il dealer In
those things: They can read that
much OH your store sign. Nearly ev-
cry family In this town and neighbor-
hood takes my paper. II you wOuid
print some OF your prices special bar
gains now and then. for instance-I
rather think you would get quite
few OF these orders which now go out
by mall
The dry goods man sat thoughtfully
for few minutes. Finally he turned
to the editor.
How much space does our ad. take
up In your paper nowT'
1.-TWO inches. single column"
"Weii, begin this week and make It
half a column double. Wen print
prices to beat the band. We've got
goods down In our store that are right
up to date. and our prices are not 80
much different from the mail order
prices as to make 1t worth a mans
while to walk past our store and
patronixe the postofilce. On some
things we are lower than the mail or
der houses, and the goods are right
here for inspection. I've been think
ing this matter over lately myself. and
hereafter Jones 4 Thompson are go
ing to do some advertising Of the right
sort. had talk with Bob Rhodes
about this, and he gave me some
IDEAS"
Poor old Bob said the doctor.
.Why. he's been making this town ~
grocery drummer for ten years, but
he told me last month that he had to
cut us out because no many, folks pat
ronlxed tie mail order houses that be
couldn't sell enough goods here to
make 1t profitable to stop on. He said
the farmers even bought their matches
by mall"
|, Just then. the door opened. and the
veteran Bob Rhodes stnlkesl In carry
ing suit case.
why. Rob, we thought you'd given
~ the shake" said the editor.
"weli. boys" replied the old drum
mer, II just had to como around once
more to say hello. but this will have
to be the last trip"