The Washington herald., 1907-04-21
BY FREDERIC ]. HAsKIN.

The ability of the American business
man 20 keep up with the procession and
quickly accommodate himself 10 changed
conditions has had much 10 do with the
development Of the resources of the coun-
try and has placed the United States at
the head of the nations in everyday busi-
ness. Tie Delaware and Hudson Com
pany has had an interesting history. and
its story is illustrative Of this prime quail
ty Of American business methods. Char
tered in 1893 for the purpose Of construct
ing a canal TO connect the Delaware and
Huson, II soon discovered that there was
business which could not be attracted by
the canal, and therefore, built a gravity
railroad to feed It's waterway with traffic.
It soon oe5an 10 use steamboats, in con-
nectiou with its business. Then came the
steam railway, and the Delaware and
Hudson built and acquired steam rail-
roads Now il owns and operates interur-
ban electric lines between Schenectady
and Albany. and between Albany and
Troy. as well as a portion of the street
railways IN those towns. II plies boats
on Lakes George and Champlain. And
its officers promise that if airships shall
be made practicable, the Delaware and
Hudson Will be in the business.
The gases from copper smeiters are ia
tai 10 vegetation, and under the old meth
cd of baking the ore In great pile or
kilns, the trees were killed for many
miles around. TO carry these fumes and
gases 50 high that they will be dissipated
In the atmosphere without doing injury
TO the forests and other vegetation. the
Boston and Montana Consolidated Cop
per and Silver Mining Company has
given a contract 10 New York company
10 build the tallest chimney In the world
for its smelter at Great Falls, Mont.
Only two structures on earth are taller
than this chimney viii be-the Eiffel
Tower. in Paris. and the Washington
Monument in the National Capital.
The chimney will be sos feet high. but if
this does not give a sufficient draft 10
meet requirements, it IS so designed that
another 90 feet may be added. II this is
done, the chimney viii be 10 feet inches
higher than the Washington Monument.
The site Of the giant smokestack is 1856
its exposed location IL is designed 10 with
stand a gale blowing at the rate of l25
miles All hour. It will have an inside ii
ameter Of fifty feet az the base, and It
will require one year 20 finish the struc-
ture. the tubular brick for which Will be
made at the site Of the chimney. The
yaliest chimney now in existence is al
Freiburg, Germany. and is 460 feet high
To meet the peculiar requirements Of
the salt market in New England the
Worcester Salt Works. at Silver Springs.
y 7. recently sent over the Boston
and Maine Railroad the largest single
shipment Of any commodity In the history
o. the world 1t consisted Of 100oo,00
pounds Of salt. The train was run in four
sections. two Of which had two locomo-
tives TO haul them. The length Of the
train was two and One-half miles, and il
vas made Up OF 2S5 freight cars The ship
ment was received by the Boston and
Maine. at Troy. y. y. and taken 70 Aver,
Mass, where the train branehed out 10
its several destinations.
A small retail tobacco dealer was up
against it" in a fight with a richer and
to crush his rival and al the same time
win new customers by the bargain-day
method. He filed his window with boxes
q cigars marked to sell for 70 cents a box,
they had cost him 20 cents. The
small dealer had paid a higher price for
the same brand and was selling them at
the regular price Of 500 a box. He saw
the scent sign. gathered a few of his
good customers. and sent them up 10 his
big rivals store with money to buy the
best trade away from IT, The 55-centers
After he had a pretty good stock Of the
other mans goods he cut the price 70 o.
cents. The large dealer was confident that
the little fellow was comm tting suicide,
but he changed the 75-ce' sign 10 read
s. cents. The little fellow sent more OF
his customers and got more cigars. The
big dealer rubbed his hands and thought
he was certainly getting the other stores
best trade away from it. The 65-centers
went well for a while. and then. horrible
rumOr, the big dealer heard that the little
fellow had cut the price to 50 cents, He
and found that his own
cigars were in the small dealers win
dow, that the small dealer was losing
dow: that the small dealer was losing
40, The small dealer is still in the cigar
business in that town. and there are no
5argain-day attractions sold under cost
at either store.
The customer who will demand the
most thorough investigation in the store
IN his own town. and Yet who is willing
10 buy. sight unseen. from mail-order
house is not unknown to the retail mer-
'hants Of The smaller American cities and
towns. a vehicle dealer in an Indiana
own was attempting 10 sell a So buggy
10 a customer. There was an hours talk
,ver ii. and then the prospective Gus
omer pulled out a page OF q catalogue |
and said he believed he would send for a |
49, A. buggy. pictured therein. The dealer |
that his $50 buggy was worth !
more than the difference In price; that |
he freight on the mail-order buggy |
would be 81 or S. but to no avail Finally |
he merchant said: Well. to tell you the |
ruth, l have a buggy upstairs exactly |
Ike the one pictured in the catalogue, |
md / will let you have it for S49.27, thus |
aving you the freight An right" re- 1
ponded the delighted customer; Tets go !
ID and see it,. Not on your life re- |
llied the dealer. THAT buggy We sell |
sight unseen, just Ike the mail-order /
louse sells it. We can't show d buggy at |
hat price" The customer thought a /
While, then bought the So buggy.
The rural free delivery mail service is /
ust about ten years old, and it is only /
within the last five years that it has /
pread to the extent that it practically /
Includes the entire rural portion of the /
ouutry where there is enough population /
nd enough passabIe roads TO make it /