The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-31
business.

business.
Nearly twenty years ago Billy
Anderson cut his kite loose in the
wholeale ky under the firm name of
Cope Sc Anderson.
81 had just $125 of my own money"
said Mr.. Anderson today, '.and Mr..
Cope had a wagon, probably worth
$125. We borrowed a horse from
Mr.. Bateman east of town, we bought
harness for $12 and began business
at 921 Kansas avenue
From this place the firm shifted
stands, first to Tenth and Kansas
avenue, then to the Keith building,
three years at S31 on the avenue,
when S. E. Lux formed partnership
with Anderson, then alone, the move
was made to 210 Kansas avenue.
When later Mr.. Anderson sold his in
terest in the establishment to Mr.. Lux
he went with Mr.. T. E. Armstrong in
the building just vacated at 2O6, the
avenue. A year ago the last day OF
January. Anderson became sole owner
when Mr.. Armstrong sold out his in
terest to his partner.
Every Monday morning, along back
in 1923, a rudy young chap might
have been seen to swing onto the ca
boose end of the rackety, clacl1ety lit
tie snake of a combination called
through courtesy, the Missouri Pacific
accommodation, which wriggled it's
way through the sloughs and swampS
to Overlook and on to Fort Scott.
That fellow was Anderson. He
bought the overflow produce in Over
brook, brought it to Topeka, sold it
to the people who were too busy to
go over to Overlook for their butter
and eggs.
I'm the summertime said Ander-
son, I'VE got our strawberries, black
berries and other fruits by local ship
ments from Lecompton and Lawrence
and small towns around Topeka. we
bought all our oranges, bananas and
such fruits in Kansas City. paid SO
cents per hundred pounds expressage
from Kansas City over here. Straw
berries came from Arkansas to Kan
sas City at 81 expressage per hundred
pounds, then another SO cents was
tackled on for the ride from Kansas
City over to Topeka"
Previous to the season of 1898 An
derson, like all other dealers paid the
$3.50 and kept right on smiling. That
year when everybody in pantaloons
wanted to fight everybody with black
whiskers or garlic in their hair, when
the Spaniards blew up the Maine,
Billy Anderson declared war on the
Kansas City brokerage mems berry
rates, with consent from congress.
That year he copied the name of
the grower from the boxes he received
and the following season wrote direct
to the mountaineers, shipped his Der
RES direct TO Topeka anu tliun saw "
an extra 25-cent rate and the Kansas
City merchants profits.
The following year, 1900, Anderson
shipped the first carload of strawber-
ries ever received in Topeka: And
Anderson sold the fruit. regardless OF
the fright and criticism
When Cope & Anderson began bust
ness, sales of 500 a day were great;
today w. O. WIS sales range from
$1,000 to $4,000. This difference de-
mands the new home.
In the new building, air circulation
and convenience for handling produce
are the main advantages.
zone man will be able to do the
work of three in loading produce .
explained Mr. Anderson. 1.-THE rooms
are airy for the fruit and the Offices
are so arranged that every man and
employee in the building will be in
close communication with the clerical
department"
So take the first opportunity to visit
Anderson in his new business home.
| They packed bag and baggage and
moved from the old stand to the new
Monday morning and arc ready to
transact business better. quicker and
more communicative