The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-07-22
Chil dren< Cry
 FOR FLETCHER'S c A s ORlA
MARVELLOUS GROWTH OF
 GREAT A. & P. TEA GO.
Now Has $50 Stores and Sup plies 75O,OO0 Separate
 Families
Communicated.)

With $50 stores growing at the rate of one store a week. and supplying today 750,000 separate families, or about 3,500,00O individuals, the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company is one of the mammoths of the twenti- eth century business world. Based on the principle of small profits and quick sales of only the best goods, this gigantic concern has grown in fifty years from one store to $50, and is today selling more of the high est quality groceries at the lowest prices to greater number of people than any other firm on earth.
 The following is a brief showing of the. enormous yearly trade of the company; 125,0O0,0 900 individual sales; 364,000,000 pounds of merchandise ship ped; 100.000,000 eggs sold; 3O,000, 900 pounds of butter sold; 5,0e0, 900 pounds of tea sold; 35,000.00O pounds of coffee sold: $50 stores; 5000 wagons, 5000 horses. 5000 employees.
 The central management of the huge business is a marvel of business sys- tenn. Every department really rep resents a little industry in itself. | The daily reports of each one of Inspected by a district manager and assistants assigned to that locality. There are seven head district manag- ers in all, each one responsible for the business of the stores in his dis trict- There are five district divisions --the Manhattan. district, the Eastern district, the Southern district, the Western and Southwestern districts. The exhaustive weekly reports of these district managers keep the cen tral offices in constant touch with the progress of every one of the $50 stores.
 By it's new patent process of blend ing and roasting and it's improved ma ,iv int1 ha f11S irc ir, it's new headquarters, 1t is enabled to produce a coffee that is acknowledged to be as near perfection as this great inventive age has as yet accomplish ed.
 The company is one of the largest spice dispensers in the world and it's milling plant ranks among the fore most.
 The business offices occupy the entire sixth floor on which over 150 clerks are busied in the various de- partments.
 The importance of the purchasing department becomes prominent when it is considered that it sells annually over 364 000, 900 pounds of merchandise or 182OOO tons. This department has at it's command the best products Of the largest packers, who are ever an- xious to sell carloads of merchandise at small profit and not infrequently I. for everything it buys. consequently getting the pick of the market at practically production prices.
 So perfect are the systems which govern the running of this great bus mess that the company can practical ly tell from day to day how every department is doing, from any of the $50 stores.
 On the top floor are two large din- ing rooms, one for the men, the other for the women employees of the of flee Every lunch time there is serv- ed a delicious repast free of charge.
 The unrivalled field of the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea company to undersell all others is a condition as nearly perfect as anything can be.
 The entire management of this gi- gantic chain of grocery stores is di- rected from the company'S new plant in Jersey City, N. J., at First Bay and Provost streets.
 This has only recently been com pleted at @ tremendous cost. The building is perfect example of the latest reinforced concrete type, oc- cupying an entire block, and is the only plant of its kind in the world. Not a stick of wood was used in its erection, which is a monument of architectural construction. Thousands of sprinklers are distributed through out the floors which automatically emit SlredInS Ol WdIST IL lIIc lCIPCId- ture of the floor rises to height that only fire can produce. This makes the building absolutely fireproof, plac- ing the insurance rate at the mini mum figure.
 The company also owns the adjoln- ing property, where it will add to it's plant making it twice it's present size The power house which sup plies all the electricity for lighting elevators and the running machinery. is situated opposite the plant, and is connected with it by an underground passageway This furnishes power at the lowest possible cost.
 Now, it is evident that no success full business can be carried on at a loss. To undersell successfully re- quires the adherence to rigid busi- ness principles and then demand profit. The profits can surely not be large on any one particular item, but the total investment must yield a percentage of profit. When that investment reaches up into the mill lions, even per cent is fortune. That is the open secret of the A. and P's underselling success. You can easily see that they can afford and do sell better goods for less money than any other concern. No individ- ual store can compete with them.
 Foley's Kidney Remedy will cure any case of kidney and bladder trou- ble not beyond the reach of amedi- cine. No medicine can do more FEB. Brill and Curtis Pharmacy s1 2 5