The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-06-28
MARKET DAY"
A TRADE GETTER
Town Merchants Offer Big Bar
gain Days TO Farmers,
GET THEM IN CROWDS.

but Make Up on General Trade.
All through the middle west an ex-
cellent plan has been devised by the
merchants of the smaller towns to
bring back to themselves the trade of
their former patrons who in these days
of the automobile. the rural delivery
and the catalogue advertisers have
been spending most Of their money in
the big cities.
They have revived the old fashioned
market day." with Improvements
that ct into the new conditions. It is
the outgrowth of many long discus
sions in commercial clubs, boards of
trade and business mems organiza
lions formed to unite merchants in an
effort TO build up the towns.
These organizations differ from those
Of early days, when the chief object
of their being was to devise ways TO
vote bonds as a bonus for boom col
lege or carriage factory or some other
Institutions. which usually collapsed
after the bonus had been spent They
are mutual business getting ass0cia.
lions. with paid secretary and strict
rules concerning advertising outside
the newspapers Sometimes they have
a blacklist annex to curb the dead.
beats of the community. e
Market day is frankly a trade win.
ner. It begins with a solicitation
among the merchants for special offer
lngs. each firm being limited to one
particular bargain. Then a page ad.
vertlsement is placed in the weekly
papers which circulate among the
farmers setting forth the various bar
gains given on the particular Satur
day selected A checkerboard display
tells what the firms will give. each
being supposed to make remarkably
low prices. For instance:
The restaurant patronlzed by the
farmers makes its full dinner. from
soup to pie, that day 20 cents instead
Of % cents.
A barber shop announces that It will
give a cigar Quality not stated free
with every shave.
A shoe store will give a bottle OF
shoe polish free with every pair OF
shoes sold.
A bakery gives seven loaves of bread
for % cents instead of six
A garage offers automobile oil at %
per cent discount.
The newspapers reduce the price Of
subscription for that day only.
When fifty or more firms offer such
opportunities there is certain to be a
good deal of talk out through the coun
try.
Guess wen have to go to town bar
gain day" declares the farmer, and he
plans accordingly. The younger gener-
alton is enthusiastic for another rea-
son--at A o'clock is to be a free bal
loon ascension. This has also been
paid for by the merchants as an added
attraction.
On the appointed Saturday the mer-
chants have everything in readiness.
No particular effort has been made to
inform the town folks. The adyertis-
ing has not been placed in the daily
newspapers-the day is for the farm
ers. But the townspeople have found
out, and early the thrifty housewife
hurries downtown to obtain two pack.
ages Of oatmeal for Is cents at one
store and a few yards of Bingham at
half price at another
The big event of the day is the public
auction. This is made a feature of
the advertising and is about the only
real touch of the old market day of
our forefathers Many farmers have
some articles which they wish to sell,
but not enough to have sale at the
farm. They are invited to bring these
TO town, and the business men furnish
the auctioneer. who will at 2 o'clock
hold public sale in the square. Clerks
are also furnished, and the owners of
the articles pay a small per cent on the
amount received. Hundreds of farmers
surround the heterogeneous collection
Of old rakes, plows, washstands, gaso-
zine stoves. buggies and few head of
stock. This is to many Of the farmers
the chief attraction of the day, and
through most Of the afternoon the
sales continue in good old public ven
due style. The townspeople look on
with wonder at the bidding, surprised
that anything could be secured in cash
for some of the articles offered. But
the cash is not much in some in
stances.
Going, going, gone-for 10 cents
cries the auctioneer over an antedAu-
Wan corn cultvator that was evidently
brought west In the seventies, and the
farmer who takes 1t home thinks he
has a bargain
For the younger generation is offered
the balloon ascension. This comes late
In the afternoon, and the excitement OF
helping hold the canvas hot air bag
while It is inflated attracts every boy
Of town and country.
Taking account Of the days work.
the merchants find that while they
have made no money on the special
bargains and have wrapped many
packages for which they received only
cost, they have along with these sold
vast amount of goods that gave