Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-06
JOINT HOME FOR
FACTORY HEADS
JONES' AIM
Stove Works President Would
Have All Manufacturers Of
fees in One Building.


for displays, is strongly urged by Sam
d. Jones, president of the Atlanta Stove
Works
Mr. Jones has always urged that At
lanta manufacturers should do more to
advertise their goods, and several years
ago, when president of the Chamber of
Commerce, he advocated such an ex-
position of Atlanta made goods as is
now drawing thousands of persons to
the Auditorium-Armo
The principal reasons for placing the
manufacturing interests of the city in
one building were outlined clearly In an
interview with Mr.. Jones. That the
plan is thoroughly practicable and that
nearly all of the manufacturers here
would cooperate in the movement, Mr..
Jones is positive.
Very few people realize IT," said Mr..
Jones but there are today 400 kinds
Of articles manufactured In Atlanta and
800 of them are of sufficient impor-
lance TO warrant sample rooms and the
employment of a sales manager. If we
had a semi centrally located building,
capable of holding 800 or 400 offices,
with an addition in the rear for sample
rooms large enough to carry full dis
play, the manufacturers could have
there the Offices Of their sales man
ayers. their bookkeeping department
and their general officer who looks aft
er the sales end OF the business.
Would Be Fine For Buyers.
I'VE would have In one building an
aggregation of men and interests pro-
duoing 10000, 900 worth of goods each
year.
The fact that the buyer could visit
all the various offices within a few
hours and see full lines displayed
would be such an attraction that he
could not afford to ignore the induce
ments offered.
"As a consequence, l believe that ten
times as many buyers would come TO
Atlanta in person three or four times
a year to make their purchases as at
present. Every sales manager knows
how much easier 1t is to carry on bust
ness with a merchant whom he knows
personally, and such q plan would de-
velop the personal acquaintance be-
tween buyer and seller that would build
up business, and 1t would give US a big
advantage over the foreign producer
When the Albany or Americas mer-
chant has in his Office drummers from
st. Louis, New York and Atlanta and
knows that in q days time he can run
up to this city and see all of the At
lanta concerns line of goods, he win
naturally give his largest orders to the
Atlanta man.
AT present the offices of the sales
managers Of our factories and also the
sample rooms and general offices are
located at the plant and the plant is
usually in the suburbs. A trip out there
takes the better part Of the morning or
afternoon and no buyer can personally
inspect the goods in sample rooms thus
scattered, in less than several DAYS. The
average merchant hasn't several days
to spare where he could easily spare
one day, and the result is he doesn't at
tempt to visit the sample rooms when
he comes to Atlanta.
Expense Wouldn't Be Heavy.
Taking our own case for an exam
Pile: We have some 1900 customers
on our books. and I am perfectly safe
in saying that not ten per cent of them
have ever been to our plant and sample
room, or ever seen a full line Of what
we carry. Whereas. If we could have
the manufacturers building, proposed,
In all probability in a year or two
more than half of these people would
have inspected every article we man
ufacture and have become personally
acquainted with our sales manager.
ITO have manufacturers change their
general offices to a new building would
not necessarily be any great expense to
them. At present nearly all of these
plants are in charge of two or three
officers one looking after the actual
manufacturing one the bookkeeping
and general office force and another the
sales department. The latter two could
be transferred TO this semi-central
building and the officer in charge of the
plant could remain as at present. The
only added expense to the new plan
would be the rent Of the offices and the
sample space.
I'm many cities the manufacturers
have already made such arrangements
to handle their goods. In as small a
city az Evansville. Ind. with 10000 in
habitants, a building was erected last
year, and now has grouped in it the
officers and managers and samples of
all the city's manufactures In Evans
vile buyers may inspect, purchase and
return to their homes Within a few