Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-23

cutting each others profits down to q
minimum and sometimes to a loss.
But there were virgin fields in those
days that had not been worked One
might go into a western town with a
new kind of goods to sell, and If they
were salable he would make a good
profit on them. l served an appren-
ticeship with a large soap manufacture
:ag concern and after having thorough
~ learned the business concluded to go
To some western state and build up a
trade In the goods with which l was
/ familiar. 1 settled in q town called
Farnsworth. the center Of a country
that was rapidly growing in popula-
| ton.
had been furnished with some
means for advertising and concluded
to attract attention by unique notices.
l remember the first one / issued l
considered very clever. 1t was, Every
patriot uses Gunter's soap, especially
on Birthington's wash day" / was
disappointed to find that the plain. IN
educated people Of that region did not
see the humor Of my ad.. for those who
mentioned it to me asked who Birth
ington was. After explaining to most
of the citizens OF the town that Birth
ington's wash day was a transposition
of Washlngton's birthday 1 concluded
to try something else.
One morning 1 noticed that I had q
rival in the soap business in the neigh
boring town of Millville. Not ouly had
rival in the business. but in clever
advertising. In Millville newspaper
l saw that E. B. Ketcham was selling
Southwick's soap. advertising it to
wash out freckles. leaving the skin
beautiful pink and white" / con-
sidered this ridiculous till a number
of the freckled boys and girls of the
town came into my store and asked If
had any Of that soap that would "get
away with freckles."
made my next effort more prac.
tical. l advertised Gunter's soap as
the "whitest wash" a housewife could
use. This produced an immediate eff
feet, for several women came into the
store and bought my soap to use in
embarrassing their cellars.
The next advertisement of Ketch
ans that I noticed was after a storm
and consequent carrying away OF 6
portion Of the turnpike between Farms
worth and Millville by the giving way
of a culvert Ketcham announced
that the washout had been effected b!
a cake of Southwick's soap having fall
en- out of the wagon of farmer wit
had Just bought it and was carrying
1t to Farnsworth to wash away tn
spots left by an application of the Gun
ter article.
The public didn't exactly understand
how a culvert could be washed on
with a cake of soap weighing only
few ounces. but the reference TO spot
left by my goods was a stroke o
genius on the part of Ketcham. 1t wa
not at that time even the proper thin
= to attack in an advertisement or othel
wise any individual goods. Indeed.
had cause for legal action agains
Ketcham for damages. So conclude
to drive over to MiIlvile and inforr
/ him that If he did it again l wcul
hale him into court l found his o.
fee in charge of a young woman. {
whom ! inquired when Mr. KetchaI
would be in. She asked me what
wished to see him for. and | told he
that was the agent for Gunter's soa
at Farnsworth and would like TO hav
a conference with him with n view I
settling upon a method by which b
and l could do business without inju
ing each other.
The young woman said that NJ
Ketcham was out most OF the time 81
;. licitinG orders for his soap and If il
stead OF waiting for him. which
might have to do for some time.
would say to her anything ! had I
communicate she would transmit 1t I
Mr. Ketcham.
VERY we'll" said: please cal! h
attention to the fact that when he az
vertises that Gunter's soap leave
spots. thus iniuring its sale. he lay
himself liable to a suit for damage
II There is no law against his adverti
n ing that Southwick's soap has PR
duced a washout or that II Is n whit
wash on the best soap in the markt
r so long as he doesn't cry down an
10 other article. Do you underestimate
I'll tell Mr. Ketcham."
"And say to him that If he will com
IN over To see me shall he happy to a
70 with him scale of prices by wh;c
we shall be governed. so that we won
be cutting each others throats."
IA wv h-a-tT'
pr 81 mean that we shall not he unde
10 selling each other. There's plenty {
room for both. but If we fight eac
other Wen both fail"
= I'll try to make him understand"
re The girl, though she appeared to
stupid. was rather pretty. AS | WI
about TO leave | concluded 70 pay h
m compliment, being a little facetio'
or as well. so | said:
81 wouldn't use Southwick's soap {
my face if ] were yOn."
in why nOt?" she asked
ar well. your complexion being perfe'
IL isn't necessary"
THAT won't wash" she repiie
~ dropping into slang Compliments a
N not in order in business"
Good morning! Tell Mr.. Ketcha
to come over and see me-"
But Mr. Ketcham did not come
h. see me. On the contrary, he coDtinu