The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-12-02
BEWARE OF FAKE SALES.

| Successful Farming, one OF the
leading agricultural papers Of the
country, sounds timely warning
against the fy-hy-night concerns that
infest Iowa cities and towns this
time OF year. There Is scarcely a
town but in which vacant store
rooms are rented by strangers. The
windows are covered with posters and
a big cloth sign is carried clear across
the building. The sign usually pro
claims that the stock Is being sold
/ by the receiver OF q bankrupt con-
Germ or by order of the court or that
the goods were bought ct few cents
on the dollar from the insurance com
1 pantes after a fire or a wreck.
In every case, the signs IN the win
dow. the big sign across the building,
the hand bills that are passed around
and the words of the statesmen are
intended to convey the idea that the
merchandise offered for sale is going
at a great bargain.
In nearly every case the whole
story is either lie frem beginning
to end or has just enough truth in 1t
to protect them from the law.
/ In most cases there is no such
bankrupt concern as the concern adj
vertised. Very often the name is a
/ fictitious one altogether. Usually the
people conducting the sale couldn't
show an order CT the court, authoriz-
ing It to save their dishonest lives.
As for fire sales and wreck sales
most of the goods sold in such sales
have never been near fire or water
since they were made and packed
away.
/ These people make honest people
think they are getting bargains, and
unload lot of tin spoons and brass
4 teweiry and cheap Watches and shoddy
clothing and poorly made shoes and
fake japanese ware and bum suit
cases and grips and all sorts of junk
OF every description at the price o.
arst class merchandise.
j Sometimes they run an auction with
i a lot Of stool pigeons and byibiders
to boost the price on honest people
who think they are getting fine orien-
tai rugs for song.
Sometimes they have a force of
trained statesmen who can size I'm a
customer and get out of him every
dollar he has.
Sometimes there has been a Are or
wreck or q failure and they get
just enough Of these stocks to lend
color to their statements. These
pieces are usually prominently dis
played in the window or IN the show
cases. But they are just there for
! SHOW Most of the stuff they really
sell Is Just iunH made to sell al
these fake sales to people who are
not informed on that subject
Most of these concerns talk loudly
. aoout their guarantees. But what good
Is their guarantee when you find your
9 raineoat won't shed water or Won,
cut glass Is Clipped OF not even GU,
grass at adjust plain pressed elas-
! or the Japanese tea set Ia the
cheapest kind of pottery? These fe,
lows seldom leave any address wher
n they go away. Even If you foune
ar them they are usually not respon
$ siole So what good is their guaran
ar tee?
IN The only guarantee that is an,
N good Is the one given by resnon
le slole concern that is permanently ii
ID business. They are in business t.
m stay They must be honest TIL,
same is true of your local dealer I
NJ one of our advertisers or your ,oca
re dealer makes you a guarantee VI,
n know he is Responsive and Won 49,