The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1914-12-29
HOW WE DIVIDED THE MONEY.

success. The fake" illustrations
caught the eye of the people and the
orders poured in with every mail. We
found out that whenever a customer
ordered one article there were always
number of others included with the
first And the orders were all cash,
of course. l don't remember in those
days that we ever had an inquiry for
credit. They seemed glad to get the
goods by paying the cash and they
seemed to get the money together in
come manner
We were busy. We moved away
from the city where the business was
started and now had big establish
ment in one of the biggest of the east
ern cities. Our tiny leaflet of a cata-
logue had increased to over fifty pages
and there seemed to be no limit to our
prosperity.
My work was now almost entirely
connected with the catalogue. | wrote
the descriptions, ordered the illustra-
tons made by the wood engravers,
superintendent the printing and mail
ing departments and was up to my
collar in work all of the time When
ever anything of Importance arose in
connection with the business I was al
ways called into conference with Y
and z and we settled any question
that arose.
One day / was called in and the
doors were shut and locked There
was something of Importance to be
discussed.
Look here, x, we are going to in
corporate this business" said Y with
a peculiar expression in his eyes. l
had seen this expression before and
l held myself on guard, in readiness
to be very careful of my speech and
astion as l knew I had need of eau
ton. 1t was like the hands up" of
a highwayman, that look was.
Yes, we are going to incorporate
and we are going to take you in as
one Of the incorporators," supple
mented T.
! held my peace. Here was some
thing worth listening to.
Seeing that | asked no questions
and was waiting for them to go ahead
they looked at each other until finally
said: I'VE are going to incorporate
for one hundred thousand dollars"
He continued to explain, with inter
polations by z and an occasional ques-
ton by myself until it came about
that they had decided to make me
present of one thousand dollars of the
capital stock.
Sounds generous, don't it? Well, it
didn't to me. We had always dis
cussed the possibility some day of
Incorporation and it had always been
held out to me that | was to have a
good slice of the capital stock. So
! took up the burden of the argument.
/ explained my viewpoint, recited the
various services | had rendered, the
departments | had introduced, the i'm
provenent in the business, ETC., for
all of which l claimed a good part of
the credit. 1t was due me, too be-
cause l had developed into the handy
man about the shop for doing all Of
the hard work.
We nearly had row over it.
was determined that if they did not
treat me with fairness, that | would
withdraw and l knew where | could
interest capital if necessary to start
another mail order business. In fact,
| had the capital myself, for by this
time ] was drawing salary of three
thousand a year, about $50 per week,
and / had saved a good share of my
salary. / told them so with all frank
ness.
1t resulted in their giving me $4,000
of the capital stock and an increase
in salary TO $4,000 year Y and q
took each $4,000, which took out $685.
600 of the stock. 1t was decided to
sell out the other $4,000 of stock at
par if they had a buyer for cash and
of this sum l was to have Is per cent.
The deal was put through and
found myself a comparatively rich
man. Later, when the capitalization
was increased to millions, | got my
share of the increased valuation SO
that | have made pretty well out OF
it, Of course in this matter | am Civ
ing fictitious figures. | will not give
any more details now because it would
be too easy for you to guess more, for
it is no part of my plan to tell you
too much about the interior workings
of our organization.
We have figured it all out many
times just what becomes of your dol
lar that you send in to US with an or
der.
About one-half of it goes for pay.
ment for the goods ordered. The rest
is divided into dimes and cents fol
the payment of postage, printing
maintenance of plant, insurance, Of
fee help, etc, and last and best of al
into dividends for the stockholders.
The families of Y and z are now
looked upon as merchant princes
They have their yachts, their automo
biles, their racing stables, their vari
Gus blishments. They take theil
annual tours in various parts of the
world and they live off the best the
world can supply And why?
Because you have sent your dollars
to the mail order house, establishe:
by their fathers many years ago
Each year you send more dollars ant
the wealth piles up in the banks.
All because of the clever wording
of our catalogue descriptions. All be
cause you will have the unreal instead
OF the genuine, because you will in
sist on dealing with the unknown in
stead of trading with YOUR own home