Baxter Springs news., 1918-09-06
NEOsHO "SALEsDAY' IS
A TRADE ST|MUANT
BAXTER MEN RECOMMEND
PLAN FOR THIS COM
MUNITY
WAS A Revelation
Merchants of Missouri Town
Say Business Increase Since
Institution of Special
Bargains and Auc-
tiOn Has Been
Enormous

line baxter springs DuSlneSs meh
can do nothing better than to get busy
right now and arrange for o big Sales
Day." This was the unanimous ver-
dict of Rev. John Garretson, Sec. c.
NJ. Sarchet, Of the Chamber Of Com
merce, Frank Perkins and S. W. Van
Dyne, who were in Neosho Monday
and witnessed the success Of Trades
Day" in that city, where it has been
the leading feature Of the community
life of a large part Of Southwest Mis-
souri, for several years.
Every space around the square at
Neosho was filed with buggies and
wagons; automobiles were parked at
the sidewalks numbering more than
500; every store in the town was do
ing a large volume Of business and
many Neosho merchants say they
have yet to attend the auction sale,
which Is feature Of the day, because
of business.
The monthly auction takes place
close to the main part of town. An
ampitheatre has been constructed
with runway in the center for
bringing goods and livestock through.
Stuff for sale is placed in a barn back
of where the auction is held and
brought forward as needed. II any
person has anything for sale 1t will be
sold. Everything is sold to the high
est bidder and once an article is bid
on it cannot be taken back because Of
the low price.
Good feeling prevails at all the
sales held and there is no chance for
private bids; no chance for person to
say they did not receive enough for
their stuff. The last bid is final and
the goods must change hands.
Every variety Of horses, cattle, pigs
sheep and household articles are sold
Everything from q needle to thresh-
ing machine is auctiOned of. Thor
oughbred cattle and horses are offered
under the hammer and always bring
q good price.
Merchants Offer Bargains
Another feature of Sales Day at
Neosho is the special bargains offered
by the merchants. One merchant said
| Monday he sold 100 carpet sweepers
within Is minutes at the August sale
The sweepers had been priced at 81
cents and an hour before the sale was
to open more than 200 persons were
in the store. Another merchant placed
a quantity Of cotton gloves on sale al
s cents q pair; this stock was cleaned
out in less than two hours. Still an
other merchant had several dozer
boys overalls on sale at q low prict
which were sold immediately. One od
the leading dry goods stores OF the
town sold 400 yards Of gingham a
the August sale in about six hours
Two men did nothing else but cut ant
wrap gingham. Many are the stories
told by NeoshO merchants Of the bene'
At they have received since the Salei
Day was instituted several years ago
II had been the custom, Neosht
merchants say, for farmers aroun'
the country to patrOnize the catalot
houses. This practice, they say, hai
been almost eliminated by the monthly
sales day. Farmers come to Neosh'
from as far as forty miles and find tn
local merchants can and do compet'
with the mail order houses. One hard
ware man cited an instance Monday
Ia farmer came In for an ak. The MAJ
said he had looked up the article In
mail order catalog and found that tn
home merchant was 66 cents cheapel
than the eatalog, proving that tn
home merchant will offer as good
bargain as can be obtained out o
town. There IL . better feeling be
tween the merchant and farmer tOdA!
lin that section q merchant said, thai
at any previous time. It was q
brought about because Of the speciail!
instituted Sales Day.
Bakeries Surprised
Members Of the Baxter Spring
marty were surprised at the amount o
business being done BY the Neoah
merchants. The party arrived rsthe
! Ilats but were IN time 70 attend IN
auction and 10 talk with some 'ot n
, merchants and business msn -ot u
t0Wa.