The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1920-02-21

newspaper men, all OI WHO'LL SuoW u0oP
strong and so steady that it seems i'm
nossible for it to drop below $4,000 an
issue. no matter how dull the edition
or the times. Although there has been
mn big news, nothing out of the ordin-
arv. each and every issue of the New
Year has embraced $4,000 copies. If
anv really "big stuff" should break,
the demand would shoot the editions
ND to $4,000 or even 10000 copies. The
first issue in February, year ago, re-
mired 10000 copies to meet the de-
mand. That number was, Of course, an
especially strong one.
II is remarkable, the way the Rip
saw attracts attention and secures sub
scribers all over the United States. Inc
snhscription list bears names in states
from the Atlantic to the Pacific and
from Hudson's Bay to Mexico. One Du-
luth woman sends the paper to friends
in South Africa. Havana, Cuba, the
coming oasis of North America, is rep
resented on the subscription list. AT
Christmas time, resident of Oakland,
California, RENTED a years subscrip-
ton for himself and another for an old
friend in New Jersey. Ontario, quebec,
and then Alberta are represented on
that great roll of honor, the subscrlp-
tion list. Texas. New Mexico, Colora-
do. Wyoming, Washington. and Oregon,
California and Nevada, have citizens
who are paid subscribers to the most
popular paper in Northern Minnesota.
NJ. S. Burrows, the man who wrote
history in big letters in the local cloth
inp business, now resides in Detroit,
Mich, where he serves the Income
Guaranty Company, as resident mana
Ger at 68 Erskine st. In a recent let
ter, he says:
"I met Harold Mitchell, formerly
managing editor of the Duluth News
Tribune. Yesterday. He now is on the
Detroit Free Press. In the course OF
our conversation, your name came up
among others of the Old Timers. He
Informed me that you still are running
a paper in Duluth and that you rec
emily had articles in which was men
toned. I was surprised to get that in
formation, for I assumed that you still
were in the mining business. Please
send me copies of the papers in which
I was mentioned.'
~ have been here for some time and
I am doing WELL Ny health is good and
I do not think I age much, although
nv hair is getting white. 1 am 65
wears of age, but I feel younger than
/ ever did in my life"
Horace H. Mitchell, at present en-
gagged in engineering work in Havana,
Cuba, refuses to miss a single copy of
the Rip-saw. In letter some time
ago. he said that if he got as big value
in all his expenditures as he did in re-
turn for his subscription to the Rip
saw, he soon could save half his salary.
John G.. Brown, a pioneer on the
Vermilion range and the local demo-
cratic boss during Cleveland's last ad-
ministration, is devoted reader OF the
Great Family Journal, at Oakland,
California. He has, several times, writ
ten a local friend how he enjoys it
and how he feels that it should be
appreciated and supported by all high
minded Duluthians., .
Some time since, in "Tales of Long
Ago. brief space was given to
story about the founding and then the
upward growth of the furniture bust
ness now conducted in the name of
French & Bassett. Mr.. Geo. A. French,
president and treasurer, was greatly
surprised, not only to have a compli-
mentary mention, freely and without
price, but to note that it was correct
as to facts. Had daily paper given the
First street emporium similar mention
in solid reading matter, surrounded by
reading matter, it would have cost the
firm something like $500 an inch.
Merely as a matter of local business
history, the Rip-saw printed its story
for nothing and did not even ask q
pat on the back. But the pat came
later, when Mr.. A. G Pearsons, secre-
tary of the French & Bassett Company,
ga West First Street mercantile con-
cern'', the daily papers would say
wrote the head-sawyer as follows,
viz:
at gives the writer great pleasure
TO say that he has been instructed by
Mr. French, president of the French
& Basset company, to extend to you
his heartiest thanks for the very cour-
teous and correct historical article in
recent issue of your paper, concern
ing the French & Bassett company. It
was quite unexpected and appreciat-
ed accordingly"
The Rip-saw management deeply ap-
preciates paid subscriptions. They are
an asset, where street and newsstand
sales quickly may become liabilities.
There also is proper margin Of prof
it in said yearly subscription. Mar
gin of profit is what enables the Great
Family Journal to exist. It is remark
able what strong, persistent stream
of paid subscriptions, keeps running
into the Rip-saw office, without SOL
letting and without advertising, 9th
.er than the interesting matter in the
papers columns from issue to issue.
Honest and efficient subscription SOL
icitors are as scarce as hens teeth,
since the Big War started. Solicitors
now seem to be either Incompetent or
dishonest. Many cannot bring home the
bacon and most Of those who can, steal
1T all, leaving the Great Family Jour-
nal sadly in the hole. Voluntary sub
IL L LII