The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-03-24


was that he organized the first COM
munity market on this continent
Its capital stock was $1,000. The
stockholders We're the farmers and
city business men in about equal
proportions. The one slogan OF the
market was We buy for spot cash
anything that Is fit to eat, paying
the highest quotation of the day OF
sale"
From saltwater Braden went 10
Adrain, Mich, At the request OF the
Chamber of Commerce which guar
anteed his salary for one year. Ad.
rain is in Lenawee county, one Of the
best In Michigan, but the city was
being stunned By the farmers who
complained that It's 1900 population
could not begin TO consume all they
produced and they had 10 peddle
their surplus about at runous prices.
"RrIdsn rented an old brick build
ing and hung out the sign he had
made famous in Stillwater--"We buy
for spot cash anything that is fit to
the day Of sale"
Then he borrowed a flivver and
went visiting among the farmers.
Day after day he stopped AT farm
houses and told his plans. But the
farmers of Lenawee county We're
suspicious. They did not like Ad.
rian. They refused to take stock
in the new community market-they
were all from Missouri
Never losing his smile or his con.
fidence, Braden next tackled the Ad.
rian business men. you fellows viii
have to put up the money" he told
them The farmers don't like you
but If We can once get this thing
started. | know II will be a big sue.
cess"
Adrian business men subscribed
about $1,000 toward the markets cap.
ltal of 10000. with his money in the
bank. Braden went out to the farm
ers again. One by one, ne induced
growers to bring their stuff to the
market. There he personally graded
it, weighed or measured II and then
paid for il. But always before max
ing payment, he took Mr.. Farmer in.
to his office and showed him a big
blackboard with q lot OF figures
chalked on 1t.
"'Those are this mornings quota
tlons from Detroit and Toledo he ex
planned, 4 get them by telephone
the first thing each morning from
my agents in those cities Now you
know whether they are right or not
II you have any doubt, get today's
newspapers from those cities and
see for yourself. And notice this i'm.
portant fact: | am paying you i
few cents more than the highest
prices of the day. There is no fraud
about that either. | am doing It be.
cause | am going TO ship your stuff
to one Of those cities tonight and
my man there has already sold it at
a top price because he can guarantee
it. His customers know that any.
thing we send them will be all right:
that we stand behind every sale we
make. Now go home and tell your
neighbor that this community mar.
ket is treating you square and get
him to bring his stuff in. We want
it badly
I'm Il surprisingly short time most
OF the farmers OF Lenawee county
were hauling their produce TO the
new community market In the first
year OF its existence, on a capital
OF less than $4,000, il did a cash
business OF nearly 5000 900.
"Braden soon could not stand the
drain Of express charges on the stuff
he was shipping. He bought two 2.ton
motor trucks, painted them I'D in
brilliant colors, and every night one
of them started for Detroit. about
20 miles away, and the other for
Toledo, half as far. Through the dav
Braden stood on the platform OF the
market and bought everything that
was brought to him, usually being
cleaned up by noon. Then he tele.
phoned to his men in the cities what
and sold 1t, the hotels and restaurant,
being the biggest and best customers
and glad to pay top prices for stuff
they knew would arrive in prime con.
dition and be up 10 every specifica.
tion.
sales were made for cash only
which enabled Braden to pay the
same way. But Braden had had an.
other Idea He remembered the time
when tho farmers didn't like the
Adrain business men. So he stopped
paying In cash and instead gave
checks. On the face OF every check
no gave out was printed this legend.
This check payable In cash, with.
out discount, at any bank or store
In Adrian"
"By previous arrangement. ovcry
merchant was pledged TO cash those
cheeks without any solicitation TO buy
goods, But the result was the same.
farmer after selling his load OF
potatoes or wool or grain or hay
needed to do little shopping. He
feit rich than ever before for he
had just received a top price for
his stuff SO If he went into store
to cash his check, he usually bought
something he or his family needed
'lH one year the merchants OF
Adra's more than doubled the vol
pRe Of their retail trade, In the
saeand year of the Adrian Commun,