San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-26
j. II. CARTER, OF MOUND CITY.

]. II. Carter has two addresses and
two stores-one at Mound City and
the other at Craig. in Missouri. To-
gether these towns have 27J0 inhabir-
ants. Yet in 1922 ]. III. Carter drew
forth from these 2750 inhabitants a
lump sum equal to seventy-odd dollats
for each man, woman, child and I'M
FAINT roundabout. And this year be
hopes TO make per-capital sales of one
hundred dollars. OF course this is a
loose way of putting it. for his trade
is drawn largely from surrounding
territory; but nevertheless the "smaiI
town" opportunity is thus revealed.
Mr.. Carter, who has seen more yes
terdays, perhaps, than he will see to-
morrows, has woven his Romance
within a comparatively short space
of time - 1910. The pendulum of his
life's career swung slowly from agri-
culture to merchandising, then back
to agriculture-and once more TO mer-
chandising, where it has remained
steadfast.
Starting at the beginning of his
story, Mr.. Carter thus enumerates
chronologically his varied grown-up ac-
tivities:
WIS HdEIleu Nutu Il NdS -
years DID," he says, "at which time
my parents gave me a small farm aud
virtually forced me 10 live on it-al-
though from childhood had a great
desire to become a merchant. ..
As farmer | was practically fall
ure' :,
He relates his narrative with 4
most refreshing frankness; indeed 10
something Of q humorist.
Accordingly some time later ] sold
my farm interest" he says, "aiid bulls
large brick store building in Hat
field. No., small inland town." I'm.
Gle Sans latest count. by the way
credits Hatfield with 90 souls. This
store l stocl1ed with merchandise" he
goes on. land made even a worse faii-
ure of business than l had Of the
farm"
However, he seems TO have the facul.
~ of getting out from under success
fully.
I'm 1906" he adds. 81 traded the
Hatfield store for another farm-near
Mountayr, Iowa"
And then the Goddess Of Luck
beamed down on ]. H. Carter. In spite
of himself-and paradoxically to his
regret-he found himself making
money in this new agricultural ven
ture.
But for all that, l still had that
great desire to become a successful
merchant" he says. so in 1910
traded the Iowa farm for 4 store in
Mound City. NO."
Thus he found himself in trade once
more. with n stock valued Mt $4,000
and a mighty resolve 10 make ii 20.
This stock he turned three times be-
fore the candle on his first anniver-
sary cake cast its flutter about the
Mound City quarters. And now listen;
Last year the Carter sales were near
ly 100000. and his mark for 1923 as
500 .0O0-in the two stores he now
operates with his sons.
Il attribute our success to our sys-
ten of advertising-I have never seen
anything like it. We advertise regu-
larly and persistently,. using cuts fer
practically every item, making our ads
look as nearly like those Of the NALL
order houses as we can. We featured
some item in each advertisement at a.
low price-something farmers viii
drive many miles to buy"
And here perhaps is the best part
of this little human Romance Of Mis-
souri,: as
"The fondest hopes Of my boyhoed,
days have been reached" says ]. IL.
Carter.
In other words. he has done the sort
of work he wanted to do. has attained,
financial independence. made himsele;
his own master and a power in his
community. and established his sons
in an enterprise which should co on
and on after he himself quits il. Truly.
these things can be done in America.
as readily as they ever could.