Putnam patriot., 1930-03-27

! L. GRIFFIN, Manager
 Montgomery Ward & Co.'s Store the quickest ways to accomplish this is to ill our store with an atmosphere of friendliness.
 This policy of employing local help is a part of Montgomery Ward & Co.'S. policy to assist in and pro- mote the prosperity and general well fare of every town" said Mir. Griffin.
 Believe in Advertising
 We're firm believers in the motto Advertising Pays, says Manager Griffin. We certainly intend to ad- vertise locally because only in this way We can keep the public and our customers constantly informed of the values and money-saving opportun- ities in our store"
 MT. Griffin pointed out that the principle of advertising has been di- rectly responsible for the success of Montgomery Ward & Go. The fa- nous Ward catalogue is an outstand- ing example of highly developed branch of advertising. Previous to Wards entry into the retail store field of course, the company's main meth cd of selling its merchandise was through the catalogue. Pictures. photo graphs, and written description had to substitute for display of the act ual merchandise, which can now be inspected in the stores.
 Our policy, now that the company has entered the retail store field. is to advertise mainly through the me dium of newspaper columns. We have made very careful tests and have de- termined that newspaper advertising as a whole really does pay"
 IL is very gratifying to be able to place our advertising in news paper of such high character, with circulation covering the trade terri tory so competely.
 The advertising which we will run in The Patriot will not only consist of regular and special merchandise features, but will also supplement the advertisements which appear in the National magazines, stated MT. Griffin.
 Romance in Wards History
 Romance surrounds the history of the beginning of the first great mail order house, Montgomery Ward X Company, whose new retail store opens here Saturday.
 This tremendous business institu- tion began modestly fifty-eight years ago and has grown until today 1t is one of the giants of the business world The expression of this con- cern rivals fiction both in drama and interest
 When in 1869 this country was celebrating the completion of the first transcontinental railroad. there was one man who had the vision to forsee great merchandising opportunity. His idea was to sell goods by mail. at that time an entirely new and untried merchandising scheme. This man was Montgomery Ward
 Started Career Young
 Montgomery Ward began his career as a shoe-maker's apprentice in Niles, Michigan. helping to support a large and none too wealthy family. But at twenty his desire for greater things caused him to move to St. Joseph, Michigan. where he clerked in gen eral store for $5 month and board.
 Within three years this remarkable young man had worked his way up to where he was given complete charge of the store.
 Still Montgomery Ward was not satisfied. and so he came to Chicago, accepting jo0 as travelling salesman. Travelling in those early days was mainly by stagecoach, and salesman led very rugged life. But 1t was here that Mir. Ward gained the inti- mate knowledge or rural conditions that was to be so valuable to him in after life. He learned the farmers way of living, their likes and dislikes. Mir. Ward saw that the farmer wrested a hard living from the soil. and that buying goods was matter of great inconvenience and little satisfaction.
 Idea Was New
 In partnership with his close friend, George R Thorne. Montgomery Ward gathered together a small stock of merchandise with which to launch his bold new scheme.
 But tragedy was in store for the two partners, for just as they were ready to start business, Widow o. I,eary's COW kicked over lighted lantern in a barn. The whole city of Chicago soon was roaring fur mace of flame and people were hurry | ing to safety in the country, leaving their homes and all their belongings to be consumed by the fire.
 Lost Nearly Everything
 Practically everything Mir. Ward owned was lost and he was left with | only s65 in his pocket. A less strong man would have been discouraged. but by the next year Mir. Ward and Mir. Thorne had managed to get to- gether s2,400 and together they be- gan the worlds first mail order busi- ness in I2 IA 1t. room in build I ing at s25 N Clark street. Chicago.
 And here was born the worlds first l mail-order catalogue. It was only a !