Putnam patriot., 1930-04-03
CROWD OF SHOPPERS SWARM
 PUTNAMS BUSINESS CENTER

Invariably the answer ~as the same: "Very attractive and credit to your city. to Montgomery Ward < Con- pany and to Mir. Seder."
 The Patriot representative decided 1 to begin at the bottom and work up" to get his own impression of Put nsm's newest retail merchandising in- stitution. To do this he descended to the sub-basement and stopped near the southwest corner and looked about.
 Here he found an Otis freight ele- vator, of latest type and containing 'fool-proof7 safety devices so that it IS practically impossible for anyone i to be injured. The elevator is for use in handling the large amount of merchandise received at the store each week. Goods are delivered through door on Canal street and lowered by l the elevator to the sub-basement, where they are unpaeked and distrib- ] uted to all parts of the store, or, if not immediately required on the counters. are stacked in the stock room nearby.
 The floor of the sub-basement is of master builders cement colored a | dull red shade. Everything was neat and clean although several carloads of merchandise had been received and unpacked in this room during the week.
 Putnam Boiler
 Over in the northwest corner is the boiler room. Here a large Putnam boiler, manufactured in this city, provides heat for the entire building. It has an instantaneous hot water heater attached, providing hot water at all times. Soft coal is burned. The boiler room is fire proof The large sliding door is so arranged that should a fire start the door would automatic ally close. confining the fire to the boiler room alone. This is accomplish ed by device similar in it's function ing to an automatic sprinkler. The door is kept open by cord arranged on pulleys. To one end Is attached small disk. This disk will melt at a certain degree of heat, release the cord, and the metal door automatic ally slides shut.
 On the west side there is a battery and tire room and battery-charging department where automobile batte- ries are recharged.
 The Easement
 Passing up a flight of stairs the basement. which spreads out over the entire space underneath the main building, is found to be floored simi- larly 10 the sub-basement, in master builders cement. One of the first things noted was two and one half gallon fire extinguisher hanging con veniently from the sidewall. It was learned that there are sixteen of these large extinguishers placed at convenient points throughout the store.
 This floor contains several depart
 ments. On the west side is a large dis play of ranges of all sorts, sizes and prices. There were also a number of electric washing machines grouped
 nearby. Over in the northwest cor
 ner is a section fitted up as a series
 of complete bath rooms. There are i three of these rooms done in imita- tion green tile, all fully equipped from tub to the least important of bath room fixtures.
 Extending eastward from this sec tion is a display of all sorts of home electrical devices: also paints, and hardware. Passing around the room to ? the east children's wagons, bicycles,
 velocipedes, tents and other merchant
 disc of like kind, are seen. Over on , the south side was more hardware, a
 large display of automobile tires and [ tubes. guns, rifles. camping outfits, etc. The center counters were stock ed with hundreds of small hardware , items and other like articles. The , basement contains many attractive articles, we'll arranged and easy Of in- [ spection. In hall just off the base . ment is a room for employees to leave their coats and wraps and wash and toilet room for men.
 Uniformly Dressed Climbing the stairs to the main floor or street floor one passed, on a landing of the broad stairway, num- Der of articles displayed, before : reaching the busy store proper. While no merchandise was being sold, Fri- ,, day. all of the departments were peopled with employees. IL was noted that the young ladies acting as clerks were uniformly dressed. They wore nile green smocks trimmed with gray. On the arm of each smock was a black
 circular background outlined in gold
 braid and bearing the store insignia 7 M. w, also embroidered in gold.
 At the extreme west of the main [ floor is the large shoe department. , Tn the south west corner is the radio
 department Extending the whole length along the south side is the mems, boys and youths clothing and furnishing departments, including . mems work clothes.
 The center counters and show cases are filled with items of ladies wear. hosiery. gloves, underwear, negligee garments and many similar articles. These counters were sur rounded by admiring women, who were examining quality and asking prices.
 Along the north side is a large de- partment containing many styles of fabrics. There the yard goods are displayed SO as to allow of easy in- spection On the east side are the toilet articles. ladies bags, clocks, handkerchiefs and many other varie- ties of merchandise appealing to wom en.
 Near the stairway to the basement