two or three good salesmen can secure, and offtimes, a good fitter will succeed in pulling an installation through which was really only half sold by a poor salesman. Good fitters graduate into the better class of salesmen.

On page 154, Mr. Sloan makes the statement, "do not give anything away." I do not believe we all appreciate how strong this statement should be made. I had a very good illustration of this sometime ago in an experimental installation in a window. This installation was sold to a consumer for $45.00. Afterwards, when he found that the work was largely experimental, he protested that the company making the experiment should pay for same. The answer which successfully met this objection was to the effect that while this installation was experimental, it was desired to have the experiment prove successful and we wanted the strongest criticism possible on every part of the work, that if the installation was donated to him, he would hardly "look a gift horse in the mouth," and as a consequence, many, possibly unsatisfactory features which would not be acceptable to any other consumer, would be overlooked, inasmuch. as he would not feel justified in objecting. However, were he paying the price of a first-class window installation, he would insist upon value for his money, and would be in a position to protest if any detail did not work out satisfactorily. Needless to say, this successfully closed the argument.

In closing, I want to call attention to the second last paragraph in Mr. Sloan's paper, wherein I possibly differ somewhat from him. He says that the price of gas often hinders the sale of gas for industrial purposes. Within certain limits this is true. There is, however, a large element of salesmanship coming in here. With electric heating devices the costs are frequently equivalent to gas at $30.00 per 1,000 cu. ft., and rarely less than $10.00, and in the East we know that by far the largest sale of gas for illumination is with open flames. Many salesmen know that selling fixtures with open flame burners is a much more simple and easy proposition than selling fixtures with mantle burners. How many of them realize that when selling fixtures for open flames, considered on the basis of effective illumination, they are increasing the price to the consumer

from $1.00 gas with mantle burner to an equivalent of $5.00 per thousand. We must admit, therefore, that the price of gas is not as great a factor as salesmanship, and that frequently high priced gas affords a most excellent excuse for a poor salesman to justify his non-success. With carbon filament lamps and 15 cent per K. W. hour, electricity as used in many residences, gas with efficient mantle burners will afford equal illumination t $8.00 per thousand cubic feet. Surely this would show that the price of gas is not such a great factor, excepting as it may act as a boomerang on a poor salesman and generally weaken his cause.

It is absolutely necessary that "manager and solicitor work unceasingly and energetically and have the co-operation of every employee." The one biggest factor to my mind in bringing about this condition is through frequent meetings of all the employees of the company. Then these matters of policy can be brought up and fully discussed, with the result that each employee understands exactly what the management desires to do. The ideas of individuals will rarely coincide on any matter of policy, and as it is absolutely necessary that there should be co-operation, it should be along properly defined, well-drawn lines.

A. J. Goss, Mt. Clemens:

I have read Mr. Sloan's splendid paper with much interest and thoroughly approve of the methods which he advocates for obtaining new business in small cities; I admire his selection of, "Good Service," as the fundamental step in the securing of new business, for, without this important backing, expensive advertising, solicitors' salaries, etc, merely, "go begging." "Anything worth doing is worth doing well," and everything done well is good advertising. This applies to the gas business perhaps more than any other business. In fact I have found it the best and cheapest advertising a Gas Company can employ.

We need the co-operation of our old consumers, as well as that of our employees; this we can secure to a large degree by courteously extending to them the best of service and meeting them fairly in all matters regardless how small; greeting them with a pleasant smile when they enter the office, a hearty thank you when they pay their bills and by all means kind attention

over the phone. Never argue or attempt to convince a consumer of his supposed error over the telephone, it is far better to call on him in person, for we must always bear in mind that our best asset is a satisfied consumer.

I believe in newspaper advertising, in a small way and the employment of a live representative, for in a small town there is much missionary and educational work to be done.

A well kept office and attractive show-room with a full line of gas appliances connected up ready to demonstrate, is more essential in a small town or city than in a large one where hardware and department stores carry a line of gas appliances; on the other hand I do not believe in carrying too large an assortment of stoves, fixtures and glassware as it is oftimes confusing to the consumer and causes much waste of time, which means much in a small plant, and in the end is left for the salesman to decide, for as one lady asked after an hour's labor in selecting a few globes: "which would you prefer, these, or those, or these or them?"

I believe in making a reasonable profit on appliances and in selling high grade goods, something that our consumers will be proud of and call in their friends and neighbors to see, this is all free advertising that counts. We endeavor at all times to push the sale of cabinet ranges and with this in view, we carry no single oven stoves on the floor, we show our prospective customer the Cabinet Ranges first, explaining their convenience etc., if unable to make the sale we work down the line, and if absolutely necessary, into the basement where we keep our single oven and second hand stoves; we sell nothing smaller than eighteen inch ovens.

I have found it very good practice to have our representative call on our consumers after a new installation has been made and by engaging them in conversation ascertain the names of their friends who have called to see the appliances, in so doing he often finds good prospects and future orders.

We have never tried making the consumers come to the office to pay their bills; this looks like a very good system in one sense but one which might cause a great deal of trouble and dissatisfaction to state. The plan of holding demonstrations in

the office on last discount days is a good one; in connection with this we have met with great success in giving out-door demonstrations especially, in outlying districts or along new main extensions. Our plan is to string up a few arc lamps, two or three house fixtures, and several stoves, and proceed to bake and serve muffins and sometimes coffee, our representative having previously called on all ladies in the vicinity and invited them to partake of the products of gas baking.

In these days of electric competition we have found a combination range and housepiping proposition very affective. This we figure down very close in order to secure the complete installation, allowing the profits on the stove to help out on the house lighting. This makes the cost of the latter so small that if at all interested the order is comparatively easy to land.

For store lighting we are pushing the inverted arc lamps, both three and five burner. We are installing these on terms of seventy-five cents per month, fifty cents to apply on purchase price and twenty-five cents on maintenance. We also maintain. single burner lamps in the business district. We find this necessary to compete with the tungsten lamps.

Clark R. Graves, Atlantic City:

In reading over Mr. Sloan's paper, I think he has treated the proposition of new business for a small plant very broadly and completely. He has laid out a plan to work and if his plan. is worked, a large or small plant could not help showing gratifying results in increased consumption and at the same time enjoy a profitable self-supporting New Business Department.

I believe the small plant should work to have the good will of the public. This is valuabe to any company and easier to obtain in the small town than in the large. It is the most valuable business getter the small plant has. If you have the good will of the public it means co-operation of the butcher, the baker, preacher and housewife, but to secure this public sentiment requires an abundance of advertising. Whenever we say good morning, or shake hands, or say a cheering word it is advertising, and much more effective in the small town if properly applied.

If the housewife in a small town thinks well of her gas range and the gas company, she is sure to tell her neighbors and all the neighbors at the next sewing circle will either talk well of their gas ranges or the reverse, and, if it is the latter, look out for the big stick!

In the small town the manager and his associate employes may learn their customers by name, become personally acquainted and prize them as personal friends, and personal friends of the gas company are certainly valuable assets. The manager being in constant touch with the consumer knows his complaints, and if they are just complaints, they can be rectified, if unjust, he at least has an opportunity to try to adjust them.

I agree with Mr. Sloan that a great deal of newspaper advertising does not pay but I contend that advertising of the right kind and lots of it from every source available is very important to the small plant to secure public sentiment and good will in general. You are working to get the public to talk about your company, your goods and methods. You desire to create enthusiasm and acquaint them with the new ideas in lighting and cooking. You want to make every living soul, rich or poor, weak or strong, a booster for your company, but to do so you must get to them. Make advertising your medium. It may

be only a kind word to the mother or a smile at the baby, but if said right and done right, at the right time, it is good advertising.

Aside then, from newspaper advertising, you must plan an advertising campaign. Have prize baking contests to get the housewife interested. A free gas range for a prize often makes the company a good advertisement. Be continuously scheming and working to be in and mixing with church and social societies. Make your office a meeting place for everybody-hang out the welcome sign.

If there is anything doing to promote the town's interest, the local societies or any individual, let the gas company be first to be up and doing, for they will get you anyway, first or last, so why not be first?

There are many good suggestions as to ways of advertising for the small town, such as home souvenirs, novelties and liter