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Out and Home.—By "The Extractor."

13th February 1913
Page 15
Page 15, 13th February 1913 — Out and Home.—By "The Extractor."
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We Shall Have Some More Sketches. Catching the Eye ol the Useless.

Dear Mr. Extractor. — Some long time ago there appeared on the " Out and Home" page a series of pen and ink drawings of well-known trade celebrities. Since then the industry has gone ahead. A few of the pioneers, alas, are no longer with us. We have had an influx of young blood into the commercial-motor world. Men who, some year or so ago, were unheard of, are now in We limelight. Doesn't it seem as if you could usefully run another series of similar drawings? I have found that this sociable side of the paper is often a very pleasant help in time of business trouble. You come to a standstill talking about the advantages of your own particular chassis. You get a man going again by discussing things and persons. with him and then like as not the order is clinched. Let us have more sketches then. My native modesty restrains me from suggesting any fresh subjects for you, and I leave you to speculate as to my own personality.-Yours, etc., " MANUFACTURER."

If my mysterious friend " Manufacturer" will be a little patient, he will find the series of personal sketches resumed on this page in very little while. I indicated this course, I think, in the first number of this year when fresh plans and resolves crowd into one's brain. Many such simmer and continue to simmer therein, and come to naught, but in this instance the plot is surely developing, and at the Manchester Show I hope to find opportunities of acquiring some interesting particulars concerning the men of "light, and leading" in our business and mayhap some sketches.' So "Manufacturer," who has borne so kindly in mind the previous efforts, will probably stand revealed.

The St. Helens prophecies, which will, I understand, be issued weekly in connection with their business announcements, will be doubtless read with increasing interest. This concern is certainly striking a novel form of gaining publicity. . One hears good accounts of their band tires, and I understand a new London representative, in the person of Mr. Edward J. Lecot, stationed at the company's depot at 174, King's Cross Road, will be making the acquaintance of the principal Southern users as speedily as possible. Ample stocks will be kept at the London establishment, with a press and all such facilities.

The repair department of the Dundee Motor Lorry Co., Ltd., was, purely from its own point of view, disappointed with the five-ton Berna. The foreman said it was a "childish overhaul," and this atter 15 months of running and a mileage totalling 11,000. Mr. -W. Raikes the managing director, has had extensive experience with various makes, and is surprised at the condition of the various bearings, etc.

Dear Extractor,It is not often —Heaven only knows—that I am in complete accord with you, at any rate, so far as your own someovnat nefarious business is concerned. As you know, I am a struggling business man, who has managed, after several years of hard toiling, to build up a promising but mot a wealthy business. The Manchester Show is now on us. and a little wore money must be invested in order to bring our wares more fully before the people to whom we desire to sell our goods.

Now, why, "Extractor," should I be forced, because one or two others do it, to spend hard cash in an expensive advertisement mith the Manchester—we will say Wad? They claim a circulation of over 200,000. I reckon that not one per cent of these readers can possibly be a customer of mine. Very few of even this small percentage will read our advertisements, and he copies of the paper in which they appear are not filed for reference. Now, don't you think that you could press this point home with some of the bigger firms who do so much to encourage this business ?

You needn't call round to see me on receipt of this letter, because my extra cash is already almeated. But if you could persuade the more extravagant makers, why, then—. —Yours faithfully,

" NOT THE FIRST BALLOT."

it is odd that two anonymous epistles should reach me in the one week, and although these two letters are made to look different in every way, I have an inkling that the same brain has inspired the two. I suppose my at present unknown correspondent felt that he must write me or perish. Anyway he is on the right track. Local newspaper advertising is I should think somewhat akin to winking at someone in the dark. Is not his final paragraph somewhat superfluous? He gives me at any rate one more point of interest in visiting the Show this year. I suppose I shall accuse a lot of innocent people wrongfully, before I run him to earth.

The makers of U.B.A.S. steel have been known to us in these offices for more years than we care to recount. I have a reminder now from Mr. David Flather that his firm, W. T. Flather Ltd., is in the throes of a removal to entirely new works at Tinsley, near Sheffield. From what I can judge, the motor business is responsible for a tremendous increase in Flather's business, rendering necessary this removal to a larger sphere of action. The trade speaks well, or orders well, of IT.B.A.S.


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