Image provided by: Friends of the Sandy Public Library; Sandy, OR
About Sandy post. (Sandy, Oregon) 1938-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 29, 1981)
Thur» , Jan 29 1981 (Sec 1) S A N D Y (O re ) P O S T —3 Book lists famous, anonymous heroes by BARBARA WATERHOUSE For The Post Stuff photo Sandy optometrist Robert Schouten is president and own-r of a Barter Systems Ine. Portland-area franchise, headquartered in Tigard. Local man works to revive bartering Remember trading as a child? Remember swaping marbles for baseball cards or comics for doll clothes? Or perhaps you remember grandma trading eggs for milk. Well, a Sandy man wants to bring back the age-old practice of bartering by polishing it to meet today’s business needs Sandy optometrist Robert Schouten *8 Barter Systems Inc., a Portland-area franchise of a national ex change, acts as modern-day clearing house for cashless transactions. For $300 annual mem bership fee and $50 initial set up fee, a business person can become a subscriber and participate in a broader Fire alarms down during last 2 weeks Alarms have been slow during the past two weeks at the Sandy Fire district and that seems to suit everyone just fine. “Chimney fires are looking really good.” according to Jim Gallagher, fire marshal. “It’s hit us kind of spotty. We haven’t had any major problems with it." During the two-week period the district did respond to three chimney fires, but none created more than minor damage That is significantly improved over lust year when the district responded to about 20 during the year And that figure was considered a major im provement over 1979 Gallagher credits a better awareness among the residents concerning the problems and dangers of unchecked woodstove in stallations and caked-up chimneys for the decrease in the number of woodburning- related incidents. market place where others with goods and services are willing to trade. Dr Schouten says it opens new doors for many business. Examples include a subscriber who wanted a special belt phone and found one in trade through the service. S c h o u te n , h im s e lf, markets special insignia glasses as far as South Carolina through the com puterized exchange service. A subscribing business barters its goods at fair market value (retail price) for trade credits that may be spent with any other member So far nearly 200 sub scribers have joined the year-old Portland franchise of Barter Systems. Dr. Schouten, one of the first local members, pur chased the Portland fran chise six months ago. Since then he has solicited a dozen new members in his hometown of Sandy. Local subscribers include a dentist, a departm ent store, a photographer, an accountant ami an auto repair shop. New members list their goods or services for trade through a national com puterized listing service. When another member desires this product, the exchange service links the two barterers. When goods are delivered, the exchange service credits the senders account with “ trade units" that correspond to cash. When a purchase is made, the exchange service acts as a bank and debits the recipient’s account. In fact, Barter Systems works much like a bank in providing control, record- keeping and administration for barter activities. It serves as a personal broker to buy and sell nationwide or even internationally. It provides subscribers with regular statements for tax purposes. As middle man to the t r a n s a c tio n s , B a r te r Systems earns a 10 percent fee for all transactions. That also is paid in trade units. Dr. Schouten sees the future for modern bartering as bright. “Inflationary times has helped this business. It doesn’t disturb a business' cash flow." Indeed, bartering seems to be growing in popularity. A Ixis Angeles-based barter club has 4,700 subscribers. In all, an estimated $250 billion in goods and services is traded each year by Americans. Dr. Schouten, says he can make that trading easier and more profitable. For instance, he recently located a 911 Porsche that a Portland-area tire shop owner wanted in trade for tires. Schouten said the deal can be consummated, just as soon as he finds a place to store all those tires. “Famous Americans You Never Knew Existed," by Bruce Felton and Mark Fowler, is a fascinating book full of cranks, quacks, fanatics, heroes and dreamers. Here is a book to read during commercials. There are short stories tand true) for every taste. One was General John Sedgwick. While supervising the emplacement of Union artillery during the battle of Spottsylvania, Sedgwick rebuked some men who were cowering to avoid enemy fire. “Come. Come," he said, “Why, they couldn’t hit an elephant at this dist...” In 1914, Mary Phelps Jacob (later known as Caresse Crosby) was a dazzling and unconventional debutante of 19 — the star of the New York social season like so many well-endowed young women, she yearned for freedom — freedom from the tight laces of her whalebone corset. While dressing for a swank dance, she committed an act of dainty rebellion. With the connivance of her French maid, she stitched together two lace handkerchiefs and a saucy pink ribbon creating a garment that was to play a major supporting role in the 20th century: the first modern brassiere. She disturbed the young men from Yale and Prince ton with her god-given shape, and soon her friends were begging her to sew bras for them. When a total stranger wrote to ask for a sample of her “contraption," enclosing a dollar, she realized the potential for her design and applied for a patent. After an unsuccessful attempt to produce and market the “ Backless Brassiere,” she sold her patent to the Warner Brothers Corset Company for $15,000 She was gypped Over the next two decades, Mary Jacobs bra earned Warner Brothers more than $20 million. CASHING CHECKS IS HASSLE Year-end Special! Saw w ith 36-in. 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Illegal use of utility investigated The city is investigating complaints that someone has been dumping sewage down manholes in Sandy streets and local officials are asking the public’s help to stop the activity If any resident witnesses another person dumping anything down city manholes, they are asked to notify the Sandy police and take down the license number of the vehicle. IF cashing a check Gives your patience a test Relax! We have something To give you a rest Our Check Guarantee Card is the same As 5 credit cards, fingerprints And your Grandmother s maiden name At the Independent Bank We know what you need That's why personal checks To $100, are guaranteed Stop by and apply For your card today And treat yourself to check cashing The quick and easy way! Tht iNdtptNdtNT B an U of SANdy 38561 Proctor Bl U W W K » ooo
