THE SUNDAY" OREGONIAN. PORTLAND. SEPTEMBER 2, 191?.
T&e Schwan Piano Co. Policy Quality Prices Proved Right
25 Lower Prices ZNo Interest FJP Proved Correct
Here are two of various types of letters concerning our victory over our opposition here. These letters will prove interesting to those
who have known and read all about our Piano Contest.
ENORMOUS BUSINESS DONE ANNUALLY AT
STOCKYARDS IN NORTH PORTLAND DISTRICT
Professor Fitts, of Oregon Agricultural College, Describes System of Handling Hog From Time of Arrival at
Destination Until 'Sale, With View of Giving Advantageous Information to Farmer. '
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HOW the Portland livestock market
helps the farmer market his hogs
is one of the main subjects treat
ed In the new Oregon Agricultural Col
lege Bulletin, "Marketing Hogs in Ore
gon," written by Professor E. B. Fitts.
the farm livestock man of the college
extension service. The bulletin was
written to give the Oregon hog pro
ducer an insight into the things that
happen to the hog on his way from the
grower's pen to the consumers' table,
and outlines the various organizations
that assist in the long journey. The
purpose of the bulletin is to enable the
farmer to follow the route and deter
mine which of the many methods of
marketing are most profitable under
all the circumstances. .
Oregon hogs. Professor Fitts finds,
are marketed largely through the
stockyards at North Portland, which
are typical in every. way of the yards
at Chicago, Kansas City, Omaha and
other large cities of the country. Sev
eral organizations and agencies operate
in the marketing, each distinct In func
tion and control.
Capacity Is Great.
The first is the Portland Union
Stockyards, owned, operated and man
aged by an incorporated company of
the same title. They cover many acres
and are provided with railway tracks,
unloading equipment and pens for hold
ing, feeding, watering, weighing and
reshipping the animals. The daily ca
pacity of the plant is 4000 cattle, 10,000
sheep, 15,000 hogs and 300 horses.
Ail stock arriving at the yards are
fed and watered soon after being un
loaded and located in the pens. This
work is done by stockyards employes
and requires no attention on the part
of the owner, although he or his com
mission man may give instructions as
to the amounts and kinds of feed, and
the time of feeding and watering. All
feed is supplied by the stockyards com
pany, from the sale of which it derives
a part of its income. Animals are fed
and watered before being offered for
eale and are given an opportunity fully
to satisfy their appetites or acquire
what is known as a "fill." In the case
of hogs, whole wheat is usually fed and
ordinarily a carload of hogs will eat
250 to 500 pounds. The shrinkage in
weight en route is often largely made
up by this "fill."
Stock Is Weighed.
All animals are weighed as soon as
possible after being sold. The weigh
ing is done in the presence of both
seller and buyer. The weighmaster.
who is an employe of the stockyards
company, is under bonds to do accurate
work, and the scales are tested each
month. The weight is automatically
recorded on the sales slips which are
made out in triplicate, one copy of
which goes to the buyer, one to the
seller and one left on file with the
stockyards company. Every scale ticket
must represent a bona fide sale and
must carry the name of the buyer, the
name of the seller, the number of ani
mals and the price at which sold.
From these sales slips a report is
made up each day, giving the volume
of business through the yards and the
prices received, which information is
given out daily to the press. Anyone
Interested can inspect these sales slips
at any time. A heavy penalty attaches
to the falsifying of these slips in any
particular. There are three scales and
three weighmasters in each yard, and
anyone dissatisfied with his weights
can appeal to another weigher.
C'aarsea and Fen Invariable.
A yardage fee of 5 cents a head for
eheep, 8 cents for hogs, with a maxi
mum of a car, and 25 cents for cat
tle is made for all animals sold through
the yards. If no sale is made before
the animals are removed from the
yards this fee is not collected. A charge
Is also made for feed eaten by stock
while in the yards. Stock Is usually
sold before 3 o'clock on the day of ar
rival, so the amount of feed used is
small. Insurance is carried on all stock
in the yards against fire, either direct
or indirect, for which a charge of 10
cents a car is made.
Sales at the stockyards are almost
Invariably made through commission
' men, although any person shipping
stock to the yards can make his own
sales if he so desires.
The speculator operates on the mar
ket buying hogs when prices are low
and holding for more favorable condi
tions. At the Portland yards the specu
lator deals largely in a class of hogs
more or less unfit for market, thin
hogs or under weight, for which the
butcher will pay only a low price. He
buys these at a price often in advance
of what the butcher can afford to pay
and gets them together In " sufficient
numbers to attract bids from men who
make a business of feeding hogs for
market.
The operations of the speculator In
live hogs may at times have a steady
ing effect on the market and so be of
benefit to the shipper.
A joint railroad agency, representing
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all lines entering Portland, telephone
and telegraph stations, a postoffice,- a
livestock loan company, a serum com
pany and a bank are maintained at the
yard for the convenience of its officers
and customers. .
The Stockyards Exchange is a volun
tary association of packers, buyers,
commission men. bankers and others
interested In a business way at the
yards. Its specified objects include the
following: To promote uniformity in
customs and usages at the yards; to
provide facilities for the orderly and
prompt conduct of business; to facili
tate the speedy adjustment of disputes
and generally to promote the welfare
of the Portland market.
The body is identified with the Na
tional Livestock Exchange, which in
cludes local exchanges at the various
markets over the country. It neither
buys nor sells livestock, but is regula
tive and protective in its functions. It
fixes commission charges and promul
gates rules and regulations for the
conduct of the business and the safe
guarding of interests concerned. A
heavy penalty attaches to a' violation
of its rules, and the offender may be
CONVENTION OF WASHINGTON STATE NEWSPAPER MEN IS
ONE WHICH IS LONG TO BE REMEMBERED AS WORTH WHILE
With Days Taken Up by Discussions of Business Sessions and Evenings and Periods Between Sessions by Social Events and Sight-Seeing Trip, Every
Moment of Editors Visit Is Pleasant, as Well as Profitable, in Marked Contrast With Similar Gatherings in Years Gone By.
MEMBERS
BY ADDISON BENNETT.
THE recent meeting of the Washing
ton State Press Association was
an event . long . to be remembered
by all ; who attended the . sessions of
the meeting, for it was in more ways
than one a ' record-breaking meeting,
and the treatment of the Chehalis peo
j)le who ijava Ions .been- known " sa
sfzsic? TyifeA ZZsec? Sjrz
suspended and prevented from doing
business on the yards.
When a car arrives and Is switched
to the unloading pen it is unloaded at
once, whether the hour be day or night.
Employes set the dock aprons and
gates and drive the hogs to the dock
pens. Other employes make note of the
number of the car, count the animals
and drive them to a pen in the yards,
where they are again counted, locked
in and held until their ownership is de
termined. If the car should happen to
contain dead or injured animals note is
made of this fact also.
The hogs are fed in troughs provided
for the purpose, whole wheat being the
grain used. The pens are provided
with clear, fresh, running water.
As soon as the hogs have rested and
eaten what they want, or made what is
called a "fill," they are ready for sale.
Bargaining may begin at once with the
various buyers, who look the hogs over
carefully, moving about among them,
observing each individual. If the car
contains animals of different classes
a price is agreed upon for each class.
Seldom is a car of mixed hogs sold for
a straight or uniform price.
When a sale is made the animals are
- ' umimifTTmn
. , -"---v. , irjj t
OF WASHINGTON STATE PRESS ASSOCIATION WHO ATTENDED CHEHALIS
among the most hospitable In the West,
was so fine as to make the meeting
an event of great pleasure as well as
profit to every member of the press
and every one of their friends who at
tended. . ,
It is not so many years ago .that
the Washington newspaper editors and
publishers looked, upon their fraternal
organization, as a good deal of, a joke.
Sshwan llano Co..
Ill Fourth 8t..
fortlend, Ore. '
I . "
pear. Sirs;.
. ' Our attanilon has feeenoa,lla& by yoo to en trs
tiole appearing in the Issue of June 17th, 1917, of the Be
York Tribune wherein Samuel Hopkins Adams mention the names,
of 8ohwan Piano Company relative !to your advertisement of
. eertaln "(376.00 grade 1917 modal piano." 111. Adaas has "
.so oonneatioa with the Portland Ad Club but is a epecial -writer
for the liew York Tribune, now engaged in' a survey '
f advertising conditions as they exist throughout the oous
ry.
. . - - Vha Portland Ad Club is not responsible for Ur.v
Adams' article, exoapt that Mr. Adams, when In Portland la
Hay. 1917, examined some of the files of our Batter Business
Bureau from whloh he evidently got some of the information
.eubeequantly Inserted in his artlole. Mr. Adams there men- '
ions that the Ad Club had purahaeed one .of your pianos and
that a test case would be made of the value claim made by ' ,
you. You will DOtloe that Ur. Adams' artlole la dated June
' 1st. The trial of the taet oaea mention by him wae oompleteS
June 15th, at whloh time the jury aoquitted you of the charge
ot untrue advertising, thus vindicating your oontaritlon as to
jralua as far as possible., -
Two days after the trial the Adams artlole
printed Jja the iew York Tribune and .did not contain a state
ment of your acquittal which we regret very much, especially
regretting any harm whloh is claimed by you to have been done
jdn the minds of those who have read kr, Adams' article with
out hearing of your subsequent oa.ulttal. '
e wish to mention the fact that etlhde your' trialT
you have been vary oourteous and fair toward; the Club in rel
easing It without solicitation from its liability on the plan
contract, -which we purchased for the purpose of testing your
value claims. - desire to take this method of expressing
our appreciation of your fairness and kindness In this r
peot. - . ""
. -B2TT3H
CTEHS
ine
EDITOKIAL .
The Schwan Piano Company gives to
Portland pianos at 25 per cent lower
prices and Eastern selling1 methods; one
price;- no Interest, and easiest of easy
terms; advocating what, progress has
done for pianos in 1916, and now 1917
models with all up-to-date improve
ments exposing- the sale of the old- un
improved and (you would soon find)
undesirable pianos.
The Schwan Piano Company gathered
together the most notable array of
pianos and player-pianos of this age
ever shown on the Pacific Coast and
took a stand for what progress has
done for pianos and player-pianos; fear
lessly pointed out the 60 per cent more
tone and efficiency of the 1916 and
now 1917 pianos, improvements that
were kept dark by competitors, wheth
er in pianos or player-pianos, the point
ing out of which would carry loss of
sale of such old models to us. Still we
held to this important and far-reaching
movement by advocating improve
ments, 1916. and now 1917 models.
PORTLAND'S "NO-INTEREST" PIO
NEERS. As it was entirely through our ef
forts that the sale of 1916 and now
1917 model pianos, now so much in
favor, reached the present condition,
this organization the Schwan Piano
Company was the first to draw out
into the honest light of day every
process connected with the sale of a
piano. We introduced the 25 per cent
lower and no interest system to an as
tonished' piano world, opposing the
elsewhere, inflated values in pianos and
player-pianos. -
When this store-opened its doors the
first day every instrument on the floors
was marked plainly with its local mar
ket price and our 25 per cent lower
and no interest price. There never was,
never will be any deviation, because
these prices represented, as they rep
resent today, what we know each piano
to be worth and priced locally, and
then we sell at 25 per cent lower prices
and no interest, no schemes, blinds or
Illusions to befog or deceive a pur
chaser. 'We publish in all our advertisements
the prices marked on our pianos for
the guidance of purchasers, the usual
local market price, the grade and our
separated by buyer and seller and
weighed. In separating or cuttingout
the anlmal3 of the different classes
the buyer and seller stand by the gate
and together determine the class in
which each hog belongs. In weighing
the scales are first carefully balanced,
and each lot weighed separately.
As the animals leave the scales they
are scrutinized carefully by the official
docker, employed by the Stockyards
Exchange, who docks each stag 80
pounds and each piggy bow 40 pounds.
or more properly, as an organization
that -was doing but little good. In
deed, there were many who thought
that both the Washington and the Ore
gon Press associations-would, never be
missed if they were thrown into the
discard as things neither useful nor
ornamental. For years they struggled
along . almost like a. ship without a
rudder, ready, to be blown Into any old
Jul7 7, 1917.
' Seoretary " '
BtTSTlfJiSS "BTTRSAt- .
Portland Ad Club
25 per cent lower anal no Interest price.
We were the first to act on the con
viction that the expenditure of a few
hundred dollars by the average family
in securing a piano was to them, rela
tively, aamore momentous affair than
the expenditure of a thousand by those
who can afford either of the great
pianos. .
We were able to meet the needs of
the average family with the Thompson
Piano Company piano, established 1870,
an Instrument as different from others
at anything like the same price as this
store is different from other stores.
This is the paradox. of a piano with
prestige that has been known In the
East, used and admired for over a quar
ter of a century. Priced now at $281.25.
without interest, and upwards, while
this grade of piano sold here regularly
for $375, with 8 per cent Interest. This
piano provided a service that antici
pated the demands of . -every piano
buyer.
It helps to make possible a piano
store that is broad and magnificent,
with the merit that usually goes only
with exclusiveness and yet" with the
culminating of absolute democracy of
service.
Our introduction of the Thompson
piano has had significant results, illus
trating the extent of the Influence of
this piano store.
A $375 PIANO FOR $381 .25
Taken altogether, there are perhaps
more pianos now sold at $375 than at
any other price. Probably nine-tenths
of these pianos are approximately the
same grade as the Thompson Piano
Company pianos, which sell at $281.25.
Inasmuch as we sell for $281. 25' a
piano equal to those that others sell
for $375, it becomes apparent that for
$281.25 we must sell a piano that is
equal in quality to those for which
others charge $375
Such a piano as we have advertised
openly at $281.25 for some time and
sold large numbers of them because
their $375 value was perfectly appar
ent by comparison with other local
piano store prices.
We shall continue to sell $375 pianos
for $281.25, and then without Interest
for 2- years, just so long as we secure
double volume of business as up to
date.
The number of stags and piggy sows
is entered on the weightmaster's slip,
and the amount of the dockage is de
ducted from the actual weights.
The Union Stockyards handles more
than two-thirds of a million animals in
the course of a year. During the year
1916 the exact number of each class of
animals marketed through the yards
was 78,220 head of cattle, 4515 calves,
322,898 hogs, 176,159 sheep and 2895
horses and mules. The gran4 total was
684.682.
SESSION.
port that a favorable or unfavorable
breeze caused them to enter.
But several years ago both the news
paper men of Washington and Ore
gon arose in their might and reor
ganized, the old associations, rejuvenat
ed them, so to speak, and put into them
a spirit of helpfulness and common
Bense. So, on both sides of the Colum
bia wj have association that juisUt
in. -.est ! H' CO
(flehM PIauo Ce..
Ill - 4th St.,
fertlaat, Oragca.
Cast laaai
Thaimw for your latter containing ganerous aattlaacut.
This ladtoataa exoellent bualaaaa with you.
Wa were alao lmnesly plaaaed to reaelfj your announea
ant ef the good nana, sanely a Terdlct by the Jury In your fa-rar.
Am eoan;arad with eonpetltora piano annouacafaeiita that
haia appeared ia the Portland impara, your advert 1 secant la "Illy
white." - rna recant verdict or the Jury In your favor entirely
cupporta your elm tarn and eafcee your proposition etronger t)ian ever,
saaeiy that you "ell at 26$ lower than local prlcee with no late raj '
(or to and one-half yeara."
the reliability of your extraordinary and eggroa le
aalllng plana, fortune atlll greater eucceee for you now and
with the artlatlo stager. Reed it Sona and Xhoi-paos piano Cocipany
ptanoa and player planoe. reduces cocrpetltlon aa a negligible
factor.
. .'lahlm; you continued auocaaa and with renewal assurance
ef high personal re card, we are pleaaad to renals
Vary alnceraly youra.
ST2C31 A
Per-
CCG?'
A COMMUMtCATtOha 9
The patrons and policy of this store
will be protected, regardless of the In
terest of dealers who charge $93.75
more and 8 per cent interest, amount
ing to $57.25, therefore, $151; more
perhaps that they may seem to allow
$100 more for an old piano in exchange
than it is worth, or allow a discount of
$50 "for cash." or because it has been
"used in concert," or "to secure your in
fluence," or "because he knew your
grandfather," or some other equally
probable reason, while, after making
this "reduction," they actually- receive
$93.75 more in principal and $57.25 in
terest than we ask in the first place.
At no other place can you get a
piano for $281.25 without interest that
you may secure here at, if you like. $5
cash and $7 monthly, a piano with a
reputation of 47 years for general ex
cellence, refined tone, proved durab'
lty and one of the most classic and
beautiful Sheraton cases of rich ma
hogany, golden and fumed oak that
was ever shown in any piano regard
less of price.
We take old, unimproved pianos In
exchange for these improved 50 per
cent more tone and efficiency pianos at
a fair valuation and will make terms
to suit your convenience.
WARNING DON'T BUY USED PIANOS.
Would you buy a five or ten-year-old
sewing machine for wife or daugh
ter that drops stitches, etc.? The old
piano likewise drops notes; the old
action will not respond to the slightest
touch as does the double repeating
brass flange action of our new im
proved 1917 models.
You can buy a $3000 old automobile
for $200 now. They are too heavy, ex
pensive to run and other reasons. There
are Just as many reasons why you
should not buy Indifferent and old
pianos. These old and indifferent
pianos wean entire families from music,
making them indifferent to music,
practice or performance.
DO NOT BLAME THE WIFE OR
DAUGHTER when indifferent to per
formance; blame the indifferent old
piano, hat is the reason such old
pianos are exchanged by those who
realize all we say, and more, too. The
teacher, now, for instance, needs to in
sist on exchange or purchase of our
well be set up as models for other
newspaper men and women to pattern
after.
To show that the newspaper people
are wise to this, one but has to note
the attendance of the meetings of the
last few years. In this respect there
is not a vast difference between the
Washington association and the Oregon
association, the attendance reaching
nearly 50 per cent of the number of
newspapers in the states.
No better way to discover the awak
ening among the newspaper people
could be cited than, this attendance,
when compared with the attendance a
dozen years or so ago. Back in the
early years of this century, the lid
was off as far as transportation was
concerned for the members of the press,
and at the annual gatherings of their
press associations there were free
tickets for themselves, their helpers
and their families. -Of late years the
newspaper people have had to pay their
fares Just the same as "common peo
ple," the only concession allowed them
at their annual meetings being the
same as offered any other gathering
a rebate of one-third if 100 tickets
are sold to the meeting.
Business Occupies Bnalnesa.
Yet we all remember of newspaper
conventions being held under the
"easy" transportation system, when
there would be perhaps not more than
a score in attendance; now, if there
are not five or six times that many
the . meeting Is voted as lacking in in
terest. While the old meetings were mere
Junkets, the meetings of the present
day are packed brim full of business
for the day and social meetings for
the evenings, with usually several side
trips offered by the communities where
the meetings are held. At the Che
halls meeting these trips covered a
good portion of the adjacent territory,
which was visited in autos furnished
by the citizens of the town.
To give the lay reader an Idea of
what sort of business andi how much
of it comes before a present-day model
press meeting, let me give in skeleton
form the programme of the Chehelis
meeting, which covered the better part
of three days. I will also give the
names of those who read the papers,
but. of course, will not touch upon the
number that later discussed them. Ana
no subject got by without a pretty
free discussion. Omitting the address
of welcome and routine events of the
opening, the programme was as fol
lows: '
First day: "Editorial and Business
Independence." A. R. Fenwick, Everett
Herald; "Is Any. legitimate Business an
Nooa re
luguit 22,1917.
S0K3 HAW li'O
tit COX HV MB ,9 .O NDIVti,.
new and improved piano, particularly
in the case of advanced pupils and ex
pert performance.
There Is now no reason to subject the
family to the use of such Indifferent
pianos, as our NEW, UP-TO-DATE
1917 models are now sold at the usual
price of such used pianos.
You can now buy the last word in
new pianos. 1917 models, with brass
flanges, easy double repeating action,
full, mellow, sweet tone, for $281.25;
$5 cash and $7 monthly, without inter
est for 2Va years.
BUY VOIR PIANO FROM THE EX
PERT PIANO MERCHANTS.
Mr. K. J. Sch wan-koosky, the presi
dent of the Schwan Piano Company,
recognized by the manufacturers as a
"judge" and "piano expert." It is quite
evident and natural that the public
should be benefited by his great knowl
edge and experience with pianos for
40 years. Sifting from the piano mar
ket such makes of pianos as, according
to his expert judgment, were best, not
only from a practical, but from a musi
cal standpoint.
It is Just as essential that you go to
such an expert piano merchant as to
go to an expert doctor or lawyer for
BEST SERVICES.
Such an expert merchant must be and
Is able to define the character of the
tone quality as produced by the scales
as b'lilt by the many manufacturers,
judging the enduring quality from a
musical as well as practical stand
poilit. 8me pianos when new possess pleas
ing quality of tone, but prove them
seves worthless when subjected to the
crucial test of continued use the tone
speedily losing its freshness and as
suming that wiry or metallic unmusical
quality so devoid of melodiousness and
so offensive to the cultured ear.
Sincerity is a chief business policy
as true as it is a prime social virtue.
We are believed when we say that we
are now selling at 25 per cent and no
interest less than adequate recompense,
relying upon the developing of large
volume double volume, in sales. We
think It has the greatest advertising
value; that it did and is going to bring
us even larger volume in piano sales.
Schwan Piano Co.,
Ill Fourth St. at Washington St.
Allen Enemy?1" J. V. Hopkins, adver
tising manager MacDougall-Southwick.
Seattle: "What the Advertiser Asks of
the Agency and the Publisher," James
A. Wood, editor Town Crier, of Wood
& Reber; "Good Business Versus the
Average Eilitor." N. B. Coffman, bank
er. Chehallf; "Work That Never Ends."
Mrs. Allie W. Reardon. editor-manager
Monroe Independent; "The Paper Price
Situation and the Future." W. W. Ball,
paper dealer, Seattle; "Cost Systems
and Profits," Lloyd Riches. The Weekly
Oregonian, Portland; "Starting Some
thing." Chapln D. Foster. Grand View
Herald ;"Projpects Worth Going Aft
er," E. E. Troxell. executive secretary
Washington Newspaper Association;
"Our Association in the Days of Al
bert Johnson." Frank B. Cole. Trade
Register, Tacoma; "Business Getting
Opportunities," Frank J. Aiken: "News
and Greater Responsibilities." Frank
P. Goss, city' editor Post-Intelligencer;
"The Newspaper: a Nation's Big Asset."
Edgar B. Piper, editor The Orego
nian; "Getting Even With Piper and
Others." Major W. H. Patton, Wash
ingtonian. Hoqulam: "The Newspaper
as a Community Builder." Orno Dale
Strong. New West Trade. Spokane:
"Washington Newspapers, Workers and
Ambitions," Professor Colin V. Dy
ment, department of Journalism, Uni
versity of Washington; "In Oregon."
Professor Erio D. Ailen. school of Jour
nalism, University of Oregon: "Legis
lation." Clifford Kaynor, Ellensburg
Record; "Possibilities Through an Al
liance." E. E. Brodie. Phil S. Bates and
A. E. Voorhies, for Oregon: Elmer E.
BesJd. Wallace B. Jessup and N. Rus
sell Hill, for Washington.
It may look dry to the reader to go
over the programme, but let me say
there was not a dull moment in the
convention nor outside! If ever the
members of a convention were well
looked after and well entertained, then
the one under discussion was the most
fortunate. It was dinner, banquet,
concert, auto ride, visit, supper every
moment of the visitor was made pleas
ant. There is no other community in
Washington or Oregon that looks after
its guests more faithfully and charm
ingly than Chehalis.
Poet Visits Hood River Brother.
HOOD RIVER. Or.. Sept. 1. (Spe
cial.) Anthony H. Euwer, poet and
painter, of New York City, and author
of "Rhymes of Our Valley," which de
picts fruit cultivation and harvest
scenes arrived Wednesday night for
his annual visit on the upper valley
ranch of his brother, Eugene C. Euwer.
Mr. Euwer will spend a part of his tlma
sketching valley, landscape scenes,
. co. -