SUNDAY, JUNE 7, 1008
'THE MORNING ASTOIIIAN, ASTORIA, OREGON,
FORTUNES W EL A
3VR
NB GAS
Right at the Mouth of the Columbia River
iich
i
fa
ill
That OIL and natural GAS have been discovered in paying quantities across the Columbia River from Astoria at Onieda,
Washington, has been important enough to a number of well-known reliable parties to cause the organization of the Pacific
Coast Gas & Oil Co., with a capital stock of $300,000. This company has just placed a number of shares of stock on the market
at the low price of $50.00 per share. READ ON--
What the Company Is
The I'acilic Coast Can & Oil Co, it
compiled of reliable business men of
Oregon and Washington whose only
purpose is to develop the property to
the beM of iu ability and produce a
paying mine of oil and gas that all
who have purchased Hock may share
in iti profits. The officer serve with
out salary and include among them
nine of the most reputable citizens
of the State. To make the company
strong on account of its brilliant fu
ture it has secured lease on over
6000 acres of laud. It has obtained
the highest expert authority on the
geological formation of the land,
employed the strongest expert work
men to operate the drilling apparatus
and given such other evidence of good
faith to warrant any man making an
investment with them.
Alex Swcek, president, Portland.
Clayton S. Barber, sec, and trea.
R, A. Wade, vice-president.
Directors John Nelson, Oneida,
Wash.; Geo. I Hutchins. Portland;
Wm, Anderson, Deep River, Wash.
THIS famous oil property is located on the north bank of the Columbia River directly opposite Astoria,
and right at the mouth of Deep River, at Onieda, Washington. The derrick, machinery and drilling
apparatus is on the ground at work daily, and open to the inspection of the public. Mr. John D. Magner
and Fred E. Carl, two of the most competent oil and gas drillers in the country are in charge of the work.
Go and see them drill in the ground. The location of the plant is right on John Nelson's place at Onieda,
where he has farmed for the past 26 years. He has been using this gas for the past 6 years that this
company is now digging down for a plentiful supply. The gas is there because it has been put to practi
cal heating and illuminating tests without a break. We want you to see the plant in operation. Look
over the exceptional facilities for handling the product, and then form your opinion of those who own
stock rn the company. Take the steamer Julia B. or the Gen'l Washington any morning from Astoria and
spend an hour at the plant and see it work. You can return in the morning or afternoon of the same day.
This visit will prove a revelation. There is nothing like it in the northwest. This drilling outfit is the
biggest and most up to date ever operated on the Pacific coast.
IP
4
StocK for Sale
For Development Purposes
The per value of the stock is $100
per share, but is now offered at one
half ($50) and it is worth it The
company has already sold a limited
amount of stock, equipped the prop
erty with the best working machinery
in the world and it has plans for a
great future. The money secured
from the sale of stock will be to push
the work. Every dolar will be used
to prepare for the best interest of the
company. As the drill goes down the
stock will surely rise. The price it is
now offered at will only be a short
time. A good rule is to let oppor
tunity in when it knocks at the door.
For an investment there is nothing
more tangible, brighter or more surer
dvidend paying than this stock, par
ticularly at $50 per share. Don't wait
until it goes to par, but buy now. It
is really a chance that comes seldom.
Further particulars at the addresses
given below.
u
U
b
ET3I
1 1
nn
M
f H
IU
r
402 Commercial Block, Portland, Oregon. Higgins& Warren, Savings Bank Building, Astoria, Oregon;
FINE BUSINESS TALK
Practical Advice on System in
the Ordinary Store
00DF0R EVERY MERCHANT
Mr. Woodford, of Chattanooga,
Tells the National Grocers' Asso
ciation Some Smart and Valuable
Things.
The only thing that keeps many a
retail merchant from being a merch
ant prince is his lack of system, or his
inability to apply system. The only
thing that keeps many retailers out
of the bankruptcy courts is the indul
gence of the wholesale jobber.
Many a retailer who stays with his
business from early morn until late at
night, and who ma" know of every
transaction that has taken place dur
ing the day, may yet know but little
about his business, Ask him, for in
stance, what is his percentage of ex
pense to sales. He will likely name
a figure; but how docs he know? In
the majority of cases he has guessed"
at it. This guessing has been a large
factor in putting 95 per cent of groc
ers out of business. They guess that
they are making money and are hap
py. Perhaps where ignorance is bliss
'tis better not to know.
Merchandising is a scientific game
with many players, those who pay the
e most scientifially winthe 5 per
, While I mention these much-
quoted percentages of successes and
ures, my personal observation tells
me that they are wrong." I do not
believe that 95 per cent, of the grocers
fail of success, yet I know that many
do, and why? Mostly because they
do not know what they are doing
they guess. The most successful
merchants are those who know. They
can tell you at all times how they
Vent
fail
stand, but it often takes the sheriff to
find out how the other, fellow stands,
The secret of success is system and
the ability to use it. System and An
drew Carnegie made the steel trust
System, railroad rebates and Mr,
Rockefeller made the oil trust. Sys
tern and ability made the great de
partmcnt stores, chain stores and cat
alog houses.
The trade press has talked so much
about the "Cat houses," as they call
them, you may be thinking they are
monsters having horns, and so they
have, two of them, and they are gor
ing you deeper every day. These
horns may be called by other names,
"system" and "purchasing power."
Isn't it about time we were growing
some horns? By co-operation we can
have a longer purchasing horn than
they. Think of tthe purchasing pow
er of 20,000 grocers. By co-operation
we can purchase as good systems as
can be devised.
A 10,000,000 company has provided
us with cash register system, and
others have provided credit register
systems. These systems are usually
good so far as they go, but they don't
go far enough. What we want, what
we need, is a system that begins where
these leaves off, a system that will
talk, that will give you your assets,
liabilities, expenses and revenues
properly classified both in dollars and
percentage.
Now this does not apply to you gen
tlemen who are enterprising enough
to attend conventions. Vou left your
stores running like clockwork, but
I'm talking for the fellow back home,
in your city, in my city, and in any
other fellow's city. Why, many of
them couldn't come because if they
had all information pertaining to the
business would have come with them.
They keep it in their heads and not
in their safes. At the business won't
run without this information - they
have to stay at home.
I canvassed the members present
at a meeting of our local association
and found some using the old-fashioned
counter scratch books and other
antiquated methods. One prominent
merchant was actually journalizing
separately every invoice that came in
to his store.
We haven't kept pace with the
large concerns in the matter of ac
counting. The manufacturers have
installed "cost systems," that give
them the factory and selling cost to
the minutest fraction. We ha've only
the selling cost to compute We
know definitely the cost of goods
purchased. If not practical to know
the cost of selling each article, we
can know the percentage of expense
of sales, and by items, such as gen
eral, sales delivery, etc.
Compare this month by month and
you have a barometer of your ex
penses. As I am limited to 10 minu
tes, I will not go into details. Have I
made it plain that there is room for
methods? Well, how are we going to
improve them? I want this associa
tion to work out a plan. They did a
commendable thinar last vear when
they attempted to do something for
us by way of a cost and inventory
Dook. A howl went up. "There is
graft iti it." I didn't see anything in it
but advertisements. I don t think the
association got much out of it. I know
these officers didn t get anvthine out
of it, and I want to ask you merchants
who secured a copy, did you get any
thing out of it? If the advertisers
were here I, would like to ask them
the same question.
I say that it was commendable ef
fort because it showed a disDosition
on the part of the officers to help the
members. However, the officers took
hold of this book, not because there
was a demand for it, but because it
was offered them.
Now this is your association, and
you contribute to its sunoort. I be-
leve in association by the members
and for the members. If there is any
thing you want, ask for it. I will do
my part of the asking while I have
the floor.
I want this association to establish
a bureau of "systems," or arrange
with some expert accountant to de
vise modern accounting, systems for
us at a nominal cost.
What about a national purchasing'
bureau? Staple goods can be bought
in large lots and still be distributed
to the jobber.
In olden times the jobber bought
Grand Prize, Reo Automobile,
See page 11 for Special Offer
to be Given Away by MORNING ASTORIAN in Popular Contest
Next Week.
t
sells the goods to the retailer, bills
thru the jobber, and the retailer car
ries the stock, and the jobber carries
the account.
As I said before, you contribute to
the expense of this association, and
you may be looking for some return
on your investment. How are these
25 cent pieces used? Everythinir that
has been accomplished has helped the
non-member merchant as well as the
member. For instance, when this as
sociation induced the cracker comp
anies to absorb the cost of cardboard,
all merchants handling cakes and
crackers reaped the benefit whether
they helped the association or not.
A part of the money goes for mis
sionary work. If you make the as
sociation of service to the indivirual
member, you won't have to hunt for
members they will hunt the associa
tion. There is one danger to this associa
tion in giving us modern accounting
systems, we may all become depart-
effect, I believe there will alwavs be
plenty coming in at the bottom as
we go out at the top.
the poods, carried the stock, mid sold ment stores, rhni
- - - tiiui .jf v vataiv
the retailer what he needed. Now the houses, and become ineligible to
the Manufacturers' "specialty man" membership; however, if it has this
WONDERS OF NEW YORK CITY
Over 250,000 people work at night
Coney Island is sometimes visited
by 500,000 people a day.
There are 132 department stores,
employing over 10,000 people.
The population is now 4,800,000.
London's population is 500,000 more.
but New York is growing seven times
as fast as the British metropolis, and
should become the lamest citv in the
world inside of ten years. The popu
lation increases at the , ratio of five
to one, compared with the increase of
the rest of the country.
There are 112 theaters and two
grand opera houses, seating about
110,000 people.
About 45,000 marriages are solem
nized every year. One in every elev
en minutes.
In 1885 New York had only twentv-
eight millionaires now it has over 2,-
000.
Over 476,000,000 gallons of water
are used every day in the greater city.
A child is born every four minutes,
and a death occurs every seven min
utes.
The city contains 8,000 lawyers, 5,-
000 actors, 3,000 actresses, 6,000 art
ists, 10,000 musicians, 15,000 stenogra
phers, 6,900 salesmen and saleswomen.
1,900 farmers, 1,600 undertakers and
852 female barbers.
No. I Wall street is considered the
highest priced property in the United
States. Several years ago it sold for
$700 a square foot and is assessed by
the city at a little over $4 per square
inch.
The transient hotel nnmilatinn ia
figured at 250,000 people a day. The
hotel properties are valued at rvr
$80,000,000. Success Magazine.
Kemp't Balsam will ston
that can be stopped by "air? mMct
and cure couch that cannot h m,.i
by any otter medloine. It ia always
sua rose cougo cure.