1 6 UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO STUDIES 



or saddlery hardware. From the railroad point of view, however, 

 cheaper rates on raw materials might have tended strongly to encourage 

 the growth of manufacture in Denver, and ultimately make for the self- 

 sufficiency of the region. This might mean less freight in the future. 



At this time Mr. Light's concern had travelers making the towns in 

 Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Kansas, Nebraska, Idaho, Montana, 

 and they had gone even as far as Hailey, Oregon. The goods sold over 

 this large territory were certain specialties that were well adapted to the 

 uses of this particular region. The competition which these agents 

 encountered was particularly with the California dealers. Goods could 

 be shipped from the East to the California houses more cheaply than 

 they could be shipped to Denver. The goods thus went through to the 

 Pacific points cheaper than they could be stopped off at Denver. In 

 this way the San Francisco dealer could get into Idaho and other parts 

 of the West and undersell the Denver man. Goods were thus carried 

 across the continent and then shipped back again to the points reached 

 by the San Francisco trade. It was the custom of Mr. Light's firm to 

 sell to certain dealers in various parts of the states above mentioned and 

 have the goods shipped directly from the factory to the dealer as the rate 

 would have greatly raised the price had the goods been shipped via 

 Denver. This was considered bad business by the wholesaler as it was 

 said to bring the manufacturer and the dealer into closer relations and 

 in the course of time the dealer would buy directly from the eastern 

 manufacturer, and the Denver jobber's trade would disappear. 



In 1883, Mr. Light had a drummer in Texas who found he could 

 sell a large quantity of wooden stirrups that were made in Ohio. By 

 bringing them in south of the pool lines and getting them to Fort Worth, 

 they could be handled for $1 . 10 a hundred. Bringing them to Denver 

 and shipping them thence to Fort Worth would cost $5 . 10. Mr. Light 

 presented the case to the freight agent of the Santa Fe explaining that he 

 could handle a large amount of these stirrups and asking if the railroad 

 would not give the same rate on them as was then given on wooden ware, 

 namely $0 . 60 a hundred. The agent said he would write to the head 

 office at Topeka and find out about the matter. Before this time Mr. 

 Light's concern had been called the Denver Whip and Collar Company, 



