1226 
The RURAL NEW-YORKER 
August 16, 1919 
PUBLISHER’S DESK 
All letters to Publisher’s Desk depart¬ 
ment must be signed with writer’s full 
name and address given. Many inquiries 
are answered by mail instead of printing 
inquiry and answer, hence unsigned let¬ 
ters receive no consideration. 
The six months ending June 30 was 
the most successful from a collection 
standpoint that Publisher’s Desk has ever 
had. The complaints received for col¬ 
lection numbered 1.300 and amounted to 
325.806.07. The sum collected and for¬ 
warded to 1.300 claimants amounted to 
$20,804.50. We began this work with 
the hope that it would be a corrective 
measure as well as a cure. That is. we 
hoped vigilance in making the collections 
would induce delinquents to meet their 
obligations. Whether this has been the 
result or not, as a whole the complaints 
multiply. Vigilance, care and publicity 
are the only protection we know for most 
of the offenses we try to correct here. 
Inasmuch as we have had several in¬ 
quiries about the Houston Bank & Trust 
Co., as well as the enterprises promoted 
by the institution, the following from the 
current issue of Financial World will 
prove interesting to our readers: 
To read the glowing articles in the 
Commercial and Financial World about 
the Houston Bank & Trust Co., of Hous¬ 
ton. Texas, leads the unknowing one to 
asume that it must be quite an institu¬ 
tion and a leading factor in the Texas 
banking field. However, too much faith 
must not be placed in this fulsome praise, 
for the sheet in which it appears will 
print anything one wants to if paid to 
do so, and it has been in this instance, 
for the president of this bank is mailing 
reprints wherever it will help his institu¬ 
tion to sell stock. There are two securi¬ 
ties it is now booming, one the Terminal 
Oil Co., and the other is the Texas Tex¬ 
tile stock, both of which are new enter¬ 
prises. though in the literature they are 
described as almost certain fortune pro¬ 
ducers. Such twaddle does not emanate 
from sound financial institutions. In the 
same article appears an official statement 
of the bank’s condition dated as far back 
as 1!>17. Why not a financial statement 
of a much later date? In the balance 
sheet appears the item of stocks and bonds 
owned of $1,076,812. which are not item¬ 
ized. probably because it includes such 
securities as Hie Terminal Oil C’o., which 
have no actual value. The bank has no 
depositors. It is a very good thing it has 
none, for otherwise it would have to un¬ 
dergo a physical examination and would 
be unable to parade itself over the country 
in bombastic literature as a bank. 
The danger to the public is much 
greater when a so-called “bank” promotes 
a worthless stock than when the same is 
done by an ordinary promoter. The pub¬ 
lic has learned to consider the represen¬ 
tations of a “bank” as being reliable, but 
it appears that this institution is essen¬ 
tially a brokerage house booming stocks 
of questionable value to say the least. 
I am interested in literary work, and 
about a month ago I sent a story to The 
Woman’s National Magazine, Washing¬ 
ton. D. C., for examination, as they had 
advertised for stories and articles. The 
story was returned to me with a letter 
stating that they could not use material 
of that kind, but that with a few revisions 
it could be taken by some other publica¬ 
tion. and they recommended the Pub¬ 
lisher’s Service Bureau, Washington. D. 
C„ as a concern that would be of service 
to me in revising and preparing my work 
for publication. The next day I received 
a letter from the Publisher’s Bureau say¬ 
ing that they had examined the work I 
had sent to The Woman’s National Mag¬ 
azine and were interested in it, and that 
they would be pleased to have me join 
the Bureau, the membership fee being 
$13. and this fee covers a period of six 
months, during which time they agree to 
revise, type and sell to publishers any 
number of MSS. I send to them. Is this 
Publisher’s Bureau a reliable concern, 
and do you think they would do as agreed 
if I sent my work to them? C. W. X. 
Pennsylvania. 
This is a very clever arrangement be¬ 
tween the Woman’s National Magazine 
and the Publisher’s Service Bureau with 
view to separating ambitious writers 
from $15. The Publisher’s Service 
Bureau may, sell some manuscript; but 
if they should not sell the particular 
manuscript of C. E. N.’s he would be 
out the $15. The principle is the same 
as Ostrander and Cornell getting an ad¬ 
vance fee for the sale of farms. These 
gentlemen were more interested in the 
“advance fee” than the sale of farms 
afterwards. Our experience with con¬ 
cerns operating on this basis leads us to 
suspect that the Publisher’s Service 
Bureau may lose interest in this matter 
if and when the $15 is received. 
This one is new to me. but I think it 
deserves a place in your collection. 
New York. j. n. s. 
The enclosed is circular matter of 
Postal Employees Oil & Gas Co., Tex¬ 
arkana, Texas. The name was evidently 
adopted for the express purpose of inter¬ 
esting postmasters and employees. The 
circular is careful to say that the stock 
is speculative. Perhaps the apparent 
frankness of the promoter will result in 
luring the money of postal employees to 
the project. We have expressed our¬ 
selves so often about this class of oil 
stocks that further comment would seem 
to be unnecessary. The postmaster who 
forwards the literature has no intention 
of taking the bait, and we hope all other’s 
will use equal discretion. 
MAURICE A. LIPPMAN COMPANY, 
INC.—Involuntary petition against 
Maurice A. Lippman, fruit dealer, 25S 
Washington Street. Liabilities and as- 
' sets not given. Principal claims: 
William Yoorhees. $509 ; R. E. Cochan 
& Co., $203: C. Y. Smith & Co., $454. 
Frank H. Reuman. 300 Broadway, is 
the attorney .—Daily Paper. 
Publisher’s Desk has many times ad¬ 
vised against shipment to Maurice A. 
Lippman Company. We therefore trust 
that none of our people are creditors of 
the firm. Farmers cannot be too careful 
as to the character of the houses trusted 
with their produce. We are always glad 
to give advice along this line. 
Enclosed you will find claim against 
the New Jersey Produce Company,. 76 Com¬ 
merce St., Newark, N. J.. Theodore Cohn, 
manager. I sent them a case of eggs, which 
arrived with six dozen short. I entered 
claim for the shortage at $4.20. The N. 
J. Produce Co. also entered a claim for 
this amount. The express company paid 
the $4.20 to them on March 24. 1010. 
but they do not send it to me. They are 
not entitled to the eggs and the money. 
Can you collect it? w. H. 
New Jersey. 
We warned readers against shipping to 
this concern in August, 1017, because if 
unfair dealing with other shippers. Reg¬ 
istered letters sent to this company i:< 
June asking for the return of the re¬ 
mittance were received, but now the in¬ 
formation reaches us that the concern is 
“out of business.” This is a small 
amount, but the principle shown by this 
company places them in a class that is- 
to be avoided. They may start up in 
some other section, but keep the names 
well in mind and do not run the risk of 
meeting with shipper’s experience. 
I am enclosing F. P. Hardin’s letter, 
in which he states that the sows for sale 
were to be recorded in the buyer’s name. 
I sent Mr. Hardin $35 and got the sows, 
but he would not answer any of my let¬ 
ters in regard to pedigree after the sale. 
I think Mr. Hardin should make this 
right or be exposed in The R. N.-Y. to- 
save others from such a deal. V. o. 
New York. 
We have written Mr. Ilardiu twice 
with reference to the above transaction, 
but he chooses to ignore our letters. It 
is clear that Mr. Hardin is an undesirable 
breeder to have dealings with. 
Last week two men rented an office 
within three blocks of The R. N.-Y. 
office, and announced that they were to 
engage in an important enterprise. A 
manager was engaged, and as the posi¬ 
tion was represented to be one of im¬ 
portance a money security of $125 was 
demanded and deposited with the prin¬ 
cipals. Advertisements were then in¬ 
serted in the city papers for men to sell 
goods, and the manager was directed to 
collect $5 from each salesman selected 
as a deposit for samples, etc. Salaries 
and commissions were to be unusually 
large. The promoters got all the de¬ 
posits and disappeared. This is an old 
trick that has been worked in the past 
in schemes to promote fake county propo¬ 
sitions. In the days of the American 
Farm Company fake promotions some 
farm papers facilitated the scheme by 
publishing the advertisements, but none 
of the responsible farm papers would now 
accept such copy. The county schemes 
are always disguised with more plausible 
pretences of business. It is doubtful if 
so transparent a trick as the one reported 
above would be successful in the country. 
The city takes this kind of bait more 
readily than the farms. 
/ / / / 
WlLlL 
W| 
777 
lW\\w 
///) 
Unadilla Silos 
Are True Value 
Unadilla silos have not advanced in 
accordance with increases in prices of 
lumber and labor. The Unadilla today 
is even a better buy than it ever was. 
We offer the benefit of our big purchases of 
lumber and materials, and economy in manufactur¬ 
ing a large number of silos. The popularity of 
Unadilla Silos among dairymen and stockmen makes 
this economy and these low prices possible. 
You can get your Unadilla erected in tin&e, 
before corn harvest if you act promptly. We have 
special facilities for late season shipments on silos 
of any size. 
Present prices are not guaranteed. We may be 
forced to increase. But we do guarantee all pur¬ 
chases against any decline in prices this season. 
Choose the Unadilla. It offers you true value. 
It has been and is, the choice of leading dairymen 
and stockmen. 
Learn why. Send For our big, 
well illustrated catalog and prices 
Unadilla Silo Company 
Box C, Unadilla, N. Y., or Des Moines, Iowa 
MSDQNAED 
PITLESS 
SCALE 
Whenever you receive 
change in a business tran¬ 
saction you always count it. 
Of course you do! Well then, 
there is more reason why you 
weigh everything you buy or sell. 
Get a McDonald Pitless Scale, and it 
will soon pay for itself. It is easy to erect 
and is guaranteed to weigh accurately 
for 10 years. It is the original pitless 
scale and thousands of them are 
See your 
Moline 
Dealer 
about Retting 
a McDonald 
Pitless or write 
us for full 
information. 
MOLINE PLOW CO. MOLINE.ILL 
MANUFACTURERS OF OUAUTY FARM IMPLEMENTS SINCE 1665 
RODERICK LEAN 
TRACTOR 
-DISC—— 
HARROWS 
SIZE 32xlS 
AT $105.00 EACH 
Freight allowed to your station 
FARMERS SYNDICATE, Inc., 
CORTLAND, N. Y. 
With labor so scarce 
and unskilled, you 
need a seed drill that 
is simple to handle. 
Buy a CROWN Drill. 
Simply move the pointer, 
to the amount you wish to sow and drive ahead. 
The CROWN sows the right amount and at 
the right depth—its force feed is accurate. The 
fertilizer feed even handles damp goods successfully. 
IVrile toda y for 1919 Catalog. 
We also make Lime and Fertilizer 
Sowers, Traction Spray 
and Wheelbarrow Grass 
Seeders. 
Crown Mfg.Co. 
112 Wayne Street 
PHELPS. N. Y. 
jJlIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIimilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllR: 
| The Farm Tractor Demonstrations I 
I TSNEWYORK STATE FAIR | 
E Will Be The Biggest Thing in the = 
E Year in the Farm Machinery World 
Every Type of Tractor Will Be Put to the Test for the E 
E Benefit of Progressive Farmers Who Have Determined Upon = 
= the Powerful Iron Horses as a Solution of Two Farm Problems— E 
E The Scarcity of Labor and the Shortage in Draft Horses. 
All of the Attractions of a Great Exposition—Grand Cir- E 
E cuit Races, Two Horse Shows, Band Concerts, Midway. = 
E $60,000 in Premiums in Horse, Cattle, Sheep, Swine, = 
= Poultry, Pet Stock and Dairy Shows. = 
— Send for Premium List, State Fair Office, Syracuse, N. Y. 
| SYRACUSE Sept. 8-9-10-11-12-13 Admission 50 Cents | 
rfiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiim;iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiir 
