1534 
7ht  RURAL  NEW-YORKER 
December  ID,  11)23 
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. 
I  am  herewith  enclosing  paid-up  in  full 
certificate  of  the  Equitable  Wholesale 
Corporation,  122  Fifth  Avenue,  New 
York  City,  for  $100.  I  wrote  these  peo¬ 
ple  that  their  plan  of  doing  business  was 
very  unsatisfactory  to  me,  and  asked 
them  to  make  refund  in  accordance  with 
their  certificate.  I  have  not  heard  from 
them  since  writing  them,  and  I  am  here¬ 
with  enclosing  my  certificate,  and  ask 
you  if  you  will  please  look  after  this  for 
me.  w.  e.  t. 
Pennsylvania. 
As  is  usually  the  ease  these  “certifi¬ 
cate  and  membership”  plans  by  which 
the  subscriber  is  supposed  to  be  able  to 
buy  goods  at  wholesale  prices  prove  to 
be  a  delusion.  The  redemption  of  the  cer¬ 
tificate  is  optional  with  the  board  of  di¬ 
rectors — and  the  “directors  do  not  deem 
it  advisable  to  redeem  the  certificate  at 
this  time.”  We  have  no  delusions  that 
the  directors  ever  will.  We  fear  W.  E. 
T.  will  be  obliged  to  charge  this  $100  up 
to  experience. 
I  very  seldom  buy  anything  by  mail, 
from  advertisements,  that  has  proved  un¬ 
satisfactory.  The  advertisement  of  Mon- 
tamower  Sales  Company,  Grand  Kapids, 
Mich.,  seemed  so  promising  that  I  ven¬ 
tured  to  send  for  this  “Montamower, 
especially  as  the  advertisement  said  if  not 
as  represented  the  money  will  be  refund¬ 
ed.  It  was  not  as  represented,  for  it 
would  not  cut  long  grass  at  all,  and  very 
poorlv  the  short  grass.  They  say  a  great 
deal  about  getting  the  “knack”  of  run¬ 
ning  their  machine  after  I  had  purchased 
it.  I  had  several  men  in  the  neighbor¬ 
hood  test  it.  .Some  of  them  make  a  busi¬ 
ness  of  mowing  cemeteries,  and  they  ail 
decided  it  was  worthless.  Note  that  .n 
their  last  letter  they  say  they  have  re¬ 
ceived  the  machine  I  returned,  ‘  and  it  is 
in  splendid  condition,”  and  at  the  end  of 
the  letter  they  say  I  could  not  expect  to 
receive  the  money  for  a  machine  that  has 
been  used !  It  could  not  be  tested  with¬ 
out  running  it  a  little.  Do  you  think  you 
can  do  anything  in  this  case? 
New  York.  (misS)m.  J. 
Publisher’s  Desk  took  the  case  up  on 
behalf  of  the  subscriber,  and  while  the 
Montamower  Company  has  not  deigned 
to  reply  to  our  letters,  the  subscriber  now 
reports  the  refund  of  the  purchase  price. 
The  cutting  knives  on  this  lawn  mower 
work  on  a  new  principle,  which  may 
prove  satisfactory  to  operate  on  a  very 
small  lawn  where  the  conditions  are  en¬ 
tirely  favorable.  We  should  not  expect 
such  a  machine  in  any  practical  sense  to 
take  the  place  of  an  ordinary  type  of 
lawn  mower. 
On  July  10  I  sent  an  order  for  egg 
cases,  check  for  $14  which  was  to  pay 
for  100  cases,  f.o.b.,  to  the  Royal  Egg 
Case  Co.,  341  East  119th  street,  New 
York  Citv.  I  have  not  heard  from  them  ; 
have  written  three  times,  but  they  give 
me  no  reply.  They  received  the  check 
and  acknowledged  it  as  it  was  returned 
to  the  bank.  Would  you  look  this  up  for 
me?  J.  C.  L. 
New  York. 
This  is  a  fair  sample  of  the  reports 
coming  to  us  regarding  second-hand  egg 
cases.  Our  efforts  in  the  subscriber’s 
behalf  since  early  September  have  not  re¬ 
sulted  in  shipment  of  the  egg  cases  or 
refund  of  money.  Often,  too,  the  cases 
shipped  are  unfit  for  further  service.  The 
dealers  in  used  egg  eases  are  for  the 
most  part  irresponsible,  and  we  know 
none  we  should  feel  justified  in  recom¬ 
mending. 
The  tragedy  of  three  aged  sisters,  the 
latest  L.  R.  Steel  victims  to  come  to 
light  was  unfolded  in  a  letter  received 
by  a  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  newspaper. 
‘  The  sisters,  formerly  of  Paterson,  N. 
.T .  and  now  of  Manchester,  Conn.,  in¬ 
vested  all  they  had  in  L.  R.  Steel  stock. 
It  was  in  the  Mary  Lincoln  candy  inter¬ 
ests.  Even  their  Liberty  bonds  were 
taken  by  the  stock  salesmen.  The  eldest 
of  the  three  died  Nov.  1  of  a  broken 
heart,  and  from  lack  of  the  necessities  of 
keeping  her  alive.  The  other  two  are 
merelv  subsisting,  seeking  work  which 
thev  are  too  old  to  do.  They  have  writ¬ 
ten'  the  L.  R.  Steel  corporation  for  at 
least  enough  money  with  which  to  pay 
the  doctor  and  funeral  expenses  of  their 
late  sister. 
All  the  L.  R.  Steel  promotions  are  in 
the  hands  of  receivers,  and  the  chances  of 
the  surviving  'sisters  recovering  anything 
from  the  wreckage  are  very  remote.  We 
are  referring  to  this  pitiable  ease,  not 
because  the  publication  of  the  facts  will 
help  these  unfortunate  women,  but  it  may 
save  other  women  from  a  similar  fate. 
There  are  hundreds  of  “Steel”  promo¬ 
tions  under  other  names,  employing 
plausible  salesmen  roaming  about  the 
country  “seeking  whom  they  may  devour” 
—financially.  If  the  public  could  be 
schooled  to  thoroughly  investigate  before 
investing  their  savings,  what  a  heap  of 
trouble  could  be  avoided !  And  the  stock¬ 
selling  pirates  would  either  go  hungry  or 
turn  to  honest  pursuits. 
Do  you  know  anything  about  the  Metal 
Cast  Products  Company,  1696  Boston 
Road,  New  York  City?  Are  they  reliable 
people,  and  do  you  think  one  could  depend 
on  what  they  say?  They  claim  there  is 
money  in  making  toys  with  their  cast 
forms ;  also  claim  they  will  buy  all  you 
can  make.  .  G.  B.  L. 
New  Jersey. 
This  is  another  of  the  -work-at-home 
schemes  appealing  to  boys.  The  Metal 
Cast  Products  Company  want  to  sell  the 
molds  for  making  the  toys.  If  there  were 
any  great  demand  for  the  toys  the  com¬ 
pany  could  turn  them  out  in  large  quan¬ 
tities.  The  proposition  is  similar  to  the 
schemes  to  sell  knitting  machines.  The 
firm  is  listed  in  “Bradstreets”  bqt  is 
given  no  financial  rating. 
Would  you ,  tell  me  which  one  of  the 
following  schools  is  the  best  to  learn 
show  card  writing?  Detroit  Show  Card 
Studios,  Detroit,  Mieh. ;  West  Angus 
Show  Card  Company,  Toronto,  Canada  ; 
American  Show  Card  Company,  Ltd., 
Toronto,  Canada.  Would  you  recom¬ 
mend  show  card  writing  as  a  work  in 
one’s  spare  time?  Is  it  true  that  they 
supply  you  with  all  the  work  you  want  at 
home,  and  do  they  pay  good  wages? 
Pennsylvania.  a.  k. 
We  regard  all  the  propositions  to  teach 
“show  card  writing”  easy-money  schemes. 
We  know  of  no  demand  for  show  card 
writing  outside  of  the  large  cities.  We 
called  for  reports  some  time  ago  from 
those  who  had  taken  these  correspond¬ 
ence  courses  and  found  them  satisfac¬ 
tory.  As  yet  we  have  received  no  favor¬ 
able  responses. 
I  am  sending  you  a  catalogue  of  the  H. 
M.  Spahr  Breeding  Estate,  Spahr,  Md., 
in  which  they  claim  their  “Smoke-’Em” 
is  a  guaranteed  roup  cure.  I  don’t  think 
I  have  ever  seen  their  advertisement  in 
The  R.  N.-YL,  and  I  would  like  to  know 
if  “Smoke-’Em”  is  really  reliable. 
Connecticut.  L.  J.  C. 
The  advertising  of  the  Spahr  Breeding 
Estates  was  offered  The  R.  N.-Y.  a  year 
or  more  ago,  and  refused,  because  we 
could  find  no  authority  on  poultry  sub¬ 
jects  who  would  endorse  the  claims  of 
Mr.  Spahr,  or  recommend  the  “Smoke- 
’Em”  process  for  the  cure  of  the  roup  in 
poultry. 
I  am  indeed  very  grateful  for  securing 
this  sum  for  us,  not  so  much  on  account 
of  the  money,  but  because  in  these  times 
it  seems  especially  good  'to  have  someone 
dependable  to  help  us  out  of  these  diffi¬ 
culties.  Please  accept  our  thanks.  I 
know  you  don’t  have  anything  for  your 
services,  which  you  so  gladly  render,  so 
I  am  sending  you  a  name  for  a  10  weeks’ 
subscription  ;  would  send  more,  but  every¬ 
one  takes  the  paper  around  here.  Eleven 
years  ago,  when  we  moved  here.  I  was 
the  only  one  who  took  Tiie  R.  N.-Yr.  I 
have  been  a  subscriber  for  12  years  or 
more,  and  surely  wouldn’t  know  what  to 
do  without  'the  paper;  it  always  furnishes 
such  valuable  information  about  the  farm 
and  home.  B.  B.  s. 
New  York. 
This  was  a  small  service  we  were  able 
to  render  the  subscriber,  and  we  feel 
fully  repaid  by  the  generous  expression 
of  thanks,  and  doubly  appreciate  the  in¬ 
fluence  wielded  by  this  good  lady  in  her 
local  vicinity. 
The  Associated  Advertising  Clubs  of 
the  World  have  issued  a  bulletin  expos¬ 
ing  the  false  claims  made  for  solutions 
advertised  to  restore  old  batteries  and 
prevent  battery  troubles.  The  bulletin 
treats  particularly  of  the  claims  made  by 
the  Lightning  Company,  St.  Paul.  Minn., 
but  in  our  estimation  the  information  in 
the  bulletin  applies  to  all  the  firms  sell¬ 
ing  products  to  restore  old  batteries  as  if 
by  magic.  The  only  reasonable  course  is 
to  follow  the  advice  and  directions  of  the 
manufacturers  of  standard  makes  of  bat¬ 
teries. 
“Why  do  people  cry  at  weddings?” 
“Well.  I  imagine  those  who  have  been 
married  themselves  start  it.  and  the 
others  join  in.” — Boston  Evening  Tran¬ 
script. 
The  Tread  That  Is  Sure  and  Safe 
Your  car  will  hold  its  pace  more  surely  on  a  slip¬ 
pery  road,  or  come  to  a  stop  in  minimum  distance 
in  any  emergency,  if  you  give  it  the  benefit  of  the 
Goodyear  All-Weather  Tread. 
That  gripping  tread  provides  the  utmost  of  tractive 
power  and  safety. 
Its  big,  thick,  sharp-edged  blocks  grip  hard  and 
hang  on,  setting  up  a  wedge-like  resistance  to 
skidding  or  sideslip. 
It  puts  security  under  you  all  the  time,  and  de¬ 
velops  the  maximum  traction,  efficiency  and 
economy  in  both  tire  and  engine  performance. 
Coupled  with  superior  traction  the  improved 
rubber  compound  in  the  new  Goodyear  Cord  Tire 
with  the  beveled  All-Weather  Tread  adds  thou¬ 
sands  of  miles  to  the  wear  of  this  tire  and  makes 
it  the  most  durable  tire  Goodyear  ever  built. 
Made  in  all  sizes  for 
KITSELMAN  FENCE 
“I  Saved  26Xo  a  Rod,”  says  J.  E. 
Londry,  Weedsport,  N.  Y.  You  also  save. 
We  Pay  the  Freight.  Write  for  Free 
Catalog- of  Farm,  Poultry,  Lawn  Fence. 
KITSELMAN  BROS.  Dept. 230 MUNCIE,  IND. 
No  Risk 
For  You! 
A.  Strainer  Funnel. 
B.  Sterilized  cotton  through  which 
milk  MUST  go. 
C.  Coarse  wire  screen  ring  for  clamp¬ 
ing  cotton  pad  to  bottom  ot 
funnel. 
D.  Wire  Clamp. 
THAT’S  ALL 
We  Take  It  All! 
We  don’t  ask  you  to  gamble  a  nickel 
on  our  Dr.  Clark  Purity  Milk  Strainer. 
We  don’t  just  say  it  will  remove 
every  last  bit  of  dirt  from  your  milk 
— we  guarantee  it. 
Make  us  prove  it.  Strain  milk  through 
as  many  cloths  and  wire  gauze 
strainers  as  you  wish.  Then  strain  it 
through  the  Dr.  Clark,  and  note  the 
dirt  it  takes  out  which  the  others 
leave  in.  10-qt.  and  18-qt.  sizes — 
extremely  durable,  extremely  inex¬ 
pensive.  If  your  dealer  can’t  supply 
you,  write 
PURITY  STAMPING  CO., 
Dept.  A  243  Champion  St^ 
Battle  Creek,  Mich. 
Harness  on  Your  Horses 
We  trust  you  wherever  you  live.  Only 
$7.60  down.  Pay  the  rest  monthly.  Write  for  free 
harness  book.  Learn  all  about  this  improved  metal- 
to-metal  harness  construction.  Metal  wherever 
there  is  wear  or  strain.  No  old-fashioned  buckles. 
First  Olde-Tan  leather  produced  70years  ago.  Now 
known  throughout  America  for  its  pronounced 
superiority.  Olde-Tan  harness  is  made  by  a  tan¬ 
ner-manufacturer  who  follows  every  step  from 
the  raw-hide  to  the  completed  harness. 
Write  for  Free  Book 
Ask  for  free  harness  book.  Learu  ail  about  our  $7. CO 
down  and  easy  payment  off  ex  and  the  Oida-Tan  metol-to- 
metal  harness. 
BABSON  BROS.,  Depf.30-79 
19th  Street  and  Marshall  Blvd.,  Chicago,  III. 
Write  for  a  copy  today. 
[  BOND  STEEL  POST  CO., 
SOLUTION  OF  THE  MYSTERY 
THAT  HAS  COST  FARMERS 
MILLIONS  OF  DOLLARS 
A  cedar  post  outlaets  a  pine, so  I 
two  rolls  of  wire  fence  may  I 
look  alike,  and  cost^  the  same,  ; 
yet  one  will  last  twice  as  lone:  I 
as  the  other.  Our  circular  I 
solves  the  puzzle  and  shows  I 
you  how  to  save  that  100  per  I 
cent.  Y ou  can  know  what  you  j 
are  boyinsr  just  as  surely  as  f 
you  can  tell  Oak  from  Poplar.  | 
38  East  Maumee  St.,  ADRIAN,  MICH. 
Sold  Direct /"“Fadory 
’’juBt  Out!  New  104  page  catalog.  Send 
for  it  today— see  the  big  saving  our  low,  di¬ 
rect  from  factory  prices  give  you  on  Fence, 
Farm  Gates,  Steel  Posts,  Koofing and  Paint. 
PEERLESS  WIRE  *  FENCE  CO. 
D,pL4Q21  CLEVELAND.  OHIO  21 
