| Show II THE WORLDS FURNITURE T CITY AND ITS f ABOUT GRAND RAPIDS I ANNUAL FAIRS A S I r V V II Special Correspondence oll mC of the Ule Des Der K d by h Frank G 0 Carpenter RAND HAD RAPIDS HANDS ml nJ G Is le the tho furniture center sli of oI the world It picks Its him hlll himI j i I her from Crom ctT every forest and fm tends U it out all over the tho United Slates ko Europe South Africa and Australia In the shape of IJ tables lable chairs and furniture There two are Ht kt this his writing lumber camps In Mex Iu tico and Central America chopping out mahogany for tor these factories sire stationed at Liverpool to buy lu up 1111 the best timber limber brought In from South America and Africa for Cor Grand Rapids RaNda and there Is scarcely a hardwood sec sed sedition I ton noted for Cor Its fin hue lumber which Is U not mot tributary to this Point During Dunn my mytA tA fay at al Panama last lut year r I 1 found that Grand men had taker out con oon concessions cons cessions for the I l t mahogany nn an th the I saw paw other ether Grand buyers utu in Cuba luba snapping up aim II the till bt best I timber All as s they were Ire brought out to ho tho railroads railroad and nd the r pta and nd during durin A recent foreign tour lour I t an au angeney agency geney for Cor Grand Rapids furni furniture mire ture in fury every CHr European capital capitalI I A FI FIt t Indeed thin this is III our one of ot u the tha queer qu r centers of or the th globe and If U I dif dlf different ferent erent from uny all other in III n that thaI It II seems Hem to o n have III UK its It is ismore I isore more ore like one of lit the great fair fall Mlles of medieval times at t which the merchant nd mid buyers from ruin all al over oer Europe went iq q make their annual purchases purchase Th The most 0 ost of such renters have hf long since duce In one on or two to tot nf t f them fairs faits are arl re still held Mn lR has ss 11 a II fur market to 10 which fur buyers buyer from nit nil ports part of the I ht world annually mime come and also alO l o a hook honk fair Which 1 Is II largely attended In the middle ages age marl nearly nearl all III trading of nr England WAS u done one at faint fairs tIll MIU arum the same name m was al true tnie of France Germany and Italy Ital The larg eel commercial fair Calr of the Ih world today loda It f c at al No ui n 1 Russia It sets lasts III for lor a in or nr six 1111 weeks eek and brings bring to buu Iou from ruin west western I t ern Asia teia SIA and amid Eure The dally attendance at 1 that Ihal fair Cr end AnI it I f it II a e l t that ew change hll ha m ids oil at ach arh of ff its it II annual sessions v I Is II at t wholesale and amid nd th the ar a are large The furniture fans at and inet n s sare are Rr held hId a 1 ar r a id id d the th Ml sale then run u up ul into tube the n lin lion buildings bull hall haie I fr for theta them mid and one n fir of f It is 1 lit an o large lar lart that t hit t It its II doors loot loon m ir I 1 A rally cally all oil the go 1 nii 1 n tie from ariff m Iven hn at the Ih faire an t m the Ih factories Tend spend lar large e sums lIun n I preparing their th exhibits A A single sing flin n ii in may 8 spend IM J I Jf f cd 10 0 upon Its II samples i nd J II all 1111 l n sill niu be sold from the Ih simple simile I thus thul shown BUYERS FROM K The furniture caM M tier here II Is he I not nOI r ren n fined to Grand Rids Tk The in other parts of lC f lbs h rent space and send In samples sample lAmp s 1 that the buyer er erha ha u as the furniture of th ih to choose chonle tam The bu buyers hur ers romp come f fro 1 n ev o where h and they the number hu Ui n I Wn ar are h fI of roC wholesale holI II h house u man many for Mr d t tand 01 and ome pome present r hug all r Not ot 0 4 few cw bring their amII lilt ith them this the vacation terser lour our of or orthe the year and at am ii h times time the ar uld 1111 Rapids hee s are all ull even in n t ins II rot cyin tit rut News by Prank G Carpenter Car In their hallways hala Tho Tiro city elt then puts on ou Its gayest clothing There are arc din dinners nr ners ra and receptions night after night I IThe The furniture makers subscribe to an on entertainment fund and they Ih give Ih their customers automobile aut obile ikie artles at atthe atthe the country clubs C and everything to In keep them In n a 1 good humor The Tho time than for these fairs Calr Is l midwinter and mill mid midsummer summer the Ihl summer rummer sales being devot devol devoted ed Id to furniture for Cor the tho market for Cor the tilt following winter and the winter sales to the summer demand WHY 11 IT MONOPOLIZED MO I J have often wondered why Grand Orall Rapids It II phi I should hould monopolize a all as It were the tho furniture business IJu of oC our country Hero Here In the heart of ot the United Slates with a 1 long railroad haul to men each coast and far lar away from the tho south U Is a 1 city ell cb that doe does business with all nil the world urill The materials it II uses ues Ul In lecture are heavy hI and the greater part palt of oC there them are carried carrle many man thousand miles The city elty has ha some same water p pew w wor or r but bul there them Is II no cool coul nearby to 10 give It II cheap steam It 11 WM elope close to ft a 1 hardwood region but hul the Ih greater pIPI pan In of the th hardwood has hu been long lon chico 1110 omit cut ell I away and nevertheless the Ih city grows growa 10 and increases In Us Its specialty i year vear by b rear ear In I Grand Rapids had lust u II t stein about A eon Inhabitants It Itt 1 I has ha t today i more mare thin Ihan And n It its 1111 hour slid and factories are scattered F over overn n square re rl miles mile It 1 has 16 team am and Us Its Il tramways s i operated I by b have hul in So miles f irn K The public works work of Grand lire are worth time almost ar erd rd rte tl rl clearing aring house hoim I Is more mare than n oo per r annum timid Rapids bus ball II 63 rU fac factories em m over off I 0 h hams with a dally Bail P I luny r tl II of C aver oer 19 0 e Time TIll moM mort mol of the IIII factories are aie dev Med to furniture I and lid some of them hem I are enormous I l II IN A BIG 1110 TOH I During my m stay Fla da I have hae gone nt through I one of the largest larrest which makes nak the till finest nest of beds hed china cl ets dining ta tl I lil blee and sideboards Tile The factor mm turns i nut ut chamber tulle suites which h h cost coot a II as much as a IU I and II It t ha has u made md din dining I 1 lag ing tables worth orth close III to The 11 mort most of tJ the furniture li Is of ot course much cheaper but hut all Is II cf tit the bleb rA ret grade and l h as you OU will find tift In I How blow our Furniture is i Made blade and ana Sold in i n Samp Samples Something About William W Alden AUen Smith who may be Next United States Senator How a Newsboy Came Cameto to Congress and Thereby got an Education His Interview with the Kauer Stories of Senator Russel A Alger Al er who who is About to Retire V cur ur better r class clou homes hom throughout the country A large lar e part put of oC the work of o this es was done In n mahogany The wood Is I brought here In logs loge Ins and sawed Into Inlo boards The hoards are put Iut away In kiln klins and roasted td until every ever bit of o moisture has hall gone out of them They are then left under cower cover for a time In order to absorb enough moisture to In be he easily oatly AlII worked and anI are then run through machine after ma 1111 mai machine i bine chine to be ht trim nd polished for Cor or furniture making A great deal of oC the II Is by h hand bund and many man of th t the hr laborers receive high wages I Without attempting t to give hl the Ihl pro COSH 11 in detail I will mention one line or rJ O il e t o X orL t 1 1 t X 1 i i r a L Y X XI Y I v I r t X 1 Y X Y X y y y r st h hi hh h l 1 1 i I I I II 0 nrY r 1 u I Iu It IA t I A f fo o k h ht r rv ry v y y J 1 1 1 i t s t t S 4 rM 4 p r v WILLIAM ALDER SMITH a R Ginn to In fi G for Cor the HIP Hr eret News Sri two odd things I 1 saw raw HI as ns I went vent through the works work FINK FINE FI I One was UIA u that thai the furniture of lousy lody rift 10 li II I We W le like ilkI to 10 think that our mahogany Is I solid H HW and d WI we of often often ten talk at nf our snits mild 1141 mahogany ItI ft dining tables sideboard anal nd bed iMd room JOm sets M The truth l I is there Is III might mighty little such turf stuff In the markets and nd the nn veneered r d Is IJ far fa beautiful than Ihan R any lihr y colt Olid article arild could be The reason reo l t is thAt In v sneering n iii a section n tot of wood wn 4 which ha a beautiful grain mIln can tan b bno be beso no so 10 cut up III Into Inlo het that It li will wll cover fr fra a large targe sluice 1 f The Tit sheets h ets lire ere juM jues ju shout h ut as a thick A as one ones MI tic big to toe toto nail hut 1141 on OIW ono log may m steaks ke T tal hundred I Ir of a r them trail when Mn they tM art are property properly glaM to woods the two ere are A as AI solid as ap II though they th had grown to I gather The Th m n here h re Is G l such urh that tbt st 01 f this hi n we weed d ten can be b to t of at every ferr shape lIPf It II p osa 0 n bo bI pasted around a Und a c eol mn or fo to fol toI fol l I Mw w the curves of an eras arm chair or r the Hy roil mil of a 1311 Th The Ther r mahogany maho an Is put on rough and Is Ii can carved canNI ed NI smoothed and 1111 In such HUch II a away way or that one III could not 1101 but Imagine that Ihal every piece is solid I 1 found a R great original nark nork going on In time the factory Callor One room was IJ devoted to designers who were planning punning new furniture and In III another skilled ran carvers em were working the tho wood out according to 10 piece picco by b piece There was nas al also a large lar l photographic loom nom where he the finished furniture I IE he photographed j to show how the Ihl trade time coming styles ItI A SENATOR SE TOn IN P During I my 01 stay tay ta here bore he I 1 have hal seen n something of ot illi sm Idon who for Cor the Ihl past 11 I 12 y years or so 10 o has been one of lit the most mo prominent r of cur tur members member of ot Congress eon and who promises premises to be the tho next United Stales Stalls senator alor from Michigan William Alden Is h i tlc over time the future of o Grand Rapids He has hns been 1111 one of the factors factor of Its growth and andIn andIn In to 10 hi ht his prominence In n po pa political 10 life he hf Is III tho the proprietor pr of It Its loading leading Il newspaper the grand Rapids ard Herald II Ira III Mi Mr Smith Is IK now nou wealthy wealth but hut lit his first t money yes was made marie as II n a newsboy by h selling ceiling the journal which he hI n mew i owns own and an I think there Has 1111 some solute sentiment t connected with his purchase although the Herald is I fast last becoming a valuable property properly In Ind d fd Alden Smith has lias had n a 1 remarkable career He lip was as IIA torn born lust JuK ju 1 about U la wars ai 1110 am nt It t time the euphonious town tone of oC In Michigan an not mint far from the lake lako and anil anda anila a R little 1111 above Abl be the Indiana line itne 1111 Shortly after he fie ramp same with will his hie as a H a Hof atH I tH of or II U tn to Ur his hl father died diN and from then th J on an he hI made his bis own ow n way ay A For KOI n a lime hp he acted as R II a messenger and an tamer was wan I ap all loge nc in to 11 tit th house of lit whore 1101 he h gut got hi hl his flitt fin taste of lw liter tIN he hI studied law and was admitted to In th the bar and amid he h has hu practiced pm tI ld In the Intervals of his hi political career William Alden U is I a 1 man hut but be hI hears bears the marks of oC one oneY Y who ho Is I college bred The other r day Ila ds Ilah be he h und and a graduate of or n nYale Yale Vale were dining Ht lit the Ih capital with Peter I e I Pritchard J win who h was h In th the I senate from North Carolina and Pd I is imi one nn i f the Ihl judges of f the Ihl United Fate circuit c l s I an Intelligent nan n an but bul he t has IMS not hud had h d a IL 1111 education After Cler he hI let left the Ihl Yule paid Mid to 10 William Smith That Thai man mall Pritchard ins bas I ability mind and 1 i venture he hI would have made m rt much non mor of nf himself If lit h had hatt had the educational advant advantages ages 3 1 that you and aM nd I 1 have had hSI I 1 understand that William Alden stalled In Ills his hi soul but bUI that ho hI did not nol tell the Yale Yule gradual that thai his only schools reboot were of experience and an help OlI O SIO I COLLEGE In my m talk lalk with II Mr r Smith I referred to III hl hi his whereupon he heIt remarked It I lm III not right to sal 1181 that I 1 have not smut ben been to 10 college lIr During the past pait pastI ir U I or M ea fl I have been going to t l In university lI of If the Ih hou house e r 1 of f and there I III none bet better bether her ter than that thaI The demands of nr Cn Can gre grese ar are a continual J spur flUr toward b betel bet t j teeing ones n self If One On must mut be b careful of It his Is language and he be continually I q studying English He Re H hs hut hili to 1 how to think and speak quickly and I 1 precisely and the man who wha tries trill to tod todo Jn do d his hl duty dimly mutt must read sad and study alone along educational tines lines quite as 11 hard ai as a any an student of 01 oo our OUT btu best colleges Indeed I J doubt whether there li b any an place where hut the active student can Improve more mere rapidly than in our national na national n homie of nt at Washington WILLIAM ALOES AIDE AND ANO J TilE THE KALSER KAIS KALS KAISER hAISEn ER En EnA ERAs Ag As A we ale e chatted together to the subject z of ot Mr Ir Smiths tour lour of oC Europe last hul year jear par clime came up and I asked a him hlin as lIS to 10 his hl audience aull with the emperor of 01 Ger Germany German man many saying In that it 11 was waa a I strange thing for an all ex bo to 10 be bl talking familiarly with one olle of oC the chief rulers of or the world I mentioned lII an Interview which w I once had with the late lal John Sherman In which he hI told me that when he wan was presented to French em emperor poor Louis Lomita Napoleon he lie wore worl a pair of velvet knee breeches and I ake aaker William Alden AMeli how ho he was dressed I t wore inre the plain black of O elan an can ran citizen was time the reply and my m dress ss was conspicuous only on I by 11 It its slam Ilm I My 31 I audience took place at the I palace and I was wag the only lime of or the I party part present who was not lot In uniform All the others were diplomats or army officer officers and they the wore gold broad braid and epaulettes I 1 had no Idea that I should hould be presented and I suppose I was wall In Indebted indebted to 10 Baron Haron Sternberg whom I knew as RJ German ambassador at It Wash WashIngton ash ashington Ington for Cor my m audience I only know that when I 1 arrived In Merlin Berlin Ire 11 I re an Invitation that the kaiser kaler would be hI glad lad to see per I me old pili you have h lc any cOIler with his hi majesty I asked Yes Ye He talked with me for Cor abou bou a about SO 20 O minutes In meeting his hi own people he lie h had used more lOore or less les ceremony and ani he hI seemed to 10 me rather stiff sill than oth otherwise When my m turn came to b hI he pre presented tented however hOfer he h greeted me Just as A Aan any an gentleman would have greeted an nn another other In our country He lie thrust out his hand I It II and we shook hook and ond his hII majesty seemed to put himself on ma th lb same am with nit me In the Ihl talk which tattooed he hI was WOR animated Id sail anil Inter |
