MERCHANDISING

from J. Arbon Christensen's Bridgerland: your land and mine.
Watkins and Sons, Inc., 1976, pp. 83-84.

     The merchant who made a success of his business in early Cache Valley truly had to
be an enterpriser. John H. Andersen (sic) was one of these. In 1888 he started work for
the Z.C.M.I. as a delivery man for $40 per month. In 1890 he was made manager of the
People's Store, a branch of Z.C.M.I. until they closed out the branch. Mr. Andersen
bought this store and remained in business until just recently under the name of John H.
Andersen and Sons.
     Trade in produce meant just what it says. Trade of one commodity for another. Some
commodities seemed to take on prime value. One of these was butter. Dairying in those
days was summer time business. The cows went to pasture in the mountains in large
herds and butter became plentiful and cheap. It sold in the summer for 8 cents a pound
and in the winter for fifteen cents. The enterprising merchant would buy butter in the
summer and pack it in brine solution in crocks and barrels and sell it in the winter. Eggs
like butter were plentiful in the summer when the chickens would lay. Very few eggs
were laid in the winter time. They also developed methods of storing eggs so they would
keep and sell them in the winter for much better prices.
     Cheese was one of the most heavily traded items. Mr. Lorenzo Hansen, owner of the
local creamery, would furnish Mr. Andersen with thousands of pounds of cheese. This
cheese would be sold locally or through the Z.C.M.I, of Salt Lake City. The People's
Store sold their products to Helena, Butte, Anaconda, in Montana; Pocatello, Ketchum,
Glenns Ferry, Shoshone, and Hailey, in Idaho.
     An interesting means of payment was carried on between Mr. Andersen and Mr.
Hansen. Hansen issued orders on Andersen's store to farmers supplying him with milk
and these would be redeemed at the People Store for groceries and other items.
     One of the biggest markets at the turn of the century was with sheep men who brought
their sheep in during the summer to the canyon rangers. They bought provisions and salt
in large lots from the Logon merchants.
     How times have changed! How times have changed.

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