mr CumStock der ser i thaut i Wod rite yo u a few lineS to inform you that i was the fir St agent for you pills in thiS Setlement but th as iS Several agent round her and tha ar interfer With mee eSpeSly William a StavSon he liveS her at enfield he Wanted mee to giv him one of you Sur klerS So he Wod be agent but i Wodent let hi m hav hit an he rote to you i SupoSe an haS got a Suplye of pillS an ar aruning a gant mee he iS Sell ing them at 20 centS a box i Want you to St op him if you pleeS

mr CumStock i Sent you too dollars the 21 p leeS Credet my a Count With hit mr.  Cumsto Ck i Want you to Send mee Sum of you pam pletS i Want you to Send mee right of three tow nShipS aS i am Working up a good trad her i wan t indin Cree an enfield an Carnie tonnShipS rite Son aS poSSible an let me know whether you will let me have thoSe townShipS or not for my territory i Sold a box of pillS to melven willSon his gir l She haS the ChilS for three yer and he tride eve n thang he cood her wan nothing never dun her eny good one box of you pills brok them on her tha ar the beSt pillS i ever Saw in my life tha ar the beSt medeSon for the ChillS i ever Saw an rumiteS i am giting up a good trad i Want you to Send me Sum of you pampletS i want you to Stop theSe oth er agentS that iS botheran me an oblige you rite Son.

enfield
White Co.
illS

thomaS Cathey

Sadly, we do not know how the company handled Mr. Cathey’s request for sole representation in three Illinois townships.

After the pills achieved wide recognition and other methods of publicity, chiefly the almanacs, were well established, newspaper advertising was terminated.  An invitation to agents (about 1885) declared that

     For some years past they have not been advertised in newspapers,
     they being filled with sensational advertisements of quack nostrums
     got up for no other purpose than catch-penny articles ...

The Indian Root Pills obviously claimed a more lofty stature than other, common proprietary remedies.  The exclusive representation scheme was also a partial substitution for newspaper advertising; the company was aggressive in soliciting additional agents—­aiming at one in every town and village—­and then in encouraging them to push the pills by offering prizes such as watches, jewelry, and table utensils.[10]

[Footnote 10:  In connection with this offer the pills were priced to agents at $2 per dozen boxes—­$24 per gross—­and were to be retailed at $3 per dozen—­25c per box.  Other agreements, however, probably intended for more substantial dealers, specified a price of $16 per gross for the Indian Root Pills.]

[Illustration:  FIGURE 21.—­Cover for booklet used as a circular describing the Indian Root Pills.]