J. L. Betz was an enterprising businessman who ran the following ad for his new jewelry store in the Skidmore Standard’s April 19, 1901 edition:
It appears Mr. Betz took the advice of the editor published in the April 5, 1901 edition on page 4:
A New Business.
Mr. J. L. Betz, dealer in jewelry, bicycles and Belgium hares, has rented the building now occupied by Charles Beverlin as a barber shop, and will stock it with jewelry, bicycles and Belgium hares about the 15th of this month.
Mr. Betz is a rustler and will, no doubt, be successful in his business venture, provided, however, that he uses printer’s ink and the columns of the Standard sufficiently to let the people know that he is here for business.
We welcome Mr. Betz back to our town and wish him success.
Here’s the text of the ad above: “Announcement. We wish to announce to the citizens of Skidmore and vicinity that we are now prepared to show the most elegant and complete line of watches, clocks, diamonds, silverware and jewelry ever shown in the city. Come in and look our stock over, get our prices and find out for yourself that our prices are the lowest ever offered on guaranteed goods. Engraving and repairing. We make a specialty on these lines. All goods bought of us will be engraved free of charge. Our repair work is all guaranteed and done in a manner that will please you. Yours for business, J. L. Betz & Co.”