Billless Bloomfield

In the northeast corner cf Nebraska, on the end of a branch-line railroad, is the town of Bloomfield. For 28 months the citizens of Bloomfield have been doing a strange thing. Last week someone took the trouble to tell the New York Times about this thing in Bloomfield and the town became suddenly and widely known outside of Nebraska.

A. F. Heiress, Bloomfield drygoods merchant, is generally given credit for thinking up the plan. He organized and became president of the Bloomfield Retail Merchants Association. During his regime the Bloomfield Monitor of Feb. 23, 1928 carried a memorable proclamation by the merchants: No more retail credit would be given in Bloomfield after April 1. Any member of the Association caught extending credit would be fined $100. Twenty-two Bloomfield businesses backed the scheme.

At first there was confusion. Some merchants still gave charge accounts, but they soon found that they were boycotted by "good accounts," patronized by "bad accounts." Now all the merchants, more than 30 of them, belong. A. C. Filter, drygoods; E. L. Kiessling, ready-to-wear; Caroline Gray, cafe; Swanson Bros. Meat Market; and the Silhette Grocery are all prominent members.

Another early problem was the fact that some residents with automobiles drove to neighboring towns to go shopping, and a few residents even moved out. But this has stopped. Says Dr. Paul B. Lonergan, now president of the Association: "It rid the town of its God-given deadbeats." He is a strong booster of the plan because after two years of practice in Bloomfield he had lost $2,200 through bad debts.

Bloomfield barbers and cinemas suffered a good deal at first because people were so hard-up for cash they had no luxury-funds left. But this condition remedied itself as prosperity set in.

Practically the only exceptions to the rule are the garages, where a car may still be bought on partial payments if the security looks very sound. Otherwise the adherence is firm and no $100 fine for violation has ever been imposed. The two dentists and three doctors of Bloomfield collect cash each visit (they also do charity work).

All-in-all the 1,500 citizens of Bloomfield are satisfied with what they have done and consider their success assured. "In most cities," says a noted Bloomfield cynic, "the only really influential persons are the man owing the most money and the most beautiful woman. Here it is just the most beautiful woman."

Men who would be allowed to run up the biggest retail bills if bills were allowed in Bloomfield are probably Banker William Lambrecht and Merchandiser Filter.

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