dead wagon
n.— «He said he was told he was “in a bottle already,” and in two weeks three-fourths of his customers, from 300 to 400, were taken away from him by the organization underselling with the “dead wagons.”» —“Swear Syrup Ring Boasted City ‘Pull’” New York Times Aug. 7, 1931. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Carl in Sebastopol, California, was reminded of his childhood on New York’s Lower East Side while ready Harry Golden’s book For 2 Cents Plain (Amazon), the title referring to how customers ordered a plain glass of seltzer. For a little...
Book recommendations and the art of apology. Martha and Grant share some good reads, including an opinionated romp through English grammar, a Spanish-language adventure novel, an account of 19th-century dictionary wars, and a gorgeously illustrated...