The next three years brought me a profit of 34,000 pesos, despite various inconveniencies such as the ones with the construction of the 14 doors of the “Teatro Colon”. During the visit of Dr Ortiz Basualdo, who was a client of mine, I received a very detailed blueprint of 14 doors to be built for the “Teatro Colon”. He belonged to the theatre committee. He advised me to study the blueprints carefully without sharing this with anyone. On the day of the tender, I was to submit my proposal to him in hand in a sealed envelope. At the prescribed time I did so and returned home. And this is how things happened: Architect Dormel proceeded to open the sealed envelops (11 in total). For each door to be built Maple was asking 2,360 pesos, Cascarini 2,300 pesos, Motteau 2.290 pesos, Pini & Barandelli 2.250 pesos, etc. In short, all offers exceeded 2,100 pesos. It was at that time that Dr Ortiz Basualdo asked permission from the committee head to open the envelop from “my artist carpenter”. Dormel authorized the opening of the envelop and the making public of my offer of 975 pesos per door. Dormel makes the comment that the carpenter Tarris is unknown to him. “But it doesn’t matter” he says, and adds “If he looses money, it will be to the benefit of the theatre”. Some time later the telephone rings at home and Dormel tells me: “You have behaved like the most vile of Neapolitans. You should have consulted with me first.” I explained that Dr Ortiz Basualdo had forbidden me to do this. That same night, Mr Motteau, good friend of mine, comes to see me and tells me that Dormel aspired to a commission in the way of an automobile that was worth approximately 6,500 pesos.
Another case worthy of mentioning is the one of Mrs Unzue, who lived on Suipacha street, Juncal corner. This lady calls me and gives me the blueprints of her home, built by Architect Christophersen, that included 16 rooms, large and small, with decorations in many of them, marble chimney and other ornaments. She gave me 15 days to design the entire decoration of the home. After 10 days I submitted 10 pages of sketches and many more drawings. The costs horrified me before even asking how much luxury was desired in this decoration. I gave her an estimate of 45,235 pesos. The woman saw me in and without even bothering to look at the project, looks at the amount to be paid, turns to her husband and laughing says: “Look Hector (Cobos), and I that wanted to spend 200,000 pesos! – Mr. Tarris, it’s not worth it. I’m going to order the decorating in Paris”
The Jansen house in Paris did this job at a cost of 750,000 pesos. I limited myself to install the wood panels and everything else for a price of 20,000 pesos.
My son Auguste, born in Toulouse, had to return to Paris to do his 2 year military service and subsequently, as from 1907 stayed as a decorator apprentice in that city for a few months. Later he attended College Lacordaire to study accounting.
In 1908 I bought the old property next door from Mr Gallino to expand the business. I paid 52,000 pesos. The land was 400 square metres and to build the new house I hired the Belgian architect Powell at a cost of 22,000 pesos without decorations. This later cost me another 5,000 pesos including hardwood flooring in all rooms.
“Muebles Tarris” had grown even more in importance and señor Malpeli gave us the contract for the decoration and installation of the “Banco Popular” situated at 229 San Martin street. Three years later this bank was bought by the Italian-Belgian bank. In 1910 the Art and furniture French exposition took place in addition to the fashion show, jewelry and other luxury items. The 12 houses from Paris were represented; Forest, Jansen, Keller, Sormani, Poteau, and others. This exposition favoured us greatly, making us even better known, despite the benefits being less than in previous expositions. The French furniture was sold at reduced prices not to have to transport them back to France. Sormani left us with 3 furniture pieces to sell. They wanted 750 pesos for one of them, while we sold a very similar piece of our own for 240 pesos.
