Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1860-10-12
How stewart Made his fortune.

in mercantile career, Of no extraordi-
nary length, has been that of A. T.
Stewart, the present great wholesale and
retail dry goods dealer.
A. 7. Stewart is a countryman Of
OConnell, Brien the Brave, Curran, the
late Duke of Wellington, Powers the act
or, Grattan, the Emmetts, and Teddy
the Tiler. Fcrty-one years ago he land
ed on the western side of the Atlantic,
alone and unfriended. He came from
the county Tyrone, near the bushes.
When he reached New York in 1919,
Mr.. Stewart must have been twenty -four
years old, and soon after he could have
been found at No SO Rose street, direct
ly opposite the Quaker church, where
"he taught the young idea how to shoot"
or in plain Irish kept school, How
!oEg Mr.. Stewart was occupied in task
that would have tried the patience of Job,
| dare not say, but | have no doubt it
was most excellent preparatory school,
to teach patience to the future immense
fayorite and successful waiter upon the
caprices of lady dry goods purchasers.
Mr.. Stewart is now about the age of
sixty four having been born in ireland
in 1895 or '96. After the yellow fever
in 1922, he opened retail dry goods
store in Broadway, in an old wooden ten
enent directly opposite to where his great
marble palace nov stands. His store
may have been twenty-five feet wide, and
about twenty feet deep He was next
door to the celebrated Bonafanti, now
nearly forgotten. At that time Mr.
Stewart was not large or even a small
dealer in dry goods. His store was not
large enough. He kept hosiery, laces,
silks, and the more costly fabrics. He
attended the great auction sales regular
ly, and never missed sale of dry goods.
He invariably upon these occasions
bought what was called 4" tumbled lots"
or more properly speaking, " sample
lots" At a great shelf sale " samples
would be flung upon the long table, be-
fore the auctioneer The buyers would
handle them, stretch, pull, try on the
goods, if gloves, and tumble them in
fine style.
1t was curious to philosopher to
watch the rapid transition over Stewards
face. lie always stood close to the que
tioneer, an1 as he invariably bought the
sample lot, his face expressed anxiety,
his hands reached out and grasped as
many of the articles as be could compass,
especially laces, and drew them near him
self to prevent more tangling. When a
lot of goods was closed up, then the sam
pies would be sold separate, and rarely
brought half price, Then Mr.. Stewart
was in his glory. He bought all, con-
veyed them up to his little store, and as
he was very expert in redressing up
gloves, hosiery, laces, &c he would soon
make his sample lots equal to the origi-
nal goods before they had been nussed
at the auction sales Then followed the
triumph of the patient, humble little
tradosman He conld ua9ersell anybody
in that trade, of course, and ladies Of
fashion we're not long il finding out that
fact. In this modest way he worked
along, slowly but surely, from 1922 to
1928. Then he found his business great
ly increased. He was the best judge Of
laces in New York, and he sold the best
at the lowest prices--lower than the great
dealers, Fountain & Co., Vandervelt &
Flanden. Stewart, by practiciug econo-
my, industry; aud absolute devotion to
his profession and business, soon came
alongside Of his great and sometimes
oyerbearing rivals. lie was humble,
attentive, sold very cheap. and the best
of goods. lie neither tried on lodges
or gougcs. He was regarded as worthy
young beginner, and very soon the fash
ionable Misses Mason, Jones, Jay, Homes,
Stuyyesant, and others Of their set, be-
came his constant patrons, aud be soon
had all that profitable trade.
He was forced to move Three stores
had been erected in Broadway, between
Warren and Chamber streets. Bcnti-
jack Weems moved in the corner store
Fountain Il Co., moved next, and Stew
art in the third store. His was only
thirty feet deep. The rest were their
present depth, and all only three stories
high, but occupied above by families -
In this store Stewart continued until
1892. Then he moved down to two
story store between Murray and Warren
streets, His business increased so ra-
pidly that he had to enlarge bis store By
it an additional twenty feet,
and raised it to three stories. In the
course Of five years more he was obliged
to deepen il thirty feet more aud put on
two more stories, making i've storystor
About this time Stewart adopted the
plan Of employing as clerks the hand
soonest young fellows he could pick up
in this country or even in England.
His customers we're the most fashionable
and dashpg young women in the city,
Many OF our readers will remember
partly bald-hcaded man who used 10 walk
up and down the store, when it was OPP
posite the City Hall. This walker was
named johnson. lie had been brought
up in fashionable dry goods store. lie
came TO New York, and offered 10 90 into
Stewards store for no salary. lie was
The first year Stewart gave
him 800; the second 81 200; the third.
81, 800; and the next year gave him an
in the business Of one-eighth. -
lie left the concern Of A. T. Stewar. 4
Co., some ten years after, with 800,
900, and went to England, taking 500,
900 and leaving $50, 900, which Stewart
invested in Kentucky bonds. When he
reached England he was. induced to start
a club house. lie sold out bis $50. 900
Kentucky stock, and Lost every dollar.