The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-11-04
.@illu1nltettfEenfer.
!. eARURDAY MORNING, NOV. q

sARURDAY MoRNIVe, nov. ~
Tar CIorHISSo BUs1NEs- The num-
beers engaged In certain. branches Of
businessissomettmes alleged Hasa reason
why:tber Is no money in them. Ex=
cesstve competItiOn has broken down
the business, says, some venerable
croaker in confidential whispers to his
friend, who seeks to inquire into his
financial prosperity. Vet the said con-
fdential friend rarely finds the author
Ofsuch opinion d ding what would strike
him as q sensible thing under the cir
.cnmstanees, to wit: quitting the bust
ness. Nay, some times while giving
sucha an uninvIting view OF matters,
whole dray loads Of the material neces-
,sary to carry on such business on q
magnificent scale, are being dumped at
his door. The shrewd interlOcutor
comes TO the conclusion that It was
merely n delicate hint ON the part of his
friend, that however cordial their init
macy, business is business and fr1end-
ship don't warrant particular inquiries.
We are a little tender in our feelings
and don't like 10 be bluHed, oven though
1t be in words son and smooth as loVeTs'
accents, which will account for the alb
senee OF figures in our remarks about
the clothing business of the city. We
hay'nt asked any of our enterprising
Clothiers to let us look into their books
to get an idea of the amount Of business
they are doing or the amount Of money
they are making. We merely presume
enough on our general reputation for
honesty to slide around among their
piles ofgOOds and see the array of GUS
toners, Hndgain what Information such
visits are calculated to impart to any
one who makes good use of his eyes
A few years ago we had but three or
four regular clothing houses in the city;
now their name is legion, and thestoc
in trade presents itself to the eye in
every imaginable manner. All along
the principal streets ingenious little
frame works, intended to represent the
human form divine, and dressed in all
the elegance and variety OF the latest
fashions, confront the eye. The win
dows present an elaborate display of
linen OF immaculate snowiness, neck
ties of every hue and design, from the
brilliant but mOdest-sized little butter
fly to ties more elabornte and volumin-
Gus, with knots and beaux. All this,
when compared with "A few short years
ago. looks as though the business was
being overdone. Ono naturally won
ders how, with the high prices and the
rigid economy the bulk of consumers
are obliged to practice, this enormous
quantity of clothing is disposed of.
We don't know how, but we do
know that they are not given away
(our pocket book has had prac-
teal demonstration OF that flct).
We know, too, that no class of
our merchandising citizens give moro
unmistakable evidence of solid pros
Perity. Wheeling can boast some of
the finest stocks of clothing outside Of
the Eastern cities. Our oldest and best
established firms are Messrs. Stein
Brothers, A. NJ. Adams & Co., Sawtell
q Bro, ,Lnkin & Co., and Thos. Hughes.
In all of these the largest, best and most
varied stock OF clothing is to be found.
The propriet0rs are men who UNDER
stand their business thoroughly, and
hive a reputation for fair dealing un-
surpassed by my firms in any city.
Mrs. Leech, for many years connected
with Thos. Hughes In the clothing bus
mess, is opening a new establishment,
which will not he surpassed by any
in the city. Messrs. Gutman & Co., al
though of recent establishment in our
city, have been doing n thriving bush
ness, in evidence of which we might
cite the fhct that they have recently
rented the rooms at present occupied by
Jneob s. Rhodes, which are among the
most commodious in the city. What
appears to us, therefore, on first sight
AS excessive competition, seems to be
but "a healthy stimulus, and Wheeling
is the best dressed as well as the best
business place within the area OF half u
State,