The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-12-30
F." Stealing our Trade ''-SuggestiOns
TO eur Merchants.

The New Albany Commercial has
an editorial under the caption,
= Stealing oar Trade" in which it en-
deavors to awaken the merchants of
that city to the importance of looking
after a nearby trade" which is
being taken away from them by the
activity and enterprise Of few of the
wholesale merchants of Lafayette,
who are pushing their business down
even to the very suburbs Of New AL
bany. The Commercial says that the
trade north of Greencastle properly
belongs to New Albany, and yet that
Lafayette houses are selling goods
regularly to Gosport, Bloomington,
Bedford, and Salem, and that EARL
& HATCHER, n large grocery firm of
Lafayette, were as well known along
the line of the New Albany Railroad
as any of their own merchants.
When in Lafayette, a few months
ago, oar attention was attracted to
the enterprise of this firm, and the
signal success which had attended
their efforts in liberal advertising and
extending their business far beyond
the ordinary area of trade of that
city The aggregate mercantile bust
ness of that city will not begin to ap-
proximate to that doae by our city,
and yet, while there are four times as
many. groceries sold in ETansgilIe rass
in Lafayette, there is no single es-
adjustment in this city which sells
half the amount of goods an
nually as are sold by EARL & HATcr-
ER. And this is notion account of
any special advantage which Lafayette
possesses as a market, but solely to
the activity of the mem bers of the
firm. They have, probably, the best
arranged and largest grocery house.
in the State they carry large stocks,
so as to compete, in this respect, with
Cincinnati, Chicago, and st. Louis;
they employ agents who visit every
section where there is any possibility
of securing any trade; and, as one of
the most important features of their
business, they advertise, with judi
cious liberality, in the newspapers, by
circulars, price-currents, and all other
methods which will bring them to the
notice of -country dealers: BEE -
The lesson is not without profit to
Evansville as well as New Albany.
The commercial history of the past
six years, has shown that no city
possesses trade which belongs to it.
Individual activity and combined en-
terprise, railroads, packet lines, and
other facilities of traffic can triumph
over natural advantages. If city
does not put forth the necessary ex-
ertions and offer the proper induce
nents to the regions which are natu-
rally tributary to it, the trade will
surely be lost to it and seek other
localities. And on the other hand
the business Of a city can be very
largely increased and its area Of trade
greatly extended, by the personal
enterprise Of its merchants. 1t is
within the power of any mercantile
or manufacturing establishment to
draw new customers to the city by the
individual efforts of its members, and
while they are thereby enriched, the
city also is benefited in its general
interest.
Partly by the building OF railroads,
but chiefly by our own neglect, we
have lost to this city a valuable trade
in Southern Indiana, to the northeast
of this city. which oughtto be regain
ed. There is a considerable business
which this city might secure from
Spencer, Perry, Dubois, Pike, Da-
viess, Sullivan and Knox Counties.
But it appears our merchants have,
with few exceptions, abandoned these
regions to other cities. If they would
more generally inaugurate a system of
business like that pursued by
EARL & HATCHER, they could
regain ii. The trade of mberland
River is in danger of being seriou- y
interfered with by the persistent Ell
forts of Cincinnati aud Louisville
merchants, unless our wholesale houses
| look more closely after it. So it is
with Southern Illinois and Kentucky.
We should not remain quiet, and