The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1867-09-21
Drug Business in Memphis.
A Mammoth Establishment.

any other city in the Union. The taste and
architectural skill displayed in the coustruc-
ton of hundreds of her larger stores have
ever claimed the admiration of all visitors
from other cities. Their height, depth and
general arrangement viii compare with
houses of the same character even in the
city Of New 7 ork For stability, capital
and enterprise, mercantile firms in Memphis
are behind no other on the continent As
matter of public interest, it is our purpose
from time to time, to lay before our readers
such details concerning the wholesale busi-
ness OF this city, as may enable them to
| form correct conclusions, as to the facilities
! to purchasers really presented In this mar
/ ket New York and other Eastern cities.
as well as Cincinnati, ST. Louis and Louis
vile, can offer no inducements to wholesale
! buyers, not most amply afforded here. Let
US take, for instance, the mammoth whole
sale drug house of
MANSFIELD & HIGBEE
301 and 303 Main street, as an Illustration
| of our marks on this subject, and mere
casual description of its proportions internal
! arrangements, capital employed, etc, viii at
/ once satisfy all that Memphis as a great
| commercial center of trade is fast making
| the Southwest independent of the world for
many things of prime utility, which hereto
fore could only be obtained from abroad
Before the war we had few large and strong
houses in any Southern city. We had be-
| come SO accustomed to look to Eastern and
foreign cities for everything, that no one
apparently ever dreamed of trying to remedy
the evil. Our own Indifference to patronise
any such establishment near at home offered
premium to Northern skill and energy
Of course the Eastern merchant and manu-
facturer saw this, their golden opportunity,
seized upon it, applied it to their own aggran-
dizement and now rolls in wealth, the fruit
Of misspent means Of the South. But nee
essity is the mother Of invention, and cor
rects evils apparently irremediable. Money
that could once go abroad for the purchase
of useful merchandise and necessities of
life can now be spared no longer, hence
capital here can now be used to advantage
Our own merchants saw hope of patronage
and trade, and therefore entered into ar
rangements looking to an extensive expan-
sion of their business. A want had to be
supplied, and many of the most liberal of
them prepared themselves of it by heavy
outlay of capital, which has had the happy
result of making Memphis equal to any
other city as a wholesale market But to
return to
THE GREAT DRUG STORE OF MEMPHIS,
above alluded to, and perhaps the largest in
the Southwest. We viii endeavor to give
our readers some idea of what strides Mem
phis Is making toward future commercial
independence.
THE BUILDING.
occupies most prominent position on Main
sreet, near the corner of Madison, and is
perhaps the most stately and attractive in
appearance of any business building in the
city. The entire structure is FIVE stories,
high, with depth of one hundred and fifty
feet, and seventy or eighty feet front, more
than half of which is exclusively occupied
by Messrs Mansfield & Higbee's establish
ment
On entering the store you are amazed at
the amount of drugs, medicines, paints, oils,
dye stufs, peTfumeries, toilet articles, etc.,
etc., that meet your gaze. Vast banks eff
these commodities lie piled up on center
counters, on appropriate places on the floor
or are carefully slowed away upon the nu-
meroUs side counters and shelves running
around the interior of the building, vet the
whole arrangement indicates the highest de-
gree of taste, system and order. The en-
tire interior arrangements were made appar-
emily without regard to expense, and exhibit
a most splendid specimen of the decorative
art. The painting and frescoing were eVi-
IDENTIFY executed by the master hand, as they
exhibit IN colOrs and execution, harmony,
beauty and brilliancy, without spelling the
effect with the least display of gaudy fiagree
or tinsel, the whole giving a most pleasant
! effect to the eye. In a word. the entire archi-
! tecturaI design of this most spacious estab-
| lishment Is exceedingly tasteful, and reflects
the highest credit upon the master workman
under whose direction it was wrought into
| the largest and most beautiful wholesale drug
| house outside of New York
THE LABRAToRY
| Notwithstanding the stock of drugs, medi-
| cIOas chemicals Of Il iqs7roaua nvEar-
| sive, and apparently sufficient to supply the
wants of the entire country trade, yet there
| Is large and complete labratory attached,
| wherein all kinds of chemicals, fluid extracts
and various other articles pertaining to the
| business, are constantly IN process of manu-
/ facture. The working Of this labratory
| is under the direction of professional and
skillful chemist and is, perhaps, more per-
fectly and safely managed than any in the
country.
PATENT MEDICINES.
It is needless to more than refer to many
of the patent medicines manufactured by
! this firm, as Mansfelds Highland Bitters,
| Mississippi Diarrhea Cordial, and DR.. s.
Gilberts Alternative. Healing and letter
| Ointmens, Salves, etc, have a fame through
the length of the land Besides they are
now preparing and putting up large quanti-
ties Of the
/ TEXAS TONIC SYRUP,
a new preparation, but pronounced by emf
nent physicians and all that have used it as
possessing extraordinary medicinal virtues.
Their other preparations, such as Hungarian
Balsam, for coughs, rheumatic Group, and
\ Magic Liniment; DR.. Braziers Liver Medi-
cine, Jamaica Ginger compound Extract of
Buchu, etc, are too well known throughout
the Southwest to need even a word Of com
meBdatiOn.
PAINTS, OILS, WINES, GLASS.
In keeping with the other large stock on
hand, it may not be amiss to refer to the
great quantities of paints, oils, wines, glass
etc, with which their immense cellar is con
stantIy filed. These articles arc of superior
quality, and are purchased with a view K
fully supply the trade.
THE PROPEIEToRs,
Messrs Mansfield g. Higbee, deserve ever
credit for their efforts to place Memphis IN
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