The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-01-29
The Modern Palace Of Trade.

WHICH IS dS ldISt ID lilG vi tHc SOllSeuII
and whose white facade is longer than that of
the Tudor Gothic pile on the banks of the
Thames. 1t grew cut of trade, beautiful as q
work OF art, but more beautiful as triumph
OF patient industry. rsi sa.. ~
coming down Broadway 10 Tenth street, 1t
strlkeS you with a purely choral beauty, as
thoaSn ART and utility were hymning new
duet together. Eighty-fye feet above the
pavement, arch upon arch. not unlike the
puhs oil a white cloud. The very omuipo-
tence of shop, locking down with stately
grandeur upon the dusty little Goth covered
with tinisais and trumpery just to the north
oft.
1t is worth while to stand here a moment
with bird'seye purpose, and at the same time
recall some of the history behind IT, The
rectangular chasteneSs is unmarried by daub
of sign painter or shaliowness of gilt. To la
bel it "a. t. Stewart & Co." would be as
empty vanity as to inscribe 'Queen Victo-
ria by the grace of God" on Windsor Castle,
The firm name is inwrought and understood
that is, understood in a dim superstitious
way-by every eye, and who are not super
stitious, and scarcely reVerential desire to un-
derstand it better, seeing in it so much that
stands for national energy and purpose and
success.
This is the house, or a segment of it, which
does business of over fifty millions year.
Thel other branches are on the corner of
Chambers street, New York; in Deyopsbire
street, Boston; in Chestnut street, Philadel-
phia; the Rue Bergere, Paris; the Rue de la
Borrse, Lyons; Cooper street, Manchester:
James street south, Belfast; st. Vincent
street, Glasgow, and the Alte Leipseger
strauss, Berlin. Something of the magnitude
and power OF its separated whole in this tow
ering front, perhaps, but no oVerweening or
tawdry triumph of color or inscription. The
only tints are the shadows of the recessed
windows, warmed by the flicker of costly
goods within, which turks in the piate-glass.
Fifty millions year in this case means not
only trafic but utindustry. The mere merchant,
once go-between, and standing betwixt pro-
dUcer and consumer with idle chatter, has so
wound the interests together with steel and
lace and silk that you cannot separate them.
Above the anvil chorus will rise the chirrups
OF the sewing machines; behind the opera
tives, and behind the operatives homes. That
is why Beauty designs to crown the work; 1t
was planned according to the Grecian creed
which represented Beauty riding on lion.-
Work is worthy of some cmblazonry, and
traffic that fosters it should sit in its own tab
ernacle. 20 rs .fa. ..t 70. 3.
Probably no establishment in the world Off
ers US so ample an opportunity to see the
workings OF rigid business discipline In its
more lesible phases; certainly none can IL
lustrate more forcibly the Comprehensive
grasp and indomitable energy OF our age and
people. A firm whose members are in both
hemlspheres and whose agents are travers
ing the world continually; who buy up mills
and factories and control the markets; who
stand inEthe great centers of business and
WELD power that affects governments and
at the same time deal here with petty con-
sumner, and to all with an easy undemostrative
regularity that is marvellous, must lie worth
halt fhour's study. The machinery, the rou-
tine, the operatives, the related republic, the
curiosities of textile industry, the perfection
of discipline-all these behind the facade.
scarcely understood by the public, and but
indistincty comprehended by the thousands
dependent upon the firm, are what we
seek. AN J9F i-.I' sgJH e'rBE
% First here is the plaza, playing our prelude.
This the vestibule of the street, with its stir
ring intimation olsgenteel patronage in the
succession OF handsome vehicles at the curb,
and the fitting OF liveried servants and grace
full trails across the dustless sidewalk. With
John Kellum's figure in our hand we run our
eye down the two hundred feet of front, look
ing like a fashion plate, with its brilliant car
toons OF ljle and dress. The finest shop in The
world, undoubtedly. The famous Swan G.
Edgars CT Regent street is remembcted only
as pomp OF glass, and Howells & James.
sink into "Reminiscences OF stucco. The fig-
ures say lS5 feet on Broadway, 253 on Tenth
street, 32S on Ninth street, 1856 on Fourth
avenue, or nearly a thousand feet in circum-
ference. Regarding the stir of patronage a
moment, without guide book aud with no
drasoman but curiosity, we pull open one OF
the two little doors and are il the great baz-
aar. 5a s'f -a-lre. .lea .f -r
The whole building, with the exception of
thirty feet on the south cut Off by pierced
partition, is one open room. The original
intention of the owner was to build five stores
as a speculation. This thirty feet is one of
them. Mr.. Stewards business increased so
much IN go and I'll that he was compelled
to forego the original plan, and occupy the
place himself with his retail trade. The con-
sequence was the four remaining stores were
lett undivided. This vast floor is laid out in
parallelograms by the tables or counters, and
around the tables, choaking the passage-Ways,
moving, sitting, standing, staring, chaffering.
is the gayest, richest mob of picturesque wo-
men and peaceful statesmen, making splen-
did inwrought picture, which is relieved only
by the countless shadows of cashboys that
fit across it. 1., ,t- lr. ..l...t., ..,.a -lt4ft
srnol 90 htG THE LACE Rook. BIO vaneJ
1t isn't everybody can see point de gaze, the
thread of which is worth its weight in silver.
Therefore we stop long enough to inspect
with rude eyes lace shawl worth $2,5O0,
them. 1t is SO infiniteslnally worked, and SO
intricate in its arabesquerie, that we have to
take our time to comprehend II. A pre- -Ra-
phealite gossamer, about as heavy as a spi-
der's web, and approaching nearer than any
thing else to the Persian conceit of woven
wind" Cur dragoman insists on seeing q
bridal trousseau-having read of them in Jen-
kiDs' reports SO often-"combinatio point
lace" they call it it, and it consists OF five me-
k,e,e, % A.. 4
handkerchief, parasol cover and fan. The
handkerchief, look you, which is about as tan
gible as the tracery on your window of a cold
morning, costs $ll5; any laTge-handed wo-
man could put it in her thimble and then put
the thImble on her finger! The fan, the most
impossible vapor of tan, which has to have
a satin background to keep it from floating
away--S75. The whole trosseau is dirt cheap
at $500.
"About four hundred Of those handker-
chiefs sold in season. says our guide, reel
ing of. some black finn at the same time, ..ay-
eraSe $40 each. But the beauty of the thing
is"-trying to do q little eulogy on the sly.
and blowing the film out like pennant with
his polite consonants, "the beauty of the thing
is, we viii sell you handkerchief for rs
cents, and will treat you with the same con-
sideration. This is Chantilly,n - and the
black film settles down in his hand like
wreath of smoke. Half an inch wide, and
three dollars and fifty cents a yard! Ii we
stay here long enough the air viii grow thick
with lace; miracles of Alencon and venlse
Antique and HoDiton will overturn our faith
in nature. lil adi- s@irTs4.Js7 vl-
8l53f sa AN ORIENTAL VISION. "a I'D
Now up to the next floor, with more boys
emerging from reces5es and coming at us
round tables, and scuttling down the stairs,
and occasionally leaning up against their bud
gets in demure way, all with the same dash
of satire lurking in their curious faces, as
though they knew. all this pother was an
empty vanity and they only tolerated its de-
mands through necessity and intended 10
break away at the first opportunity, and 60
on whaling voyages or be endmen in hands,
and do some other natural and neccessitous
thlng,-and here we are at the India shawl
department, where certain huge camphor
chests with rAonstrous padlocks stand gap
ing round the tables, and into which the
precious goods are tucked away at Dightlall
and sealed up from moth and men. Our
friend is up in the manufacture of these
luxuries and tells the story of slow, labori-
Gus composition while we are looking at a
Koh-inoor of shawls worth $500 and COM
posed OF 4,500 pieces, more or less so MIN
gled and melted as to laugh microscopes TO
scorn. This is the camers hair wonder
which the possessor wraps about her shoui-
ders as an insignia of wealth, not as palm
pest of labor 1t is beautiful fortune OF
shreds; the perfection of mosaic in lis unity
and detail. Women of moderate means, but
inmoderate desires, tremble with their emo.
tions when they approach this department.
and sniff the camphor chests. There are
other camels' hair shawls shown us, which