Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-12-23
Merchants. IareiinR OIL Gem.

~ tAG G0eO1B bSAys
TINS compound, whioh has been in the
market for many years, the name Of which
10 familiar In every parish and hamlet
throughout the United 6tates 10 we'll worthy
Of the eemmsndation Of the prsss, - the
many whs have gained relief from ito prop
critics will chssrfully testify. Not like most
patent medicines which have been thrown
upon the public 10 exc cut short exist
snc.. il has stood the test Of upwards Of
thirty years, and, stands to-day unshaken
IS the reck. its foundation being built upsn
actual testimonials Of the cures il tss per
formed upon both man and beast The de-
nands for this sdicino have been steadily
increasing for years, and notwithstanding
the breaking out Of the late war, which cut
OF large demand from the Southern
States, its spread in ihs North made is sale
more extensive even than before, and new,
- the Southern Ststes are sgain open to
tho commercial world, in addition to ihe
old ones, has gained many new customers
10 that section of the country. Thus il will
bs seen that its Mans is fast becoming world
wide. and mus. soon reach from ocean to
ocean.
A breif history Of the origin. rise and
progress Of this valuable medic cine may not
prove unintercsting, connected. ~ il il, with
the fortunes OF our country, it having been
FEARED from ito infancy in Lack port, Western
New York, BY . resident of that place, Geo
" Merchant. This gentleman kept drug
store in what was termed Lower Lockport,
in 1881. and being practical chemist. was
pur'uing . natural calling whom laboring
to discover something 10 alleviate the
suncrIugs Of mankind. He made several
discoveries with some success, but never
seemed to have that confidence in other
discoveries that hs did 10 his Gargling Oil,
being aware Of its many excellent qualities.
lie next turned his attention 10 ito intre-
ductisn in the United States. Its sale in
those dsys was qnte messre, Il being some
time before its virtues were known farther
than 80 miles around.
80 s''"s s'AAsS - 80 VSSoUlVuouy tuU Gus
TEN Of Nr. Merchant to iatroiucs . few
bottles at time in the small villages that
be might see fit to visit. putting his nsdi
cine under the seat Of his wagon. Then.
ag,in,a newspaper office was occasionally
visited. and il = contract for advertising
could Be contaminated, . large cut would
appear, the face Of uhich 10 even now
familiar 10 older men, In this manner his
territory yearly increased, as the merits 0,
the Oil became fully known. Al the feun-
dation for the reputation Of the medicine
~as being built upon ito own merit, even
in towns nearer home, the demand kept in
orsasing, and finally il became necessary for
DR.. Merchant to remove his place Of bust
neW TO Upper Lockpcrt, where he nigh,
enjoy wider field fer manufacturing ope
ra'i ms. lie accordingly built four story
brick block. in order that he might be able
to manufacture . sufficient quantity to |
mest the demand. His business continued
increasing up to the time Of his disposal Of |
the entire business In 1853 to II. H. Tucker |
Co. From the time the new 6rm en-
bsrked in the business the territory for the |
sale Of this medicine increased very rapid
ly, until it reached every State in the Union |
and every village in the land.
!, the year lsiS law was passed in the
State or New York, entitled An Act to |
crhoris. The formation ot corporations for
manufacturing, mining, mechanical or chem |
ical pu-psses' The firm availed thsm>
Sc YES Of the law. and were duly ineorpor
atsd as the IN .rohants Gargling Oil CONS
pany,' in 1858. Mr. h. II. Tucker was
made Secretary Of tho Company, which |
h hell until the tme Of bis death, March |
"a. 1865. Mr.. Hodge was then elected |
Secretary. which Office he now holds, aud |
10 spoken Of by the Daily Journal Of Lock
port ~ follows
Not alone to the healing qualities Of |
this medicine is iss success attributable,
although liz popularity has be gained only |
BY thorough icst. Such . business re
qn,res skillful management, and TO respect |
Cd townsnsn. John Hodge, Esq Secretary
Of Merchants G.rglng Oh Company. be
lonEs, TO very large extent, the credit Of |
Its unlimited success. His untiring energy, |
unsurpassed business qualifications, has
won for him, not only the esteem Of eli |
those with whom he deals, but. through |
his exsrtions. the credit Of the business
has been maintained and has grown in |
grsa.ntss, and will continue 90 to do while |
under his control As . citizen, he enjoys
the conf ience Of these around him, and,
- . business man, 10 looked upon as .
leader"
The company purchased site and erect
cd bui;dings on Cottage street, where they
carried on business until the year 1868,
when they were visited by . destructive |
Ere. which swept the buildings away At
loss Of about $4,000. There we're alss
Destroyed several account books containing
the bills Of trade Of several commission |
agents in the State Of New York, most Of |
which proved 40 entire lose = The Csopa>
ny. they never being able TO get at the
same. The manufacturing establishasnt
Was then moved to building On Market
street. whore it is now located. and To- day
there ere ewpleysd about The establish !
msnt some twenty elk hands, who pack |
generally about 175 casss Of medicine Per
day. In the year 1865. one millisn bottles
were manufactured for the use Of the Com
pany, mostly made At the glass works in
Lcckport.
Up to tho tinc Of The outbreak Of the
rebellion. . very large trade Vas carried
on "a the Southern States, and the Comps
ny we're lessrs to the tun- Of absus &5O, 900,
BY Southern msrebants' inability to pay
their debts during the progress Of the re-
bcllien. Since the year 1851, the business
has increased three hundred per cent. They
pub,ish ever one million a'manacs and cir
culsrs every year, and keep two printing
presses in the establishment, for the pur
pose Of doing werk such - printing agents
cards. 4e.
Thus this business has grown graduallya