Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1868-10-08
Correspondence.
CHICA9O CORRESPONDENCE.
Activity Of ofTKade--Po PoIicy OF Western
nMegehants--WhoI House OF
.FarwelI a. Co. Fs

CHICAGO CORRESPONDENCE.
Activity Of Trado--PoIicy OF western
a Wholesale House OF j.
V.Farwen a Co.
Since my last letter business has Increased
In activity, and the large wholesale houses
swarm with customers, like gigantic bee.
hives. am more than ever impressed with
the fact that it is the true policy Of the west
ern merchant to buy his goods here instead
OF in New York. The large dealers here buy
goods just as cheap as the New York dealers.
They buy all domestic goods Of the manu-
Iacturers, and either import their foreign
goods or buy them OF the manufacturers
agents. Rents are far less here, and goods
can be handled cheaper here than in New
York. And It 10 an actual fact that the
Wholesale jobbers here sell Just as cheap as
the wholesale jobbera in Now York. They
know the wants Of the trade in the northwest
better than the New York merchant, and
adapt their purchases to supply that want.
The merchant who buys here saves the Tina
and expense of q visit to New York, the extra
freight, and weeks of delay in the receipt OF
his goods. There 10 no necessity for his GO
ing TO New York, for just as goodstocks can
be found here as there. Take the house of
JOHN v. FARwELL CO.,
AZ, Al and 46 Wabash Ayenue-the largest
and strongest wholesale dry goods house in
the Northwest, selling ten millions year
in illustration 'of my positions. Their nd
vantages are:
l. They have great facilities for doing
business. Their store is five floors above the
sidewalk, is go feet wide by 100 deep. The
basement is 80 feet wide by las feet deep
-Four floors are uaed for salesrooms, the two
upper ones for packing and storing goods
They are also obliged to use outside store
room for large amount of goods. The in
side arrangements Of the store are perfect
The goods, when sold, are carried by ma
chlnery from each floor to the floor next to
the upper story to be packed, and are brought
down in the same way to be shipped by rail
or steam. Some idea of the amount of work
done in the packing room may be formed from
the fact that $50 900 worth-so clerk in
forms me--were boxed and shipped from that
room the first week in September.
q They own their store and have abundant
capital to buy in the best markets of the
world.
8. Their sales are so large that they can
sell at small profit.
4. They are the Oldest house Of the kind
here, having taken the lead OF the wholesale
trade in the Northwest for years, and are
everywhere known as responsible and honor-
able dealers. The age and character of bu-
siness house, like the age and character Of q
newspaper, are part Of its capital, and a
very important part, il its years have been
prosperous and honorable. The name of j.
v. Farwell x Co. is synonym for uprightness
and business integrity wherever known. This
house is prepared to do O larger business
than ever. We talk fiippantly Of millions, but
1t is not easy to comprehend how much is rep
resented by such numbers. One needs to 60
through such house as this-as we have
and see the long rows of staple and domes-
tic goods, and the endless piles, packages
and boxes OF dress and fancy goods, notions,
&C., to realize it. Think ofgdikiag a mile BY
the side. Of rows of such goods, aud you can
form s1me idea OF the amount OF goods dis
played, and for sale here tn oughout the year.
And there is nothing needodin in the dry goods
line that cannot be bought here. The house
is a credit to Chicago, and illustrates the
wonderful growth Of the Great West under
the expansive influence Of free institutions.
HOUSES AND HOUSE BUILDING.
There has been almost fabulous amount
of building done here this season, and still
rents do not come down. Wherever placard
Is stuck out--"H House" or "Rooms to Rent"
there is swarm Of house hunters, III
search Of home. There needs yet to be de-
vised some plan by which those in moderate
circumstances can provide themselves cheap
ly with a comfortable home. Twelve hundred
houses-in addition to the multitude of stores
have been built here in six months, and
towns or villages laid out and partially built
on the lines OF the various railroads, to ac-
commodate the teeming populations that
throng here to do business, and yet the de-
mand Is still for more. To provide a good
home IL the first thought of every head Of a
homeless family.
NEW HOUSE COVERING.
Passing along the streets the other day,
my curiosity was excited by seeing o small
house on the sidewalk. Was 1t model OF
some famous mans domicil, or had it been
used in political procession, or figured at
county or state fair y Or was it put there as
q sample Of how houses should be built
On examination found the roof, sides and
floor were covered with compacted paper or
pasteboard, saturated with tar, and imper-
yioxs to air and water, and nOn-conductor
Of heat and cold, making it cool in summer
and warm in winter, and protecting the
house against vermin. It is put on the studs
without sheathing boards, or on the sheath
ing boards before clapboarding, or on the in
side Of the studs before lathing OF on the
lath and papered, instead OF plastering,
like any wall, on the joists under the floors to
Keep out Colu tuu nolse, anu on FOOLS, either
as sheathing, or instead Jf felt for gravel
roof And tits so cheap that house rs feet
by so and 20feet high can be covered with it
md made air and water tight, and ss warm as
q brick house, for from fifteen to twenty dol
lars. The paper can be used before satura-
tion for the insides of rooms, instead of
plaster, and be papered or whitewashed. / /
learned that this Materials being extensive
y used, the Rock River Paper Company, at
10 La Sale street, manufacturing 1t in large
quantities. Full particulars by circular are
sentJiee on application to the company. We
nave had paper boats for scull races, and |
now we are to have paper houses We live
n day Of wonders. D.