Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1869-04-28
Correspondence.
CHICAGO CORRESPONDENCE.

Commercial Travelers' Association.
cHIcAao, April i5, 1869. Since my last let.
ter we have had some devastating fires. The
most extensive one occurred last week, on
Lake street, and did about 100000 damage.
Condict, Woolley 4 Co., saddlery hardware,
at No. -, suffered loss OF $59, 900 in
stock mostly covered by insurance Page,
Bro. X Co., leather dealers, just removed
from No - TO No. , had goods in the
basement damaged to the amount OF $15, 900,
but were amply insured.
The Golfer dam over Washington street
tunnel in west side OF the river, has just been
removed, and no longer obstructs navigation.
Lsumb er sales arc active, but stocks are
low and cannot be replenished till the lum-
Der fleet comes In. The dry goods trade 10
active.
The Wholesale millinery trade has become
quite brisk, and statesmen, clerks and pro
prietors are unusually busy. Purchasers are
here from all parts Of the country buying
spring and summer supplies, and sales, the
past week, have been very heavy. The
wholesale millinery house of
WEBSTER GAGE, 75 LAKE STREET,
sold over $4,000, OF at the rate of $3.50, 900 a
month. Established here in 1857, as q branch
FROM the "Hub," and burned out in the fall,
the spring of 1858, and through the enter
prise, integrity sagacity and skill OF the pro-
prietors, the business has increased till il ex-
ceeds that Of any exclusively millinery house
in the West. Selling nothing but head
I,cearl .pare, they occupy four floors, 30xl50
feeb-the first with ribbons, silk goods and
flowers; the % exclusively with straw goods
the Sd for manufacturing, and the fourth Tor
storing and packing. The senior partner,
Mr.. c. @. Webster, one of the best and most
, experienced buyers resides in New York,
and attends to the purchases, and keeps
their large stock always fresh and full. Two
features of this house specially interest pur'
chasers:
They are careful and prompt in filling or
ders. Customers can rely on getting just
what they order, and all goods not satlsfac-
tory can be retusned.
They give special attention to French pat
tern hats and bonnets for the trade, employ.
ing some fifty girls in trimming them, and
keeping their pattern department always
supplied with the latest styles.
They keep the cleanest, fullest and best
assorted stock, and conduct their business
80 as to Justify the reputation they have
and retain the confidence and patrsp-
age of their customers.
THE MONEY MARKET
has been very close, but the supply isincreas-
ing, and loans are more easily effected than
a week ago. The prospect is good for an
easier money market in future.
THE GRAIN MARKET
rules about at previous rates. There il a
large amount of unmarketed grain in the
country, but the low prices do mol draw it out
very rapidly. just now movement Ia being
made in the chief Western cities to effect a
reduction in the cost of storing and handling
grain and in moving ii to market j. measure
of great interest to Western farmers.
The great want Of the West is
MORE MANUFACTURER.
With the richest and most productive soil,
mines of coal and of iron, lead,
zinc and copper ores, abundant water power,
illimitable forests of pine and hard timber
accessible by water, and sheep in such quan-
ties that farmers have begun to slaughter
them, in despair Of a market for their fleeces,
the West should be dotted all over with fac
tories, and its immense water power BIO utilized
for manufacturing purposes. Want Of cap:
ital and the facility with which the soil could
be made to yield golden harvcsts nave direct
ed the industry of the West mainly to agricul-
ture, till breadstuffs have glutted the market,
farming.
A diversified industry is the safest and
most profitable. The introduction of manu-
facLures gives additional employment to Ia
Dor, brings the producer and consumer to-
getier, and saves double freights.
A branch OF industry new to the West IL
being established here, whose product enters
largely into almost every household, viz: The
of wall paper. There are but
eight manufactures OF wall paper in the
United States: four in New York, one in Phil
adelphia the largest in the world--one in
Boston, one in New Jersey, and one just re-
moved from New Brunswick, N. j., to Mar
settles, ILL.,, ON the Chicago, Rock Island Il
Pacific r. r., and the Illinois X Michigan Ca
nal, where large print works are being bnilt,
by
NJ. A. HOWELL, JR., CO.,
capable of making five million rolls annually.
Their warehouse is in Pages Building, liz
and 119 State street, Chicago, occupying
three floors, 50 by $50 feet, and containing at
present 800, 600 rolls of wall paper and over
30, 900 rolls OF window shades. Established
in New York in 1887, their increasing western
trade compelled their removal to the center
of that trade, Chicago. They make the most
elegant original patterns with the most su-
perb finish, long study and experience hay
ing given them the practice necessary 10 su-
periOr excellence and enabling them TO lead
the trade instead oil folowingit. The house
is exclusively wholesale, and the only one in
the west that makes wall paper speciality
and sells only at wholesale, and nothing but
paper.
per hangings, window shades, decorations
and bedding Of'all knds-in fact about any
thing to furnish and beaulify homes-ther(
is no better place in the city TO make choice
selections than ut
f. q. l.. FAxoN 4 co. 3, "a AND 76 LAKE ST.
Their large, fine stock is deservedly grea
attraction to hOusekeepels.
MUSICAL.
There is justn rush ofconcerts, sacre,
and secular On Tuesday and Thursda.
evenings there were concerts in the Thirty
first street and Oil .et Presbyterian churches
Camilla Urso and Halls Boston COncer
Company, gave tho first Of series of con
certs on Thursday evening, at Farwell Hall
Balatka's Symphony Concert, with splendi
programme, will be given at Parwell Hall
Friday evening.
IN ADJUSTMENTS
we nave 'ltunlpJy DuHlpby| again NJ vi
Opera House; the tFlashOf lightning" a
McVickers; "Unclo Toms Cabin" at th
Museum, and Dreams, or "MyLady Clara
at the Dearborn. j. Grau, with his Frenc
Opera Company from the Theater Francois
New York, will begin an opera season q
Crosby's Opera House, the Goth inst.
THE MERCHANTS AND COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS
ASSOCIATION
of this city have secured the repeal of tn
city ordinance imposing license fee OF $40
upon nonresident sellers OF samples. The
were largely instrumental, too, IN procuriL
the repeal Of the Wisconsin law requirin
NONRESIDENT sample sellers TO pay 1icens
OF $50. The Association now numbers 20
members and are raising funds to III up
reading-roOm and mako pleasant headquai
ters for the members. Ono object OF TIL
Association Ia 10 secure reduction In rail
road and express charges on samples, and
reduction OF railroad and hotel fare TO II
members. The body comprises some Of th
most prominent and influential merchant
in the city. The weather continues cold an
the season 10 backward. d.
s@a...-..a--.~.n.aa.
SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY has destroyed anotl
er of our most popular theories. Hemlool
to which Socrates and Phocion owe the
death, is pronounced by eminent toxieol'
gists to be no poison atall. Sixty grains
| tincture of hemlocS were recently admir-