The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1870-03-31
AMONG Our
(CoNTINuED.)


ng, and informed us that he was
about to enlarge, having engaged
the room formerly occupied by Potts
b os., where he will move in Il few
days. Good.
Next door is Smith, very anil,
lar name, and very familiar face,
for it has been seen on these streets
10! these many years. This one is
Fred. Smith-thc tailor He has
adorned our person many times with
his neat fits and good cloth; and
whore is tho man who ever had Smith
90 over him with n tape limo that
over complained of Il non-iit? Fred.
has some nice pieces of goods, and
while he does not branch out largely
no sells good proportion Of SUITS
A quiet, reserved sort of a German,
he never says word amiss. If he
tells you that cloth is good, you may
depend upon it that his representa-.
tons are correct.
Like u gentle Spring zephyr we
are waited down the ripping mud to
the glass front and iron columns, and
variegatcd bottles and statues adorn,
ing the front of the mammoth drug
house of Taylor, Blake & Co. In
the gloomy youthful days ofour city's
life, when coon-skins and seneca.
snake-root were the currency, and
when the postmaster delivered the
mail in his hat, we have seen DR.
Taylor take his fishing-tackle, and
basking in the aguey sunshine, bot
for cells, or suckers, or any other am.
phibeous nibble. Those were the
days of general lassitude and don't.
care -tiveness. He then owned a
little, one. horse pill-shop, and prac.
ticed his profession. But, with the
gallo that blew up the slumbering
Goals into living fire of business, all
over our quiet, parochial villages, the
DR.. spread his sails, and favorable
winds drove him along. A partner
ship was formed withC. F. Blake, in
whom we were deceived as to his bu-
siness qualifications, as h, hasproven
himself a master. Another acquisi-
ton, Mr.. W. II. Harper, was made,
and the trio manned the boat so
skillfully, as to put them at the head
of the drug business in the State Of
Iowa. Recently, two more, W. B,
Goodall and Eugene Sheffield, Joined
in the co-partnership. Each ono Of
those, starting with Blake, were
clerks for the Dr., and by industry
perseverance, and general ability
they rose successfully to membership
in the firm-a firm which is for
tress in itself. They now carry 9
500, 900 stock, with an immense cap
ital and trade to back it. They arc
not confined to drugs, but have full
lines of School and other books, sta
tionery, music, toilet and fancy
articles.
DR.. Taylor and Charley Blake
the principal capitalists of this su
pcrb house, are two of tho wcalthiesI
men in the community, which they
owe 10 their superior business sagac
ityand untiring energy.
In all public improvements they
are the men who lead, and who are
never required to be slangwhanged
into the proper discharge OF Their
duties to themselves and the public
At tho next door westward, we
"closod in mass on Daggett 4 Ed.
gerly's doorstep, and "viewed the
landscape o'er." The reminiscent Of
of this firm are something similar to
tho one above. Mr.. d., ondeayored
to do music on his debut to:our town,
but il was no use, his cakes were all
"do." The happy thought of a hard
ware house struck him, and he "lit
out" for stock. At once fortune
favored him, and after tusseling alone
a while, Mr.. Edgerly formed co-part-
nership with him. From the founda-
ton Of q retail store, they built up a
wholesale trade and a
splendid reputation. They employ
one of the best statesmen in the State
MIR. VIM. Starr,-who we can re-
from the time of the flood
of the Des Moines. A straight-for-
ward, kind, gentlemanly fellow, who
makes his employers interest, his
first aim. Samuel Green docs the
books in neat and correct order.
Turning the corner here, we ad
vance up Market to Sd street, where
we are greeted with tho tinkling and
jingling OF hammers and anvils, and
the slashing and crashing ofsaws and
swung by the battalion Of
in Grimes Wagon and
Carriage Factory. Mr.. Grimes his
tory is similar to many others in our
city. He commenced on small capt.
tai and not very extensive manufac.
ture. Falling in with the general
rush of business, he at once common
cod expanding. His factory is now
the most capacious ono in the State,
and his wagons and carriages roll up
to incredible numbers, as our readers
will rememberthe cidertreat he gave
his employees, about year ago, on
the wagon that bore the significant
patriotic number Of "1776." The
of wagons alone manufac-
tured by him exceed 1900. He has
taken Fair premiums enough to in
sure the high excellence ofhis work.
We have frequently given the d.
mansions of bis shop, the number of
hands employed, etc, and shall not
rehearsc that more. Grimes is an
persevering, entcrprising,
honest man, and is recognized as one
Of the 6rst-cIass manufacturers Of the
State.
He is using sarvcn's Patent wheel,
for light work, which to us is new
thing /: the hubs being secured and
the spokes supported by metallic
band, il obviates the spokes getting
loose or breaking at the hubs. In
this wheel there are eighteen spokes.
In going through this extensive cs-
Adjustment, we were glad to meet
Mr.. T.. j. Allen. the foreman of the