Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-05-11
A Great Business House.

The tendency of trade from Lake to State
street, in this city, is apparently something
very wonderful. Only five wears ago the
great crowd and rush " ere on Lake street /;
and State street, down town, was as quiet as
country village. I o-day the policeman
surgcs by from mornj nr until night.
. But strange as TINS wonderful transforna-
lion may appear TO one who only visits Chi.
caSo occasionally, the reason for 1t is quite
apparent TO all WI o have watched the pro.
gress ol events. The turning of the tide be-
gan WIN ~ me me fe' soval of the great dry goods
nouse OF Fieid, Letter 81 Co. These gentle
men, foreseein. That trade would ultimately
arns uptown AS it has done in New York,
were among the first to select State street as
' WIG e.eno 81 lheir future operations. The
miash h,iI. marble store they now occupy
mas oui' expressly for them. 1t is perfectly
sa'. .h w. ~ that SO costly an editce, adapted
t W Tue occupancy of single firm, would not
nasu cen erected had not this great nner-
Srm Ahouse been in existence fnr , no Other
,aa doing business in the Afeet Couio nave
i ,na ye use Of 80 vast puiiolDg. Inc marble
~ Aiding i.seH vas suiiicient 10 create Juror
nons 'rroperty owners, and set them at
aUrk rearing costly structures In the imme-
Gate neghborhood. Built In the finest style
of the renaissance, of Vermont marble, q
hundred and one feet of frontage on State
| street, and one hundred and ffty-fv on
VhSuluBiou, blk stOTic5 E1 uclPuI, IL ulhTktu
an era in the building history of Chicago |;
and strangers visiting the city go to see 1t
with the same degree of curiosity that leads
them to inspect the lake and river tunnels.
But when Messrs. Field, Letter 81 Co. re-
moved from Lake street to this building they
brought their trade with them. Their vast
wholesale trade reaches every city and hamlet
of the Northwest. The country merchant
finds here everything his customer calls for,
from the most elaborate piece Of dress goods
to the simplest notion. The building Itself
every possible facility for the rapid transac-
tion of business. And so 1t may be truly said
that Messrs. Field, Letter g. Co. have
brought the army of merchants who visit
Chicago three or four times year TO this
part of the city.
II the appearance of crowded street were
not considered sufficient proof Of all this,
why, then, 1t Is only necessary to state that
| the annual sales of this great mercantile
house now amount to fifteen millions Of dollars.
/ The retail department of Messrs. Field,
Letter & TO. Is the largest and most attractive
In the country, I'VE except Stewards, ofNew
| York.
Strangers who visit Chicago TO make pur-
chases almost invariably 90 direct TO Field,
Letter Il Co.'s, it being not only the Oldest,
| but the best advertised house Of note. Very
few of the readers of the advocate who have
visited Chicago during the last two years,
! have gone away without looking through this
| paatial store. We have not had sufficient
space to give full description Of It, and
therefore may return to the subject again. In
the meantime we heartily commend the estab-
| lishment to all. II Is great business house.
managed with strict honor and integrity, and
| the West should be prond Of its exis.enee.--
| From the North,oesteTn Ctris,iaa Advocate.