Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-05-14
A Mercantile Wonder.

the politeness of Mr.. CHARLES c. Collins, .
native Of Cabot, in this county, and now
connected with the firm, we obtained passing
glimpse into the character and vast extent oil
the mercantile business conducted at the re.
nowned wholesale establishment of II. b. CLAr.
LIN Z Co, the leading iobbing house on thi.
continent, If not Of the world--its bushes.
now reaching the enormous sum Of fifty or six
ty millions year.
The building is about lOe feet front on
Church street, 400 feet on Worth street, and
100 feet on West Broadway wthan additional
building connected with the main building
and running through the center Of the block
soutbcrly to Thomas street, the whole in shape
somewhat like the letter L. The structure is
built Of Nova Scotia Sand Stone, and in the
most substantial and thorough manner. In
GLIDING Easements il is seven stories in height,
and Is an imposing and splendid specimen Of
architecture. From 600 to 700 persons, in all
capacities, are employed number equal to
that Of many Of the towns and villages of the
country, or a fullregiment Of men in the army.
The sub-cellar, or lower basement Of the
main building, l5OSiOO feet in area, and 100
xl00 feet under the extension on Thomas street,
is devoted to the storage Of goods in original
packages-the gasometers, FIVE in number
and the boiler and engine department, for heat
ing, raising the elevators, &C. There are three
boilers, aggregating 100 horse power, and
seven steam engines. One hundred tons OF
coal are consumed in month
In the basement proper, one section is occu.
pied for the shipping department, where some
forty or fifty men are busily employed, and
whence, in the busy season, more than two
thousand packages are shipped in day The
FLANNEL department is also on this floor, filled
with bales and blankets Of all grades, colors
and designs, systematically arranged. and en-
ploying some forty men.
The first or street floor constitutes the prin-
cipal salesroom and comprises six departments,
in their order Prints, Delaiues, Domestics,
Dress Goods, Domestic and Foreign Goods,
and silks. On this floor is also the Sample
department, telegraph and railroad ticket Of
fees
The second floor is divided into sections, viz.
for cloths, cotton yelyets, silk velvets, white
goods, ladies' cloakings linens, lacos, etc
Each section occupies the whole breadth Of
the floor, and the goods are arranged with a
scrupulous regard to system in all particulars.
The Cloak department is made speciality a
FIVE story building, 25xloO feet, on Thomas
street, being exclusively devoted to the manu-
facture Of cloaks and suits, besides which they
import them readymade from Europe. The
department FOR Lace Goods occupies about lbs
feet in length Of this floor, and here are kept
an endless assortment Of all styles and qualities
Of real and imitation laces, embroderics and
handkerchiets, imported direct, at prices vary.
ing from two cents per dozen yards to 800
per yard for laces, and hsndkerchefs from five
cents 10 500 each. The section appropriated
to white goods occupies 100 feet in length, and
embraces everything in the house-furnshng
line, including linen sheetngs, pillow cases
napkins, towels, table cloths, damask brown
and bleached &c, &c. In this department
alone sometimes $500, 600 worth are sold in a
month.
The third floor IS entirely occupied for mis-
cellaneous fancy goods, known rs Yankee No
tions, and Cor Hosiery, Gloves, Sc The fancy
goods include, besides those Of domestic pro-
duction in endless variety, foreign importa-
tiOns Of ali kinds. Some idea Of the variety
may he formed from the fact that they COM
prise more than 5000 different lines Of goods,
the sections Appropriated to buttons alone in
GLIDING about 900 different kinds.
The fourth floor is chiefly devoted to the CAR
PEI TRADE. Besides carpets Of every csnceiy-
able design and quality, there is vast stock of
rugs, mats, and floor cloths Of all descriptions
About 100 feet Of this floor is also devoted to
the finest quality Of cloaks, shawls, skirts, &C..
a display unrivaled in New York or elsewhere
The fifth floor of this building is devoted
chiefly to the storage Of duplicate cases and
bales. by the thousands, Of carpets, cloths,
laces, lannels, hosiery notions, and also samples
Of eoaks, suits, furs, &C., kept 10 the rooms
below in cases
In addition to this immense establishment
the extent and marvellous attractions Of which
we have given no adequate description-they
have also four or five other extensive buildings
for manufacturing and storage in other parts
of the city.
But the most surprising thing attending our
visit was the astonishingly low prices at which
these goods were sold to the trade-especially
astonishing to countryman, whose only
knowledge Of such matters had been learned
through the retailer and our constant thought
was, were ICE merchant, this would be the
first place we should visit in market.
To all Vermont merchants visiting this es-
adjustment, we suggest that they call for Mr..
Collins--for, besides being gentleman, he has
a special liking for those who have the smell of
the Green Mountains about them