The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1875-10-07

that he cells goods at cheap case, which is
by no means the case. His grand system
requires large profits, as good buyers, both
al wholesale and retail, will soon dis
cover.
Thee i, however, an attraction in the
grand establishment which consists chiefly
il the notion of going with the crowd"
and this does much to draw trade. The
shoppers of this city say that Stewart is not
cheap" but they can get all they want I'M
der one roof. Here We see how his system
brings large profits. The place is a grand
centre for everything that a lady can desire
in the way of dress, and customers need not
go elsewhere for trifes. You can buy
$4,000 shawl or paper OF pins
SYSTEM.
Stewards system is so peculiar that it
would require a volume TO include its de-
tails. It's operations in respect to the
clerks gives them special door for COM
ing and going, and no one is allowed to
carry off a package. This door is always
guarded, and none but clerks can pass.
Each clerk has access..to the vast cloak
room in the basement, where small clos
ct is furnished him. The variety of checks
in the sale Of goods affords the widest i'm
aginable track to everything that is sold,
and the only fraud that is practicable at all
is direct shoplifting, which is occasionally
detected. At the lower store there is but
one entrance for customers, and this is al
ways guarded. No parcel is allowed to
pass out without the proper check. The
rules of the house are extremely rigid. /
have seen payment of bill rendered in the
street to clerk, who refused taking it.
This" said he, "is the collectors business.
i should be discharged if took it." Such
general system was first introduced by
Stewart, but has been generally copied in
all large cities.
ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY.
Stewart has shown his peculiar turn of
mind in the Use OF his wealth. He has
never been addicted to the purchase of
stocks, and has none of that ambition, so
common among merchants, to be bank
director or present. He has owned little
else than dry goods and real estate, or, in
other words, he has purchased nothing that
he cannot control in an individual manner.
He has not gone into real estate specula-
lively, but merely invested his surplus
cash. Hence his purchases indicate the
growth of his profits. 1t is thirty years
since he bought the old hotel on the side of
which his wholesale warehouse now stands
The only point of interest in this hotel is
found in the fact that Louis Napoleon
stopped there during his sojourn in this
city in 1889. Ten years afterward he pur-
chased the Metropolitan hotel for SD, 900.
Then he acquired in the same manner the
Depan row in Blenker street, to which has
been added the church of the Messiah in
Broadway, the Baptist church in Amity
street. In his hands the former has be-
come a theatre, while the latter is a stable.
Other purchases could be mentioned, but
in addition to city property he has large
tract at Hampstead, where he is building a
village for working people; also,
the Saratoga hotel, which is worth
half million. His surplus prof
its are thus placed in a shape subject to
his control, and should his life be prolong-
ed, it may he expected that he will contin-
ne TO accumulate property in the best part
of the metropolis. 1t is annoying to him
that he can not own the land upon which
his uptown place is built, but this belongs
to the Sailors Snug harbor, and can only
be leased. For this plat he paws $4,000
! SIouiu itiA, 1T hNt CtllA-, gives
a valuation Of nearly a million. He
would readily give double that sum for it,
VIEW OF DESTINY.
i refer again TO the fact that Stewart
feels himself under the impulse of a grand
destiny. This only can explain the ardor
with which he is devoting himself TO bust
ness. Al this time OF depression he is
meeting the exigencies of the occasion with
incessant effort. Never were his mighty
energies more severely taxed than at the
present, but he will override all difficulties.
Included in this destiny is the palace in
which he resides, and which is the finest
private residence in America. It's cost is a
million, and in no other instance in the
history OF the world did childless pair
dwell in such a royal establishment.
THE FUTURE.
Il is said that Madame Pompadour re-
piled 10 suggestions with regard to the fu-
ture, after us the deluge." A few years
must tell the story OF Stewards destiny. Per-
haps the grand empire of trade in which he
has so long gloried may at once crumbIe to
pieces, and afford q fresh lesson of earthly
vanity. 1t is an interesting question ::
what is TO become OF this immense
wealth ~ His blood flows in no other veins
than his own. In Ireland there is re-
mote kindred, to whom the law will convey
the property, unless he wills it in a contra
ry manner. The transatlantic heirs are
no doubt anxious concerning their interests
and If disappointed they may follow the
death with a sharp legal fight
1t is supposed that Stewart has made q
voluminous will establishing some benefi-
cent institution, but no one knows any
thing definite, unless it be his most init
mate friend, Judge Hilton. A few years
ago l asked the judge what might be the
future disposition of the estate, and the re-
ply was given in Pompadour's above quot
ed words
There are two events that will yet create
sensation here-one will be the death of
A. L. Stewart, the next, the reading of his
will. KNICKERBoCKER.