Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-04-26

n also owns the greater part of tv
4 blocks in Rcade. Centre, Elm, and Pea
y streets, on which II was intended
n erect warehouses .But,r added Il
G Judge, 81 don't know now whcth'
n they will be built or not"
l "Mr. Stewart'st first store, said Judl
= Hilton, "was Immediately opposite Il
! centre Of his present wholesale stor
: 1t was thirty feet deep and twelve fc'
: wide. His next store was at 262 Broat
+ way. He lived in the upper part OF /
do found the quarters narrow, an
' moved to 257. From 257 he moved
his present wholesale store. All tn
property that he owned, he owned i
full
Mn. HENRY G. BowES's DEALINGS WIT
n MR.. STEWART.
Henry G. Bowen, before he becam
publisher of The Independent, was al
extensive dealer in silks and fanc'
goods, and held business relations witt
Mr.. Stewart that continued for nearl,
quarter Of a century. 81 was clerl
for Arthur Tappan < Co., at l22 Pear
street." SAID Mr. Bowen yesterday
"when | first made Mr.. Stewards ac
quaintance. That was forty years ago
Mr. Stewart was doing business oppo
site the Park, somewhere near wher,
the Independent offices are situated.
used TO wait on him and sell him goods
Arthur Tappan & Co. at that time con
trolled line of French prints which
were known as gros odiers. They had
all of them that were in the market al
that time. remember that il was in
these goods that negotiated my first
large sale to Mr.. Stewart. Even al
that time Mr.. Stewart was an exten.
sivc purchaser from the importers.
remember that the late John Rankin
who was a large importer, declared
then that Mr.. Stewart was the shrewd.
est merchant in New York. When
Mr.. Rankin had an arrival of goods, al
that time, it was his custom to invite
the leading buyers to visit his place
and inspect them. The cases were
opened, the prices Of each line and
quality ofgoods were determined upon,
and then Mr.. Rankin received the mer-
chants. Many buyers always came,
and among them A. Il. Stewart, and
while others went about the store feel
ing the fabrics, as TO how thick this
was or thin that was, and while they
hemmed and hawed and debated with
each other the desirability of one line
over another, Mr.. Stewart would take
Mr.. Rankin with him through the store,
selecting the best Of the stock and
purchasing at once
Mr. Rankin, who became Mr.. Bow
ems special partner, often referred to
Mr.. Stewart as being, in his opinion,
the shrewdest, quickest and most intel
ligent merchant in the city. Mr. Bow
en- was then the head ofthc well-known
house Of Bowen, McNamee 4 Co.
"I rccollect," continued Mr.. Bowen,
after pause, "that Henry Sheldon,
an extensive importer of French goods,
had at one time sold Mr.. Stewart goods
to the amount Of $4,000 or $50, 900,
and felt little timid about increasing
his credit with him. He informed the
great merchant that he desired TO know
more about his capital and business
than he then knew. In reply, Mr.
Stewart said: 'Iregard Lewis Tappan,
of the firm of Arthur Tappan & Co, as
one of the most intelligent merchants
in New York, and as you sell that frm
largely, and have confidence in them,
if you will be satisfied / will ask Mr..
Tappan to come here and examine my
books. He will then be able to tell
you all / know myself Mr.. Sheldon
consented to this, and Lewis Tappan
spent several evenings in Mr.. Stewards
eounting.room studying his books. He
reported, when his task was ended,
that Mr.. Stewart was abundantly good
and worthy, and was worth about s70,-
900, Mr.. Stewart did not ask the
usual long time of six or eight months
in which to make his payments. When
he asked credit il was for short time,
but even then his aggregate credits
were considerable, and 1t was necessa-
ry for him TO stand well among mer-
chants. He was never questioned
alter Mr.. Tappan's report went abroad.
Mr.. Stewards great store down town
was not erected all at once. A land
owner in Chambers street asked too
high a price for his lot there, and Mr..
Stewart built around it, erecting six
story structures, so that the property
of the stubborn landlord was injured
and rendered insignificant, and at last,
a few years ago, he was obliged to sell
II at Mr.. Stewards price.
During the late war Mr.. Stewards
contracts with the Government, direct
ly and indirectly, formed an enormous
business. Besides his own contracts,
be filled large orders for other houses
who were obliged to 60 to him to carry
out their promises. Wherever Mr..
Stewart rcposed confidence, he sold un-
limited amounts, and has thereby as
sisted energetic merchants in different
sections of.the country into prosperity
and prominence. Potter Palmer, OF
Chicago, and John Shilctto, the rich
Cincinnati retailer, benefited largely
by MIR. Stewards confidence in them.
Mr. Bowen regarded Stewart as the
liking of buyers in an auction room"
If he succeeded in obtaining good
bargain, the quantity of the goods on
hand never frightened him. No other
man had the means to buy as he did.
Early in his business prosperity Mr..
Stewart frequently managed TO control
certain styles of goods, MS, for instance,
the Alexandra glove, compelling all to
purchase of him and at his price. In
the olden time, before the days of the
telegraph, he was frequently known
to have sent agents through the mar.
ket quietly with orders to learn just
how much OF certain styles of goods
could be found in this city, Boston and
Philadelphia He purchased all that
could be bought, and controlling the
market, advanced the price OF the arti.
Gle, never cxorbitantly, but simply to
a controlling figure.
rus ONLY PORTRAIT OF Mr.. STEWART.
In bis studio, 1900 Broadway, VIII.
son Macdonald, the sculptor, said last
evening al have gone nearer to
a bus; Of Mr.. Stewart than any
ono else has, although got no further
than the clay. About six years ago |
went very often to Mr.. Stewards retail
store, and, | believe unobscrved by him,
studied his features. Meanwhile was
modelling them in clay in my studio.
When the model was completed ! In.
vited some Of the gentlemen in Mr..
Stewards employ to look at II, and they
said that II was good likeness Of him.
Hn had N raanniGnont laad H. IL.