Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-12-21

The enterprise OF the COOKE DrOtn-
ers, deserves fuller mention than we
have heretofore given. They are
the builders of several handsome
residences in the city, during the
present year have erected their ele-
giant queensware and iewelry estab-
lishment on the burnt site, and are
now about completing a very hand
some brick residence on fifth street,
opposite the Methodist church, for
rent, which is one of the most at
tractive buildings in that vicinity
and admirable for its comforts and
conyenienceS. Mr.. Geo. Il. Cooke
is one of the bet builders in the
city. He seems to have tact for
it, and delights in designing and
constructing buildings. He is his
own architect, superintends and
manages for himself, and is thereby
able to build cheaper than most of
men. The great building just COM
pleted and occus:ied by the firm, is
unsurpassed by any in architectural
beauty, and skilled workmanship.
This was the design of Mr.. George
Cooke, who employed his mechan-
les by the day, and superintendent
the structure in person. This house
fronts % #. Z in. on Frank lin street,
extending back I35 feet, and is just
in the heart of the business centre.
1t is three stories above ground and
two below, making five stories Of
good business rooms. The lower
basement or cellar, from the natural
decline of the ground, open on the
back alley and is made Il reception
room for goods, from which they
are carried TO either room desired by
a large elevator. The first base
ment is used for a packing room and
storage OF queensware, etc., in orig
inal packages, also in the cellar is
the hot air furnaces, by which the
entire building is heated. The up
per rooms are used for the storage
and sale of various characterOf goods
in the house-furnishing line. The
front is of iron, beautiful stone finish,
ornamental window caps, solid glass
windows, heavy walnut and maple
frames, doors, counters, shelving,
Ali of the inside ornamental wood
work is of choice walnut and maple
lumber, which grew in Montgomery
county, and was also sawed and
worked here under Mr.. Geo. Cookies
supervision. The house is decided
~ home structure and is not 10 be
surpassed in beauty of style and
finish. 1t has also one of the best
fire proof vaults that we have seen,
bu 1t up solid from the. ground to
the main floor, beneath the stairway
hot - a.,
bricks, in which costly jewelry,
watches and silverware are deposit
ed for safe keeping. Customers of
the house cannot fail to admire the
good taste, judgment and enter
prise of the Cookies in this fine
building. But unless one stops to
examine the skilled workmanship,
oiled counters, etc, the beauties of
the building will be lost sight of, in
admiration of the precious things
that crowd the showcases and or
nament the shelves. A rare seiec-
ton of jewelry of every description,
watches, clocks, silver ware, cut
lery, glassware, ETC., occupying the
left 81 le, and all manner of beauti-
full vases, elegant china sets, queens
were, toys, dolls, and hundreds of
articles we cannot mention, while
the rear end of the building and
centre counter is crowded with
lamps, lamp fixtures, house-furn-
ishing goods, and every conceivable
article that can be thought of for
the kitchen and dining-rOom. The
show by gas light is simply grand.
We observe, too, that prices on the
various lines of goods are from
twenty-five to fifty per cent. lower
than twelve months ago, and especi-
ally i'm wholesale lots. We are con-
fident they can compete with any
Western market. In this particular
the Cookies are contributing largely
to the growth and prosperity of the
GAINESVILLE wholesale trade. MIR.
Hendricks has special charge of the
wholesale department, and has eX-
tended the trade to almost every
town and croSs-rOad store in fifty
miles of the city. The Cookies are
liberal, live, energetic men, and de-
serve the prosperity they have at
tanned since locating in GAINESVILLE,
when they occupied a small room in
the Elder block on the Square.
There is just one reformation needed
in this house now: Charlie should
forsake his bachelor sins and join
the matrimonial revival.