Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-09-26
Letter from Boston.


LAND-How JORDAN, MARSH co.'s EsTAB-
11suMENr HAS BEEN INCREASED IN SIZE AND
BEMoDE1IED-soM or THE DEPARTMENT.
THINGS THAT ARE TO BE.
BosroN, Sept. 10, 1879.
wonder if we in Boston havn't right to
put on airs? We have in our city the second
largest dry goods house in the world, the
largest being that of A. T. Stewart d Co. in
New York We have been in futter all the
week, first Of anticipation, then of delight.
The Sunday morning papers announced the
opening on Wednesday of the remodelled
store of the house Of Jordan, Marsh a Co.
All through the summer months the work has
been going on and there has been great Gu
riosity felt among the shoppers as to what
the result would be-
But Wednesday, when the large doors of
the magnificent new entrance were thrown
Hospitality open, when the curtains were
raised from the immense show windows, the
largest and most elegant in the city display
ing the artistic arrangement Of goods, the
transformation was like fairy story. Down
vstas of wide comfortable spaces defined by
heavy iron pillows in the classic Corinthean
style, one looked to the very end Of the store,
which is double its former depth. When
tell you that after entering the Washington
ST. door, and walking through, the last en-
trance on Avon street is next to Hovey's door,
you can have some idea Of the depth of the
store. As it now is its actual measurement
is $50 feet. Since the taking in Of the Central
Court building which was formerly the old
wholesale house, which the business outgrew
and had to find more spacious quarters in the
new building on Bedford street and Rove
Place the retail business has by degrees
overfowed into the deserted building until
now it has been united with the Washington
street store and the two thrown into one
immense building.
There is such an air of cheeriness and
brightness meets one on entering The walls
are tinted a pure cream, and all the wood
work is of San Domingo mahogany, finished
in its natural color, which is a yellow now.
but will, with age, deepen into the richest
and warmest brown, so that rs years 90 on the
counters will grow il beauty and be Joy
forever to those who look at them. Those of
you who remember the store in the old days
will be positively startled as you step inside
it now The stairway which occupied the
front of the store has been removed, and
there is an uninterrupted space for more than
half the depth of the floor
In the very centre, directly under the sky
lights which form the roof of the passage
way connecting the buildings. is the silk de-
partment. Therea are one hundred and fifty feet
of counter room in this department, and the
Ii ght is so well arranged, coming from over
head and regulated at pleasure, that the
goods can be shown to remarkable advantage.
l wish had room aud time to tell you of the
lovely things in this department, exquisite
novelties the like Of which has never been
seen in the city but despair of conveying
to you any adequate idea of their beauty. A
woman may buy a silk dress for $50 the
yard, or if her inclination and her purse ad
nit she may pay $50 the yard for her gown
| All, but that's magnifcence As an adjunct tc
this department is q windowless room il
which evening silks are shown. Immense
refectors shed the light from number Of
gas jets directly upon the fabrics and the
room is supplied with plenty of fresh air by
ventilators in the roof On the second floor
are the millinery, upholstery, boys clothing
ladies underwear, shawl, suit and cloak de.
partments also the offices of the firm.
| The third floor. is devoted entirely to car
pets, and there is everything in stock from
Administer TO oil cloths. Think of Administer
carpets for 50 the yard But excuse me; Tn
| lnynri1i,,f, 4
list. Being u housekeeper, couldn't helT
| this exclamation.
On the fourth floor are the custom worb
rooms for making suits and garments, under
the charge Of three modistes who have recent
| ly returned from Paris brimful of ideas, and
who are now busy preparing exquisite COS
tunes to be shown at the grand opening next
| Wednesday.
The upper floor is devoted to work rooms
and as Il woman interested in all that concerns
her sex, I must give words Of genuine com
mendation 10 this firm, for the thoughtfulnes.
and care which it bestows upon its working
! girls In this immense establishment GOV
| erng in all over six and one half acres are
employed nearly seven hundred women aud
|
airy and light and are fitted up with every
convenience of lavatories and dressing rooms
The machines are run by steam, and l new
er saw happier, more comfortable looking
set of girls together than l saw in my visit tc
these work rooms.
| ! wonder if You remember a suggestion
which I made year ago that this house
should have a lunch room for its patrons
| Well, that suggestion seems III fair way Of
being adopted. The firm has taken an adj
| joining house, and has made communication
between the two buildings. This house they
will fit up for the comfort and convenience OF
their lady patrons 1t will contain parlors
reception, waiting and toilette rooms, which
will be furnished elegantly. Here ladies cal
rest after the fatigue of shopping and
should not be at all surprised to hear at any
| time that the lunch room had become an fli
| dccOmpi. Won't it be nice when We can shop
have our dresses fitted, order our bonnets ant
our children's clothes, and furnish our house.
with draperies, then have a good rest and
lunch all under one roof 1t will be mil
lennium for women.
The re-opening of this immense establish
ment marks an era in the dry goods business
of New England, and is a substantial proc
that the hard times" are virtually over, aut
a day of prosperity has again begun to dawn
SALLIE JOY WHITE
MINOR NOTES.