Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-02-28
MEMPHIS ENTERPRISE.
The Life of the Place as illustrated
by Three Leading Houses.

NAS VI many SACab utuun
in u city despite panics, epidemics,
quarantine, and other misfortunes, is
something marvellous. We see evil
dences of prosperity or every hand,
and hope hal this will soon be shared
by all classes.
Memphis has several institutions Of
which she may well be proud. We
will alludc to three in particular; all
private enterprises in different lines
OF business in which the general
public have an interest. They have
been worked up from modest begin
nings to monuments of enterprise,
patient industy and well directed
effort.
First of these is the wholesale and
retail grocery house of Oliver, Fiunie
4 Co., the result, we believe, Of two
firms which started here sometime
during the war. The present
firm has been in existence
twelve or aprteen years. 1t occu-
pies a laise and conspicuous space
on Main street, n ar Madison. The
building is a new one, built to their
order, and A..y adapted to their
business. 1t is a double front three
story brick, running back half asquare
to an alley. In the immense basement
is stored all kinds of staple and fancy
goods, intended for the wholesale mar
ket, or to supplythe retail department.
This is always full, yet always chang.
ing. The ground floor, which opens
on the street, is always filed with
elegant goods, and from early morning
to late at night is a scene of restless
activity. Here, in the different de-
partments, is a bewildering variety of
the most elegant fancy groceries to be
found in the world-the products of
all climes. The representatives of
Boston, New York and Chicago houses
stop and look at this display with
wonder and admiration. Everything
works with clock-lik regularity
and system. There is no noise.
no confusion, yet great forces arc
at work and heavy transactions
constantly and quietly take place. All
goods are guaranteed to be fresh and
pure. The rich as well as the poor
buy here. The counirymerchant who
buys his thousands for cash iostles
against the laborer or the sewing.
woman who comes here to buy a few
dollars worth. Ladies in silks and
diamonds drop in to rest a moment
and leave an order, and may rustic
against the humblest child of toll.
All are treated alike, all waited on
promptly and c~ourteously in this SUI
perbly managed establishment. 1t all
runs as smoothly as well-oiled ma.
chinery. The third story is devoted
to storage purposes, and the front
rooms set apart for offices, where one
or more members of the firm and a
host of clerks are always to be found
at their desks. The best talent in the
city is employed, The house, taken
all in all, from top to bottom,
is a model, and its duplicate cannot
be found outside Of New York. And
it is admitted hat there is but one
such house in the city Of New York.
The transactions of the firm run up to
millions annually, and it gives employ
ment to thirty-fye or forty men, all
actively at work from ten to fourteen
hours a day. We speak Of this house
volunt, rily, and without their knowl-
edge, because it is a prominentfeature
of Memphis and of the south, with
few equals north or south. By fair
dealing and strict attention to bust.
ness, the members of the firm have
acquired ample capital to buy in the
leading markets all they desire,
for cash, and consequently they have
an immense advantage in that respect,
and can put down prices or u them
upattheir pleasure. Totheir credit, be
it said, they are content with the
reasonable profits of a strictly legiti
mate business, and 60 on from year to
year accommodating means without
taking advantage Of their position or
attempting to crowd their weaker
neighbors. The firm occupies a front
rank in the business world.
The firm of III. Wetter & Co., deal
ers in stoves aud tinware, ETC.; lower
down on Main street, in an elegant
new brick building, affords equally as
striking an illustration Of the splendid
successes achieved here by a proper
application Of energy and brains.
This establishment presents an
imposing appearance and always
arrests the attention of strangers.
1t has few rivals in the south
and perhaps there is not a more
complete and well arranged house in
United States. A heavy stock Of
stoves Of the latest aud best styles is
kept on hand, Mr.. Wetter took ad.
vantage Of low prices just before the
late rise in iron and hardware and