The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1880-12-01
JAMES 4. GRESHAM, NO. / CAMP
STREET.

Orleans brings 10 the mind withou,
an effort the name OF Mr.. James A
: Gresham; and We venture to sa,
y that no resident Of the city will fsi
0 TO agree with us on this point. W.
are accustomed t" lock upon Mr.
Gresham as the bookseller to whom
8 all must 60 when they want to re
: pIeuish their libraries with literature
81 the respectable and instructive
class. Tbe present generation o.
professional men-cIersymen, law
gers and medical men--all have hin,
associated 10 their minds with the
days when, rs students, they pur-
I chased OF him their text book, ami
when, as graduates, they Gilcd their
book shelves with works Of refer.
suce. The mothers. and fathers of
to-day also bought their copy books
and primers, Biographies and arith
' mstics of Mr.. Gresham when they
we're wee bits of girls and boys
Hence it is perfectly natural that
our people should consider that he
aud hooks are inseparahle compan.
ions and rarely see one without being
in some way reminded of the other.
Yet Mr.. Gresham is not sn old
sn--op the countrywide has hard
~ reached the age of city years
But fully thrse-quarters Of this half
century has found him employed
amid books ip the most extensive
establishments Of the city. When a
very little boy he began his appren-
ticesbip in the business with Mr..
Thos. L. White, whom al old resi-
dents will remember - the most
noted bookseller of the city in ante
bellum times. Mr.. White was M
doubtedly the best informed biblio-
polist who ever did business in the
South, and no man of bis time was
more capable Of instructiag an intel.
ligent young man in the business.
Gresham remained with him fully
twenty years, and became better
known even in the business than Mr..
White himself. With 4 wonderfully
reteutive memory, he always knew
just where to put bis hand upon a
book amid the immense stock of
them which numbered up the shelves
OF the large warehouse. With a
quick conception of the right thing
to do, his suggestions always assist
ed the buyer who was uncertain
what he wanted. His affability and
high toned courtesy invariably
pleased all who came in contact with
him, and his tried honesty and integ
rity won the confidence and respect
OF all. So, of course, be was popu
lar; so, of course, everybody went to
him in preference to all Others in the
store.
When the war between the States
broke out, as he felt in honor bound,
he espoused the cause of bis native
State of Louisiana, and took up arms
never to lay them down until peace
was declared.
Returning to the city, he resolved
upon beginning business on his own
account, and finding willing friends
with capital to assist him, he pur..
chased s,ock and opened a store
at No. 90 Camp Street, where for
eleven years fortune so favored him
that be ontstripped all others in his
line In the amount Of business done;
and he amsssed . handsome fortune.
But, owing TO the unsettled condi-
ton Of our political affairs, there
came general and overwhelming
sbrinkage OF values of all kinds.
Mr.. Greshsm's fortune, like that of
nearly oil the rest Of our business
men, was caught 10 the vortex Of the
maelstrom and Was carried down.
He saved little else than bis honor
and thorough knowledge of business,
and then for while managed the
business Of Mr.. F. F. HanseIl, at No.
30 Camp Street. Within the past
70. months he has again opened 3
store of his own at No. Camp
Street. ID
This establishment 10 at present
small and his stock is per force linn. {
tied, but 4 man Of his capacity can
not be kept down by such obstacles,
and We venture to say that in his
little store be will do more business
Than many Of his most pretsntious
rivals in the trade; and that in q
comparatively short space Of time
We shalt see him again in possession
If the field with ample store room .