Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1882-08-12
ativainia free 8vess.
Anel,st -, 1852.
&. u. ROuSS.

We suppose one of the most remarkable
men Of the age is c. B. Rouss, of the great
Auction Dry Goods House, $50 Broadway,
New York. Mr.. Rouss is 4 son of Mr.. Pc
ter Rouss,-the owner Of shannon Hill, "
one of the most beautiful estates in this
county. 1t would take mo,e space than we
have at our command to give even 4 brief
biography of c. 3. Rouss,-to note his ex-
traordinary enterprise, his successes and
failures. The following paragraph we take
from the supplement Of the great Auction
Trade Circular:
It's CALLING to the pride OF keen and
slcacious merchant tc have the hammer OF
the auctioneCr fall upon some clever land
slide-some princely bargain Hot his o,ca.-
II IS mortifying to any man claiming to
stand in the front ranks 10 have even the
geiodical scindlcr name prices approximate
ing his specialties; but it is q fixed fact,
well known among thorough business men
all over thccouutry. thattLis price list settles
the subject of the 5cat rg'ae .J0r the m0aeN
and its advocacy OF buying at headquar-
ters only and selling for cash alone has be-
come the talismanic keYnote Of prosperous
and successful business men everywhere
We give quotations coined by robbers,
thieves, by burglars smugglerS and com
mercial pirates, in the gulse OF merchants
driven through the grinding mills Of the
sheriff. the marshal, the assignee, and
wherever else floats the "red flag" OF the
auctionecr. We make prices, about one
half that of the unfortunate standing IN
the black shadow Of bankruptcy, who sent
them to the auction rooms the day before !;
and in plain figures we quote S'edge Ham
mars that stun the old Credit Regular"
who assures his customers that such prices
are bats" to catch the unWary-" sugar
plums" to attract tn masses. WI hat do we
care for the " regular market price or Tor
the opinions Of men who should have lived,
fioudshed and died away back il the dead
canturies-back in the deep and everlasting
il.rcc Of The vast solitude OF the eternal
past, when prehistoricalities were just get
ting into shape, millions otyears before Nd
am first saw the light? A drug house
smashes-we buy his soap by the ton, his
brushes by the wagon load, his extracts and
1csfumcrics by the floor Next day hard
ware and tin shop, who had kindly cRdors-
Ell the paper of The drug millionaire -
with the solid cash we gather in his kettles
and screws, and basins, gimlets, knives and
currycomJs. In the afternoon me co iapsc
of q gtationer, sold in big lumps-marked
on our panic counters &cdgc Hammers, fifty
cents on the dollar Then frc-wet goods.
Next morning note from an aristocTatic
swcll-head, tight uD for money, offers fifty
cases paint stuf5 bought day or two
hacl, at 81 -four months our, Ct % cast
5cj0re 3Gc'9ct. All so every few days-a
note 10 meet, or saving up fora big swindle.
How in the name of Heaven can this coios-
sal aggregate be marked with any sort OF
respect or decent regard for the regular
market prices '' And from many factory,
whose cashier has gone, or whose treasurer
has confessed, and whose big wheels have
stopped, and the idle hands have struck
or stand staggered with hunger, peals forth
the plaiDtiye appeal for money. Htre lies
our cIuc.s. From hundreds of respectable
houses, pressed by maturing notes, demands
for the returH Of borrowed capital, carrying
an army OF dead men, cart-lOaGs Of worth
less ledgers, and oppressed with gigantic
stocks they are unable TO oarry-from such
comes forth the .a'ne cry, tieymWt hare
n3oacy or 90 d0Ua. goo sfroHgf Wei, sir,
have YOU never seen the day when, If the
CITY of New York were offered to you for
five cents YOU could not buy? Well, this
writer has, many night in the Oak Street
Station. and many a day saunteriug into
the free htachcs-but in my dreams destiny
always Pointe1to the solid triumphs Of TO-
day.