Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-04-18

In view of the fact that this celebrated
firm is about to close business the follow
ing brief history of the house, taken
from the New York Times, will be in
teresting:
After a. T. Stewart first came to this
city in 1918 he acted as tutor in various
schools until he reached the age of 81
years. Then he suddenly abandoned
scholastic pursuits and went into the dry
goods business. The spot where he first
offered his wares to the public is I'M
known. Soon after starting on his new
career the young man was called to Ire
land to receive nearly 81 900 as his share
of his grandfather estate. With this
money he bought lot of Irish "inser-
tons" and "scallop trimmings" which
were then rarely seen in America,
and brought them with him to this
CITY. On his arrival here he rented
little store at No. 283 Broadway,
and offered his new goods for sale. The
store was only twelve feet five inches
wide by thirty feet deep. but in it he laid
the foundations of his future fortune.
Among the then novel business princi-
pies which Mr.. Stewart put in force was
the maxim that nothing can need lie, y
and his clerks were never permitted to
misrepresent piece of goods. Another
new thing which Stewart introduced was
the rule of selling cat one price" with
out deviation. He never sacrificed his
goods. but after placing a price upon
them he adhered to that price, whether
the goods were sold or remained on the
shelves. Another rule which the young
merchant adopted was leash on deliv-
erv." and although in later years he
sometimes departed from it, this rule
was the basis of his business. By these
means customers were drawn to the little
Broadway store. and its proprie-
tor fourished. Within three years he
removed to a larger and better store,
at No 262 Broadway. and three years
| after that he took still larger quarters at
No. PSI Broadway. In the latter place
he remained seventeen years, steadily
increasing his business, and amassing
what was then considered very large
fortune. At the end of this period the
wealthy merchant purchased a city lot
at Broadway and Chambers street, and
began the erection of building that
! gradually grew into the immense edifice
now so familiar to all New Workers, and
known as "Stewart's down town store. -
In the same manner was built the cup
town store" at Broadway and Tenth
street. First one small lot was purchased
and built upon, then another, and another,
until by slow accretions was reared the
pile which now occupies the entire block
bounded by Broadway, Ninth and Tenth
streets, and Fourth avenue. The
cup town store" was made the
retail department of the enormous
business which Stewart had built up,
while the down town establishment was
| devoted to the wholesale branch of the
business. In addition to his city estab-
lishments Mr. Stewart had established at
the time of his death stores or agencies
in Boston, Philadelphia, Paris, Lyons,
Manchester, Bradford, Nottingham, Bel
fast, Glasgow, Berlin and Chemnitz. 1t
was Mr. Stewards custom for many
years to make annual trips to Europe to
personally look after his large interests
there. In addition to these enterprises
he owned or controlled fourteen mills in
various parts of the country. Besides
the many persons employed in these
mills, Mr.. Stewart had in his employ
seven thousand men in this city alone
aud about one thousand in Europe.