, 1883-12-08
One Of the Most Complete Es-
tabIishments in the
Territory.


tlty and quality of stock, the amount
OF sales and the receipt Of goods tells
a story of prosperity more effectually
than anything else. A town may
Doom" on paper, but it takes real,
tangible business to prove solid and
substantial growth. If there is moth
ing to the place but wind, the charac-
ter of the shops therein is of the
same initiating material. Talk may
hOodwink some people, but it takes
truthful figures and stuffed stores to
show the actual business of a town.
We do not believe our statement
Will be gainsaid when we say that
few towns anywhere have shown
such remarkable record in busi-
ness statistics as has Spokane Falls.
Men have opened out here and made
fortunes, and those now in business
,Erce no reason to regret that they
settled down in this city. Only
few years ago, so few that you may
count the number on the fingers of
one hand, the only store that the
Falls could boast Of was little affair,
with a small assortment of those
articles indispensable to actual eX-
istence. No luXuries, no ornaments,
no finery. The stock was displayed
in a small, poorly lighted log house.
Yet the proprietor was not ut fault
for the meagreness of his stock. 1t
is true that his capital was short and
rCmOteness from centres of trade
made freighting very expensive, but
the chief and great difficulty was
that there existed no demand for
any of the luXuries and very little
for the necessities of life. The trad
an occasional cmigrant, and the In
dians, whose desires went long way
further than their cash. But see
what has sprung up out of this scanty
nucleus. Look at the mammoth
stores carrying every line of goods
known to commerce, and stocks that
would seem large in great cities.
With the increase Of population, the
introduction of speedy means of
transit have jumped up these marts
Of trade, several Of which are carry
ing thousands Of dollars worth Of
wares. Out of these several Is one
that we wish to speak Of in partiCu-
lar in this notice, as it is an estab-
lIshment that the entire population
should feel justly proud Of. We re-
fer, and call attention to the whole
sale and retail mercantile house of
Chas. Sweeny & Co., that has Just
taken possession of the palatial store
room in Union Block, at the corner
of Howard and Front streets. 1t is
not our purpose to 60 into a detailed
account Of the progress Of this firm,
enough to say that ever since Mr..
Sweeny opened here in the early
spring, the business has steadily in
creased, until the sales to-day are
at the q. rate of almost $500, 900
per annum. The long eXpcr-
fence Of Mr.. Swecny, and the ener-
gy Of himself and Mr.. Linden has
brought about this remarkable sue
kcss in their business venture. The
hew store Is, without IA doubt, the
most complete and the finest in ev-
cry detail of any house in Washing
ton Territory, and we make no eX-
ceptiOn. The store room proper OC-
cupiesa space G0XSO feet, every avail
able foot being filled to Overlooking
with every description Of mcrchan-
disc. The ceilings are high, and the
room is well lighted with an almost
solid glass front. A double row Of
iluted columns running through the
building support the upper floor.
The carpenter work has been finished
with great care, and the shelving
has been put in with an eye to con-
venience and utility. At night the
store is brilliantly Illuminated with
a dozen large chandeliers and a num-
Der Of bracket lamps, with piping in
position to introduce gas. In the
northeast corner is Il rOOmy, comfort
able private office, with glass fronts,
from which the entire store can be
surveyed. To the right, upon enter
ing the room, Is a counter devoted
entirely to staple and dress dry
goods, embracing everything from
the cheapest calico TO the most eN-
pensive silks, satins and velvets.
Beyond, on the same side of the
room, is the boot and shoe depart
ment, and this line of goods in
itself represents many thousand
dollars. In the centre is large
oval pyramid of shelving sur
rounded with counters. This is
the fancy goods and ladies'
furnishing goods departments pre-
sided over by Miss Josie Sweeny,
new departure that will meet with
great favor among the ladies. In
the rear of this are number of ta-
bles upon which is displayed an
enormous stock Of mems, ,yOuth's,and
boys ready made clothing, of end
less variety and prices. The left,
or north, side is entirely devoted to
the grocery department, which is in
keeping with the other divisions of
the store. Standing in the front
door one can see spread out, heaped
up and shelved a stock of goods rep
ring. everything that the wants of
man may desire. And besides the
neatness and elegance of the place
everything is in perfect order, while
a corps Of able, Obliging and accom-
mOdating clerks are hustling around
in response to the ceaselesS demands
of customers. But this is not all.
Let us decend into the basement.
There is floOred cellar the same size
as the room above. The dull light
of a swinging lamp cast wearied
shadows in every direction, but as
ones eyes become accustOmed>tOt the
dingy light he is confronted by tier
upon tier of boxes, bales, barrels and
packages of goods. The entire base
ment is crowded full of merchandise
in bulk of every description, from
New York, Chicago, st. Louis, San
Francisco and Portland, and the firm
is able to fill any orders on the mo-
ment from 10 cents to $4,000. A
pair of scales with a capacity Of
1880 pounds arein position and an
elevator Is on the way from Chicago,
which is to be used to hoist the bulky
goods out Of and into the basement.
You come up into the light of day
struck with the extent and value Of
the stOel-displayed, and surprised
that. so young a town warranted so
great ban inVestmenkA Besides this
down town house the firm will retain
the store heretofore occupied, where
such articles nS crOckpFV. glassware,