Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1883-08-25

/ continuing our "etchlnSS,' we ind
occasion to refer to other promi
nent interests this week. The large
and diversified operations of
FRA TER & BISHOP
afford us material for somewhat detail
ed comments, and so we proceed to tell
"what we know" about this firm and
its trade. The co-partners are Hugh
A. Frazer and John w. Bishop. and
their business operations, as a firm,
cover a period of twelve years. AS
intimated above, the business done is
of diversified character. Frazer &
Bishop are manufacturers of fertilizers,
they are grain and coal dealers, and
they control large trade as wholesale
| grocers. To each of these specialties
we shall have occasion to refer. The
contrasts presented in the extent of
trade twelve years ago and now are
very great. The limited premises then
occupied have given place to commo-
dious buildings, admirably adapted to
the necessities of the business, and the
volume of annual sales has more than
kept pace with this increase in facili-
/ ties.
Ten years ago Frazer & Bishop inau-
| gurated, as manufacturers, the fertili-
ger business in Martinsburg, and the
first years sales amounted to only
about thirty tons; this years sales will
reach from 1890 to 1900 tons. Ten years
ago the farmers, generally, were not
over friendly to manufactured fertiliz-
ers of any kind-now, few can afford to
dispense with them, and there can lie
STANDARD Bone Fertilizer made by
Frazer & Bishop has had a wonderful
influence in effecting this change. The
market that the firm seeks mostly lies
within the States Of West Virginia.
Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Within this territory the fertilizer is
known and appreciated, and the de-
mand for it constantly increases.
AS grain buyers, Messrs. Frazer &
Bishop fill a conspicuous place IN the
| list OF the business firms of the city.
| Martinsburg is the grain market for a
large area of country, and Frazer &
| Bishop are at all times ready to pur-
chase all grain Offering. How much
they will buy this year it is, of course
impossible to tell, but their purchases
in the past have, in some instances,
reached from $4,000 to $4,000 bushels
per annum--a good showing for one
| firm, when we consider that there are
a number of buyers here.
The coal trade of the firm is entirely
local, but nevertheless it is an imIor-
tant item in the total business Of the
| year. Both anthracite and bituminous
Goals are handled, and we should pre-
sumo that a ia + estimate OF the gu nifty
| of black diamonds handled per annum
by Frazer d Bishop would be about
1000 tons.
The wholesale grocery trade of the
house, though mentioned last, is far
from being least, among the interests
| in which the firm is engaged. Frazer 4
| Bishop were the first to establish a
Wholesale house in Martinsburg, and
in prosecuting the business they have
carefully felt their way. They have
studied the needs of customers and
have aimed to make their house, in it's
| ability 10 cater to the needs OF retail
grocers and general dealers, the peer Of
c0mpe titors anywhere. one travelling
salesman is kept upon the road, and
| the attentions of the house are chief :
directed to Berkeley, Jefferson and
Morgan counties. in this State; Freder-
| lex county, Virginia.; Washington Co.
| Maryland; and Franklin county, Pa
| Within these limits Frazer Il Bishop
as wholesale grOcerS and provision
dealers, have gained reputation for
| prOmptitude in filling orders and for
| reliability that it every way deserves
and the esteem in which the firm is held
! is amply shown by its increasing trade.
| Frazer Il Bishop also pay a compli-
ment to their customers when they adj
NIT, as they did to the INDEPENDENT
| reporter, that they found collections
| very good, and that their per cent. of
| losses was less than they had reason to
! expect. Their books show that their
| total trade for 1882 was not less than
one-third better than for 1891, and the
business thus far, this year, shows an
improvement over the corresponding
months of last year.
| The co-partners unite in giving the
business their personal attention, and
neither was typo in trade when the
firm was formed twelve years ago. Mr..
Frazer, who is a native of Shippens-
burg, has been connected with mercan-
tile and manufacturing interests near
| ly all his life-he built and operated the
| planning mill here-and is, in every
sense of the word business man. The
same, with equal truth, may be said of
his partner, Mr.. Bishop, who is ma
tive of Preston county, this State. He
used to be connected with business in
terests at Chicago and other points in