Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1883-11-17
/" ETCHINGS."
IN WHICH THE INDEPENDENT
Attempts Portraying the Varied Inter-
eS.s and Industries OF
gartinsbnrs.
NUMBER Nil.
G. M. SHAFFER s. SON.
NUMBER Nil.

b. Il O. railway, and which is head
quarters for the firm whose name we
have just written, is the central
point for large and diversified trade
operations. No house in the city is
less pretentious, so far as appearances
are concerned few here control SO
large business, and bearing these
facts in mind, the ''etcherr refers
to the firm in a somewhat detailed
way.
The co-partners are G.. NJ. and ID.
w. Shaher, the firm as it is now,
having been formed two years ago.
The lines of trade are: manufacture
and sale of fertilizers T; general mer-
chandiz;ng and agricultural in
plements. The fertilizer trade is of
large proportions, the house placing
its sales this year at about 500 tons
about three times greater an amount
than was handled by them one year
ago. Almost all of this large GUAM
tity is for what may be called local
trade-for wagon delivery, instead
of shipment by car, aud so is of
more immediate advantage to the
community. The Grange MIXTURE
made at Baltimore, is the leading
phosphate handled hv G NJ. Shaffer
q Sou; next comes the Pacific.
made in Maine. and next .'Shaifer' +
Compound" made by The firm. 1t
is only about two years since the
house began manufacturing or com
pounding, but the results of their
efforts have proved SO gratifying
that in the future this promises to
be a great speciality.
The agricultural department is
under the charge Of f. c. Markle, of
Gerardstown. A.numbrr of promi
nent makes of machines adopted to
this section are handled; the Brick
ford s. Huffman drill, made at Ma
cedan, N. Y, has become u prime
favorite, and is sold in large num-
bers; the firm also handle the vari-
GUS makes of implements and ma
chimes from the Geyser Manufactur.
ing Co. of Waynesboro', Pa. a com.
pany that makes the highest grade
of machinery. Their separators,
traction and other engines are sim
ply unexcelled. The Buckeye reap
er and mower is also prominent
machine in the trade of Shaffer &
Son. 81 ~ te ee4
The merchandise department Of
the firms business is also of conse-
quence. General in its character
and large in respect to annual sales,
the trade represents clintele that
comes from all the neighboring
country-it is patronage that could
hardly be diverted from it. In brief
the house is one that commands con.
fidence; it is known to be ''solid"
rather ihan "showy," and that, to
he mercantile mind, is the great
desideratum.
Both father and son are natives of
Berkeley county. When lad 16
years of age--that is 40 years ago
Mr. G.. NJ. Shaffer began learning
he wheelright trade with Hammey
q Stevens; two years later he began
apprenticeship to the carpenter trade
under the tutilage of John NJ. Wolff
now living here at the ripe old age
Of Sc years. For So years Mr.. Shat
fer followed the occupation Of car
penter, contractor and builder. He
built the Court House, and were we
TO make list OF all the business
blocks, residences and other build
ings he put up here during those 35
years the list would be long one.
In 1862 he first engaged in merchan
diziDg. i'll the same premises as now
occupied, and he has been in trade
ever since His and partner, Mr..
ID. w. Shaffer, though not partner
until two years ago, has been identi.
fed With the business during the
greater part of his life. For cou-
pie of years or so he was CONNER
cial traveller for Baltimore jobbing
house, and the experience there
gained served to broaden his business
Judgment and to quicken his bust
ness faculties. To-day he is one of
the most energetic and enterprising
merchants of the city, and as hard
worker as can be found anywhere.