The Wilmingtonian., 1884-12-27
AFAMoUs HOUSE.
L ID Rise From Small Beginning-The
Mecca of wtlmingtonians.

One of the most interesting and instruc
tive subjects with which the local historian
is called upon to deal is, without doubt, thu
origin and progress OF successful business
enterprise which, through years of homes
toll and fair dealing, wins and holds tn,
confidence and support of its patrons, anC
year by year extends its name and fame iItC
new d stricts and draws continually there
from new accessions to its long list of cus.
TONERS. Such chapters from the history o
city or town give the keynote to tile gen
eral prosperity to which such individual ol
corporate business adventure, successfully
conducted or strict business principles, forms
part. One of the most successful and
noteworthy of the establishments in Phila.
delphia, which in few years has grown
from modest, unpretentious beginning to
one of gigantic proportions, reaching almost
every town, village and hamlet in the coun.
try bounded by the Rocky Mountains ON the
west, the Atlantic Ocean on the east, the
lakes on the north and the Gulf of Mexico
on the south, is that of Messrs. Strawbridge
" Clothier, situated at the northwest corner
of Eighth and Market, Phila. Few of the
many patrons of this vast hive of industry
and commerce would imagine while passing
along the spacious aisies, filled high on
every side with the richest products of the
looms of the world, flanked with goods of
every description yet invented for the COM
fort and adonment of the masses, that but
little more than twenty years ago the
nucleus of this great business was laid by
the present proprietors in an old fashioned
three-story brick building which occupied
portion of the site on which their immense
structure now stands, and where fifteen
employees were able to transact all the bust
ness of the house, which then aggregated
only about $40, 900 per year. Incredulous
as this may appear at glance, it is never
theless true, and the success and steady ad-
yancement which have attended the business
life of the firm not only speak in the highest
terms of the sagacity, foresight and bound
less enterprise of the members but carry
with them the evidence of prosperity which
to greater or less degree attends honorable
and well-drected effort.
TRADE OF MILLIONS ANNUALLY.
The success which has crowned the efforts
OF these gentlemen is simply surprising, and
can hardly be realized except by those who
have been in position to watch the growth
OF their business day by day and year by
year from sales which aggregated the frs.
year less than 10000 to trade which is
now counted by millions, and from bust
ness where fifteen employees were sufficient
to attend to every branch of that to-day,
which requires the constant energy of over
1900 persons.
The care and direction of such a force.
composed of men, women and childien en-
bracing almost every condition of life, from
the cash boy whose labors supply sustenance
to widowed mother, to { man of mature
years who tolls for his family is a task of |
no small proportions; but in this house every |
possible attention is paid, not only to the |
health and physical comfort of all, but to
the moral training as we'll In the plans for |
the buildings in which the business was to |
be transacted, portion was set apart for
dressing-rooms, and lunch-rooms were ar
ranged aud comfortably furnished, where |
the meals carried by the clerks can be eaten, |
and where tea, milk and coffee and good |
lunch can be had at a merely nominal price.
As sample, we notice that u substantial
meal of roast beef, three vegetables, bread
and butter and glass of milk were all fur
nished to employees of the house for fifteen
cents. Everything about these rooms was
most cleanly and inviting.
AS may be supp osed, frequent cases occur
in such community of people in which
pecuniary assistance is urgently needed, as
in cases of sickness or accident and a bene-
fetal society has been formed to which all
the employees are eligible. the fund of this
society is made-up of all the fines imposed
on the employees for neglect of duty or for
the Infringement of established rules, and
small stated contributions by the members
from which sick and funeral benefits are
paid to the members when needed.
Another society, the Straw bridge & Cloth
ier Saving Fund, designed to encourage
habits of frugalty among the members has
also been established, and has enlisted a
large number of contributors. By the rules
of this society sums of money equal to
twenty-five cents for each share of stock
held is paid weekly into the general fund.
From this amount loans arc made to the
members at a small rate Of interest, which is
also payable weekly, and once each year the
accumulations are refunded to the share
holders in proportions to the stock held, the
weekly contributions with the accumulated
interest making handsome sum to be drawn
by each member.
To add to the pleasure of all and to Afford
an attractive means for recreation without
cost, entertainments are given once each
month, beginning wilh October and ending
with May, exclusively for the employees. All
the expense of these entertainments is borne
by Messrs. Strawbridge & Clothier, ard
being for the sole benefit Of the employees no
other persons are admitted. These enter
tainments are Of the highest order, for which
the best talent attainable is secured The
first were given at Association Hail. but
they proved so attractive that the building
was too small to accommodate all who de-
sired to atteud, and the Academy of Music
was leased. It has again been secured for
the coming season, and arrangements have
been made by which talent of a high order
has been secured for the various evenings,
and the season of 1884 and 1885 promises to
be the best yet enjoyed by the Strawbridge
& Clothier people.
Thus is brief history given of the rise