The Press., 1884-10-23
Our Springfield Letter.


 Our Springfield Letter. In 1879 new dry goods house opened b usiness in Springfield. There were good reasons why the new firm should prosper. The men who composed it knew their busi- ness in every department, in every aspect. They knew human nature and good goods. They knew how to work and keep at it. They hadplenty of capital and made every dollar tell. In the second place the new store was estab- lished in perhaps the best location in Spring field, at the corner of Court and Main-st., the center of business and traffic. Opposite it's front is the post office, where so many thous- ands go every day, it's side windows opening on Court Square, across whose asphalt walks on their way to the court house as the weeks and years go by almost every man and woman is drawn. The city hall, too, that center of attraction for Springfield and adjacent towns, can only be reached by passing Smith & Mur- rays corner. In the third place the new store was established on a broad and liberal basis, that it's patrons should be offered the best the market affords at the lowest possible prices.
 The firm of Smith < Murray was and is composed of two men of great experience. Mr. James M Smith was we'll known in busi- ness circles in this city back in the sixties. He was member of the successful Boston firm of Churchill, Gilchrist, Smith < Compa- ny, one of the first wholesale and retail stores of Winter-st., Boston, and afterwards the firm of Smith < Watson, of Westinghouse. MT. Peter Murray had been for many years the buyer of the firm of Churchill & Watson and Company of Boston, one Of the best known firms in the United States.
 This Springfield enterprise was success from the start. They copbined two stores in theirs very shortly, and extended their quar- ters back to the Adams express office. Two years later they took the second story of the building, excepting the front offices, and still unable to accommodate their increasing busi- ness, have just absorbed the first story and basement of the Adams express company 60 by 50 feet on each floor. The first floor of the new addition is entered by an archway half the width of the front store, and to the visitor as he enters the store, gives an inn pression of extent on level surface perhaps unequalled in New England outside of Boston. Il The whole basement will be occupied for the wholesale and jobbing department, which has outgrown it's former quarters, the old part of the basement being refoored and re- fitted to correspond with the new.
 But our readers will be especially interest in the first floor. The archway which con- conducts to the new addition is so wide one would hardly know he was passing through an archway at all. In the addition also the Lambson cash carrier system has been intro dueed with the latest improvements, some pa- tented within 8 week. On your left as you enter is the silk and velvet counter. The shelves are fairly packed with treasures which would delight any woman's heart, black silks and Rhadamas and Cashmere Princess silks, in tempting profusion await their delighted purchasers. Passing along you come to the black goods counters with an assortment of Cashhmeres, German Twills, one of the nov cities of the season, and other we'll wearing goods. At the back counters we also find plain Colored Cashmeres and Dress Goods, and German, French, English and Domestic Plaids, an assortment which must fascinate every woman's eye. On the right again you come to the infants counter, with Cloaks and Flannels and beautiful outfits for babes such as will make every mothers heart glad. This is new departure for Smith & Murray, and the public will appreciate it.
 Then comes the Ladies' Underwear counter, where can only be found those special and | very POpu1hC SOOeS, u4dAu1aCtu1cu SSP0CAzsl1y for Smith & Murray customers
 Corsets, both French woven and Domestic, and the latest styles in Bustles and Hoop skirts, have another counter to themselves.
 The center counters are occupied by Prints and Ginghams on on one side, and Knit Goods, Hamburg Embroideries and Paper , Patterns on the other. The whole of the ad- dition is very fully lighted by windows on three sides, and from the rush of customers there to-day, bids fair to be the most popular part of the spacious floors.
 M. H. Langden deserves credit for the car penter work, E. T. Davis for the masonry, and the popular painter, T. w. Gilbert, for the careful and tasteful decoration and tint ing. Messrs. Smith & Murray hope to be able now even more satisfactorily than be- fore, to show their goods and accommodate the people of Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut who have thus far fa- 'yored them with such Aattering patronage. elatssl.