The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-10-09
improvements.

have been made near the central part OF
the city this summer, none has received
so much comment and praise or been
spoken of so highly as the handsome
/ three-story building just above the corner
of Main and Water streets. The passer-by
and even the. casual observer. cannot but
! have his attention drawn to the structure
as he perceives its moderness of style and
its vast and well-shaped proportions. The
building is none other than S. M. Wilkes.
the widely and popularity known furniture
dealer. Sitting back from the street as it
over the area, presenting front equal. If
not superior to any in the city, and large
and regular shaped, being so feet deep and
I 3S feet wide,-it is not difficult to under
stand Why it comes within the observa-
ton of those who pass, and remember
what stood there in its stead only few
months since. But while the outside
may exhibit a completeness rarely seen
the inside does the more so. and besides
displays taste of arrangement, convent
ence, and neatness which must att cact the
attention of all who venture in. AS you
enter. you cannot but see how nicely every
article is displayed how well fitted up
the whole affair is. and how in every re-
spect it surpasses anything of the Kind We
have seen lately To the righ., in all
styles and descriptions You find chamber
furniture, with sets from 800 to $500: III
the centre. diningIoom sets, such as in
cludes Bullets, sideboards, tables, etc, with
prices ranging from $50 to $3.50; and to
the left is parlor furniture, with prices for
sets from $50 to $500. In quality and
finish the furniture is the very best, and
we are told that within this Valley there
is no such variety of these goods as are
here presented.
Leaving this room and passing over a
bridge suspended. we reach the old build
ing-which makes the depth of the whole
| l65 feet, instead of so feet as we stated
above. Here Oh the second floor are me-
tallic casts-n tact cotlins of every style
and description AMI AT any price. This
room is ,lss, exclusively for The storage OF
THESE articles and einhallning, and 40 one
| is better prepared for this than MI.
] Wilkes. Mir. ". II. liver Tine gentleman
| WHO has charge OF and attends to this
himself, is particularly qualified TODD en-
I balluing, having gone .hro' IL thorough
training III one OF the larger cities and
| were We To Judge. from the frequent calls
elsewhere and the demands which are
made at home for his services. We should
be forced to the conclusion that he is not
only thoroughly proficient hut an expert
il this business.
The third floor of the old building is
used entirely for feather and mattresses,
aud tie first floor for chairs. etc. We
venture Ia say that nowhere between
Staunton and Baltimore can such COM
plete rooms be found for this business. 1t
WAS owing to the great demand for more
space IN order to display his varied stock.
, and the great Inconvenience OF his former
| arrangement that compelled Mr. w. to
build. The plans and IDEAS he matched
| out" by the stove last spring which he
has so well executed and carried ont. we
have no hesitancy III saying is a No. !. job
of 'hatching,' and we earnestly believe
that no one could have surpassed him in
| the arrangement, convenience and dis
play of his goods.
Mr. J. III. Plunket did the brick work
Taylor Bissell, the wood work; Cox e
Soens the painting: Greayer Bros. the
plastering; and Bargamin & Shepard the
plumbing And it is not necessary for us
to say more here in regard to the work,
than that i'm examination of the jobs will
be sufficient to entitle each of them to the
| highest re commentator that public
could ask.
DUNsMoRE's BUSINESS COLLEGE.
Having again reached the pavement,
aud as we were about to move away, our
attention was drawn to the words, Duns-
more S Business College. which are over
| the door Of the hall leading to the third
floor of Mr.. Wilkes new building. Not
wishing, or in the least DESTROYS of miss
| ing anything, we ascend the convenient
and accessible stairway, and are ushered
| in by Prof. J. G.. Dunsmore, the principal
of the College. Here in the main room, so by
SO feet in size. well lighted, well ventilated
and comfortably and handsomely fitted up,
with immense blackhoards around the
walls. and number of useful charts,
| maps, drawings, paintings, ETC., tastefully
arranged are host of Students
seated at desks, and others moving around
performing the work assigned them. Here
are elevated platforms for his assistants,
who are busily at work, and there places
enclosed for the banks, emporiums. bust
ness houses, ETC., and off in one corner is
the cosy Office of the principal himself,
who is as busy as a .bee.' With his per-
mission, we step into the actual depart
ment, and follow note which has been
endorsed by several parties, and which is
now offered at the bank to be discounted.
We watch with interest the discount
clerk as he scans it, and with what care
he observes the face and the names OF the
endorsers. 1t is satisfactory, and with
out moments delay, it is disposed OF,
and the next customers butiness is in
turn. After waiting sometime, and find
ing the bank officers too well ver4d in
negotiable paper to be lead off, we saunter
down to the business houses. But
after observing a short time we find that
our time has been uselessly wasted, as all
are acquainted with what they are doing,
and are entirely too well posted to be caught
in any trap that might be set for them.
And we might say here, with propriety
and justice, that the drilling in negotiable
paper in these offices is one of the best we
have ever noticed. Not only do they go
through the banks, and act and are held
responsible for all they do, but the princi-
pal at every stage. of the students prog
ress gives lectures that are clear enough
for the incomprehensible almost to under
stand. Furthermore, Mr.. Meade F.
White, of whose shrewdness in this de-
partment of law, and in every other de-
partment, all must and do acknowledge,
makes speciality of this subject when he
; lectures at the college.
But we leave this and go to the Theory
and Preparatory departments. We ap-