The Press., 1884-10-30
Our Springfield Letter.

Tn 1879 new dry goods house opened business 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 had plenty of capital and made every dollar tell. h 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. .-Et
 The firm of Smith X Murray was and is composed of two men of great experience. MT. James M. Smith was well known in busi- ness circles in this city back in the sixties. He was a 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 combined 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 i'm pression of extent on level surface perhaps nnequalled in New England outside of Boston.
 The whole basement will be occupied fol 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, and we ask them te note our description, and visit it at al early day. The archway which conduct to the new addition is so wide on' would hardly know he was passing througl an archway at all. In the addition also tn Lambson cash carrier system has been intro duced with the latest improvements, some pa tented within week. On your left as yo' enter is the silk and velvet counter. Tn shelves are fairly packed with treasures whicl would delight any woman's heart, black silk in tempting profusion await their delighte purchasers. Passing along you come to tn black goods counters with an assortment 0 Cashhmeres, German Twills, one of the nov cities of the season, and other we'll wearin goods At the back counters we also fin plain Colored Cashmeres and Dress Goods and German, French, English and Domesti Plaids, ap assortment which must fascinat every womans eye. On the right again yo come to the infants counter, with Oloaks an Flannels and beautiful outfits for babes sue as will make every mothers heart glad. Thi is a new departure for Smith & Murray, an the public will appreciate it.
 Then comes the Ladies' Underwear counter where can only be found those special an
 very popular goods, manufactured especial for Smith & Murray customers f,.
 Corsets both French woven and Domesti' and the latest styles in Bustes and Hool
 skirts, have another counter to themselves. The center counters are occupied by Prin
 and Ginghams on on one side, and Kn
 Goods, Hamburg Embroideries and Papt
 Patterns on the other. The whole of the sat
 dition is very fully lighted by windows 0
 three sides, and from the rush of customer
 there to-day, bids fair to be the most populs
 part of the spacious floors. :
 M. H. Langden deserves credit for the ca
 penter work, E. T. Davis for the masonr.
 and the popular painter, T. w. Gilbert, ft
 the careful and tasteful decoration and tin
 ing Messrs. Smith & Murray hope to
 able now even more satisfactorily than b
 fore, to show their goods and accommoda
 &bo ,,oo,,lo of Woo&arD Mosoo ob,1uot%c on