The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1885-05-06
IN TRADE SINCE SIXTY
EIGHT"
The Recorder makes an outline sisotef
of.

The Recorder makes an outline skofei
JOHN L. MARKHAM's BUSINESS
| CAREER.
There is nothing peculiarly partri
archal in Mr.. Markham's appearance
and yet the fact remains that there
are very few in Durham who have
longer been identified with its bust
ness interests than he. He is q native
of this immediate vicinity, and, after
the war, he came to town as a student
Two years later, or in December
1867. he entered the employment oil
the N. c.. railroad as a clerk in the
depot at Durham after nine months
service he accepted the position oil
assistant agent and telegraph opera
tor at Concord, Cabarrus county, but
he remained there only about three
months, form December, 1868 he enter:
ed J.W. Cheeks general merchandise
store, and he remained with him un'
ill becoming his successor In trade in
September, 1875. Since then MIR.
Markham has continued in active
trade.
AND 1T Is ACTIVE TRADE,
as most of the readers of the REcoR-
DER know-indeed it would be diff
ficult to find a buster man in town.
The premises occupied, known to
everybody hereabouts as "Markham's
CONNER % stand Mt the southwest cor
Ener of Main and Mangum streets the
block is of brick, the main building
being 1O0x34 feet. two floors, with an
additional room 19x40 feet, fronting
on Main street, this being the cloth-
ing department..
OTHER PREMISES
are required by the side of the rail-
way track, upon Mangum street
stands a frame warehouse, 40x96
feet, two floors, the basement OF
which is used for the storage of fertil-
izers, and other goods in which MIR.
Markham deals extensively; while
the other floor is for the storage of
heavy groceries and duplicate stock
generally.
MIR. Markham's trade is best de-
scribed by the expression general
merchandise" and in this case, at
least, the term is very comprehen.
sive one. 1t means a dozen or more
different lines, and in the advertise
ment of the house which appears in
the other sheet of this issue of the
RECORDER, Mr.. Markham has given
an exhaustive catalogue of these
mdltifarious lines. 1t is, in fact, just
such q comprehensive stock as our
farmer friends like to make their
selections from, while the citizens of
town none the less find the house a
desirable place at which to trade.
One of the specialties of the house
that we particularly notice is its wag
ON trade. Mr.. Markham sells the
well-known and thoroughly reliable
81. p. Nissen" wagon, made by @. T..
Nissen & Co.. of salem, this State,
and we are glad to know that there
exists constantly increasing demand
for 50 meritorious an article.
SOME JoBBING \
i done by the house, but no special
efforts are made to attract a jobbing
trade-if a merchant wishes to buy q
bill ofgoods Mr.. Markham will cheer
fully. fill it, at, regular jobhing
prices, but he sends outne commercial
traveller the real sphere of trade is
at retail, but much of this trade comes
from long distances, and no incon~
siderable number of patrons of the
house have been such ever since Mr..
Cheek established the business
scores of those old customers wouldn't
feel at home anywhere else. Mr.. Mark
ham also succeeded Mr.. Cheek in 70,
as agent Of the Southern Express
Company, whose office is partitioned
off from the main salesroom.
DURING A CONVERSATION
we recently had with Mr.. Markham
we asked as regarded his trade for,
last year-how it compared with
1881? His reply was brief and TO the
point: 1t was decidedly better" said
he: sit was the best years's trade in
the history of the house." and by re-
ference to the Registers books we
find that his purchases for 1884 were
over one hundred thousand dollars.
He also appeared to feel that the
business for 1885 would be quite
satisfactory-at all events he wasn't
disposed to indulge in any forebod-
ings, and that appears tobe the gen.
eral sentiment with our business men.
To the business in hand Mr.. Mark.
ham gives his own personal attention
and he also requires the services of
a bookkeeper and nine clerks, a
storage house keeper and two porters.
From this statement alone the .strang-
er TO Durham can form some idea of
the house and of the important part
it bears in the business economy of
the town.
o., S. r.. CiRRTNGTON.