Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-07-05
AN IMMENSE BUSINESS.
Twelve Retail Stores Under One Roof
and One Management,
The Best Arranged Dry Goods Estab-
lshnsnt in the Southwest.

Among the substantial business in
stitutions that are recognized rs q part
and parcel OF Fort Worth, none are
more deservedly popular than the dry
goods house OF Taylor h Barr. While
our city WAS struggling hamlet, and
before II had even become the whist
ling station" predicted for IL, they
cast their lot with our people, and be-
gan, in modest way, the sale of dry
goods nc what was afterwards No. 10
Houston street. This house, though
small, held all their earthly posses.
sions, and, having set sail on the sea
that had wrecked 80 many barques,
they exercised the caution born of
experience and observation, and only
unfurled sufficient canvas to keep
their craft steadily moving with the
trane-winds Ct prosperity. Step by
step they kept pace with the rapid
strides of the village, the town and the
city in Its onward march OF progress,
until No. l9 Houston street had TO be
enlarged by the addition of second
story TO enable them to meet the re.
quirements of their trade. Even with
this addition their house.room ere
long was again insufficient and No.
10 was abandoned for more commo-
dious quarters.
They now occupy two-story stone
building fronting fifty feet on Houston
street and running back the entire
length of the block, with frontage on
Main. This fifty feet fto1tage OF glass,
with four sky lights and twelve win
dows, gives them the clearest light
and best ventilation OF any house in
the city. The removal to this build
ing from one 80 much smaller was not
made without careful consideration.
They knew that the future great
ness of the city was no longer mixed
with uncertainty. The long ago day
dream of enthusiasts had become
living reality, obstacles had been met
and overcome which placed Fort
Worth in the lead of Western cities
and, knowing the spirit that actuated
its neop lie in their every effort 10 ad-
vance the city's interests, Taylor d
Barr conceived the idea of building
up at this place the largest retail bust.
ness in the Southwest.
With It's present railroad facilities,
should another line never be built,
Fort Worth is pre-eminently fitted
for the location of such
a business. Already we are in COM
VIII lOl N-ullt LOW Is anu
cities in Texas by telephone, and the
is equal 10 all of the New England
states combined. Every twenty-tour
hours sixty-four mails are received
and forwarded and sixty-eight
trains arrive at and leave our.
Union depot. Work has al
ready commenced on the New
Orleans railroad, which will give us
an unrestricted outlet to the SOUTH
east and the building of the Fort
Worth d Rio Grande road VIII
bring the territory southwest to our
door. To day Fort Worth stands the
Grand Queen OF the Prai les not the
psmpered heir of natural advantages,
but the Legitimate offspring Of
the innate vitality of her people.
Its future depends not upon the
failure OF other less enterprising cities,
bnt upon the public spirit and active
efforts OF its builders whose untiring
energy in the past gives promise of
more glorious work in the future.
With railroad facilities which enable
them to reach by quick transit any
place from the Kansas line to
the gulf, and from the Mis-.
sissippi To the Rio Grande,
it would be strange indeed if Taylor &
Barr should fail to realize the full fru-
ition of their brightest hopes.
Eighteen months ago they com
menced soliciting mail and telephone
orders for goods, and by liberal use
OF printers ink in explanation of their
purposes the attention of those who
had hitherto bought carelessly was ar
rested, and the work of reform began.
1t was like sending drummer with
samples and prices to every home
in the land and the result
has shown that the extra effort of
Taylor & Barr to place an Eastern
market within the reach OF all was
appreciated by the people. Their
order trade has maintained steady
growth since the day their first tele-
scopic satchel went out, and how
thoroughly they have systematized
this branch of their business Is
shown in the fact that many of
their best customers have never
seen their store, and some OF them
have never visited the city. Parties
living remote from the city have the
same advantages as those who visit
their store in person, and in fact do
their shopping with less expense, and
greatly TO their comfort, by having
samples sent them by mail. All un-
cut goods are returuable at their eX-
pense IL not satisfactory, and il Is
evident that self-interest would pre-
vent them sending anything in filling
an order that weulO not meet the
wants of their customers. To
meet fully the requirements OF
the trade and be at eli |
times prepared to successfully Compete
with Eastern houses that have estAb.
lished an order trade in the Southwest, |
they secured the services of buyer in |
New York, whose business it 10 to
watch the market and take advantage |
of the auction trade sales that are con.
stantly being made. Their buyer has
bought for Texas trade for the past |
sixteen years, and being reared |
In the dry-goOds business |
In the city of New York, understands !
the wants Of Texas people and how 10 |
supply them better perhaps than any |
man now buying in the East. With |
the advantages given by trade sales OF |
goods at less than the actual cost OF
manufacturing them, and q man to |
select them who has made Texas trade |
study for almost halt a Lifetime, the