The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1885-10-07
WILSON & co.
An Inside View Of Wilson & Co.'s
Mammoth Store.

!
Few places in the Northwest, anG
none in Montana, can boast of a store
equaling that now operated by General
Wilson & Co., in Bozeman. An ennis.
sary of the CHRONICLE at the invitation
Of the &c.," Mr.. Fred Fielding, paid a
visit to the establishment one day last
week an was greatly surprised, as many
more of our citizens would be were they
to fully investigate the store and its
stock. Some one has called Wilson's
the Montana Manufacturers; but it de-
serves better name than that-it is
equal to Manufacturers, both in the
amount of goods carried, in stock and
floor space, there being fully 10000
square feet of floor space in Wilson's.
The store has not been built in day. it
is the stupendious outgrowth of years of
well directed energy and admirable
pluck. We are all pleased to exhibit
suchan establishment to the wonder
struck stranger, but few of us stop to
think of ITS magnitude ourselves, or to
fully appreciate the perseverance and
brain work required to make it such.
The equipments of this immense store
are first-class, labor saving devises, such
as cash railways, &C., are to be seen upon
every hand. We first visit the front
room on the third flood where we find
lace curtains, elegant in design and tex
ture, draperies' ETC., some displayed upon
frames to show their rich effect Dazzled
by the differing array, we took only a
cursory glance at the piles of common
window curtains, poles. fixtures, until we
are led to the large carpet, rug and mat
ting room. This room is sufficiently
ample for every purchaser to see the
carpet spread out as it would appear on
the floor. Mr.. Fielding informs us that
the sale of carpets had been wonderful
this year. Here, is another room filed
with trunks and yalises. Proceeding
down the wide stairway we are led to
to the cloak room. In semi-circle, on
a line with the Office, are tastefully ar
ranged all makes and styles of ladies
cloaks, even seal skins can here be
found, costly enough 70 make the average
man shudder. This is the only firm III
Montana that have ventured to keep
these goods. On the ground floor we
- 1kC
length with dress goods, LADIES cloths,
flannels The opposite side We find
tastefully displayed, ginghams, prints
and wash goods. In the centre room
upon the left hand side ladies, misses
and childrens' shoes are kept. This de-
,lartment is not sighted by this firm, as
many other dry goods firms are inclined
to do, and consequently they are able to
boast Of having fine stock made espec-
iallv to their order and for this market.
on the opposite side numerous boxes
are filled with ladies notions and fancy
work goods, underwear, etc. Passing
Trough the arch we come to the mems
department, wherewe find tables fairly
eFeaniiEg, TO use a. common but not very
expressive comparison, with clothing of
all kinds-not Of the hand-me-down
variety but good clothing, made to wear
AMI last, such as this establishment has
always sold Mems boots, shoes, hats,
caps, rubber goods, gloves, furnishing
goods ETC., in an endless variety are dis
played in this department. From here
we are led to the basement floor, each
room containing duplicate stocks enough
to stock very large store. We notice
piles of blankets, case upon case Of
wooden goods, and are informed that
here is the key to cheap price Of woolens
al Willson's--the goods we're all bought
IN rase lots. This is casual glance upon
the inside of the largest establishment
in the Northwest, q monument that all
Bozemanites are proud Of, and which
deserves all the patronage bestowed up
on It as every, dollar its head and mana
ger has made has been put back into the
business until ii now looms up as
mighty establishments.
Peck's Sun published at Milwaukee,
rs Wisconsin, is the most humorous paper
in America to-day. Geo. W, Peck its
editor and proprietor stands without an
equal as huImorist. He believes in
making people happy and no one can be
tllsrwise who reads bis most excellent
pa9sr Our readers are invited to read
the prospectus Of Peck's Sun in another
column. Earaple copies msiled free to
any address.