The Great Falls leader. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1888-1890, 1888-09-29
WHITELEY'S PLACE.
A VISIT TO THE UNIVERSAL PRO-
WIDER" OF LONDON.

Ono Of the Wonders Of the World Of
Trade-The Famous Bon Marche of
Paris Outdone-A Whole Congeries of
Stores.
Whiteley's establishment is one of the
wonders Of the world of trade. Compare
lively few Americans visit it, as it is far
away from what is known as the Ameri
can beat. e.. from the Langham
hotel to the Metropole. Compared
to the trade kingdom over which
single proprietor, William Whiteley,
rules, such mere overgrown dry goods
stores as the Louvre and the Bon Marche
in Paris are but simple affairs. White
ley's is not a store, but whole congeries
of stores, each as accessible to but as dis
tinct from the other as the dining room is
from the parlor on floor with folding
doors. What in the usual run of dry
goods stores occupies a counter or at
most but a room-such as the silk depart
ment, the linen department, the costume
department., etc.-has at Whiteley's u
large and imposing store to itself. The
jewelry store is q superb establishment,
the furniture house is magnificent; china,
glass, ironmongery, dressmaking, sewing
AdCLAAOo, COlAAIcSJ tOJoS OdpHl1cSo d4u
Indian curios, each and all have stores
devoted exclusively to themselves, large
openings giving communication through
the entire series of establishments.
ADDITIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS.
This would be wonderful enough, but
there are surprises at Whiteley's; q pro.
vision store of extensive dimensions ad.
joins an excellent restaurant, the restau-
rant leads into the aviary, conservatory
and live stock establishments. There is
q well supplied wood and coal Office. Pi.
amos are upstairs in a store of their own;
near them is large hall, decorated with
tags, statuary, tables and chairs in pro-
tuslon. Here dinner of several hundred
covers may he given, or ordered for any
place, town or country. with every acces-
sory, from the banquet itself to the
wa waiter who serves il; all provided by
Whteley. had nearly forgotten to name
charming picture gallery, where many
original works of great beauty are dis,
copies OF any masterpiece on the walls of
any of the great galleries of Europe.
Whiteley Is also banker You may buy
or sell money on his premises You may
taRe your passage by any steamer for any
port. You may hire a servant; bury de.
ceased friend; put your belongings up at
auction; purchase, SELL build or take dow
mouse: In short, there is not single
transaction Il., in life relating to trade which
y, ,WMteley Is not willing to make for YOU
NO wonder he calls himself ''the univer-
sa provider." Such business as White
4eys must speedily make man bank
rupt OF millionaire; and as disaster has
n11 MM oVertaken him, it is presumed that
"nteiey has good account at his own
aug other banks. His establishment has
sunefed frequently from fires, whose
strangely ~, persistent recurrence irresist-
'Diy suggests incendiarism.
All 'ne matter OF cheapness find very
uGtle difference between Whiteley's and
o1her establishments which are not es-
peclaliy devoted to wealthy customers, as
4re e4l!low's in the furniture line, and
lewis ! q Allenby in the dry goods. An
nonest price prevails, and If an American
S11s v1sltor sees anything he or she likes at
Wnlteleys, would advise him or her to
purchase it without further ado, as it
YOU'D be waste of time to run all over
London to try to find the same article at
q lower price. " ~
AT THE BON MARcHE.
.,,n: rof one American who has heard of
w hMnlteleys in London, ninety and nine
lave p1 heard of the Bon Marche in Paris.
iefsons :; who know no other single word
~ french are aware that bon marche
means cheap" This famous store is in
teeo tas -. marvellous place. Outside Of
~" ~ little knickknacks known as articles
ue faris, the vast establishment is en-
Ne1lely devoted to the sale of dry goods.
NO M, wonder the American woman, with her
hhataonal haas love for shopping, revels in
to tours asat% spent in fitting from one counter
~. ~ another: Gloves are to the right of
ser, nowers to the left of her, silks are in
heaa't! tront Of her, lace is beyond Are these
ueautlful things really, or only in ap-
pearance, cheap? Why, the truth is they
are s,s,, sold at the market price. Examine
o wen anything that is offered below the
,urient reaae rates. and you will discover
:, will call the attention OF American
lauaes Iaaae to to a custom which prevails at the
tr, trrger shops in Paris, by which our coun-
u;,,seo1 ,rHMomen are misled, though no deceit is
frnn fh1ldully put upon them; it arises simply
Ts, om difference of custom between The
n.'a nreach and American merchant. When a
I've y seen upon remnant IN America.