The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-08-24
horatlo Staples Says the Great Mer-
chant Is a Wonderful Man.
Description of the Great Philadelphia
Store in the City of BrotherIy Love.
[Bridgton News.l

the responsible, important position he now
fills, viz: the chief of % captains of the army
OF statesmen technically known as "aisle.
men," Wanamaker's attention was first
called to the Portland merchant by the
quaint uniqueness and originality of his ad-
vertisements; and having like Napoleon and
Grant. remarkable gift for selecting pre-
cisely the right men for his staff, he at once
decided, as did the French emperor when he
chose Murat for his cavalry chief, to secure
him, IL possible, for one Of the most impor-
tant positions in his famous house. That
the event proved the wisdom of his choice
has been abundantly shown. After some
negotiation. Mr.. Staples sold out his busi-
ness and went to Philadelphia. His brother
Granville likewise dry goods dealer in
Portland, who had arranged to unite his
business with his, also at the same time gave
up lis business to accept position with
Wanamaker. Such is the history in a nut
shell Of the dual change of base by the Sta
Piles merchants.
Horatio Staples, who with his family and
some kindred and connections, is passing
fifth or sixth summer vacation at Ruel
Dodge's Highland Lake House, on lovely
BridgtOn Highlands, was interviewed the
other day by News representative in re-
gard to Wanamaker and the plan and scope
though modestly saying very little about
himself. kindly expressed his willingness to
furnish whatever information was wanted
about his world-famous employer. To give
all the history and details of this great
mercantile evolution would require volume.
fOllnVvfnn OH inf
ing insight into Wanamaker ways and
means.
ITO begin WITH" said Mr.. Staples, 81
would state THAT Mr.. Wanamaker's retail
house, where | am employed, comprises q
sub-basement, basement, first, second and
third floors, and topmost story. You may
form some conception of the extent of the
business when l tell you that the area of
the four salesrooms foors-the basement
and first, second and third fuors-coYers an
area OF over 16 acres and that often, of a
pleasant day, there are at one moment from
5000 to 5000 visitors and patrons in the
building, that there are employed at the
present time about $500 persons, of both
sexes. augmented in the holiday season to
about 5000; besides which some so teams,
with ornamental, handsome wagons, are
constantly delivering packages about the
ITO begin at the foundation, the sub-base-
ment contains machinery for lighting, heat
ing and running the elevators. The electric
plant supplies from 800 to 900 electric lights,
OF which about 500 are incandescent and 400
arc. The steam apparatus serves to run IL
elevators and generate heat for the entire es-
tablishment.
The succeeding basement and three floors,
as nave said, are devoted wholly to retail
sales. In the fourth, or topmost, story are
the business offices and the storage of sam
pies of stock. To be more minute, the base
ment Is used for the sale of confectionery
ana an Kinds OF toys, games-especially lawn
tennls,-kitchen furnishing goods, trunks,
pictures: dolls, etc. By an apt coincidence.
the chief OF this department is Mr.. Doll,
native Philadelphian. Also in the basement
Is palatlal restaurant of 600 guests capacity
Inc iirst 1oor is devoted to dry goods. milli-
merry, clothing and Jewelry. On the second
floor are ladies' garments of all kinds, crock
cry and glass. and carpets. 1t is, in fact, the
largest carpet floor in the world; on it have
been seated 25OO persons at the annual profit
sharing meeting, of which l will more fully
speak further on. The third floor is for fur
niture. -Four acres of furniture! only think
SIT would appear then, that Wanamaker
handles large variety of other wares than
dry goods?"
"Yes. indeed" answered Mr. Staples.
why, you can purchase almost anything
TO be found in any and every store in any
city, except groceries and provisions. Just
wait moment till l get my little book
briskly rising from his piazza chair and
fetchlng small, black, morocco-bound book
about the size of a pocket Testament. "Now
see here, please. Beginning at the top Of
this page, are arranged vertically all the let
ters OF the alphabet except l. Against A
you see printed Silks and Velyets.' Against
y, Stationery. G, Dress Goods d, Mems
Furnishings And so on down through a
variety and classification of other goods.
Heie, on this page, begins set of numerals,
from the figures 26 to 40, inclusive. All OF
when letters and figures severally represent
a classification of wares. including every
thing In dry goods, clothing, crockery, house
furnishings, 1ewelry, books, carpets, MILL.
merry, cutlery, furniture,-almost everything,
in short, that one could think Of except
meats, fish, vegetables and fruits.
The business of this establishment is
divided into 81 departments, or stores, each
complete in itself, and independent of the
other save in their joint, central head.
There are also about factories in the build
ing, which produce millinery, shirts, under
wear &c. Besides all these, there are about
% heads OF departments for buying and put
ting on sale all classes of merchandise. OF
Mr.. Wanamaker's field and staff, are 2S
Aisle Managers, or reception committee, in
reality captains of the selling force, whose
province 1t is to receive patrons, ascertain
their wants, and turn them over to the
proper statesmen; not only this, but see to it
that the statesmen do their duty No
the goods and the cash are sent intact to the
Inspectors, who see to it that the goods
and money tally"
"Of course, then, Mr.. Staples, there must
be absolute perfection OF system to insure
handling of such a stupendous mass Of
Details"
Precisely. And you can have no ad-
equate idea to what a science it has been
reduced The slightest let-up, and chaos
would follow. To explain its many details
an nj tal lv
much longer time than you would wish to
spare. But will give you one illustration.
Every weekday day of the year, except on
Saturday afternoons in July and August,
when 1t is closed at l o'clock, the store
closes precisely at 6. At 6.10 the head of the
house-the commander-in in-chief-knows to a
cent the sales of each department for the
day. Furthermore, he can at a glance
compare the days record with the cores
ponding day OF the week q year before, and
see whether there is a falling off or increase
In that chiefs returns. A quick tabulation
of aggregates, and 10 ! the entire days doings
are compared with those of twelve months
ago. The systematized arrangements, too,
for preventing. dishonesty of employees and
thefts by outsiders are the acme of perfection.
Detectives are constantly moving about in
the vast throngs, and the auxiliary devices
are ingenious and effective, so that losses of
these kinds are reduced to minimum"
You spoke of profit-sharing."
Ony yCos NClis bulo Is Hh6MlSt TOO
complicated for present detailed explana.
nation, but | can give you an inkling of how
tits done. In word, it is regulated and
modified by length of individual service and
increase of sales, the starting-point being
0ne-half of one per cent. Every employee
has salary, paid weekly. Added to this is
monthly payment of commission on sales,
and yearly division of percentage OF
profits, which division is made in the month
of April. In theispring of 'SS the amount OF
profits of the house divided among the
employees amounted to $4,000; and in 'S9
to $105,000 This division day is great
occasion. Mr.. Wanamaker himself presides
at the meeting, and makes a felicitou,
speech. Besides proft-sharing, the EN-
ployees are given vacations without loss ol
pay. V
AS to the, personality of Mr.. Wanamaker
II is hard thing, to describe He is /
wonderful man. He started small read,
made-clothing business in Philadelphl;
upward OF % years ago, and from that be.
ginning has built up the largest establish