Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-10-23
HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS
The Vast and Growing Volume
of the Wholesale Trade
of Chicago.
The Dry Goods Market the Larg-
est in the World and Doubling
Every Ten Years.
Other Lines of Business Increasing at
an Average Rate of 10 Per
Cent. Per Annum.
Close Competition and Large Stocks
the e ements of Sue
cess.
The Practice of Selecting Goods Direct
finn Stocks Becoming
General
A Growing Dem and for Finer
Quality of Goods by Con-
sum :rs.
The Entire West and Northwest Depend
emf on This Market for
Supplies
An Army of Men Emp OF Ad-Facts and
Figures About the Whole sale
Trade OF Chicago.
A Growing Dem and for Finer
Quality of Goods by Con-
sum .rS.
The Entire West and Northwest Depend
emf on This Market for
Supplies.
An Army of Men Emp OF ed-Fac cts and
Figures About the Whole sale
Trade OF Chicago.

The various kinds of Wholesale dealers
to 100000, 1000 year. The dry-goods
market heads the list with business of
over $80.000.O00, and is the largest dry
goods market in the world. The grocery,
hardware, boots and shoes, and several 9TH
er branches of trade pushing one an
other and making close race for second
place. Not much noise is made in the
effort to obtain trade, but the business is
done quietly and there is great deal of
1t. The persons employed in the bust
ness would, if they lived in one locality,
make busting city. Five thousand are
employed in dry goods alone, and the
other lines have many in proportion.
The business began II a small way
when Chicago was an infant and was the
outg rowth of the general store system.
The first houses dealt in all kinds of
goods, and the entire business of year
did not exceed one days sales at the pres
ent time. AS the business grew the pro-
prietors gradually withdrew from gem
eral buriness and confined themselves ex-
L
TERRITORY was circumscribed, as the rail-
roads gave poor service and the territory
was thinly popuIa ed. As the population
increased the trade grew, and the dealers
began to extend the boundaries
of the territory which they sup
piled. Competition has been brisk at
all times, and this is one element
which has made the market of so great
importance. New houses have started up
and the old ones have increased their
stocks to such an extent that the whole
sale district is becoming too small and
crowded for the trade.
The territory covered by this market
lccludes Ohio, Indiana. Michigan and all
the Western, Northwest tern and South
western States. Many of the houses are
coming into direct competition with East
ern houses, while the dealers IN special
ties sell their goods in all parts of the
United States. The Eastern dealers have
learned by bitter experience that
Chicago merchants control their
own territory and will undersell
all intruders. There are enough dealers
in every line of trade to supply the wants
OF the inhabitants Of the territory which
Is naturally tributary to this market. In
the larger cities within this territory there
wholesale houses, but they buy
most of their goDcls from Chicago they do
not injufe the trade.
The Chicago market has many advant-
ages which are OF great benefit to the out
side trade. The name Chicago is one
thing and acts as magnet which draws
many dealers to see the town, and after
looking through the large stocks they are
sure to go no further, bus make their
purchases here. Every dealer keeps q
large stock of goods and can fill orders
quickly and without delay to the pur-
chaser. So many goods are sold that the
stock is always fresh and new and goods
are not kept long enough to become shop
worn. Chicago is two days nearer the
trade than the nearest Eastern market,
and this fact is not lost sight of by the
country merchant. There are SO many
dealers IN all kinds of goods that COM
petition is strong and this is the cheapest
market IN the United States. The goods
are of finer quality for the same money
than can be bought in other markets, and
the trade is growing in that direction.
The many railroads which center hers
enable the merchant to ship his goods
rapidly and secure cheap freights.
New designs and novelties are constantly
being introduced, and in order to keep up