The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1889-12-18
G. @. Farthing.

Ell b6a u. ". Farthing.
Ill In making a review of the indus-
tries OF Durham it is our purpose to
give merited prominence to that class
of houses, whether manufacturing or
mercantile, that are representative in
their various lines of trade and which
add most to the importance of the
town as q trade centre. Il would be
impossible, within the limits OF a
newspaper article, to present full
showing of Mr.. Farthing's business.
As illbe seen, we have studiously
avoided giving figures relative to the
transactions of our firms, and it is in
but one or two instances that we have
devlated from a self~imposed rule re-
gardiDg this matter. We may say,
however, that Mr. Farthing has been
among our foremost citizens in de.
yeloping the commercial interests Of
town--and this is a statement that
cannot be questioned by any one who
has a knowledge of the wealth, the
resources and material interests of
Durham and tributary country. We
may also add that the house in ques.
tion takes Its place in the front rank
because Of its unexcelled facilities for
the transaction Of business, and both
the bulk and value of merchandise
handled by it each year is very large.
LIN making personal reference to
Mr.. Farthing we find that we must
say OF him a. of most of the mer-
chants Of town, she Is q young man. %
He is a native Of this vicinity. and
not another resident OF Durham is
better or more widely known through.
out the section Of country that Dur
ham calls Its market. Mr.. Farthing
began mercantile life as 9 clerk with
the late j. w, Cheek, and after wards
was a salesman with John L Mark
ham for half dozen years. In jan
nary Of 1882 be frs. engaged in
business for himself as a partner in
the firm Of Angler Il Fsrthing, and
when that copartuership was dis
solved in January Of 1884, Mr.. Earth.
ing assumed entire control OF the
businesa Most Of the regular resd-
ers OF TIE REcoRDER know how
centrally Mr. Farthing's store il
socsted, and they are equally aware
ofits resources. The salesroon front.
ing ON Main street 10 l25 feet deep,
and an L Of the building also gives
frontage upon Corcoran street. Close
at hand 10 q large warehouse used for
the storage Of duplicate stock, and il
is a verv valuable auxiliary to the
store proper.
Mr. Farthing 10 q general mer-
chandise" fnan-at least that is the
way TnE RECORDER quotes him, and
the term IS certainly none too sug.
gestive. He handles almost every
thing that farmer or townsman can
want, and We can't call to mind any.
thing in the way Of general merchan
disc that he doesn't deal 10, unless Il
is u secondhand tombstone, and W,
know be would keep them If there
were orders enough to justify. In
other words, he tries 10 satisfy the
want; Of q general trade; he has
carefully studied the needs of lhi,
market ana no merchant Of Durham
better understands this trade than
does Mr.. @. Q. Farthing; We cam
ask for better proof of this statement
than our farmer friends furnish.
Among olhsr specialties of The
house may be named its wagon anc
earrings trade. Mr.. Farthing sells
hundred sor more cold Hickory
wagons each year.
| Not only does Mr.. Farthlnp Civ,
his own personal attention 10 hi
business (also officiating as tcwr
treasurer) J, but he requires the assist
ance Of several statesmen, viz: W. s
Farthing, I. b. Farthing, J. r
Proctor, w. II. Freeland and others
and from our own observation We car
youch for the fact that none Of thes,
ls.w.s.lm..m.. al .s...-L tS...s.y. H.,