The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-09-17
TRADE TALK
WHAT OUR MAN-ABOUT-rOWN
GATHERED YESTERDAY.

M f''-f11 - -''ofN's
Wholesale Shoe Factory Of which Rich.
mond People Know Ettlc-A FcrtiIixc,
Firm which ia. Grown Rapidly From
small beginning 49, James River Im.
provemcnts.
This is an age Of hard work.
Perhaps the same thought obtained
in the minds Of our forefathers.
The st. Crispin who punched holes
with an awl. and by elbow exercise
jerked the waxe3 thread through the
sole and upper Of the comfortable ap.
pendagc that covers some Of mans ex-
frcmitIcs, thought. and very justly so,
that this was a big improvement on the
aboriginal buck,kin, and that 1t was
hard work.
To-day machinery lends its swift aid
in doing the very same work on an i'm
proved method making the attain
ment of the end desired more swift, and
the accumulation OF finished labor ten
fold greater. But this, too is hard
work, tough toiling; Just as hard and
Just as tough 10 the labOTer as the old
method. When labor is not carried to
an extreme ii is a blessing. and employ
ment is as much the mother of cheer
fulness as necessity is of invention.
Modest merit, indefatigable industry
and persistent push. will surely bring a
reward. GIVE ear TO the sympathy aud
Joys of others, If you are IN "A position
To render them aid, and your philoso-
ply will be right.
There is in the city OF Richmond only
one shoe mandatory for wholesale
trade. The penitentiarY IS not taken
into consideration. Here there IS
mandatory run by convict labor. so
far as the mechanical work Is con
ccrned. and of course this State ar
rangement cannot be considered in the
direct line Of competition with manu-
factories otherwise conducted. There
is the Virginia Shoe Manufacturing
Company. doing business at the corner
of Franklin and Governor streets.
standing as conspicuous as Pompey Is
Pillar. single in its integrity, as the
only shoe manufacturing establishment
in this large and prosperous Clly-ihat
is 10 say. the only one which employs
skilled labor at fair wages and sends its
products to the wholesale world only.
Some people think that this is the age
of difficulties in life and trade. when
there are so many competitors that
there is room for 10 more. but this is
"A glazing mistake. You may meet
Sphynx sitting by the road YOU have to
pass, but this by 10 means presages
failure. If you are in earnest. the
result in the long run will be success.
The officers of the Virginia Shoe
Manufacturing Company are: Presi-
dent. NJ. Howard; NicePresldent. +.
Whitlock: Secretary and Treasurer, l..
G.. Morris The board of directors con-
sists Of the abOve-named gentlemen,
officers of the company. and Mcssrs. S.
w. Freshman, II. ROsenheim. 5. a.
Strauss and Ed. Whitlock.
The idea of commencing an enter
prise of the sort mentioned was first
originated some time during the past
summer. and first took tangible shape
August l. 1889. when the works were
started up under the above manage
ment. That the gentlemen connected
with the enterprise did not reckon with
out their host. IL shown In the fact that
their virgin efforts have met with all
the success that they could possibly ox-
pect. and all that was necessary to
afford them cheerful satisfaction ut the
income from their outlay. even in its
earliest stages. They were precisely
right in selecting Richmond as the field
for thoir operations, and right here
it will not be amiss to say
that Richmond is her own worst
enemy. Let any thoughtful business
man reflect q minute after going through
the Virginia Shoe Manufacturing Com
pany 5 house.
He will first see the very best upper
and sole leather. He will see how the
soles for shoes are cut and prepared for
further manipulation. He viii find
busy women stitching Dy machinery the
uppers, see how the buttons are put on,
and all the interesting details of making
shoes by machinery. and he VIII see
after they are completed a lot of shoes
made of the best material the market
affords. heavier than other shoes. and
capable of greater service than those
which present appetizer appearance and
much lighter heit.
The TINES man abOut-tOwn asked
the management what they thought of
the possible outcome of the venture,
Judging from what hey had done.
The reply came back, here is no trou-
BILE in selling goods ~ fast as We can
make them. Our work is first class.
and recommends itself. OtT house IS
fuU of orders. We do not propose to
compete with Northern houses III prices,
because our goods are superior. We
are pushing ahead, and We sell goods
in Virginia. North Carolina, South Car
DINA. Tennessee and Kentucky.
What is the capacity of your fac
tory -
We have just commenced. and will
De compelled TO make additions. just
mt present we turn out about nine hun
bred pairs of shoes per day. We only
make at present ladies shoes, and en-
ploy about thirty men.
How is this for a start IN new en-
tcrpriee IN the city of Richmond : who
will be the next 10 make venture /.
. There is room for hundreds more, and
money for every one.
There cometh no good thing
Apart from toll 10 mOrtas.'
Some people are born with silver
spoon in their mouth. Others never
enjoy such luNurics I'm early life. but