The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-25
BOorBIAok AND ELECrRIC1L EXPERT
Prof Johnson'a Successful Combination OF
Business Ventures.

Prof Johnson'a Successful Combination OF
Business Ventures.
For fourteen years the business mon OF Cort-
landt street have had their shoes shined and
their patent feathers oiled by a Jolly faced coll
ored man named Nathan Johnson. Nathan has
stuck pretty constantly to business. and by
continued attention to the art OF producing u
high polish has reached such proficiency that
few years ago his patrons dubbed him Pro-
fossor." For four years he has occupied u
basement room at 40 Cortlandt street. But
Nathan was ambitions. Shoe shining was very
we'll in Its way, and when conducted on BUSH
ness principles at the old stand was more or
less lucrative.
But 1t did not satisfy the Professors longinRs.
He desired to become u capitalist, and kept his
eyes open for chances few years ago he en-
larged his business by adding u soda water
fountain. This paid very well in hot weather.
and soon became regular summer feature OF
the basement ROOM, lie had already gone into
and imported shoe poshes. He enlarged this
department next. and added various lines OF
he invented n shoe polish of his own. which he
used in his own ESTABLISHMENT, but refused to
hired Italian booibacks to help him. and
OPENED bank account.
SIN Prot Johnson n ~, vas not satisfied. He
tricity: It was rather startling combination.
that of shoe shining and selling electrical APP
othir s dSS took to he thf
got older took, to experimenting on my own
hook. ! rugged up batteries and contriyed
the subject little. SO that, when found my
shoe shining business was established on
iron or two into the lire. naturally thou ght Of
electrical goods sell pretty near everything
you want In your office or house in the share
OF electrical contrivRnceS. and 20 around and
put en- In for you. But / amt no agent for
trical manufacturing concern that will do It
bsst and cheapest and have name
Il s'pose it may seem little queer for a man
to be bootblaek and an electrical expert. too.
better far than the electricity part OF It. but
business Is youngyet. might stop bootblack-
est IN IT. do gO Know
and electricity 1T In together first rate. For
into s nPd mRe the 20 on1
Now odays rainy and bootblacking is dull
s9 Just leave the shining to my Italians here.
makes good day Of 1t in spite OF the weather"
that he is, has lately taken to advertising. He
is up to the fact too. that novelty Is the soul OF
that he recently inserted in The sun ''
Pns9no % pc y SSf 50 cal 7ai f.
illuminated or luDricated for tho nhntesmAl sum OF
hve cents a truly scientific manner Tho place 10
lighted throughout by ncandesoent lights The boys
are polite and work with oecrc rapidty Your Valss,
bag cane or umbrella checked at all hourA Try mo
His establishment in tho Cortlandt street
cellar is one OF the most novel business rooms
In town.. Shoeblacklng chairs occupy two
sides of the room. Over each chair is hung an
incandeecent light. An electric motor in a far
corner runs big yentilntnG. Wheel Shoe
filled with shoe blackinGs. pastes dressings.
oils soaps. cork soles. and other stock In
trade. shelves behind thom contain electric
batteries Of all sorts. burglar alarms annunci-
ators., call bells. messenger calls; and other
electrical devices. ON a shelf by itself il tbs
Professor private battery and switch board
for experiments and tests, by the, door is an;
other show case which will soon be replaced
by the hot-weather soda fountain A TAI COM
binatlon safe against the wall lCstifles to tne
satisfactory financial results 81 uniting boot
backing and electricity in ono business.