The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-09-23

Afa'e--oooNS SOLD as lar West as Lex
ington, Ky--Thc Opening of the Roa-
nofc and southern--The Bright Future
in store for the Trade Here--No City in
the State ISurpasses 1t In Inducements
Offered.
Roanoke is destined to be the greatest
inland city in the South, commercially,
as we'll as the leading manufacturing
center.s
A TIGtss reporter interviewed several
of the Wholesale merchants yesterday
upon the extent of their business, the
outlook for the future, and the advan-
tages oflRoanoke as place for the es-
tablishrnent of wholesale houses in lines
not yet represented here.
John Chalmers, of the firm of Evans &
Chalmers. said: 'About three years ago
we put man on the road about one
week in each month as starter for our
wholesale department. Tho business
has grown rapidly, and man is kept
out nearly all the time. Our trade ex-
tends oyer Southwest Virginia. and we
sell some goods in Tennessee and West
Virginia. When the Roanoke and
Southern railroad is completed ali
North and South Carolina will open to
Roanoke. ! know of 10 city in the
United States that offers better induce
mcnts for the establishment of any kind
Of wholesale house. We need several
iirst-class boot and shoe. and dry goods
houses. for with them many merchants
! could be induced to start here who now
go where they can buy all their goods in
one city,
Mr.. jan. Gambill, of the firm of j. NJ.
Gambilla& Co., the pioneer Wholesale
| grocers and proprictors of the j. NJ. Gam
bill extensive Touring mill. said: I'VE
| have allsthc business we can handle. and
1T is constantly increasing. We have
two travelling statesmen and employ fif-
teen men in our store. The trade extends
over Southwest Virginia. and when the
Roanoke and Southern is completed we
will sell North Carolina. There is no
better place for the establishment of
wholesale dry goods and shoe houses.
and Il number of these are needed"
#. Is. Thomas, of the firm OF HUFF
! Andrews X Thomas. said: eve beran
business July LIST, lSSS, succeeding T..
L. Terry Il Co Our business was salts
factory from the start, and has contin-
ucd to increase. Notwithstanding several
wholesale houses have since been cs-
+ tsshiIsifeee Our tradc extends through
out Southwest Virginia, along the Chess
apeal<c and Ohio road from Charlottcs-
vile. Virginia. to Lexington Kentucky.
and throughout the lNanawha valley. in
West Virginia, into Ohio. We have
four travelling men and employ from
twelve to fifteen men in the house.
What VIC most need now is two or
three good Wholesale dry goods. boot
and Shoe houses, and another notion
house. With these, in addition TO those
we already have. many merchants could
be induced to stop here who now go
further North so that they can buy all
lines in one city, There is no better
place South of Mason and DiXon's line
for the establishment of such houses
The TIMES man was shown through
this immense establishment by MIR.
Thomas. The building is 6Oxl3O feet,
and five floors packed full of groceries
OF every description. In the basement
heavy goods such as moicsscs and fish
are kept. The next two floors are filled
with box goods, and on the fourth floor
flour and feed are stored. On the fift.
floor is lighter goods, such as glass and
wooden ware.
IL. ~. Jones, of the firm Of Fishburnc,
Jones ~ Co., said: Our trade extends
over Southwest Virginia and up the
Valley. We sell goods in North Caro-
lima, and expect fine trade there when
the Roanoke and Southern is completed
We have been in business since the first
| OF January, and our trade has been far
beyond expectations. We travel three
men and have about as much as we can
| handle.
Roanoke affords the finest opening |
know OF anywhere for jObbing bust
ness of any kind, and especially for dry
| goods. boots and shoes. With the Roam
okc and Southern coming, and the rood
| prospects for the Baltimore and Ohio.
the prospects for the future of the
wholesale business here is exceedingly
| fiattcring. Roanoke will have the finest
field of any city III Virginia, and bids
fair to become the leading inland city
| OF the South"
r.. j.. Moir, of the Roanoke Grocery
and Milling Company, said: I'VE have
been selling goods only since the first of
| August, and the trade so far has been
far beyond our most sanguine expecta-
lions. We have two men on the road
and already have gratifying business
| There is great need of more wholesale
houses in different lines. There is no
question as to whether they would pay
| All the grocery establishments have q
| fine trade, and dry goods would sell, too
| want to see them come, for they will
help us. and we can help them"
a. Norris of the firm of Grinbcrg &
Morris, proprictors of the Young Amcri-
can clothing house and the New York
wholesale notion house said: 1--WE
have built up fine trade in our whole