Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-10

things make up life. II is equally true that
little things do vast deal to build up
cities. This is illustrated in the notion
business, which in trade is the synomyne for
little things. The notion business of Rich
mond is one of the great arteries through
which countless small articles flow out
from the city to the country merchants of
the South and one of the great veins through
which money flows back to swell the grand
aggregate of receipts from our .jobbing
trade. The importance of this business
and its proportions are well illustrated in
the house of George ID. Thaxton Il CO., No.
ii south Fourteenth street-a house that
| is known in the South wherever pin, a
button. or hook-and-eye can be utilized,
or "gallus" is liable to bust"
VETERAN CORPS.
Tho personnel OF George ID. Thaxton i
| Co. constitute veteran corps in the no
| ton and dry-goods trade. IL was organ
| lied in 1875 and was formed out of the firm
| of Blair Il Thaxton. The firm members
are Messrs. George ID. Thaxton and James
| o.. Martin. The former n-a North Caro-
| inian who came TO Virginia in 1856, since
| which time, with the exception OF the
| four years he was in the Confederate
army, he has been in his present line OF
| business. and with the exception of the
period named was on the road from 1856 to
| 1875. There is q tradition among the
| young men of the house that in his minds
| eye there is map Of every pig-path in the
| two States. Mr.. Martin has had long ex-
perience as country merchant, and be-
| tween the two if they cannot anticipate
| the wants of the country trade it is safe to
| say those wants are not worth anticipating.
TIE TRAVELLING Statesmen.
Yesterday when the Dispatch representa-
| 1. II l.a fol tiohr hn III
| their travelling salesmen preparing to &C
out upon their routes, and some of them
| keeping their hands in by trying TO sell
| each others scarf-pins.
The travelling corps of tho house is one
| of the most popular and competent that
| takes the road, and the territory covered
| by its members is gratifying evidence OF
| the ramitications of Richmonds wholesale
| trade.
ITS MEMBERS.
Mr.. G.. b. Peaseley, who has been with
| the house for ten years, travels the Chesa-
peake and Ohio railway from Newport
News to Huntington.
Mr.. A. Judson Watkins, who has been
| identified with the business ell his life,
looks after South Carolina and Georgia.
Mr.. f. A. Bradshee has charge of Middle
\ North Carolina. He has represented the
| firm for seven years.
Mr.. j. A. Baber's territory is Southwest
| Virginia, and he has been with the house
| for seven years.
| MIR. @. NJ. Barr travels in Southwest Vir-
| ginia and Tennessee. He came to the firm
| three wears ago, but had bad previous ex.
perlence in the business.
Mr. William Kirby, who manages the
trade in Western North Carolina, has been
| forty years in the business.
| Mr.. NJ. W. Joyner has been but one year
with the firm. but is q veteran csmpaigner.
| His field Of operations Is Eastern Virginia
and Eastern North Carolina.
MIR. E. Il. Quarles. who devotes his atten,
ton to Southside Virginia and portion OF
| South Carolina was raised among notions
THE HoUsE-FoRcE.
| The house-force, in addition to the part
ners. consists of Mr. A. II. Smith, Mr.,
| George ID. Thaxton, Jr., Mr.. L. j. Enright,
and Mr. John L. Roach, clerks. and Messrs
A. G. Porter and Ii. I. Vaughan, book.
| keepers.
| Taking the force Of the house by and
through it may be said that they cut both
| their first and their wisdom teeth on no.
tons and dry goods.
THE STOCK.
The mere suggestion OF describing the
stock of notion-house such as that ol
| George ID. Thaxton & Co., appals. About
| "a near as we can come TO it is to say that
should il be struck by an earthquake II
| would look like your grandmother's work
| basket multiplied thousands of times both
| as to size and contents. AS 1t Is 1t iS the
| embodiment of order. The store Is a
three-story building. including basement
and one Of the floors extends over the adj
| Joining building. Every floor is literally
hacked with goods, the assortment EN-
bracing every conceivable variety of novel
| ty and staple article in the notion line. as
we'll as a tremendous stock OF woollens,
black cassimeres and fancy cassimeres,
Kentucky jeans. white goods, linens. and
ladies' dress goods generally. Special at
tention is paid to the dress goods depart
ment, and their stock in all departments Is
the largest and finest they have ever car
ried.
The line of stationery. hosiery. gloves,
suspenders, gentlemen's underwear. fur
nishing goods, ribbons, laces, handker-
chiefs, edgings. and embroideries seems
| limitless. while an attempt to remember
the little things would run any man
crazy who is not built upon the mental
photograph principle of that very useful
| institution the travelling salesman.
PRoPELLING FORCE.
The house of George ID. Thaxton u Co.
has been ever since its organization DO
| tential force in propelling Richmond to the
| front as q wholesale market and In bring
| ing its advantages to the notice of the
country merchants. II was born popular,
started on high plane of business in
| tegrity. and has always kept on that plane.
| TO open a new possible field for Rich
mond trade is to find George ID. Thaxton
n Go. g travelling-men there, and make 1t
a certain field. The concern know the de-
mands of the trade. They can by. reason
of their capital and credit buy for that
trade at lowest prices, and sell that
| trade at lowest prices. To get customer
| is not only to retain him for themselves,
but TO get other business for Richmond.
THE sAMPLE-rRUNK.
The sample-trunk of the travelling sales
man of George ID. Thaxton & Co. is in
eyery respect an index of the stock OF the
! house, which is selected by the buyers OF
| the firm from first hands and from the
most reliable dealers and manufacturers.
| The country merchant can buy from these
samples with perfect confidence that the
goods he orders will be exactly a. repre-
sented, that they will be shipped with the
greatest promptness, and that he cannot
| do better in the matter of prices. He can
also feel confident that the margin allowed
| him for. profit will be augmented by the
| advantage in freight rates that Richmond
| affords over northern cities.
Messrs. Thaxton & Co. in talking to the
| Dispatch representative added their word
| OF cheer as to the outlook for the whole.
sale business in 1891. The last year had
| been q most satisfactory one with them
both as regards tho volume of business
done and collections. and tho indication.
are that the present year will mark Q good
| step forward not only in their line but IN
| the general wholesale trade Of the city
| The firms business has doubled IN the last
three years.
| of the concern it was easy TO see that u
| Richmond was not advertised a. > whole.
sale market during 1891 II would not bs
their fault. A more lively. active. and
| confident set Of gentlemen could not b.
easily found IN days march, nor would
there bo found more worthy representa-
tives of their vocation and Of southern
push The salesman OF any nostherr
house who gets ahead Of any one OF them