Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-04-07

four feet long and Is inches sctcs, the
m 3uts, resting on base three feet ia diam
etsr; star four feet high; SUPER, pnff
scarf two feet long; = horse shoe three feet
in diameter; shield four feet in diameter
At the base; reclining horse shoe two feet
in diameter; 6 basket four fee. long b .siiss
beautiful palms, and tropical plants Az
od1 gift wss pair Of trousers made of
miskweed a feet high, standing on . base
Of lsurel, the seams, buttons, waist bands
and buckles Of the trousers made of purple
immorteiies. In each of the four great
windows were set superb baskets Of rare
roses on pedastsls Of ferns four feet high,
and the windows ard interior Of the store
were garlsnded witI laurel and roses inter
twined and tied with bows of brigh. coiored
ribbon. Some 5000 yards of green were
required 10 festoon the immense lower floor
and staifwsys.
The Crowds Present.
Ali through the afternoon and evening
Chan Hers full band, stationed in the front
Of the second story, furnished the choicest
music from all the fAvori;e composers. The
display OF goods in every department was
remarkable and called Tor the hesftest
praise from everybody. From noon till 8
P. NJ. Thousands of citizens and visitors
from out of town visited the store. The
surrounding streets were filled with people
as if it was Fourth Of July, or Bsrnum's
circus day. And ust here a comment made
| by well known business man of Portland
comes in very sptly. He sad to the re-
porter, Many people think this opening is
merely 8 great boom for Mr.. Atkinson's
| firm. They do not see that
it would be good thing for Portland if we
could have such sn affair every week. 1t
keeps every business man in town. 1t calls
people TO the city. They enjoy the open
| ing, admire the great energy and persever-
snce Mr.. Atkinson has shown, and they buy
goods of him ard of other men in business.
MY store did more business Saturday after
noon and evening than for several months
past
1t is>eslimsted that &c. 900 people visited
Mr.. Atkipson's store Saturday. Between
and 3 L'clcck 1900 people were in the
store. All the employees We'd with each
other in showing every attention TO their
guests.
The Guests from Boston.
| The following gentlemen were on the
special train from Boston: B. A. Atkinson,
l.. J. Bird, C. II. Homstesd, W. HAYES,
A. A. Consnt, F. A. Prince. E. s. Zeis,
Joel FEEDER. A. s. Cushing, s. Gushing,
Joseph Atkinson, G. W. Spsulding, Ell. L.
Thsyer, NJ. w Burton, C. P. Donovan,
Boston Pilot; l. Thsyer, Boston Post; j.
| S. Kelley, Boston Herald; Ed. T. Burns
Boston Globe; j. e. Chandler, Boston
Record.
The Banquet.
| In the evening, al shortly after o'cle OK,
when the throngs ciouding the building
gave an opportunity for Mr.. Atkinson, his
employees, heads If the branch Houses in
the State and invited guests to close the
store and attend The banquet given by Mr.
Aikir SOD az the PEBBLE House, the party
fell into line and marched to the hotel to
the music Of Chsndlei's band. The dining
room locked beautifully. Nearly one hun
dred gentlemen were present.
| After coffee and cigar, Mr.. Isasc C. At
| kinson arose and was most warmly re-
ceived. He said:
Employees Of the Atkinson Company, man
| ufacIurers and friends from Boston, and
| members of the Press:
| 1t affords me great amount OF pleasure
to meet you ell together and to welcome
you one and all.
| am glad TO have you come gentlemen
Of the company, from re mote parts Of the
state where we are doing business and to
have you around one table, as one family,
snd to know thst you all feel that our liveli-
| hc oil depends UPON our own exertion, and
that each one of US 10 corner stone in the
bui'ding we have erected.
| had intended to have made somewhat
| lengthy address on this occasion, and to
give resume Of our common work, but |
have been too crowded with business, have
had too many things to think Of, and so
she II not weary you in that way.
But | well recall how seven years ago,
lacking few weeks, We first came to Port
land to introduce our furniture. We we're
not altogether strangers, for the name Of
Atkinson had pre- coded us, brought here by
our good friends. the press.
remember too how we got in our stock
Of furniture. How we took it quietly up
from he boat before people were out in the
morning, and after they were through with
business at night. We got it all in, and
were ready for business Wednesday.
We occupied at hat time a part of the
lower floor of one-lait of the block you
have s,ea today. l firmly believe it is a
| lucky store. for the firms that had occu-
| pied it before we took it were bo h SUGGEST
fui, Jose & Co, and Pencil & Co.
| shall never forget the first Day we spen t
here. We had got ready for business
| W, dnesdsy, SIS have said. but Tuesday |
| got a letter from B. A. Atkinson, the gem
| eman at my ltft, and it was written to
| caution me not to expectto do any business
| II pity you, ne wrote, "but don't wilt Old
man if the rush you expect doh's come,
| and it WON'T
We went to work that fret day under
| such cireumstar ces. We had no desk, only
8 table, and no books, for vhsn we left
Boston they said to us: ANY little memo
,sndum will do FOR you" We took Sii
| that day. We kept on, and st the end of
the year had scld sll0,00 worth Of good.;
and then the gentleman at my Ie fl conclude
that we could do some business.
| Now we have ten branch stores, some as
large as the one you have seen, but not so
| elaborate, or so veil stocked, and | wan,
| here to i've 10 our managers the same
smc IN. Of credit | take to myself for this
success we have alta ned, for no ore man
could have built up this great busine SIS. |
| believe in giving general directions. ard
| then lesvir g a man to do his work wi;hou!
| con slant oversight telitve in rolii HI
| responsibility on manager, aud il he il
not com petent RENT We him, and gett "a An.
ether man in his place. But our managers
have stood up Eobly. and, as [ sail
| m NEXT sgo, give them as II uch Grad tts
take to myself.
Blu, ia speaking Of the causes that have
| contr bated 10 our great success, | must not
forget OF, fIierds Of he press, and | 90
not say this becs use We h&vs 90 many re-
portels here tt gh', or he best papers OF
earth ieprese. ted, but no matter how much
push ar enterprise on put in a tu i ess
you cam o. succeed without the aid # the
Dress. The press is he % y way by VII q
you csn bring your tusIness 0 ine tenti0n
Of the public,
And am glad to zee the gentlemen from
Bosl, here. Men aho sre the leaders in
% ma Dc apartments Of trade we are no.
ttyirg 10 represent. | want ID say 4 word
II a personal nature to cur Boston fiiei "a
did not DO them full justice. When
vas il f.rned hat tbty y, ull bring the
f wers for the store, | thought that here
&c uld be few piee, a. j | ht ught w h,.
can DO with few pieces With 80 0C0 feet
Of e ofsge" And vas on hs point Ct
writing Don't brir any f3ser'." sh uld
have known batti r. | ought to have co.,
sider, what you represent. and hos vast
is your business, and now alics ne to
hank you for what was, after al, the best
AID most attractive psrt Of tie great open
ing. the best apprs cisted BY our Thousands
OF visitors.
NJ inc is great State in which t, do
business. / am not talstng mp any special
line tonight, but wsns TO ssy to the ge-
tls ne fft m Boston. that in he State CT
Msiae lsst year enc hundred rev manufa.