The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1892-01-09
a SUCCESSFUL FIRM.
Brief Account of DalIes Business
House--Its Growth.


Few persons unacquainted with this
stock carried and business transacted by
some of our larger business houses. Few
would imagine that we have houses in
this city that do a lalge and profitable
wholesale trade with other business
houses extending upwards of 200 miles
into the interior. Yet such is the fact
as the business transactions OF the firm of
Snipes & Kinersly will testify. This
firm commenced business on the 18th OF
January 1879, nearly thirteen years ago.
The firm is composed of Ben E. Snipes,
the cattle kingand banker of Ellensburg,
WASH, and o. KiEersly They first
bought out the business of H. J. Wal
dron who started in business in this
city in the year 1854 and whom they
succeeded in the old Waldron
stone building at the foot of Washington
street. Thirteen years ago the business
houses OF this city were rapidly moving
away from Main street and following the
procession Snipes & Kinersly moved
into their present quarters i'll the spring
of 1880. At that time the upper floor of
the building was used as an opera house,
but the demands of a rapidly increasing
trade ordained that pleasure should
yield to utility and the opera house be-.
came transformed into part of one great
warehouse occupying three floors, each
thirty feet wide by one hundred feet in
length, or an area of p, 900 square feet.
From the very first the frmNof Snipes &
Kinersly took its position as the leading
drug store in the city. 1t started with
and still maintains every important
element that goes to build up success
ful enterprise, such as intense devotion
to business and accommodating and oblig-
ing manners onthe part of the manag-
ing partner which leave their impress
on every employe of the firm and an
unlimited capital which enables the
firm to take advantage of the markets
and to purchase from first hands in
large quantities and on the best terms.
1t is not surprising, therefore, that three
registered pharmacists and other minor
assistants should find their time 80 fully
occupied that in answer to a question
put by the writer as to how business was
progressing, one OF them sshould say,
I'VE have always so much to do that we
never catch up or that another ques-
ton as TO their prescription business
brought ont the answer, "We." have on
our files upwards of $4,000 prescrip-
tions.''
As one enters this immense drug store
he finds on the right what is justly said
to he the finest cigar "show case in Or
egon,' case of heavy plate glass, ever
so many feet in length and height, filled
with every quality and grade Of cigars.
from the best products OF our home
factories to the finest imported Havan-
nahs. Back of this come long tiers of
shelves filed with patent medicines. of
which the firm keeps in stock every
leading kind and buys themSdirect from
the manufacturers. Then comes an
OF Ter range of shelves and show cases
filled in every corner with every variety
OF druggists sundries. Still further on
another tier repleted with retail samples
OF theirimmense stock of paints, oils.
varnlshes, window glass and kindred
materials. An hundred feet of shelving
and show cases on the left are occupied
with drugs and chemicals while the mid
die OF the floor is occupied with a be-
wildering variety of artists materials.
studies, panels, porcelain plaques, jap
anese goods, patent medicines, toilet
requisites and apparently everything
else to be found within the precincts of
a modern drug store. 1t the extreme
northern and of the main floor stands
an immense rack reaching from floor to
ceiling filled and overhowing with every
variety of wall paper from the cheapest
in the market up to quality fit to dec
crate palace. The upper floor and
basement are chiefly used as storage
rooms. walk through them finds
them literally packed with goods.
Here are rows of boxes and barrels filed.
with empty bottles, yonder stacks of
cases of patent medicines. Further on
heaps OF tubs and bottles and cans redo
lent OF the flavor of white lead and tur-
pentine. Still further rows of venerable
barrels bearing the familiar legend sold
Kentucky Burbon" or sCalifornia Port''
of the still and vintage of 1900 and ever
so many years back. In this corner is a
packing room, in yonder an apartment
filled from floor to ceiling with the firms
own proprietary medicines and flavor
ing extracts, and thus one may travel on
for long enough only to find boxes and
cans, bottles and cases, barrels and dem
Johns and then more boxes and cans
and bottles and cases and barrels and