The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-04-19

IL has been many years since but
few except the wealthy were able to
dress in q fashionable manner, with
goods composed of fine material. All
clothing at. that time was made by
customer tailors, and ready made
suits were almost unknown. Fine
goods were not made In this country,
and the consequence was that work
man or mechanic found it impossible,
with his limited means to dress as well
as his wealthy neighbor. But in time
there came a revolution, the same as
there has been In oil other business
and ready-made clothing was intro
duced. Factories were also started at
which cloths, as fine and fully equal
to the imported were, through Yankee
ingenuity, manufactured by machinery
and sold at reasonable price. The
ready-made clothing business became
an institution which having once OBJ
tanned foothold soon demonstrated
that it had come to stay, and IL grew
and increased until there was scarcely
a.city, town or village In the United
States where there was not clothing
store, In which purchasers could find
anything needed.
One OF the pioneers in the business
in this city was Mr.. j. L. Mullin, who
came here from West Chester and
opened an unpretentions establish.
ment on Fonrth street By fair deal
ing and not using the slightest decep-
ton In reference to anything, he soon
built up business which obliged him
to seek more commodious quarters.
lie then located in a part of what was
then known as the SaYille building at
Sixth and Market streets. But the
business still continued to grow, ard
in little time he was obliged to take
the store Oh the corner and merge IL
into the one aleady occupied. Then
the store in the rear was taken, but
still even this proved insufficient and
the second and fourth stories were re-
CURED for the business. The second
floor was fitted up as a department
for customer work, and the fourth
floor as a work-room for the employees.
After the death of MIR. SaviIle the
building, which was offered for sale,
was purchased by Mr.. Mullin, who, as
he needed all the room, Immediately
notified the Shields Library Associa-
| ton, which occupied the third floor, to
vacate. which they did in the ensuing
spring.
About this time, the son. John Null
| lin, was admitted to partnership, and
since then the business has been car
rled on under the tiTn.name of J. 7.
Mullin & Son. The third floor was
put in complete order and used for
| children's suits and overcoats. but the
| fourth floor was still retained as a
work room for the many empl Dyes.
The basement was afterwards im prov.
ed and enlarged by building vaulte
under the pavement, and about two
years ago the entire front of the store
was rem odeled and improved making
1t the finest, largest, and handsomest
establishment of the kind in this State
An elevator was also put in, by which
purchasers are taken To any nool
| without tho fatigue and trouble OF
climbing the stairs. liut even with
this increased room and many i'm
| pfoycfncnts, the firm still are clampcd
for even more space to accommodate
their trade, which now extends all over
this Peninsula and even into Pennsyl.
vania. They employ about one hun.
| dred hands in manufacturing and
handling their goods, and consequent
| ly have large payroll. the money he.
ing paid and used In this city.
Nearly all the goods sold are made
by their own EN- ployes, and the same
| attention is given to that placed on
the counters for sale as is in the Gus,
tom department, the only difference
being that those patroni1ing the latter
may secure II little better fit. The
custom department on the second
floor is under the personal supervision
OF Mr.. John Mullin, and he has at
able and experienced corps OF cutters
and filters. There are hundreds of va
Iieies of cloths to select from, and tins
goods are trimmed with the finest
material, and made in the very bes
| manner.
Those who prefer will find NJ
trouble in getting what they want il
| the reudy.made department, and cal
he sure that tho goods are exactly "a.
represented, as no deception is allow
ed. The prices are as low as it Is pos
sihle to make them, and as every on,
will soon need spring suit. tho plae,
should. and no doubt Will, he crowded
every day. There are some fine srrinl
suits now on hand. ana those who in
tend to purchase should inspect then
before the lots are broken. This Ia tn,
largest and best appointed clothing
establishment In the State, and il
therefore enabled to offer extra In
ducements
| &