Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-09-10

n
CsssrS7N , ,.r First. !,
-,,,, have within its field of commerce
,hs regulation to be supplied; and sec.
cnd /, must have men OF capital ana
enterprise who will undertake to meet
Inc demands OF that population
In lis efforts to make itself a jobbing
center Salt Lake City has had much to
eontend against Perhaps the chief OBJ
,,aele in is way has been railroad DIS
elimination, and everyone knows now
h,rditis to make Roadway along such a
gne IN opposi,ion to the railroads. An
other great obstacle in the way OF the
growth OF this city as jobbing center
has been the rivalry Of other Cities no'a,
biz Omaha and Denver, whose natural
situations, and railroad facilities espe-
eal.y, have given them a commanding
advantage over the commerce OF the
Rocky Mountain region.
Bu, the growth OF this city as a supply
point has been steady and not by any
means as slow as some might suppose.
until today it is the undispu,ed CONNER
cal headquarters OF a vast region, whose
population Is rapidly increasing, and
whose resources are fast developing. 1t
ha, no, attained is present prestige IN
this regard without struggle, and the
success Il has achieved reflects credit
upon It's whole people, and especially
upon It's leading business men and whole
sale houses mentioned below.
Prior to the advent OF the railroad into
Utah, large amount Of capital was re-
quired to engage in the mercantile bust
ness, excep, on the smallest scale. Only
once a year could the merchants stock
be replenlshed A train oil OK teams
would leave Utah in the spring and go to
St. Louis, or other Eastern market,
where goods sufficient to load the teams
would be purchased, and the return
journey would end in the fall. Freight
rates, OF course. were high, and the risks
involved in such an enterprise increased
the prices Of the goods when finally
brought to the valley" There was
danger Of the destruction Of a wagon
train by Indians, or by FIRE accidentally,
and Of injury to merchandise by storms,
etc. But Notwithstanding all these draw.
hacks to mercantile business, II grew
and fourished and immense quantities
o,merchlndise were imported into Utah
and consumed by the people.
But prices were high, and the people
were at the mercy OF the merchants who
did the importing. Practically a gigan-
TIC monopoly existed which was in a pc.
suon to defy competition The welfare
and prosperity OF the people demanded
cheaper merchandise. The only way to
get II was to raise large amount OF cap.
ilal and import goods in opposition to
the lew firms who then handled pracii.
eally all the merchandise brought into
the Territory, Cooperation was inaug.
uraied as a method that would secure
two things; Funds sufficient to engage
in the mercantile business on a large
scale and the patronage of the people
ioT the enterprise after il should be
started.
And cooperation was introduced as a
basis for mercantile business, both whole.
sale and retail, and with the most highly
beneficial results. Beyond doubt Il Is
70 cooperation that much OF the growth
o. Salt Lake City as jobbing center Is
cue The system OF cooperative stores
throughout the intermountain region was
leu rom this city and this alone made Il
az Important supply point. Then stores
Wiich were not cooperative found il also
70 ihelr interest TO fall in line and buy
lheir goods in this city, and so, TO a great
extent, the latter has held the iobbing
uale OF this region for many years
Duting recent years, by means of con-
eeIted action on The part OF Us wholesale
merchants, Salt Lake City has added to
us prestige. Such action has been Sc.
cured mainly by or in connection with
The Chamber of Commerce, and has re.
suited IN curtailing railroad discrimina-
Al Z 49, H AANdlNlukt w hlleItnl ways,
We lobhing interests OF the metropolis OF
uuih, until today this city stands without
AHval between Denver on the east and
pan Francisco on the west, in respect TO
lhe Wholesale trade
rs believed that no one city in the
world OF similar population is the com
meicial center of SO extensive a region
Is mat which looks TO the capital OF Utah
ior us supplies of merchandise. Her
uaae extends from Montana on the north
% ARIZONA on the south. 1t would hardly
~ az eNaggeration OF the literal truth to
ssAy tn9t her commercial field extends
l9nl the Canadian to the Mexican line.
Nnlle II embraces the entire population
MvaI OF The main cham of the Rocky
'euugNns aud east Of the Sierras.
ana year by year the commercial pres.
~ o. our lair metropolis increases. Her
Lteull, the world over, is Gilt edge, and
w reputation OF her Wholesale mclean.
W. houses for honesty, courtesy and
uul'ly IS oil the highest. As the popula.
WI ol me mountain states increases. so
,us' ner !Tade; and as the resources of
NJ" '.l.; vast iich and wonderful region of
n ~"'Jn she Is the center, become devel.
upy,a, so must her wealth be constan,lv
an rapidly augmented.
Anohg me men and firms whose en-.
,piAe' courage and faith have done so
"Ien towards giving Utah's capital the