Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-01-05


early days and establishment OF this
city as a wholesale center, and inter-
views with the members Of the leading
and Old wholesale firms Of the city, 1t is
learned, and may be stated as fact,
that since 1880 or Whereabouts, up to
the present time there has been
A STEADY GROWTH
in the volumes of wholesale business
transacted in this city. But one year
in the past in the amount Of business
done. has been less than that of the
preceding one and nothing short Of de-
tailed commercial history Of
Wheeling could do justice to
an account of the thousands
of additions. facilities and Improvements
that have been added each year to the
entire wholesale business of this city.
In the past there is no wholesale in
terest OF any city in the land, OF the
population of Wheeling that has with
stood better the trying periods in the
history Of the nation. 1t has had fewer
failures in business for the large cap
ital invested and has held its modern
territory without loss against the COM
petition Of the whole country. Further
the wholesale business of Wheeling in
the past and up to the present time is
much larger than any other city of the
same population, and with this record
rightly priced comes also as a legacy
to those in the business at the present
time and all citizens, the ancestral and
full historical features of Wheeling's
wholesale trade, and the old firms es-
pecially, and the entire trade are justly
proud of the eminent successes and his
tory Of the wholesale interests of Wheel
ing in the past and at the present time.
In fact, they are not alone in this re-
spect, but the citizens generally, of the
city, State and nation, recognize the
Importance Of Wheeling as wholesale
city
AS in all departments of business and
life, the Register can say, that Of the
past We think much, and grow silent
in the face of its record; of the present
we build our hopes and plans and try
to keep apace with its happenings, and
toward the future we aspire in all
things, but it is of the present aspect
Of Wheeling's wholesale interests that
the Register desires to make some men
ton with fair claims for its future scope,
demands and interests. At the present
time the Who'll esale interests and houses
of Wheeling occupy for the purposes Of
their trade a prominent portion of the
business part OF the city. Under the
modern classes in wholesale lines of
groceries, dry goods notions. hardware,
builders supplies, drugs, bocCs and
shoes produce, wholesale brokerage,
millinery, clothing, carpets. manufact-
uring tobacco, stogies, coffees and spi-
ces, confectionery, glass and jewelry,
and fresh meats and oysters, and some
few other lines are grouped fully one
hundred firms and persons engaged in
wholesaling in the city of Wheeling at
the present time. BY careful computa-
lions and advices given the Register the
aggregate capital of these concerns in
business at the present time reaches
the sum of fully four and one half mil
lions of dollars, with a volume
of business for the past year reaching
the enormous sum of nearly
TWENTY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS,
capital invested and business
transacted greater by many times than
that of any one class of business in this
city
Fully twelve hundred persons are
employed at the present time, either as
members of the firms or employees, by
the Wheeling wholesale interests, and
the wages and salaries alone, paid such
employees for the last year will reach
the sum of 100000
The wholesale firms Of this city pay
as matter Of course, the largest am
cunt of taxes over other classes in bus
mess and have as class of business in
| tereSts by far the largest accounts at
the banking institutions of the. city.
During the year 1895, the wholesale
/ ceived and loaded in the cars an aver
age of 1900 cars per month on all the
various railroads of the city,
to say nothing of goods supplied
near markets by wagon or the river
traffic With theSeifre:gh figures and the
! transportation and otherwise the gen
eral public can perhaps form some idea
of the amount of money paid by the
wholesale concerns in the city for
freight and carrier charges during the
last year. The territory as properly coy
cred by the wholesale houses Of this
city extends throughout this State.
Eastern Ohio, Virginia, Kentucky and
in many special lines into other South
ern and Western States. In the mat
ter of present territory and business
volumes presented, IS the fact that
Notwithstanding the establishment of
other wholesale interests in cities of
sister States and the growth Of the pop
ulat.On of the same beyond the size of
Wheeling, IN former territory covered
by the wholesale concerns of the city,
and the rage of competition on every
hand and from foreign places, the
wholesale interests of Wheeling have.
and are now, continuing to hold and
transact a greater increase of business
than ever before IN its history, and so
satisfactory have the facilities been
that the Wheeling wholesale interests
have kept the confidence and trade of
the retail merchant N this city and
State and the adjoining territory
against the competition OF the COM
mercial East and other wholesale points
of the country.
The facts and figures given convey
some idea of
THE EXTENT AND SCOPE
Of the wholesale interests of Wheeling.
but the advance and progress has not
been alone in figures and sweeping re-
suits. The whole system and business Of
the wholesale merchant in this city has
been revouti0nized and the wholesale
merchant IS no longer simply
conSgner and forwarder of
the products of trade. but
great deal more. Office facilities and
forces have been greatly improved and