The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-09-18

Who doesn' want to know something
about the personality of any man who
every now and then steps up upon a
higher and broader terrace of business
success and enterprise? It's COM
mendable human instinct which makes
us curious concerning such mans an
cestry, his birthplace. his early life, and
the influences that pushed him to sue
cess.
Mr.. j. r. Libby, the proprietor OF
the splendid department store just now
opening In our CITY, is drawing many
eyes upon himself, and many tongues are
commencing the courage which leads
him in an off business year, year when
many timid merchants are hugging the
shore, to boldly push out into the great
ocean of enlarged business venture.
Mr.. Libby was born in West Buxton
within twenty miles Of his present home.
| He owns and oultivates the homestead
farm, and spends his vacations there. His
ancestors for two hundred and fifty years
have lived and diei in that same vicinity.
Mr.. Libby left this country home in
| 1868, to seek his fortune in Boston. He
had ten dollars in his pocket when he
started out to own place in the business
world. Some of US remember the famous
patent medicine ~ that used to De adj
vertised 50 layishly as S. T. 1860 x,
| which being interpreted meant, "started
| trade In 1860 with ten dollars" MIR.
Libby could paraphrase that trade mark
thus: rs. H. 1868 x" Started from
home in 1868 with ten dollars, he entered
the services of Palmer, Waterman &
Hatch, Boston, and remained with them
until they sold out to Spalding, Hay &
Wales, in whose service he continued.
His salary at the beginning was four
| dollars week and he walked two miles
back and forth to the store and boarding
i place, as his salary would not pay his
board nearer TO the store.
Later on he was promoted to be a
travelling salesman for the house, and
sold goods for them to the New England
trade including Portland, also in New
York state.
In 1867 he formed copartnership with
Mr.. O. A. Vickery here in Portland. un.
der the firm name Of Vickery & Libby
The store in which they did business was
on the north side of Middle street, near
ly opposite the drug store of H. H. Hay
Sons.
He sold out his interest in the firm to
Mr.. Viokery and returned to the service
of Spalding, Hay & Wales and resum med
his New England and New York circuit.
In 1879 Mr.. Libby went into business
in ST. Louis, Mo-, the firm name being
Mann & Libby
After while he sold out to his partner
and returned to Maine, bought out the
dry goods and carpet store of E. A. Day
of Biddeford and built up large and
profitable trade. When the Biddeford
Savings bank block was built he moved
into store in that block which was at
that time one of the best appointed retail
stores in the state. He says that the Or
ganization of that store upon a seal, so
much larger than any previous one in
his experience. seemed to him muoh
greater and holder undertaking than this
present one does.
When John Wanamaker entioed Hoatio
Staples to Philadelphia in 1887, Mr..
Libby bought his stock and ran the store
as branch of his Biddeford house.
In March, 1891, ho bought out the stock
| and good will of the we'll known firm of
Turner Bros g. Newcomb at 4sS and 400
Congress street, the store that he has Just
abandoned for the palace store in the
Baxter block. Every businessymove that
Mr.. Libby has made has been to advance
upon any previous position.
The striking thing of this career is that
Mr.. Libby has spent his entire life-ex-
cept the short experience in ST. Louis
within 1876 miles Of his birth place.
He has made nearly all his money
within twenty miles Of his first school
house. If any young man hereabouts
thinks the State of Maine IL dull, cid
| Commonwealth, and that to make money
and position he must go West or to New
York. let such a man drive out to West
Buxton, look at Mr.. Libby's old house
and the little school house not far away :
| then come back to Portland and 40
through his splendid department store
where nearly one hundred employees are
hustling, and he may true1y say to HIM
self: "There's chance here after all. =,