The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-05-01
BIG STORES
AND OTHERS.
Merchants Meet and Express
Their Views.
They Think the Public Should Discountenance
the Department Stores.

Between thirty-five and forty merch-
ants assembled at the Chamber OF Com
merce last evening in response to a call
announcing that the retail dealers or
the city are confronted with serious
menace to the successful continuance
of their business along established ana
RECOGNIZED lines" and requesting ali
interested to meet for a general con-
ference with an aim toward permanent
organization.
The call had been signed by the follow
ing individuals and firms, many or
whom, were present: Gus Lavenson, oUU
7. w. F. Purnell, 900 j; B. Wilson q
Co. 6O1 J: Geiser & Kaufman, 6Oo ) ;
w. F. Peterson, $40 J; Sacramento Glass
and Crockery Company, 62I j; Eagleson
& Co. 631 J; Kimball & Epson, 90 j ;
# WEIGH. $50 J; S. S. Nathan, ooO h;
IT II. Cook. 931 K; Schulz & Odell' lozo
K. Brown Bros, 1901 K; D. d. Lockard'
eleventh ] and X; Perkins q son
Eleventh and J: c. E. Adams, 1loo !,
miller Bros. 1116 j; Paul GrafH, l1-o
7. A Haubold, 1922 j; B. CodeKas'
113O ]: J. A. Lafferty, 11O1 j; John 20 r;
1-oonar o16 7. Mrs. C. Ehmann, IUZo
II. phoenix Milling Co., Thirteenth anu
L
Hill. Thirteenth and J; Schmid q IaL-
L. 400 7. Charles Kleinsorge, 14Of };
s. Dwyer. Sixteenth and j; .. u. BAKER >
rr,rontietb and J: Brewer & Lund,
Twentieth and J; Deane Bros, IWeh-
tiatb and T. A. F. Dray, 1880 1; James
Ponert 2O3O H; Charles W. Green
.Ap,arican Loundry). 1922 1; Clauss &
Kraus. 100 I; Callahan Bros, 1iut l.
4 L. L,
d2O1 G.. and S. H. Farley, $50 TWelIth'
PURNELL PRESIDES.
w F. Purnell bookseller and sta
TONER. called the meeting to order anu
stated that there already existed
small organization of local merchahls
who had taken steps for their own pet
4ernent and protection. To that organl-
cation the time seemed ripe to send ou'
a call such as that which had peeh 10
s,,ad Personally he believed that no"
is the proper time to effect a genera
ORGANIZATION. The trade OF the retain
merchants had fallen off so of late tha'
scarcely an individual dealer is paying
exnenses. and vet it could not be truth
fully said that it was through any 1aul'
of theirs. They had advertised IN every
conceivable way, had kept their stores
we'll stocked. and had attempted every
conceived methods for holding theh
own. They had advertised in the news
papers until it had become like pouring
water into a rat-hole.
The call. Mr.. Purnell said, was ISSUED
for the purpose of getting the merchants
together in order to get an unquallheo
expression of opinion. In the parlance
of the street, the retail dealers hac
run UP against a hard thing" and the
call was for the purpose Of deVlslne
methods by which the hard thlng
might be met The merchants OF sac
ramento. he sid, had met before-num-
hers of times-and resolved, and hac
then sat down to await results from thell
resolutions. There was only one way
he said, to bring about results to remedy
existing evils, and that was by perma
nently organizing, and the appointing
of committees to keep the moVemen
alive.
The merchants, Mr.. Purnell continued
are confronted by several things which
might account for the present stagna
ton Of business, and it is probable tina
national causes were in a degree respon
sible for the general depression, but h
was inclined TO believe that the prlncl
nal causes were of a local nature. l
was regarding those local causes tina
an expression of opinion was desired
and he hoped to see an organization per
fected that would be of benefit to it
members and an honor to the city.
In conclusion the speaker stated tina
an address had been prepared by c
Wilson Frankel, proprietor Of The Mode