Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-16

no idea what n debt of obligation he Is
under TO the scientific pharmacist. and
many apotheCartes who DO not realise the
numberiess blessings which nave been
of scientific pharmacy are oehcient IN
professional pride.
Rut 10 return to the commercial side
of the drug and apothecary business.
said that business was done IN 1910 in a
now characterizes II. We all know how
II Is done now. so the question to be an.
sworcd Is, How was 1t done then? Well.
owing 10 the absence OF the Chesapeake
and Ohio. the Richmond ana DanviIie'
the Norfolk and Western. and other rail-
roads. and. as necessary consequence.
of the Adams Express Company. goods
had 10 be transported In large wagons.
and frequently oyer very rough ROADS,
mountainous parts Of the State were
about % feet long, very deep, and shaped
somewhat like boat. Ihey had n nigh
semLcircular covering OF STOUT canvas
and were drawn by six horses each. I'm
derneath each wagon were fastened the
iron pot and other cooking utensils to be
used when camping on the road at night.
On the back OF each morse there was an
the horse. to which were attached bells.
which would jingle at every motion OF the
animal. These were intended to give no.
a
the road when coming down mountain
road. and thus avoid q collision with
party coming up the road. And these
wagons might be seen every day. for
several weeks during the continuance or
the spring and fall trade, on Main street,
either passing along the. street or else
| strung along in front OF the wholesale
stores, whether drug. dry-goods. grocers.
or hardware. receiving baies. boxes, ana
| had been purchased by the country mer-
| chants Drummers. or travelling sales
| men, were not known in those days. The
| country merchant came to the city every
six months and provided himself with a
| stock for the ensuing six months: Some
| times the whole atmosphere or Main
| street would resound with continuous
| Jingle caused by the bells on these horses
| backs The goods were sold 10 these
| country merchants on a-credit OF six
| months, and they were bought by our
| merchants from northern houses on
| similar credit. Now. one would naturally
| suppose that II nearly all of the business
| for the year was done in the few weeks
| of the spring and fall, and which re-
| qured large force to do II Zone whole-
sale dry-goods house had fifty employees
| that the balance OF the year would be
| signalized by idleness.
HAD TO PREPARE FOR 1T.
But no! Such was not the case. During
| the summer and winter the clerks were
kept busy preparing for the spring and
| fall trade. Sometimes several days would
| be consumed by the whole force, including
the porter in making and putting up
| thirty or forty gross of Judkin's ointment
| Then again, as much time in making and
putting UP large quantities OF opodeldoc
Godfrey's Cordial. Turlington's Baisam
laudanum, paregoric. spirits nitre, &c
These last, not classed as proprietary
were put up in l-ounce and l-2-ouDce long
green glass walls. Then alum. copperas'
.r1 II n
&c. together with ginger pepper, and all
other spices, had to be put up In kegs,
| and In s. 10, 10, and 9-pound bundles,
not to enumerate many more articles 10
be put in shape for packing. When the
country merchants would come pouring
in, most OF the day would be occupied in
| taking orders, and these had 10 be pack
ed at night, and the clerks would ire
quently have to work nearly all night
packing and getting out the results OF the
past days sales Some would call of the
orders. while others would get out the
articles called for. and others would De
| engaged in packing. j once worked until
o'clock A. NJ. and then had TO be
morning. The buyers. after giving their
orders at the various wholesale stores,
would busy themselves In going from one
| place TO another and calling for their
goods. and sometimes they manifested
very provoking mpatience when told that
their goods were not ready.
| Thus were our merchants kept on a
continual strain for eighteen out OF the
twenty-four hours and steadily for three
weeks. One OF the young men employed
in Kent Paine & Co.'S wholesale dry
goods establishment tainted in church one
Sunday morning. in consequence OF over
work. resulting In nervous prostration:
OF course, what has been just described
applies only 10 wholesale houses.
A good story has been told OF two
young men, brothers. and country mer-
chants. living and doing business in Char
lotte county. Va, who had recently COM
menced business and were somewhat de-
ficient In experience. They had come 10
the city in their own wagon, had pur-
chased their stock OF goods, and gone or
their Journey home. About the middle OF
the day they halted on the grass under 9
large tree, near the main road. TO eat a
lunch After satisfying the cravings OF
the inner man, they commenced 10 look
over their invoices OF goods. When, tc
their horror, they found that they were
charged with a large quantity OF ditto
which both Of them declared they had
not bought Tom. therefore. requested hi:
brother. James, to take one or the horses
mistake corrected. When Toms patience
was nearly exhausted waiting for the re-
turn of his brother. he saw James coming
at full speed towards him. and wher
within the sound of his voice, he called
out to know what explanation had beer
offered by the city merchant, James's re-
ply was, Tom, you are fool, and ! an
ditto"
WERE NOT BUSY AT NIGHT.
The retail druggists Of those days were
not subject to any prolonged strain IN
active trade as were the holesale-houses.
IL is true, that, as rule, they kept their
stores open until 10 o'clock p. NJ, but
only one person was left on duty at night,
and there was seldom any rush of bust
ness, so that they had ample time to pre-
"a
Galenical preparations usually Kept II
stock, and also put up prescriptions and
sell druggists sundries. There was nc
partitiOned-Off prescription department,
as is the case now, and prescriptions were
put UP on the open counter in full view
OF every one in the store. and little In
cident which occurred with druggist
who many years ago passed away, serves
to show how important II Is that the
prescription department should be out OF
hubble view. He confided the secret tc
me soon after 1t occurred, and his conn
dence Will never be abused by me. lie
said that he had been attending socia
gathering. and had returned 10 the store
and his bed somewhat fuddled. Soon after
going 10 bed he was aroused 10 put up
prescription, and as there was no con
! cealed prescription counter. his work was
watched by the gentleman who brought
the prescription. Before he had hall
finished mixing the ingredients on Pill
tile, he, fortunately. discovered that ne
had, by mistake, put In some deadly
poisonous drug. and that the first dose
would kill the patient. He said he couic
think of but one thing 10 do 10 prevent
his exposure TO the person watching him
and that was to accidentally ION purpose
let the pill-tile fall over the edge Of the
counter and break in two on the floor
which he did. This gave him an oppor
ttnjty to do his work over again without
exciting the suspicion OF his customer
ana also served to sober him up.
When the clerks had nothing else t'
do. they were required TO cut labels. Of
up seidlitz powders, which were always
I'm demand. Labels were not then as now
| Furnished nv the printers ready cut anC