The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-04-15
CASH GIRL TO MERCHANT.
The story of Successful Business
Woman.

The story of Successful business
Woman.
On a prominent corner in the CEN
trail part of the business district of
New York there stands a substantial
up-to-date looking building. 1t is a
factory for the making of children's
and misses cloaks and suits of good
quality, and there a"e more than 300
cutters, sewers and fInishers employed
there constantly. The best retail
firms in New York, Chicago, Cincin-
natl, st. Louis and other cities send
buyers to this factory to secure the
seasons complement of goods for their
respective departments. The propri-
etor of this flourishing factory, which
does business each year valued at
half million dollars, is a woman-a
bright, brisk, alert woman, who en-
ploys clerk to look after the office
end of the business, and devotes her
energies to the more important part
of personally experimenting the cut
ting and sewing of tie garments. She
is, in reality, at the elm of every part
and detail of her business, but never
neglects to spend the major portion of
each day in the great work room,
where the folded laTers of expensive
cloths are being cut into sleeves, side
forms, collc.s and the like, and where
the stitchers, liners and trimmers
may refer to her for guidance at any
moment.
Il made every cent of the money
started this business with myself" she
says when complimeIted on her enter
prise. Il started life in a 9Th avenue
store as cash girl at fifteen. After a
year or two l was made a salesgirl,
and later on 1 had place in another
store in the dress goods department.
When was twenty-three l was promo
ted to the post of buyer in the depart
ment l was then selling in, which ham
died infants caps, Sucks, dresses, etc.
| suppose l gave satisfaction, for l got
a better place, with the same house,
to buy the misses garments at a sal
airy OF $22 a week. It was not a rich
firm that | worked fer, and there were
very few women buyers at that time in
New York.
Il did not have co ltrol of the mon
ey used in buying, NOR did l have any
voice as to how much should be invest
ed. | simply selected the goods MOI !
likely to sell, under the supervision
of man buyer, who was the head of
our department. l worked along on
my $22, ard saved all the money
had married in the meanwhile, but
that never interferefs with my work.
and does not now, Ii? my husband has
business of his own.
My buying goods, or rather select
ing them, for so mafiy years gave me
an insight into wha: was needed for
the market, the faults in the goods or
their making, and tie cost of materi-
ais, workmanship, AID all that; so
decided that had iu !gment enough to
run a business venture of my own
When l suggested il to my husband,
he laughed, and said would lose my
position and my $3.50 in the bargain,
and that l had better be satisfied to let
we'll enough alone. started, howev-
err, and met with suci.ess from the first
season. l began in cry small way 1t
is but six years since l started, and you
have only to see the :irm names on my
books to understand that l must make
the best quality garments, reasonable
in price, to hold my position. Having
made the money m,'self to begin on
makes me all the moe pleased to have
built up the brisk trade going on about
uS'