Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1900-12-21
A BUSY TOW N
Farm and Mercantile Inter-
ests Greatly Improved.
Business Facilities Increased-A Good
Live Stock Market-Heavy Shipments
In Wheat, Hay and Cattle-An Historic
Hemeste ad-Persona Notes, Etc.
Staff Correspondence of the Spectator.

Home ad-PersonaI Notes, Etc.
Staff Correspondence of the Spectator.
Raphine, Va, Dec. 1S.-SurrOunded
by fine agricultural country and MD
way between Staunton and Lexington,
Raphine has become market and
trading point for much business that
would otherwise 60 to either or poto
of the above named cities. ms 1acI
was impressed upon me yesterday, as
throughout business hours the town
was full of buyers and sellers. Inere
were twenty vehicles in sight at one
time should say, and all with gooo-
~ load of buyers and their Christmas
packages.
So 1t Is that l compare Raphine's
present with her past, as knew ana
saw it some years ago. Since tnen the
volume OF business done here has won
derfully increased. The country side
too hereabouts has improved general
ly. l find better farms, better farm
houses, better barns, more land L un.
der cultivation, better stock, 3ct
An air of general thrift. 10 meet this
condition, the town has increased It's |
business facilities and Is receiving the
Just reward for it's enterprise. All
that the farmer produces can be SOLO
here to advantage, all that he needs
can be bought here. The housewife
finds a ready market for every pound
OF butter, every dozen OF eggs and ev.
cry crate of fowls, for cash or trade at
cash prices. And the merchants sell
them good goods too, that is the mer-
chandlse is Of good quality such as one
expects to find on the shelves OF tne
stores In the larger towns. But for
that matter the country stores IN gem
eral arc carrying better stock than for
merly. In my knock about trips
through Augusta and adjoining coun-
ties I have frequently noted the I'M
proved character OF the goods in coun-
try stores. Nearly all of them are now
carrying, q larger, better and more
varied stock. A case in point l md
here in Raphine; q Department Bar
gain House, the proprietor OF which ls
Mr.. r. NJ. Montgomery and his broth
er and associate partner Mr.. j. L.
Montgomery. Besides general store
they have q millinery department. In
charge of Miss Davis. of Baltimore, 9
lady OF refinement and . millinsr OF
good taste; adjoining this is harness
shop and saddlery, a sewing machine
department and near by ware-room
, stored with furniture, mattresses and
stoves. A line of ready made clothing
, il also carried. The house Is doing .
big business. and withall cash bust
l ness too. Across the railroad is anoth
, or store with a good and growing trade
liz. e. Fulwider. proprietor. He car
ries a line of general merchandise, en-
bracing many fancy articles in dr.
. goods and notions. Poultry. eggs ant
o butter are shipped in quantities and il
a his speciality. :.
The live stock market here is quit
i q feature of the towns business. tn
!, magnitude of which will surprise m
h readers. In an agricultural commun
) lity ono scarce expects the raising Q
many cattle, yet the firm of East
y Driver shipped from here last year
J. cattle, sheep and hogs to the value 9
n more than $54. 900, and reaching, az
!, am told, one year as high as $75 200,
hiRh water mark. Mr. D. E. East
le the active member of the firm her'
n his partner being In the same bushes
a. in Rockingham county. To facll1tat
, the business Mr.. East and the railroa
u company have erected here ampl
il stock yards. Every Monday is shil
t. ping day and the cattle. sheep an
II hogs that como pouring in from ever
direction is sight worth seeings. La
~ Monday was ''hog day" and 2O0
~ them were bought and shipped l
10 the spring, carload after carload
n lambs are bought and cattle at q
~ times are taken. All marketable Ii,
u stock ID taken matters not in wh'
n quantity offered and the cash price
Do once paid. A. far a. can hear Nj
+. East has no competition, but the PEI
ple trust him implicitly and bring the
IL stock here, knowing that they Will r
in ceiye fair treatment and the top
nd market prices. l never knew buy'
!. 10 completely in the confidence OF h
" patrons. Depot Agent Parker inform
me that he forwarded from here la
year sixty-one carloads Of stock Il
Mr.. East. From the same source
also hear that the Elevator Compan
- shipped during the same period 81 ca
!. of grain, hay and straw. How is thf
- for neat little business2 The fri
= il known as The McElevator Co,
~ named from the odd combination
M Mos that com pose the triple alllent
s. F. Mcclure, f. L. McClung and
Lib. Mccormick, the latter named gel
=, - tleman being in charge of the bushes
here. The elevator has capacity II
~. II, 600 bushels wheat and so tons ha.
n. it, patronage extending over a vic
=. territory, from Lexington to net
" Greenvilie. The same gentleman ) /
Mccormick IL head OF the Agricu
!. tural Implement House of McCOrmic
~ & Son. They too are doing q. got
on business In fertilizers and agriculture
~ implements. Besides this Raphine h'
IN vet other important interests, amor
~ which 10 tho firm of Rosen q McCo
"a mick, builders and contractors al
operators of saw mill. This firm ht
4 recently completed nice residen
We near Steele's Tavern for Mrs. John
~ Rush and will soon erect a fine ba!
for J. B. Wade and q stable for ID.
East. The senior member of the fir
= Mr.. D. n. Rosen is Q pioneer OF Il
~ place, having lived here and conduc
- cd the same line of business before Il
'' railroad was built. He, his two sol
Iin-law and his nephew are all prom
Iuept in business here and togeth
with their families are an importa
ht factor in tho make up of the town.
'at From the saw-mill is bnt few ste
to the blacksmith shop Of ]. r. Agne
H. and beyond him is the shop OF the "
IA ersn wagon maker. j. P. Shatz
at whose neat residence ID by the side
his shop. Nsighbor to Mr.Shatzer ID
N A. Houff, former Augusta coun
n. man, who lived years ago near Rol
nd in Middle River. Mr.. Houff has be
~ neat house and Z new store full
n NEW goods. Since he opened the ste
last September his trade has stead
~. grown and his stock has likewise
At creased. Besides the interests alrea'