The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1900-02-17


feet wide and $50 feet long, the walls
and the ceiling sheathed with brown
grained pine. Thus begins the de-
scription OF an Alabama crossroads
store.
Counters run down the two long
sides of the room and the walls are COW
cred with shelves, filed to the ceiling.
Every inch OF shelf room is packed
with goods. and the great floor space
is filed with more goods, piled upon
the floor or upon stout tables, set
so closely together as to barely leave
e passage.
dozen or IS men hurry about
among the piles Of goods waiting on
customers.
The desk of the proprietor Is piled
high with samples Of cotton, each
sample neatly rolled in brown paper,
and the proprietor himself is pretty
constantly engaged in examining new
samples and fixing price, which may
vary by minute fractions Of a cent on
a pound, usually according to the
cleanliness with which the crop has
been picked. tossing the sample on the
desk with the others If the planter
accepts his offer, or handing the
brown paper roll back to him if he
refuses.
November is the busiest month, but
the rush keeps up with little inter-
mission from September to March.
The sales of store like the one /
have described viii run from $4,000
to 100000 a year, and in this one
town of not more than 1000 inhabit-
ants there are six such stores.
Fayette, though so miles west of
Birmingham, on the line of the rail-
road, which connects Birmingham
with the west, is the busiest town
between Birmingham and Columbus,
Miss. Ten thousand bales of cotton
are marketed here every year, and the
trade which this represents is drawn
from widely surrounding country.
An Alabama country store in cot
ton market time boasts Of its ability
to meet any demand upon its re-
sources. AS one man here told me:
1--WE can furnish anything from
needle to t~o-horse lumber wagon"
started oft to make brief in
sentory. A row of cook stoves stood
nearest the door, and on them a pile
of bright-colored rugs, a baby car
riage and boys toy wagon.
Beside a group of sewing machines
was long table heaped with un-
bleached sheetings. Under the table
was pile, of rough andirons, for this
is country where freplaces still
abound.
A showcase near was filled with
women's trimmed hats. Just beyond
were stack of brooms, so kegs of
nails, some chamber sets, against
which leaned a dozen cross-cut saws
and pile Of boxes of tobacco. and
near by were linen collars of good
style and excellent linen handker-
chiefs at reasonable prices.
Placed on the floor near the door,
big empty box, perhaps two feet
high, and with an old blanket thrown
in it, attracted my attention.
While l was wondering why it had
been left there, where every inch of
space seemed to be utilized, a family
party came into the store, one of a
dozen such in town at that time, for in
cotton market season the women and
children come to town almost as sure
ly as the men.
The woman of this party carried a
baby about year old. Evidently she
did not propose to be bothered by the
child while she was doing her year's
shopping, for she promptly deposited
It in the box have described and, Civ
ing it big red apple to play with.
left il there to talce care Of itself while
she accompanied her husband about
the store.
was interested in noting the re-
suits Of an investigation as to the
places where the goods sold in this
southern store are manufactured.
found that the stoves were cast
in Memphis; the soap, of which there
were from 80 to 100 boxes piled one
on top Of another, was made in Nash
Vile; the unbleached cotton was made
in Admission. Ala, and considerable
quantity Of the cEeap cotton dress
goods came from the mills at Tusca-
loosa. in the same state.
The heads Of the nail kegs showed
that their contents were made in Ash
land. The rolled oats were milled and
packed at birmingham The boots and