The western sentinel., 1900-07-26
OUR OLDEST DRUGGIST.
The Sentinel Interviewer
Fills a Page of His Note
Book With
ITEMS RELATIVE TO DIR. V. o. THOMP-
SON.

ITEMS RELATIVE TO DIR. V. o. THOMP-
When DR.. Thompson located in
Winston the place was beggarly lit
tie burg with a population of perhaps
400-certainly not 500, and present
ing few surface indications of ever
amounting to much. This was in 1874.
The Doctor established drug house
it became popular with the people of
town and country, and it has since
been liberal partaker in the prosper
ity that has characterized the Twin
City.
DR.. Thompson is native of Warren
county, this State. His early predi-
lections were for the profession of
medicine, and in 1859 he graduated
from the University of Pennsylvania.
As a new-fedged NJ D. he began prac-
tice in his native county and contin-
ued in practice there until the out
break of the war when he was COM
m1ssIoned Surgeon and for three years
served with the Army of Northern
Virginia in tFat capacity Then re-
signing his commission he quit the ar
my and resumed practice of his profess
sion until he came here. Since then
he has not engaged i'll active practice.
He began business here in small
frame building which stood upon the
west side of the Square. While occu-
pying it the building was burned in
1879; he rebuilt in 1880, putting up
large brick structure, and this was
destroyed by fire i'll December of the
same year-possession had hardly
been taken of it. The Doctor then
purchased the premises he now occu-
pies on the north side of the Square,
convenient and roomy structure, of
brick-one of the substantial business
blocks Of town. The building is 100
x22 feet, basement and two floors, the
upper floor being occupied as Offices
while the balance OF the building is
required for the uses of the house.
The salesroom is handsome one
and We should judge it to be very con-
venient. Certainly there is a very ell
aborate display made of goods and in
great variety-one sees upon shelves,
in show cases and upon counters the
numberles and indiscribable articles
that constitute the stock of modern
drug store and articles are tastily ar
ranged. In deed, all the appointments
Of the store are eminently rst-class,
and the house would do ample credit
to much larger place than this.
DIR. Thompson manufactures some
articles for the trade. the leading ones
being Thompson's Tonic Bitters, Tooth
Ache Drops aid Cough Mixtures, but
we believe he is making no special eff
fort to push their sale and while it is
true that his chief business is at retail
it is none the less true that quite a
large jobbing trade is held in the seven
or eight counties adjoining. The pre-
rintion trade is very carefully looked
alter and this department, tor the most
part is under the charge of Mr.. John
Bynum; Mr.. P. A. Thompson, the
doctors son, also assisting in the store
as salesman. Another thing we note is
the exceptionally large and choice line
of toilet and fancy articles carried by
the house and taken all in all we don't
wonder that it is a favorite place at
which to trade for the public generally.
DIR. Thompson refers to his business
this year as having been materially bet
ter than it was last year-he thinks
that the outlook is all that could be eN-
pected and he evidently pins good
deal of faith to Winston's future.