Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-16
GROWTH WAS RAPID
r. P. ANDREWS & co. HAVE BUILT
UP LARGE PAPER TRADE.
Receive Many Government Contracts
Supply Retail
Dealers.

It is not so long ago, a few years perhaps,
that all orders for paper in bulk-that is, or
ders for any considerable siZe-necessitated
the sending out of town to have them filed.
And even small orders for special sizes or
grades of paper always necessitated CORE
spondence with other cities, and the conse-
Quent delay Of days or even weeks Not
infrequently big orders, such as those fire.
quently given out by the United States
government, had to be sent direct to the
paper mills, the mills not having had I'M
til recently representatives in Washington.
The needs of the trade here, as we'll as
the needs Of the District and the United
States government, were supplied through
the travelling statesmen Of out-of- town
houses. Most of these represented Balt-
more houses; in fact, Baltimore, until with
in the past few years, had something in the
nature of corner on the local market. al
though Philadelphia and New York had
always been keen competitors. The reason
that Baltimore was enabled to secure al
most the entire local trade was due to the
saving in freight Their freight charges
were paid on the carload, and they were
consequently enabled to underbid the Phila-
delphia and New York warehouses on all
fractional lots. For this very reason the
trade Of Washington Is now supplied almost
entirely by local warehouses.
OF these the firm Of r. p. Andrews &
Co. GncorporateD stands in the very front
ranks 1t is due to the energy and intelli-
gent foresight Of such firms this that
out-of-town paper firms have practically
abandoned the local field. The contrast is
best shown perhaps, by the fact that Only
a few years ago not less than three paper
firms of Baltimore sent statesmen to Wash
ington three times week. while today the
representatives Of these same houses only
come here at odd intervals.
r.. Andrews - HOcpr.
porated), wholesale dealers in paper and
stationery, first saw the light OF day in the
spring Of 1896. succeeding ]. c. Addison.
The firm at that time was composed OF r.
p. Andrews and ]. George Smith, both of
whom were former employees Of Mr.. Addi-
son, Mr.. Andrews looking after the out Of
town business and Mr. Smith having had
charge Of the government contracts. The
new firm started practically with little
or no business, as the Addison business
had been in the hands of assignees for
run down and the patronage very much i'm
paired. During the first year Of the busi-
ness the parties changed places, Mr.. Smith
going on the road and Mr.. Andrews assurn-
ness in Washington. The firm were sue
cessful from the start, and shortly, finding
their original quarters at No. CIT Louisiana
avenue too small. built from the rear Of
| their quarters to d street, thus making
their warehouse run through from Louis
lana avenue to d street. Not very long
after this the premises next door to the
west. No. $40 Louisiana avenue. being
vacant, they added that to their warehouse,
| so that now they occupy premises No. 627
| and No. $40 Louisiana avenue and No. 62S
and No. $50 d street northwest
In May, 1901. the firm incorporated the
officers being r. p Andrews, president and
general manager; ]. George Smith, vice
president and treasurer. and L. R. Vinton.
secretary
| The firm carries very largo and complete
| stock Of both paper and stationery. supplies
| for the printer and stationer, as well as ths
| necessities required by every merchant,
such as wrapping papers. twtnes. etc. They
have supplied large quantity Of paper 10
| the Philippine Islands and Porto Rico, az
| well as Cuba and have regular customers
as far west as San Francisco.
| The firm employs forty-seven people, ex-
elusive of their travelling salesmen.