The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-14

the huh of the big wheel While this
 Is the headquarters of the house the
 branch at Opelika is in reality a going
 concern. carrying as complete a line of
 the articles, making a complete whole
 sale grocery stock, as is done in the head
 house here. But of this more later. The
 magnitude of the business done by this
 concern can best be expressed by figures,
 and will he understood when the sales
 as given above are taken into considera-
 tion; to be exact. a total of $1,562. 900 for
 1901 and over $1, ,750, 900 for 1902 from pre-
 sent indications. In the distribution of
 the merchandise represented by this large
 sum. eight travelling statesmen are employ ed, covering severally such parts of the
 territory is is allotted them individually.
 These with those employed in the head
 house and the branch at Opelika, make
 the total number of employees of the firm forty-six.
 Thorough system in every department of
 this great house is one of it's striking characteristics Everything is attended
 to properly and systematically. No letter is filed until a full and courteous reply
 to it has been made. Mail is distributed
 to the heads of the departments as fast as received, and answers are sent out by the first possible mail.
 It might be said that the firm of w. F. Vandiver & Company is a family affair, it
 being composed. aside from the head of the house. of Mir. R. M. Henderson (brother of MT. Vandiver) Messrs H. F. and R. M. Vandiver. sons and MT. L. B. Whitefield, who married Miss Willie Van diver, and who has charge of the Opelika branch.
 MT. R. M. Henderson is so much part of the house that it would be difficult to think of W. F. Vandiver and Co., with out including MT. Henderson. Beginning with the house when he was but 14 years of age, he has successively filled every post in the great business, and worthily stands next the head of the house him. self. MT. Henderson was left an orphan by the death of his father when he was 9 years of age. He came to Montgomery when 14. and thus has been here in active work with the predecessor of the house UeGrand and Col and the house itself for twenty mine years. Beginning with LeGrand and Go. in the humblest eapac- ity. as postoffice or general errand and utility boy. his close attention to his du- ties soon won for him advancement. and
 he was presently promoted to be assist
 ant in the office. He then went to the dry goods department of the house and | next became assistant cashier in the dry goods department, then in charge of the lIOIu WlltTe ne WtIil as buyer for the dry goods part. Then pr. LeGrand proffered him and another young clerk the dry goods business. as he had but recently sold his grocery de- | partment to two of his bright young | salesmen, Messrs. Hobbie and Vandiver. But a conference with his brother, MT. W. F. Vandiver, convinced him that there were better opportunities with him. | and he declined this offer. And here it | should be written that MT. W. F. Van 1 diver generously attributes much of his commercial success to the constant loyal
 ty of his half brother in point of consan- guinanity but really both son and broth CT in spirit and truth. For, while the disparity in their ages has always served to maintain paternal relations between the elder and younger, their close rela- tions in home and business has constant ly continued those of brothers. Thus it came about that the young man declined the fiattering proffer of pr. LeGrand, and soon entered the employ of Hobbie and Vandiver as shipping clerk. where he re- mained for two years, or until in 1883 MT. Vandiver purchased the interests of MT. Hobbie and organized the present firm. at which time MT. Henderson was taken | in as a partner. MT. l.. B. Whitfield. the manager of | the branch at Opelka. is, as has been stated a son-in-law of MT. Vandiver He, too, was left when very young with
 widowed mother and the younger children 1 for him to care for and aid in rearing. | Their native home was in LaGrange, Ga, | and here the youth, active and energetic, | sold papers and did such work as his hands found to do to care for those in his charge Later he went to Opelika. and,
 as time passed. engaged in the brokerage | business which occupation engaged his | attention when he married with Miss Willie Vandiver, and thereafter until 1894, when he sold out and accepted an interest | in the house of w. F. Vandiver & Co.,. removing to this city and undertaking the duties of a travelling salesman in the ter ritory tributary to Opelika. The head of the house soon discovered that no error had been made and as the business in- creased and developed because of the able and intelligent work of MT. Whitfield, it
 presently was deemed good business dis cretion to establish a warehouse at Opelika. from which the orders for that territory could be filled and of which one man was given charge. So rapidly, however did the business increase that 1t was presently decided to make the warehouse a branch, wherein there should be carried a complete line of all the goods handled by the house of w. F. VandiVer X. Co., and to give MT. w nitneld lulL charge thereof. This was done in 1896. and now the branch Is an important factor in the general business of the house itself. MT. Whitfield residing, with his
 wife and two children, in that pretty bustling community.
 The two remaining members of the firm of W. F. Vandiver & Co. are the sons of MT. Vandiver. Messrs H. F. and R. A. Vandiver. Both these young men-the elder being marrled-came into the house and went through the training incident to their becoming thorough business men under precisely the same conditions and with exactly the same environments as surrounded each other employe of the establishment Beginning at the lowest post they were required to first master
 beyond complaint that which they were | sat to do before advancement came and
 were given no sort of preferment over the other employees of the house. You will stick to work exactly as though we were strangers" was the statement made and
 enforced by the head of the house, and there will be no getting a better position until there are no complaints or irreSu-
 larities where you are. If you are sack ing flour, acting as shipping clerk or whatever do that so well that it is fault less, and then we will see about your going up higher" The rigid enforcement of this spirit and the splendid business methods of the house served the young
 men admiralty, and that they are now engaged in prominent capacities as mem bers of the firm, testifies both to the wisdom of the plan of the senior and to
 the individual ability of the young men