The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-05-08

the advantages OF salt water transporta-
ton give the grocery jobber advantages
over his Southern competitor that the
BUYER for the retail trade Is bound to see
and appreciates. Richmond has the same
rates from the Pacific coast that Chi
cago has, that New York has, and better
than Boston, and the products of the
California and Of all the farms and fac
tories of the great West are laid down
at the door Of the Richmond jobber at
tho same rate at which they reach Chi
cago. Cleveland, Cincinnati and New
York This Is known as the Eastern
classification rate. and no market South
Of Richmond gets it. or course the Gus
toners Of the Richmond jobbers reap this
benefit. Richmond also gets a better rate
from manufacturing points In Western
New York than New York city does.
Fruits and Canned Goods.
California fruits. both boxed and can.
ned, and the canned fruits, meats, pick
les, preserves, cereals and breakfast
foods, sy-ups sonps and thousands OF
other things that come from the great
West come to Richmond for distribution
throughout the South and Southwest be-
cause of the exceptional advantages Rich
mondy enjoys both in incoming and OUT
going freghts and In quick transporta-
ton.
Richmond has distributed more Cali
fornia fruits, both fresh and canned, with
in the past year than any other South
ern market, This like the roasting Of
coffee, which has been treated in a
former article. Is n. growing business.
and ono of the many modern ur-to- date
lines that the Richmond iobbers have
taken hold OF to take the place Of nails.
meats, hosshead moasses, rolls OF sole
leather and some other bulky shipments
that used to SO delight the eve of the old
scroaker. Thirty thousand boxes, sixty
carloads OF California oranges have
| been handled by the Richmond jobbers
| since January LIST.
Other Advantages.
Tie Richmond merchants have been
quick to utilize all the other advantages
| that have come their way. Drays are
used now only for the city trade. Rail-
| way side tracks and spur tracks are run
] to the doors Of the immense warehouses
and cars are loaded and unloaded right
at the door. Electric and steam power
! Is used for elevators, and the immense
stores on Cary Street and other streets
and the great warehouses on the dock are
| all equipped with all the modern improve
| ments and utilities
The grocery jobbers OF Richmond are
| well equipped 10 40 Inc business OF the
| South, and they are doing it.
Immense Establishments.
The croaker will probably not believe
| it, but there are wholesale grocery houses
| in Richmond that do an annual business
that goes into the millions. One house I
| know did business OF two and a. quar-
| ter millions last Year, another went be-
| You'd the two million mark, another
] rounded up two million dollars. several
went beyond one and a half million. and
| others went along from that figure down
into the hundreds'ot thousands.
The croaker Is ready to ask. Where
does Richmond do all this business?
Where does she ship all these goods to?
Why all over Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina. East Tennessee. North
Alabama and North Georgia.
Growing Territory.
Richmond is tho gateway to the South,
the national distributing point, made so
by her Incompatible railway facilities, her
water transportation advantages, her
banking facilities and her natural advan-
tages:
ern city talking not long since to n Rich
mond' jobber, said: "You have the finest
territory In the country, We can't go
over 70 miles before we are met by
competitor who. can compete. You Rich
mond people can go 200 miles before you
meet a competition who can stand up
against your advantages" That is true
and the Richmond jobbers knowing this
and knowing that their territory is grow
Ing every day by the Southern sections
rapid increase in population, are pressing
onward and making Richmond, the great
est grocery distributing point in the
country.
Army of Drumners.
The twenty-odd grocery jobbers here
have an army of drummers In the terri
tory Indicated, and one would not fall
TO find a Richmond commercial tourist
In any town of any size at which you
might stay over n night in any of this
States mentioned above. They are al
ways on the 60. and they are out for
l,,,ain nra I,hnv know I2iclrn 0nd q nd