Smyrna times., 1904-01-27
THREE FORMER DELAWARE
BOYS MAKING A SUCCESS
DR.. MARSHALL, E. D. CAHOON AND A. II.
COSDEN AT HEAD OF DRUG STORE.

Trade Journal Of Boston Makes Mr.. COsden
the Subject of Very Interesting Sketch
10 Its Issue For January.
Three Delaware boys, born and
raised in Kent county, are rising to
prominence in New York City and are
now among the leading business men.
They are DIR. Marshall, Edward ID.
Cahoon and Alfred H. Cosden, men,
bers of the large Wholesale and retail
drug store of VIM. b. Riker and Son.
DIR. Marshall is president; E. ID. Ca
hoon, treasurer, and A. H. Cosden,
secretary. One of these Delawareans,
Mr.. Cosden, formerly of the firm OF
Clark and Mcdaniel, Dover, is made
the subject of an interesting sketch
in the "Vinol Voice." a trade journal
of Boston, Mass. 1t says IN part:
"Mr. Cosden is one of the younger
generation who is thoroughly a self
made man-born, thirty-One years ago
in Delaware, little State which Bob
Ingersoll made famous by his satire.
In speaking of it he said: Gentleman,
Delaware is a wonderful State; it
consists of two counties; when the
tide is out" Three members of the
VIM. B. Riker & Son Co. were born
in that State when the tide was out
DIR. Marshall, President; E. D. Ca
hoon, Treasurer, and our subject, A.
II. Cosden, Secretary Of the Company.
''Nine years ago, Mr.. COsden came
to New York, with only public school
education, and accepted a position as
Junior clerk with the VIM. B. Riker
& Son Co., at a salary of nine dollars
q week. Full of business sagasity and
enthusiasm he attended college at
evenings, and graduated in 1896.
Very soon after he was made head of a
department, and with rapid strides
soon became buyer for the entire
store, and last January was elected
secretary and general manager of the
company in order to be of greater as
sistance to Mr.. E. D. Cahoon, who
still remains at the head of the great
business he built up for the VIM. B.
Riker & Sons Co.
''Mr. Cosden during this time has
purchased large interest in the stock
of the Riker Company, and he is to-
day considered by his associates one
of the brightest men engaged in the
retail drug business in the United
States. His future is assured because
.~-Gsss4iiasHts ssst!Isa stIalIs YsA ~af1 his success
the personality of Mr.. Cosden re-
mains the same as when he first en-
tered the store as country clerk nine
years ago, something we do not otter
find in men who have attained such
success in early life.
"Mr. A. Fl. Cosden stands out pre-.
eminently as ar example to the drug
clerks of America of what man o.
integrity, push and enterprise may be-
come in that line of business.
''The VIM. B. Riker Il Son Co.,
during eleven years of its existence
is to-day considered the most profit
able individual drug store in tn,
United States. Their business run
I into thousands of dollars a day, anC
it is unique, in as much as the foo
space of the store is smaller than tina
of any other store of its class in tn,
country, and which five years ag
they thought had reached the limi
of its capacity in their present quar-
ters, yet the business is increasing
annually.
'Too much credit cannot be given t
our esteemed friend e. D. Cahoon fo
his sagaclty in knowing a good ma
like Mr.. Cosden when he saw. hil
first, and for his wonderful bushes
ability and careful tnanciering of sue
a large organization as the Rickt
Company. Their business to-day O
their toilet goods(which is run as
separate branch) extends over ever
State in the Union, and although lei
than two years old, it has alread
reached the profitable stage that hi
taken many other firms years to rea
ize.
Good and continued luck to the Ri
er Company is the Voices wish al
may their flag never leave the mas
head.
Working Night AND Day.
The busiest and miohtest little thi1