The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-28

ulately upon the closing OF these re-
marks, a man who was a first class
singer, would commence to sing and
ne whole congregation appeared to
JON MN. This reminded me of the
inner in which this was done at Old
rainbow church on the Snow Hill
oicult when L was a boy, and first
eGiliIhehced to go to church, and
mhere my people had been members
ior many years, and where my father
vas d steward and a class leader, and
Whefe my uncle, Rev. w. H. Cum
Sglm, held also the two offices
aooEe stated, and who was also q
locdl preacher and preached more in
Gleehe county than anyone ever sent
'iIele ny the Conference, or any man
VINO ever lived, and who was also one
OF the best farmers in the county, and
the lalher of a large family of chill
ureil' one OF whom was the late j. A.
CuhillngSlm, so we'll known throughout
most OF the State as "Uncle Jesse" So
enjoyed this service more than any
Whlch nave attended for q long time,
because OF its reminder SO wildly of
AUD Lang Sine" L was pretty well
contented with my Sundays work.
wish 10 add a few words in regard
to Rev. w. II. Cunningham. Last year
| had the pleasure of attending a
memorial service in regard to him, at
which time was dedicated monu-
ment. erected in the COVE in front of
the crurch by the members of Rain
bow church, where he held his mem
bership. Such a monument in front
oil every church on Snow Hill circuit
would be appropriate as there was
not church on the circuit at which
he had not preached a great many
times. To some of them which were
quite distant, travelling many miles,
in his own conveyance without any
hope of any earthly reward
Among other places of note which
| visited while in Philadelphia. I
would add the establishment of nv
old friends, j. b. Lippincott Co. with
whom l used to deal pretty largely
many years ago when | was i'm the
book and stationery business. This
house has been established one hun
dred and seventeen years. OF course
there have been many changes in that
time. | met only two of the men
whom / knew in the business when I
was a book dealer. One was j. b.
Lippincott, Jr., and the other Thos. B.
Bacon, Esq. This is now one of the
largest establishments of the kind in
the country, and a very large capital
is invested in it, To illustrate this,
Mr.. Bacon informed me that they in
vested three hundred thousand dollars
in one of their publications before
receiving a single dollar in return.
They have a very large number of
publications on their list, and many
OF them are of great value. They pub
fish Lippincott's Monthly Magazine, a
most excellent publication, richly il
Illustrated in the highest style of the
art. They richly deserve the large
patronage they are receiving.
| o+l, III;
ment of Hon. John Wanamaker AT
q previous visit there, l met in the
office a very pleasant gentleman,
whose name was III. S. Jones. He
seemed very much at home, and very
quietly managing and directing a
large number of employees in the
establishment, which / visited several
times during my stay in Philadelphia.
At each visit there seemed to be many
hundreds of people in various parts
OF the great department store, trading
am indebted to Mr.. Jones for the
following items in regard to Mr.
Wanamaker's life. habits. etc:
John Wanamaker was born July
18th 1898, in the southern pMt of
Philadelphia Cat that time q rural
district; he attended public school
and worked when out of school in
his fathers brickyard.
ODldlneQ
employment in the wholesale book
store of Troutman & Hayes. Some
time afterwards his family moved to
indiana, but returned to Philadelphia
in 1856, when he secured employment
as errand boy in the retail clothing
store of Barclay ippincott at $3.50 per
week. He subsequently procured a
position at a higher salary with
Joseph M. Bennett, proprietor OF
TVn1l LOT b
largest business of the kind in the
city. John was certainly the most
ambitious boy | ever saw said Mr..
Bennett j used to take him to lunch
with me, and he would tell me how
he was going to be a great merchant.
lie was always organizing something.
He seemed to be a natural born or
ganizer. This faculty is largely ac-
countable for his great success in after
life
'In 1853 he went to Minnesota for
his health. On his return he became
secretary of the Young Mems Chris
| tan Association. In April, 1861, he
opened a small clothing store. in as
ISOLATION with Mr.. Nathan Brown,
afterward his brother-in-law. The
first years sales amounting to less
than $4,000.
Ten years later this business had
bSNclOfIed lulO NIldI was ADMITTED to
be the largest retail clothing estab-
lishment in America.
I'm October, 1874, Mr. Wanamaker
adopted the 'one price, return of
money for unsatisfactory goods and
full guarantee system, which he con-
scientiously carried forward most
successfully.
Having decided to institute a great
general store, Mr.. Wanamaker in
1875, purchased from the PennsyI-
vania Railroad Co., it's old freight de-
pot, at 18th and Market streets; and
in March of Centennial year, opened
a new kind of store. which now.
with the exception of groceries and
drugs) comprises almost every kind
of merchandise that can be thought
of Since then additional properties
ON Chestnut street have been pur-
chased the store covering the entire
block from Chestnut to Market streets,
and from 18th street to City Hall
Square. A great improvement is now
progressing namely, the erection of
a twelve-story steel building on the
present site; the northwestern section
O25x270 feeD of the old structure
having been removed to make room
for the new steel columns now being
placed, and it is expected that the
new store will be completed within
four years
Mr.. Wanamaker's letter heads