The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-01

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ditlons in the South called for better
class of goods than our Baltimore and
New York competitors were supplying.
We met the demand; we got the trade,
and II will be mighty cold Kind of
day when our up-the-country friends get
1t back from U.s."
This optimistic dealer ventured TO pre-
dict that in ten years Richmond will
be bigger clothing market than Balti-
moro or New York.
The Shoe Trade.
Richmond ia pre-eminently a shoe mar
ket. 1t has been made so by the energy
and enterprise of the men who decade
or two ago embarked in the shoe jobbing
business. They realized Richmond's se-
ographical advantages, BANKED on the
same and have profited thereby. They
have not only profted. but they have
built up Richmond as shoe market until
1t stands fifth on the list in the United
States, and is pushing Baltimore for
fourth place.
The shoe markets OF the world. In order
of yearly sales, are as follows: New York.
Chicago st. Louis, Baltimore, Richmond,
Philadelphia, Milwaukee,. Indianapolis,
Cincinnati, Lynchburg, and so on down.
During the year just closing Richmond
wholesale shoe merchants sold to the
Southern trade three hundred thousand
cases of shoes. The average reader may
not understand Just what that means. In
dollars it means that Richmond sold six
millions dollars worth of shoes in the
year 1906, or. bring It down to other fig
ures. 1t means that about six million peo-
pie in the South are to-day wearing shoes
or boots that were sold by the six whole
sale shoe houses in Richmond.
The Richmond jobbing houses keep in
the field about 125 active drummers.
Harness and Saddlery.
Closely allied to the shoe business is
that of saddlery and harness. They are
allied because both being influenced abso-
iutely by conditions in the leather mar
ket must needs feel the same pulsations
when leather is Influenced by market
conditions.
Only in recent years has Richmond been
reaching out for greater things in the
saddlery and harness business, but when
1t did begin to reach forth. 1t made rapid
strides. Perhaps none of Richmond's en-
terprises have made in the last two years
as great advance as saddlery and har-
ness. Ever since the days way yonder
fore de war;" until few years back.
Richmond was satisfied with what may
be termed local and State trade, so far
as the harness business was concerned.
but there were live men In this branch
of trade who appreciated Richmond's
peculiar advantages, and they went in
for all the work was worth.
The sum and substance of 1t all Is that
Richmond is now manufacturing and
wholesaling center for saddles and har-
ness, and sells goods all the way from
West Virginia to Florida. The figures
show that the business OF the Wholesale
saddlery and harness mon increased last
year 80 per cent.
Farming Implements.
One Of the most gratifying features of
Richmond's enlarged trade for the year
just now expiring is the report to be
found In another column, which shows
the wonderful increase in the sales OF
farming implements and farm machinery.
II this means anything at all, it means
that Virginia farmers are up-to-date. and
that machinery is rapidly doing its part
in solving the labor problem.
Groceries and Provisions. !.
The wholesale grocers and the provision
dealers have done the biggest business in
Richmond's history. A year ago in this
column there were figures which showed
that the packing houses and the whole
sale grocers OF Richmond had led the
whole Southern country In the volume
OF business done for the year then closing.
1t is sufficient to say that the figures
for this year show an increase OF twenty
seven per cent over last years business
The wholesale grocers have extended
their trade into new territory and have
increased their efforts to prove (and it Is
easily probable) that Richmond is pre-
eminently the grocery distributing point
for the whole South.
Drugs, Hardware, Etc.
Richmond is looming up and dailv grow.
Ing as a wholesale center for all things.
Inc Wholesale druggists have increased
their trade during the past year at least
twenty per cent. The hardware men. who
nave been invading new territory, have
Increased their business for the wear
twenty-eight per cent, and the wholesale
houses which deal altogether In hats and
flnd the dealing very profitable report that
their thirty-odd drummers have increased
their business about thirty per cent.
Summed Up.
10 sum up the whole matter. and the
detailed figures elsewhere will substan-
tiate 1t. iRchmond's wholesalers have
been pushing their business for the past
year. and the net results are that these
pushing efforts have resulted in a general
increase OF jobbing business of about
Twenty-Five per cent. over that of the
year preceding.
Practice what you preach" and keen
Your money at home by insuring with
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