New-York tribune., 1906-07-22
AMERICAN ENERGY.
NJ. SeEf1dge's Neso Enterprise
IN Onford Street.


= oxford street. The newspapers welcome COM
-..,,,on when established houses are backward
:, advertising their business. and they are pub
rszs,r long articles about the coming revolu-
- n trade which viii be brought about bv
s,grsge & Warfng. Limited. The company has
sssn registered, the site for a mammoth build
-. with seven floors has been chosen. arrange
s-.s have been made for financing the enter
80 and bv midsummer another year IL all
80 vel the Marshal Field business OF Chi
-,go VIII be duplicated in conservative old Lon
y, ggr II. G. Selfridge Is already on the ground
"a he is easily inveigled into explanations OF
tls plans for creating an enormous business in
ess natural shopping quarter OF the West End
~ dies not attempt TO command attention by
s.,.ng in a high key and boasting about his
s-ccess as an organizer in Chicago. He woos
..blieity gently as a cooling dove by tactfully
.-,5ia4fne the suggestion that he has come to
,,.,lend 10 upset oldfashioned methods Of doing
srsiness and TO show the natives how wide
.-.r,e Americans conduct undertakings OF the
AZ magnitude. He has no intention OF working
o,.,nst the grain. or Of seeking for the line of
,-.o.est resistance. He announces that while
= homes TO profit by American experience, the
,.v tusiness Will be conducted on essentially
T,,,,,sb lines and will not be a foreign raid ag-
--.rsively planned and extensively managed.
-rha. he expects is a triumph of mercantile or
-.,,zatlon rather than phenomenal display OF
s7.o4can energy. Fireworks are not set of.
is the eagle allowed 10 scream. but English.
-, are quietly asked to stand by and look on
,-,i,s big thing is done In their own way.
The Bishop Of Ripon. IN a mastery little ad-
s,.ss before the Empire Shakespeare League,
-. bsen talking about the mastery OF the art of
10. He has referred to the dramatists thrift in
,.-i,g m money for a rainy day, and sagacity fn
.,,t,q n Stratford when he felt that he had
--,vl,ed long enough and was IN need Of peace
,,s ouiet. twenty-five years for preparation
.,s raining as many more for work and the
-,mnant for repose is the prescription the Bishop
,,rss for a useful, well ordered and happy life
closlng In the serenity OF old age. It is not the
rr,a adouted by MI Selfridge, who, after a
s.renuous mercantile life IN Chicago. has settled
5oUn IN London 20 open fresh campaign OF
business organization. When he is asked why he
has NOT retired 10 private life TO amuse himself
with rare orchids and fine bindings, for which he
has Injurious taste. he replies that he likes
hard work and cannot have too much Of it for
his own enjoyment. Other men may lie awake
at night oppressed with a sense OF responsibility
sor a great business, but he sleeps well enough
and is glutton for work. "Oh, like to do it,"
ne exclaims with youthful enthusiasm when sur
Prise is expressed over his strenuous zeal in
taking up unnecessarily the exhausting burdens
Of a vast London business q shall not make
hard work Of it I shall get a lot Of fun out Of
organizing the enterprise and conducting it in
progressive spirit. The capital is behind me, so
that there VIII be no financial anxieties. eX-
pect 70 get great deal Of pleasure out Of il from
first TO last" Mr.. Selfridge smiles placidly he
SAYS this and then describes with enthusiasm
The beautiful country house which he has taken
in Kent and his enjoyment Of his daily motor
drives 10 and from London. Alert, keen-eyed
without line IN his fresh face nor an undertone
Of weariness in his musical voice. he does not
look Ike mar who viii ever allow himself TO
Be killed by overwork.
Mr. sefridge and his English partner, Mr.. s.
J. Waring. jr have no intention Of competing
directly with Whiteley. HarrOds and the Army
and Navy Cooperative Stores as universal pro-
viders" They conform to local usage, and speak
Of their undertaking as drapery shop: but this
IS found 10 be an elastic phrase when the regis
Try Of the company at Somerset House is ex-
smined These modern diapers are also tailOrs,
hosers. glovers. lacemakers. feather dressers,
manufacturers of boots and shoes. silk MERGERS
furriers, haberdashers, dressmakers, milliners.
haters, embroderers, water proofers dyers, car
pet and furniture dealers. chemists. perfumers.
jewellers. stationers. photographers and dealers
IN tools garden implements. musical and sci
entihc instruments cycles. trunks. fancy goods
and many othe- articles OF merchandise. Hams,
cigars. wines and provisions generally are ex-
Guided from their plan Of operations; but when
their mammoth structure. with its seven floors
above ground and three or four underneath, is
constructed il viii be virtually one Of the largest
drygoods stores in the world. with facilities for
the transaction Of an enormous business. Mr..
eelfri7oa
the happy thoughts which are inspired by fore
casts Of this vast undertaking. One Of these is
pair Of Inscriptions in great letters on either
SIDE Of the main entrance: Integrity" and
Confidence" Another is an arrangement of de-
partments 50 systematic and ineligible that
customers viii never have the feeling of being
hopelessly lost in a labyrinth Of shops Another
Is the creation under the main roof Of little
Paris, characteristic in methods styles and
atmosphere that the smartest women viii find
themselves at home there, and be released from
the discomforts Of Channel crossing. Mr.. Sell
fridge is impressed with the fact that the COS
nopolitan character OF London shopping has
never been adequately appreciated by the oxford
Street merchants. He hopes to minister to the
comfort and convenience of customers of various
nationalities and languages; he viii have French.
German, Italian and Spanish rooms, where pur-
ehasers can hear their own mother tongue; he
VII have information bureaus where Americans
can find directories Of all the large towns Of their
oEn country he viii have artistic window dress
ing on the American plan: openings conducted
ss great sodal functions: special hours for roy
ATTY, with general customers excluded and every
possible eKFedient for commanding publicity and
convincing shoppers that there is one shop in
me metropolis where they do their buying
comfortably and have the assurance that their
money EBl be returned TO them If they have
ehF ground for dissatisfaction. Mr.. Selfridge's
face gFfs an with a fine glow when he dis