Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-06-08

tains 600 garments, free from direct light
and shielded from dust. 1t has met i'm
mediate favor About the remaining walls
are deep, covered cases with hangers for
garments and at intervals are swinging
pier glasses for the customers use. Rugs
and easy chairs abound and the room has
a spacious elegance that Is most pleasing.
The millinery parlor is partly divided
from the cloak section by tall show cases
which extend out from either side leav-
ing a central opening of about 25 feet.
The millinery cases at the right as one
enters are as nearly perfect as can be i'm
agined They are very deep, the plate
glass doors lift and the electric lighting Is
provided in a new way. The ceiling
lights are contained in small copper mon
itors, in which are lamps and refiectors,
entirely shielded from direct View. The
beautiful hats seem to stand In flood OF
sunlight. At the rear are other cases
and in either corner. separated by cur
tans, are nicely appointed private fitting
rooms Beautifully carved tables occupy
the central space. Small trying-on tables.
each with a double plate glass mirror ris-
ing from its centre, so that customer
may sit before II, are n new feature.
This room is carpeted with velvet car
pet of a solid shade of dark green. and
the rugs in the cloak department harmon
ize with 1t.
The fourth floor is given to infants
wear wrappers and negligees, children's
garments and women's street and even
ing costumes At the rear Is the gem
eral office, a private Office and large
work room, all we'll lighted and appoint
ed, and, occupying the entire front OF this
story. is a women's waiting room, which
for completeness and beauty, has very
few equals anywhere, and nothing in this
vicinity to compare with 1t. At one side
is a waiting room separated from the
main space by handsome arch in quar-
tered oak. 1t is furnished In wsathered
oak and Spanish leather, has massive
mantle and fireplace and all of the APP
pointments are in keeping. Opening from
this are the toilet rooms with tessellated
floor and tile wainscottlng. In the main
waiting room are rugs, rockers ana easy
chairs. The windows are artisucaHy
draped, as they are indeed throughout
the store. there are awnings, desks Tor
correspondence, and matron Is In
charge to render assistance to the wom-
en- and care for the little children This
room commands an extended view OF
Main street. north and south, and Is in
deed an apartment that will be greatly
appreciated by the shopping public.
The ceilings throughout the building
are of steel in simple. unobtrusive pat
tern and are laid perfectly. The slender
columns are in circular iron, with Cor
inthian capitals. and small decorative cleo
trio lights. Columns and ceilings are
painted white and the effect in these
broad rooms Of this high. unobstructed
space is very good.
The cash carrier which is so often an
obstruction and frequently unslghtly, Is
Of a new pattern. In this one cables run
in small bronze tubes. these tubes being
all that is visible It is from the hide
pendence store Service company Of
Springfield.
Albert Steiger TO whose genius the rise
of the Steiger system and the creation Of
this fine building are due, is still a young
man, being but little over forty years OF
age He has had n very interesting ca
reer He was born in Germany and came
to this country when boy. In 1878 he
was cash boy in the old Gillettt store in
Westfield. BY 1894 he was in business for
himself in Port Chester. y. Y, in what is
now the Steiger and Shick division of the
Steiger system. Since that date he has
brought this Port Chester business up, in
n comparatively small community. from
s12 900 to $4,000 annually He came to
Holyoke ten years ago, beginning in
small way. but growth started immedi-
ately and in 1898 he built the fine struc-
ture that Is so prominent on High street
In 1901 the building was doubled in size
Soon after this a Westheld store was
opened under the resident management
of his brother-in-law. Mr.. Ashley. This
was sold in anticipation of the opening OF
the Springfield store. Of which Mr.. Ash
! ley is financial manager In 1903 Mr.
| Steiger opened in New Bedford. taking an
old store and business and making most
radical and extensive changes. He has
already achieved a marked success. one
| year ago he opened in Torrington. Conn
under similar conditions, and the bust
ness there already demonstrates the
soundness of his ideas. Mr. Steiger be-
lieves that people want the best, not only
in their purchases, but that they want
and greatly appreciate the best that can
be provided in surroundings He believes
also in manning his stores with the most
| skilled and capable help that can be Sc
cured, and this ideal is clearly demon
| strated In the people whom he has called
| to his assistance in this new Springfield
enterprise. 1t is a noticeably fine body
| of department managers and clerks. He
insists on having the best, states clearly
what he wants. never finds fault is cheer
full and optimistic. knows his clerks per-
| sonally, takes close interest in them
and their welfare. and they admire and
| believe in him thoroughly. These things
| being true, there is no wonder that the
| Steiger stores are such pleasant stores in
| which to do business. Associated in the
| business here is Mr.. Steigers son, Ralph
| who has in the past year been manager
of the New Bedford store He is a
bright and ambitious young man who be-
lieves fully in his fathers business ideals
and is a very earnest worker.
Mr. John II. Ashley, who is secretary
| and treasurer of this company, OF which
Mr. Steiger is president, is financial man.
| ager of the new business Mr. Ashley is
native of Springfield. but has lived in
| Westfield since childhood Graduating
| from the Westfield high school, he enter
ed the office of the deputy collector Of in
| ternal revenue and was later connected
with the c. N. Whipple company and the
| Eastern Cigar company. He afterwards
went TO manufacturing cigars on his own
account under the firm name of the Bay
State Cigar Company which is still doing
| a prosperous business. In 1888 he went
into the Hampden national and Woro-
noco savings banks, and became treasurer
OF the latter upon the death of the treas
| urer, Charles L. Weller, in 1898. He re-
| signed in April, last, to come 70 the
| Springfield store Mr. Ashley is 40 years
old. His business career has been very
| successful and he is recognized as
leading banker. His letter of January a.
on the makeup of the Massachusetts saw
| ings bank commission without doubt
brought about the important change that
has recently been made in that body, and
which has greatly strengthened the Mas
sachusetts banking laws. Mr. Ashley is
as highly esteemed in commercial circles
as his co-laborer Mr.. Steiger and under
this joint management the new Springfield
store faces a bright future.
The opening of the store on Wednesday
was a brilliant event of beautiful music
and a larp,a pa tbartnor Of friande Qua