The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-08-15
IRWIN. PHILLIPS
IS BIG CONCERN |
Largest Wholesale Jobber Of Dry
goods In State Of Iowa and Does
Business u Six Middle
West states.
WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1856
Took Immediate Rank 40 a Leader In
Mississippi Valley and Has
Grown With Each Sue.
ceedIng Year.

Established In 1865, tho Irwin-Phil-
lips company took Immediate rank as
one of the leading houses in the Mis-
sissippi valley and has gained strength
and prestige with each succeeding
wear. The year OF 1912 was the most
successful ever enjoyed by the Irwin.
Phillips company. The sales for the
twelve months totalled over one mil.
lion dollars. The company has nine.
teen travelling statesmen who sell
goods In southern Wisconsin, the
western half OF illinois as far east as
Springfield, all of Iowa, northern Mis-
souri, Nebraska, part of South Dako-
ia and does considerable business In
The state OF Kansas. The employees
in the various departments number
$50 people The house has three resi-
dence buyers In New York City in ad-
dition to four regular departm ent
buyers who keep in close touch with
the demands OF the trade and are in
the New York market from four to
ave times year.
Two great staple products OF the
Irwin Phillips company underwear
and hosiery-are purchased in i'm
mense quantities and are received d.
rect from the mills In the east ana
south, where special orders are exc
cuted. insuring great advantage to
the retail buyer who buys through the
Keokuk wholesale house. The In
dian Head" brand of shirts and over
alls have become as staple as factory
cotton" was in the pioneer days when
the house OF Irwin-Phillips company
was first established
To carry ON tho business large
floor space is necessary The main
building is at the corner of Second
and Main streets On the first and
second floors are kept the piece goods
and dry goods such as muslins, cali
Goes. wool goods, dress goods, silks,
and velvet. The third floor is given
over to the notion department, con.
sisting OF notion staples and all kinds
Of novelty wear. On the fourth floor
are tn. dress shirts. work shirts.
oyeralls, corduroy clothing, all of
which are made in the Keokuk and
Hamilton factories. In the annex
south OF tie main building are hos.
iery, pajamas, night gowns and chill,
dren's and misses dresses.
In addition to this floor space the
company maintains a warehouse be.
. tween Second and Third on Main,
50x14o, four stories in height. to car,
ry duplicate stock of muslin, calicoe
worsted dress goods, silks, satins, no
tons, underwear and hoiery.
One OF the big features OF the
Z, Irwin Phillips plant In Keokuk is the
manufacturing department where a
large force is employed to make dress
shirts, work shirts, overalls, corduroy
clothing, and other garments to wear
Finding an expanse necessary the
company installed a second factory al
Hamilton, Illinois, several years ago
which makes only overalls.
In all It is estimated that Irwin
Phillips company occupies fool
space Of 1o5,42o square feet upor
which is held for display hundreds o.
thousand of dollars worth of goods
The spring and fall openings attract
hundreds OF retailers from many
towns in nearby states.
The Irwin-Phillips company is ont