The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-01-25
ChlMI COMPANY
FILLS BIG Want.
LARGEST AUTO sUPPLY DIsTRlBU-
TORS SOUTH OF NEW YORK
OPENS UP HERE.
HISTORY OF BUSINESS
EVERYTHING PERTAINING TO AU-
TOMOBILEs HANDLED FROM
SOAP TO MOTOR CARs--BEN-
TONS PATENTED FORMULAS.

whatever may come down the pike
hat Is good in an Industrial and de-
selopmental way Richmond Is sure to
satch on sooner or later, most likely
sooner. Richmond liz certain To be the |
headquarters for the best of things.
The automobile has found its best
development in Richmond. The big
makers OF automobiles were not slow
70 find that Richmond is the great
distributing point for all of the South,
and 30 1t Is no wonder that all OF the
Dig factories OF the country have es-
tablished their garages and their
agencies here.
1t naturally came about that Rich |
Mond was pre-eminently the location
Tor an automobile supply company,
and II Is no wonder that such an
enterprise sprang up in this good old
Town. The story OF how IL came here,
however, Ia q little romantic, and Is |
worth notice as an Industrial story. A
few years ago, IL matters not how
many, b. r. Benton, q chemist. came /
to Richmond, having read in the in |
dustrial section of the Times Dispatch
that Richmond was a great distribut-
ing point. and he came with the view
81 making this city his depot for the
distribution and general sale OF chem
goods made from his own formulas.
How the Name Came Abont.
Many OF Benton's products were es-
peciaily adapted to the work in the
automobile line. Mr.. Benton opened
up his chemical shop all right. and
when he was in search of good
name to give II. and being too modest
to use his own name. he thought Of
calling 1t tho Chemical company. but
discovered that thore was already /
company In the town. In different
line OF business, however, bearing such |
. name. and to avoid complications,
he abbreviated the name and called 1t /
the Chemi company. and opened up al
big store at 679 Fast Main street. |
Mr.. Benton's original idea was to deal
only in chemical productions made
after his own formulas, but, as before
stated, numbers Of his formulas were
peculiar 10 the automobile business, I
and 50 1t looked like good business TO |
add to his line automobile supplies in
general Among his own inventions. |
made from his own formulas. were
various oils and greases and fixtures
pertaining to the automobile business. |
To these he added, as a part Of his /
stock, all OF the automobile supplies
known TO the owners of cars. and to
The tourists generally. |
A Growing Business.
In making this combination Mr..
Benton was not long in nndfnE out
that automobile supplies were bigger
business than his own ''chemi' ideas |
along other lines. and 40 about a year |
ago he decided to abandon his other |
wise chemical end Of the shop. and
hold himself down TO the automobile |
supply business.
Having made up his mind TO this !
effect he decided to make the shop he |
had established at 629 East Main /
street the greatest of the distributing |
points of all the South for automobile /
supplies 49,. -,
ness, and made the Chcmi company a
far-neaching company indeed. Ac-I
cordingly. the company WAS duly in
corporated. and the other stockhold- |
ers were taken In. o. s. OgIetree. |
who had been the chief travelling |
agent for Mr.. Benton, and ID. T. Tall
man. who had been chief office man. |
were taken In. as partners and invest |
ed In the stock OF the company. and
there were others. The company WAS
then organized. with Mr. Benton as
president and treasurer. Mr.. Ogletree !
an vice-presidcnt, and Mr.. Talmas az
secretary. Several smaller stockhoid- |
J ers, together with the above, conSti- |
tute the board OF directors
RranCaaed Out
Since last August the business has
grown with such rapid strides that a
ofahcn mouse IN NoEhcIk naA oocone
opened at 723 CRANKY street, in the |
city by the sea.
men Snas APPROXIMATION tooA piace
last Ausuo~ Win ,ne nc" men IN .ne
S Soncn. ~ ~ s usclueu ~ nou .'.1
uus'ns Ss,0.iy uo~h " lAo au.oiao
nue supply lne, out az cnemacaas, ss-
Mr.. Bcnton's own patented formulas, |
cut !. I.so Hsure - tns AutoHlopIe
supUIy Ane. tno name 81 tne coMpany
Va. not CnAn3eu. AZ now cons.l.oteu
ana eQuIpped. me conpany uean IN
81 kin0e o. Autonooho supples. anu
y MOua0 surpns1 lns AvsIakc I1aao1
~ 1nU~ Wn.s = VIZ Lne ln.s laAca ~.
aakcd ~. nenton "nat ne meanl "
autononnc suppnes. anu : snA
,voh nlIn .1n minutes - TN oveI .ne
Hats ana ne ~ FApau-taikink MAN.