The daily Alaskan., 1917-01-20
WILL CLAYSON
 QUITS SkAGWAI

continuous occupancy of the mer- cautiie field of Skagway, Will Clay son has decided to withdraw from here and devote his entire time toI his extensive business interests in CorduYa, having sold the SkagwaY store to James Kennedy.
 MT. Clayson arrived in 6kagway ou Sunday evening, September 12, 1897, and the following day located in shack at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Broadway which was ta the then common "box" style of architecture being built of boards l inc, hv 12 inches and 12 feet IoI q This was covered with black tar pa per,
 That he was here to sell merchar- disc is evidenced by the fact that before he had been here a day, he sold to a stampeder the pair of rub Der boots he was wearing at the time the inquiry was made, Have you boots for saIe?"
 When his first store building was completed he found that he had store room about 12 feet wide and 90 feet long. His stock of goods were slow in arriving but as they were landed at Skagway, they were im- mediately placed in the store, ana notwithstanding the fact that he had 25 competitors, MT. Clayson sold his share of the outfits which were Durchasef here for the interior In proportion to his prosperity, and as time went on, MT. Clayson increased the size of his store, add ing all ell here and there, and mak- ing the store of greater depth. How ever, after a few months in his or iginal location, he decided to move and so he erected a new building at the corner of state and Fourth again using the "boX" style of ar chitecture. This location, however, did Il appeal to him, and in 1901 he was back again on the lot at the corner of Broadway and Fourth avenue, and this time he had more pretentious building. To this he added from time to time, and in I9O4-19O5 the building as if stands today was completed
 At this time Seward and other cities to the westward began showing signs of prosperity, and takir- part of his big stock from here and ordering more from the States he went to Seward, where he engaged in business for three years. It was then that C0rdoya showed likely signs Cf being .he metI opolis cf the westward, and with the spirit of wishing to be where things were busiest, MT. Clay son removed from Seward to Cor dova. Since that time, 1908, to Ithe present time, AIr. Clayson has been actively engaged ill the cloth ing and shoe business there, men 8 clc:hing, boots and shoes being his speciality. While ladies wearing ap- pareI and shoes have also had his attention.
 Mir. Clayson has never known any other business than the clothing business, and as he states it, "eVe!| thing ever owned has always been for sale" It might be said that he was brought uU in the clothng bus ness, for prior to his advent in the north, ba was with the big firm of A. J. Preyer & Son, of Portland for Il years continuously and for two years prior to his service with that firm ha was with Arthur Kuhn, an- other big clothing house of Port land.
 In leaving Skagway, MT. Clayson expresses deep regret for he says that he has never ceased to look upon this city as his home.
 For the next several days the work of turning the store over 70 MT. James Kennedy will occupy his attention, and when the final in- ventory has been made, MT, Clay son will leave for COrdOVa.
 James Kennedy who is the new propIietor of the ClaysOn store has been in Skagway for almost ten years and needs no introduction otE4 CT than to say that he is Jimmy" Kennedy, ALASKAN,