Evening journal., 1922-07-10
NATHAN MILLER
BUYS BUSINESS
(cOntInued From Flrst PAGE }

| (Contlnue0 From First Page.)
fly that a big trade enterprise which
| was started in an humble way many
years ago by himself and his
brothers. Charles and Samuel. at last
has passed completely into his pos
session for its further upbuilding
and conservation. Charles Miller
rellnquished his interest in the COM
pany several years ago and now Is
! In business in Chester.
/ There will be in the Miller
Brothers Company no revolutionary
I changes as a result OF his retirement.
although there will be. necessarily.
/ certain readiustments-in the work
ing forces of the big business.
The three Miller Brothers, who
made such good use Of the golden
business opportunities supplied by
country, were born and reared on
small farm in Russian Poland, where
their father also was a miller. When
! Charles was "a years old ne came TO
+ America. landing IN Philadelphia
{ I'm the fall OF 1896. Two years later
Samuel. al that time 90 years old,
followed him. Both experienced
much difficulty in getting out Of
! Russia. Charles engaged in making
buttonholes in garments. while
Samuel became a basket peddler in
Philadelphia.
Their letters home fired the i'm
agination OF Nathan Miller. then
only IS years old, and he, too, de-
- -. l.
his fortune In 1900 this pluclSy
boy smuggled himself across the
Russian border. thereby escaping
conscription in the Russian army.
He worked his way across the cOnti-
nent TO Antwerp. where he boarded
a ship and Joined his brothers in
Philadelphia. Hearing Of Whining
ton, he came here. bought a basket
and a small stock OF notions. and
peddled his wares from door to door
Being possessed OF pleasing person
ality and acute commercial in
stinct, he succeeded to such a de-
gree that his brother. Samuel, also
came down from Philadelphia.
But Nathan Miller used his basket
peddling merely as a means to an
end. He wanted store and finally
saw one-story vacant building at
6O7 West Second street. After con-
ferring with Samuel they sent 10
Philadelphia for Charles and in
vited him to join them in the ven
ture. which he did. 4 pool OF their
capital showed that they had $500.
OF which Charles owned one-half.
with that small amount OF money,
they started their store. 1t succeed
ed and, four years later Nathan, al
ways the leading spirit, decided that
the time had come for the business
to he moved to Market street. He
rented the three story brick dwell
ing at 2l3 Market street for con-
version into a store and then told
his brothers about II.
At that time the total stock was
worth only $3.50. A stock of from
$1,000 to $4,000 would be needed for
the new place. They borrowed the
money, stocked the store and subse-
quently absorbed the businesses OF
Samuel Slessinger at 200 Market
street and zoe French street. and
consolidated them with the business
at 213 Market street. Slessinger
took an interest in the Miller
Brothers business and held 1t. with
great profit to himself. for sew
eral years. Then that interest
was purchased from him by the
three Miller Brothers. who for IL
years devoted their energies to build
ing up the Market street store. As
result. their organization consisted Of
22 departments, IS in the furniture
end and four in the clothing end Of
the establishment. which gave en-
plOyment to 26 men and women.
Lower Market street did not suit
Nathan Miller. and when he saw a
chance to buy the Meharg store. at
Ninth and King streets. with its l6
departments and % employees, he
seized it and proceeded with another
consolidation which involved a move.
ment OF stock valued at approxi-
mately 5000 600 a year. All of this
had grown up from a buttonhole
contract and two peddler baskets,
with Nathan blazing the way for the
brothers on the upward commercial
path. They ciosed the lower Market
strest s.ore aud centered their work.
AZ N,n,h and King streets. There
tbs business has grown tc large pro-
portions ana ;hsre is NO commercial
hous- On lna en..re Delaware PENN