The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-12-12
DEATH CLAIMS
JOHN WANNAMAKER

amaker, aged %, a merchant and for
iher postmaster general, died at his
nome mere today. He has been i'll
since early November.
Mr.. Wanamaker was active in bus
mess until he was stricken with a
coid ut his country home. He spent
the summer at work except for occa-
sional trips to the seashore. His
daughters, Mrs: Barclay H. Warbur-
Ion and Mrs. Norman Macleod, were
at his bedside. His son, Rodman, ar
rived after his death.
The signs on the stores here and in
New York said they would remain
closed until further notice.
The funeral will be announced later.
His life was insured for over So
100000.
John Wanamaker led in the Gre
alton Of the department store as an
institution in American life. At the
outbreak of the Civil War in 1861
when he began business for himself in
humble way in Philadelphia, retail
merchandising in this country was in
disorganized state, and, in the opin-
ion Of the far-sighted young mer-
chant, it was suffering a rapid declint
through practices that were then gen
cral. Aside from his ambition to make
money, "my paramount purpose" said
Mr.. Wanamaker, "was to help save
the mercantile profession from lower
ing its flag before other professions
and occupations" There were in
those days no fixed selling price for
goods. Business then demanded
l3-hour day from all its employees.
Customers spent hours price-haggling
with statesmen. Mr.. Wanamaker was
impressed with this waste of time and
to eliminate it he became a pioneer
in fixing a selling price for goods. 1t
was one Of the beginnings of many
mercantile reforms which today are so
generally followed that the present
generation can scarcely find anywhere
trace of the old practices.
Mr.. Wanamaker was "a years olo
when he entered upon his career, in
partnership with his brother-in-law,
Nathan Brown, on joint capital of
$500, ir 9 clothing business at Phil.
a6elphia. He had befa born in tiSt
,sity, July IL, 1888. His father and bis
- father had been brick fnak-
- 5lSn " epaH3ats EEst hSeSk
oldest of seven children and early in
his boyhood he was obliged to give up
schooling and earn his own way. His
arst wages were $1.25 week as an
errand boy in Philadelphia book
store, and then as a young man he
was employed for a time at Tower
Hall, famous old Philadelphia cloth
ing house, where his personality and
business ability were developed for
his venture in business for himself.
The Brown & Wanamaker store began
business with a first days sales ac-
count of $24, and ended It's first year
with q record of $4,000 business. Mr..
Wanamaker and his brol.er-!n-iaw
were during their first few months of
business unable to afford horse and
wagon for delivery, and Mr.. Wana
maker himself pushed two-wheel
cart to deliver his goods. His part
ner's health failing, most of the de-
tails Of the business developed upon
Mr.. Wanamaker.
Early in his career Mr.. Wanamaker
married Mary B. Brown who coop
Grated with him in much of his phi
lanthropic work. He founded the
Presbyterian Hospital in Philadelphia,
the First Penny Savings Bank there,
assisted in erecting many Young
Mems Christian Association buildings,
and contributed toward college mis-
sionary institutions in India, China
and Japan. At the outbreak of the
European war he was one of the first
to assist in the relief of the Bel
gians, equipping two shiploads of
foodstuffs which were sent to the in
vaded country.