handling carpets, fumimre, &c.
NEW STORE OF T..S, MARTIN. 4.
The Carpet and Upholstery Trade Review.
James Biirch succeeds Roe & Burch, dry goods and car-
pet dealers, Watkins, N. Y.
G. Y. Smith, dry goods and carpet dealers, Fort Worth,
Tex., have gone out of business.
J. H. Hunt, carpet and furniture dealer, Victor, Col.,
has sold out to the Booth Furniture Company.
B. Scheuer & Brothers, dry goods and carpet dealers,
Eufala, Ala., have changed their firm style to Scheuer
Brothers.
Thomas West & Co., carpet and furniture dealers, Perth
Amboy, N. J., have added the adjoining store to their
premises.
It is reported that Byron Elwood and others will start a
rug factory at Fort Plain, N. Y., using the machinery
recently employed by Adriance & Taylor.
Dunkle & Co., carpet and furniture dealers, Steelton,
Pa. , are preparing to close out their business. The stock
will probably be disposed of by auction.
The new and handsome store of George Vinnedge &
Co., Elkhart, Ind., was opened January 1. The firm's
carpet, curtain and shade departments are on the second
floor.
A fire which started recently in the dry goods and
carpet store of Harnett, Campbell & Co., Racine, Wis.,
caused a loss of $2,000 on stock and $500 on the building;
fully covered by insurance.
The land and buildings at Mt. Holly, N. J., formerly
occupied as a carpet mill, and owned by W. & J . Sloane,
have been bought by Mark R. Sooy, and the principal
building will be used for shoe manufacturing.
The Foster Furniture Company, Fort Wayne, Ind., has
made -a new departure in business by agreeing hereafter to
give a three year paid up policy of fire insurance to all
persons going to housekeeping who buy of the company
their outfit of carpets, furniture, &c.
The Crawshaw Carpet Company, of Newburgh, N. Y. ,
has been incorporated with a capital stock of $75,000.
The directors are Mark Crawshaw, Samuel Crawshaw,
C. T. Goodrich, Cornelius L. Waring, Benjamin B.
Odell, Jr., J. A. Sneed and E. C.Barnes, of Newburg.
Henry Jacobs, dealer in carpets, oil cloths, &c., 1131
Main street, Wheehng, W. Va., writes to The Review:
" Business for this time of the year is fairly good, and the
outlook for a good spring trade is very encouraging. We
have all we can do now, and trade generally is satisfac-
tory."
In the County Court at Decatur, 111., on January 12, the
Abel Carpet and Wall Paper Company, which, since 1887,
has been doing a large business in the Arcade Block there,
made a voluntary assignment to J. W. Race. The liabili-
ties are listed at $10,500, but there is no schedule of the
assets, which consist entirely of the stock of goods.
A deed of assignment was filed at the clerk's office in
Lynchburg, Va., from A. S. Thompson, doing a carpet
and furniture business under the firm name of J. L.
Thompson & Co., to James W. Wray, trustee. The total
liabilities are estimated at about $5,000. After providing
for the costs of the trust, the creditors are divided into
four classes.
Edward White, dry goods and carpet dealer, Plainfield,
N. J., has purchased property adjoining his store. When
the leases of the present tenants expire, about April 1,
Mr. White will convert the building into an addition to his
present store by removing the partitions which now
separate them. The structures are three stories in height
and all the floor space which they contain will be utilized.
A uniform front, with one central entrance, will be
arranged to the stores, and they will be fitted with hand-
some plate glass windows and otherwise made attractive
and suitable to the needs of a large general store. The
front of the new store will then measure 80 feet on Front
street, and the floor space will extend back 185 feet. A
number of improvements, such as new plumbing, steam
heating and electric light fittings throughout will be added
to the new building, making it one of the most complete
establishments of its character in the State. The carpet
stock will occupy the third floor.
ADVERTISING IN THE REVIEW.
Cleveland, January 15, 1898.
The Carpet and Upholstery Trade Review:
Permit me to state that through advertising in The
Review for a situation as a cutter I have obtained it with
a good flrm in this city, viz., the Root & McBride Com-
pany. Thanking you for your assistance, I remain,
John W. Ward.
HE ISN'T PRETTY, BUT
IN the advertisement of Joseph Wild & Co. in this issue
will be found a portrait of the tutelary divinity who
presides over the destinies of the firm's China matting
department. He was sketched from life by a Chinese
artist, and the original picture can be seen hanging in the
Worth street warerooms. He simply wishes to call atten-
tion to the fact that no buyer who comes to this market
can afford to miss .seeing the stock of straw mattings now
on show at Joseph Wild & Co. 's.
PARK CARPET MILLS.
THE new advertisement of John Gay's Sons, on page 6
of this issue is well calculated to interest the trade.
The Park Mills Ingrains are know and appreciated by
every dealer, and the Rajah Art Carpets and Flemish Tap-
estries are also certain to be in great demand for the open-
ing of the spring retail season.
The Messrs. Gay's complete line is shown at their mills,
Howard and Norris streets, Philadelphia ; the New York
office, Hartford Building, Broadway and Seventeenth
street; at 564 Washington street, Boston; 186 Market
street, Chicago, and 916 Market street, San Francisco.
A BILL has been introduced into the New York Assem-
bly making it a misdemeanor to issue trading stamps.
Legislation to the same effect is pending in Virginia,
Tennessee, Delaware and Pennsylvania.
The Staines inlaid linoleum is coming into increased use
in this country since Hunter & Whitcomb became the sole
American agents. They have distributed it very widely
through their road trips, and have also recorded good
orders at the salesroom, 874 Broadway, New York.
The C.\rpkt a>t) Upholstkry Tratk Review.
THE MANUFACTURERS' CONVENTION.
THE third annual convention of the National Association
of Manufacturers was held in Xew York, beginning
on the 25th and ending on the 57th ult. President Theo-
dore C. Search occupied the chair and on the second day
of the convention delivered an able address, which was
devoted mainly to the subject of our trade relations with
foreign countries. At the last session, on the i!7th ult., the
three principal officers of the association were re-elected,
as follows: President, Theodore C. Search; treasurer,
Chas. A. Schieren; secretary, E. P. Wilson. It was
decided to hold the nest meeting at Cincinnati.
An especially interesting feature of the convention was
the banquet at the Astoria- Waldorf Hotel on the night of
the -2 7th ult., and at which President McKinley was the
guest of honor. It had been expected that in his speech
on the occasion the President would make some important
declarations in regard to the financial policy of the Gov-
ernment, and in this respect there was no disappointment,
the main subject of the address being the necessity for
strict adherence to the gold standard. The President's
emphatic and unequivocal remarks to this esect were
received with great enthusiasm.
D. POWERS & SONS' NEW SALESROOMS.
D Powers ,.\: Son;. %v";:o ~ovec :";o u:e:r new ;uid com-
• niodious offices and salesrooms in the Graham
Building. 1-27 Duane street, comer of Church, on the loth
ult. , are now showing their new and choice styles in floor
oil cloths and China and Japan mattings. They are the
oldest manufacturers of wide sheet goods in the United
States, and as they carr>- an exceptionally fine line of
patterns, they do a large business in goods of this char-
acter T.-.—es H. Clinchy, their agent, states they have
v' ^ >:asss in both matting and oil cloths this
Si -^ ; die orders booked are for ahead of last
year at this date. See their new advenisement on page
73 of this issue.
Ix the last issue of The Review we reported that Albert
Ammerman, secretary and general manager of the Cow-
perthwait Company. Brooklyn, was lying at his home in
that city dangerously ill with tyDhoid-oneTimonia. In-
quiry at the company's store " -. - .: otir going to
press elicited the feet th.i. remains un-
changed-
Ax Ales. Crow, Jr.s extensive Ingrain mUls. Philadel-
phia, Superintendent J- H. C. Wright, reports a very satis-
factory business in volume so far this spring, as 150 looms
are still running on orders, Mr. Wright also says that
their sales have been made at the best prices of the
season for standard goods, and a considerable number of
orders have been lost through not meeting other quota-
tions. He believes that prices most continue to advance
considerably above the best figures of the spring season,
or the Ingrain manufacturers will be serious sufierers.
Sheric Crow spends a portion of each day at his office in
the mills, and is keeping in touch with the business as
usuaL *
A PROGRESSIVE RUG AND MATTING FIRM.
As stated in The Review of January 15, the nrm of Fritz.
La Rue & Sinn was succeeded by Fritz & La Rue
on January 1. The change is practically in firm name
only, as Charles B. Fritz and Walter M. La Rue, who com-
pose the new firm, have been the managers and active
partners in the business since its foundation eight j-ears
ago. The rise of this concern forms one of the most not-
able instances of business success in the wholesale carpet
trade during the past decade, a period, too, not remarkable
for general business progression.
Fritz, La Rue & Sinn were first located at 4"2S Fjont
street, Philadelphia, where they commenced business as
manufacturers of goat skin rugs and importers of Oriental
rugs. They shortly removed to 214 Chestnut street, and
in 1892 located in the large loft at 1122 Market street, over
Boyd, Harley & Co., and added the importation of China
and Japan mattings.
In these quarters the business expanded rapidly and
the firm were soon known throughout the country as
among the leading importers of Oriental rugs and carpets,
China and Japan mattings, and manufacturers of goat skin
rugs.
Two years ago they leased three doors at 112^ and 1130
Market street, thus securing an exceptionally large space
for displaying such goods. They confined their attention
solely to wholesaling these goods, and by wise selec-
tions in choice rugs and carpets, and novel and handsome
styles in mattings, together with always straightforward
business methods they have attained a foremost place in
extent of business and in the good will of buyers.
Large carpets of Turkish, Persian and Indian makes
have been a specialty with the firm, both in antique and
modem effects, and some notably big bills have been sold
to the best rug buyers of the country, both in large car-
pets and the small rug sizes.
The firm's matting importations have been sold up very
clean every season, and the trade have come to look upon
them as the safest kind of gxx)ds to handle, Mr. Fritz
and Mr, La Rue are yet young men, both being under
forty, and with the record of the past eight years' accom-
plishments we may expect the firm of Fritz & La Rue to
continue as a leading example of bnaness enterprise and
success in the floor coverinsr trade.
A LARGE and well varied stock of carpeting, floor oil
cloths, mattings and upholstery goods is offered to the
trade in the jobbing department of Sheppard Knapp &
Co.. Sixth avenue. Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets.
New York, The offerings comprise careful selections
from the most desirable styles and grades of leading
manufectnrers and in them the demands of every class of
trade are met conapletely.
A new department with Yardum Brothers & Co. is
Damascus art wares and draperies, which are under the
charge of Antoine Donmiar, a native Syrian, who has
heretofore sold goods to large American houses direct from
Damascus. The line of curtains and draperies is specially
attractive, and as the goods are very fashionable just now,
buyers should view this firm's attractive assortm^it at
their new salesroom, 594 and 596 Broadway, New York.
The Carpet and Upholstery Trade Review.
BOSTON BUDGET.
John C. Randall, of John H. Pray, Sons & Co., has
gone South for a rest. He will visit Florida and possibly
„ ^ go as far as Cuba.
Boston, ="
W. W. Corson has been in Philadelphia
■ the past week.
Trade is dull.
Mr. Nichols, of W. W. Corson & Co., has gone on a
fishing trip in Aroostook County, Maine.
Arthur Williams, Jr., & Co., of this city, importers of
Oriental carpets and rugs, have had to seek larger quarters
again for their growing business. They have just moved
from 81 Franklin street to 42 Franklin street.
Two carpet store window attractions on Washington
street are a pretty tapestry hanging, surrounded by a wide
border of red cloth, at John H. Pray, Sons & Co.'s and a
Turkish rug weaver at work at Thomas O'Callaghan &
Co.'s. F. J. B.
New England Notes.
Clark & Curtiss, dealers in dry goods, carpets, &c.,
Norfolk, Conn., have dissolved partnership, and A. P.
Curtiss in the same town has sold out.
A number of improvements have been made in his store
at Dan vers, Mass., by J. F. Porter, including the arrange-
ment of racks for wall paper and carpets on the lower
floor.
Thompson Newbury, of Taunton, Mass., founder and
chief owner of the Taunton Oil Cloth Company, died
January 16 of pneumonia, after a week's illness, at the age
of seventy-eight years.
The Lowell Carpet Company is still running four days
a week, but it has recently completed a dye house, and is
now pushing work every suitable day on a new four story
Axminster mill. The company has been making Axmin-
sters for some time, and finding them in large demand has
decided to make provision for a larger product.
W. T. Kilborn &Co., dealers in carpets, &c., Portland,
Me., have been succeeded by the W. T. Kilborn Company,
which has been organized for the purpose of buying, sell-
ing and dealing in carpetings and furnishings, and to carry
on other mercantile business. The capital stock of the
company is $25,000, with $300 paid in. The par value of
the shares is $100. W. T. Kilborn is the president, P. C.
Kilborn the treasurer, and N. A. Johnson the clerk of
the corporation.
Warner F. Colby, carpet and furniture dealer, Barre,
Vt., made an assignment on January 7, in favor of his
creditors to Dr. J. Henry Jackson. The liabilities will
figure between $20,000 and $25,000, while the assets.
stand at about $12,000. The assets consist of the
stock in the furniture store, the stock in the Art
Paper Company and money owed the firm. Mr. Colby is
dangerously ill with typhoid fever. He has been hard
pressed by creditors for some time. Dull times and
difiicult collections had much to do with the failure. The
paper department in which Mr. Colby was interested also
helped along the crash, inasmuch as he went surety for
the payment of the old bills. The former manager of the
wall paper department was J. R. Cole. After Mr. Colby
took possession he had a good trade, but the bills were too
burdensome to overcome. It is said that an offer of adjust-
ment of about 40 or 50 cents on a dollar will be made.
THE SINGER CARPET SEWING MACHINE.
As a device for sewing carpets rapidly and accurately
the Singer automatic power carpet sewer is absolute
perfection. It sews every kind of carpet, making a per-
fect stitch and seam. It is simple in design, easily ope-
rated. It is truly automatic, requires but little floor space
and does its work with remarkable rapidity. The auto-
matic matching and clamping device is a unique arrange-
ment which insures perfect stretching and matching without
the assistance of expert labor. The machine works auto-
matically on its track, following the operator as each
section of the carpet is matched and clamped. This ma-
chine will save its cost in one year to any carpet dealer
whose business requires a hand machine. The Singer
Company continue to manufacture also their well-known
hand machine for carpet sewing and guarantee it to be
the best in use.
Write to the Singer Manufacturing Company for cir-
culars, testimonials, &c., relating to their power and hand
machines. Their advertisement is on page 71 of this issue.
HARTFORD CARPET COMPANY'S NEW PRESIDENT.
AT a meeting of the Hartford Carpet Company, on the
26th ult., George Roberts was elected as its presi-
dent, succeeding John L. Houston, who retires on account
of ill health. Jonathan B. Bunce succeeds Mr. Roberts
as vice-president, but the latter retains the position of
treasurer. The full list of directors and oificers chosen is
as follows : President and treasurer, George Roberts ; vice-
president. Jonathan B. Bunce; secretary, George B.New-
ton; directors, Jonathan B. Bunce, John L; Houston,
■James J. Goodwin, George Roberts, Chas. M. Beach,
James B. Cone and Morgan G. Bulkeley.
Mr. Roberts, the new president, has been identified
with the company for nearly thirty-four years. He was
its secretary for fifteen years, until two years ago, when he
was elected vice-president and treasurer. Mr. Roberts is
well known in the trade and is regarded as exceptionally
well qualified for the very important offices he now holds.
John Bromley & Sons' splendid lines of vSmyrna carpets,
rugs and mats have found quick and liberal appreciation
in the trade . Buyers are advised to see the samples on
view in the salesrooms of Thomas B. Shoaff & Co., sole
agents, 935 Broadway, New York.
The cut carpet department of W. & J. Sloane is doing
a very satisfactory business under the management of
W. W. Law, Jr., the trade having appreciated promptly
the advantages offered them in this way. The assortment
of grades is very extensive, and includes a great variety
of new and choice patterns.
The Carpet and Upholstery Trade Review.
Old-Time Floor OH Clotb Men.
The Carpet and Upholstery Trade Review:
I was much interested in the reminiscences of the floor oil cloth
trade which appeared in your issue of the 15th ult. I remember
when the business of R. C. Haskell & Co. was first started by
Jonathan E. Whipple in 1847. Mr. Whipple had previously been
several years in the employ of D. Powers & Sons. Mr. Haskell
was a nephew of Mr. Whipple, and was admitted as his partner in
1861. Old-Timer.
GRAFF & CO.'S STRAW MATTINGS.
IN their new advertisement on page 2 of this issue Albert
Graff & Co., 609 Chestnut street, Philadelphia, call
attention to their big assortment of Chinese and Japanese
mattings, comprising goods selected by Mr. Graff per-
sonally during his recent visit to China and Japan. Graft"
& Co. will offer these goods according to their usual
method, which is at close prices for cash. The firm have
for sale the sample showcases of Boyd, Harley & Co.
These cases are first class and will be sold very cheap.
THE REMNANT SUPPLEMENT.
rOLLOwiNG we present two letters bearing on the value of
The Review's Remnant Supplement which came to
hand too late for insertion in the January 15 number of
The Review:
St. Paul, Minn., January 13, 1898.
The Carpet and Upholstery Trade Review:
Please find our list of remnants for your Remnant Supplement.
It has often helped us out when short a few yards in filling an order.
Smith & Farwell Company.
Philadelphia, January 31, 1898.
The Carpet and Upholstery Trade Review;
We inclose you our check in payment for subscription to The Car-
pet AND Upholstery Trade Review for 1898. Also find inclosed a
list of remnants for publication in your valuable Remnant Supple-
ment.
Every carpet dealer, small or large, should become a subscriber to
The Review, and assist in the good work and aid the Remnant
Supplement. In short it is " time saved and money earned."
H. Sonneborn & Brother.
W. T. Smith & Son say some interesting things to the
trade in their new advertisement on the colored sheet
opposite page 9 of this issue. The Messrs. Smith are
having a big demand for all their products. Their lines
of Smyrna carpets, rugs and Art Squares are replete with
quick sellers, goods certain to make a favorable impression
upon every buyer. Dealers should remember that the
call for Smyrnas and Art Squares is continually increasing,
and that W. T. Smith & Son have every possible facility
for meeting this demand.
ALEX. CROW, JR.'S CHICAGO OFFICE.
A FULL line of Alex. Crow, Jr.'s Ingrains can now be
seen at room 48, Shepard Building, 331 Fifth avenue,
Chicago, where the firm is represented by Clement Read
andWm. Metzger. The Western trade should avail them-
selves of this convenience for inspecting one of the largest
and leading lines of Ingrains direct from the mills.
I
ATTRACTIVE PRICES.
IN his advertisement on page 95 F. G. Rogers, of Phila-
delphia, quotes some very attractive figures on carpet-
ings, considering present values. He refers to the fact
that he is selling floor coverings at last year's prices, the
meaning of which must be obvious to all buyers. Mr.
Rogers secured some of the best patterns in 3-4 goods at
the special sales of last fall, and as he has not heretofore
hurried the sale of the stock he still has on hand some of
the choicest goods. Mr. Rogers now occupies three floors
at 1015 Filbert street, Philadelphia, covering 13,000
square feet of space, and every buyer who can possibly do
so should visit his establishment. His samples are also
shown by C. I. Hooper at 611 Washington street, Boston;
at 656 West Sixth street Cincinnati; by J. W. Waddell,
Greenville, S. C, and J. R. Trego at the Niel House,
Columbus, Ohio.
REMOVAL OF HIRST & ROGER.
HIRST & Roger, the Tapestry and Velvet manufacturers,
are now well settled in their new mill at Allegheny
and Kensington avenues, Philadelphia. Their entire
machinery plant is now concentrated in this mill, which
was purchased by them some months ago, and has been
fitted up with improved machinery and other facilities for
producing Tapestries and Velvets. The firm's customers
will find better service from now on in shipments, as
the new mill affords Hirst & Roger opportunity for quicker
and larger production.
FOREIGN NOTES.
The exports of carpets and rugs from the consular dis-
trict of Bradford, England, during the month of Decem-
ber, 1897, amounted in value to ;!^1, 638 as against ^775
during the same month in 1896.
British Board of Trade returns show that the exports of
carpets from Great Britain during the month of December,
1897, amounted to 633,800 yards, valued at ^63,538. The
exports for the twelve months ending December 31 were
7,297,500, valued at ^763.570.
Lee Douglas, of Douglas & Davison, Atlanta, Ga.,
was in the New York market last week and was warmly
welcomed by the road men who travel in his direction.
C. B. Ashbridge, the former Philadelphia Ingrain man-
ufacturer, may now be found at the salesroom of Reune
Martin & Sons, New York, having become a member of
their selling force in November. He has just returned
from his first road trip for them.
The Carpet and Upholstery Trade Review.
AROUND AND ABOUT.
Come of the reflections engendered by a study of a great
^ city like New York during the press of holiday time
have been, among others, to wonder if the very means
taken to attract customers did not repel the actual buyers.
A woman with a long shopping list has resolutely turned
from those stores in which great
holiday displays were made, in
the way of trimmings, enter-
tainments for the children and
window shows. Such induce-
ments filled the place with the
usual crowd always ready to
follow a free show, with the re-
sult that purchasers were un-
able to get through the aisles
and up to the counters. More
than one woman confessed her
dread of some accident in these
terribly congested stores — accident that the inflammable
nature of the trimmings helped to invite. In one store
a blaze did arise from the crossing of electric wires — our
modern fire risk — and in the slight panic which followed
two or three persons were injured. The panic was slight
because an electrician happened to be close at hand, and
promptly put out the fire. Had there been any sort of
delay the disaster would have been great — from the fright
of shoppers and saleswomen, rather than from the actual
conflagration. The fact is that shopkeepers and city
authorities are realizing that every means should be taken
to distribute crowds, rather than to mass them at busy