SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI AND SURROUNDINGS • 1889
(previous page) employ 50 men. Mr. L. T. Bell, a representative druggist of fine ability and standing, whose conservative views entitle his opinions to high respect, reports a most promising outlook for the trade.
Ten dealers whose stock of queensware, notions, fancy goods, bric-a-brac, etc., etc., aggregate $41,000, have yearly trade of $88,000 and employ 20 hands.
Seven book and stationery dealers with a total stock of $56,700, employ 28 men and do a yearly business of $108,500.
Seven lumber dealers with stocks aggregating $79,000, employ 36 men and carry their yearly aless to $290,000. Mr. Billings the efficient local manager of S. A. Brown & Co., whose Southwestern yards are almost as thick as leaves in Valambrosia, and whose annual trade runs up into the millions, pays a high tribute to the building interests of the city.
Twenty-one retail dealers in live stock and cut meats, whose shops are well distributed over the city, have $46,500 invested in their business, employ sixty-eight hands, and report a total yearly trade of $776,000.
Three dealers in musical instruments and merchandise, with an investment of $9,000, give employment to eight men and do a yearly business of $45,000.
Ten flour and feed stores carry aggregate stocks of $12,500; employ twenty men; and have a total annual trade of $63,000.
Six millinery and fancy goods dealers, whose stocks are valued at $16,500, employ thirty ladies and report a yearly trade of $58,000.
Half a dozen photographic galleries report a total investment of $25,700; employ sixteen artists; and have an annual business of $35,400. Mrs. G. W. Sittler, successor to her late husband, Mr. G. W. Sittler, whose artistic tastes and attainments and rare social and business qualities made him a general favorite in this city, has extended her trade in photographic supplies well over this and the neighboring states. She also manufactures Sittler’s improved chemicals for photographing on silk, satin, linen and other fabrics, and has a large and rapidly growing photographic business; employs a good force of skilled operators in oil, crayon, pastel and India ink work, besides artistic photography from the minutest forms of portraiture to life size pictures direct from the sitting. This studio was opened by Mr. and Mrs. Sittler in 1882, and under Mrs. Sittler’s sagacious management maintains its former high rank in the advanced photography of the Southwest.
Seven livery establishments, with a total of $72,200 invested in horses and equipage, employ forty-four hands and do a yearly business of $33,700.
Two dealers in horses and mules have $40,000 invested, and carry their yearly sales up to $135,000.
Three dealers in wagons, carriages, farm machinery and implements carry stocks to the amount of $40,000, employ twelve hands, and do a yearly business of $200,000.
Parce & Burlingame alone have in stock $30,000 worth of carriages, buggies, wagons, other vehicles, and farm implements, which fill to repletion the three stories and cellar of their large and handsome business house, located on the Frisco tracks, and a view of which is herewith given. These gentlemen, whose business was founded in 1874, have now the largest and most valuable stock carried by any house in the State, outside of its two great cities, and last year worked their sales up to $150,000. They are brave, energetic, ambitious dealers, whose fine business qualities and exceptionally fine record are creditable alike to themselves and the city, and report a most encouraging outlook for their line of trade.
Seven barber shops report an investment of $6,300, employ 35 hands, and do a total business of $30,700.
The sewing machine agencies, winter gardens, market gardens, seed houses, florists, coal, wood, ice and grain dealers, shippers of poultry and poultry products, wool and hides, merchant tailoring and other lines, upon which no accurate data is at hand, will foot up a yearly business of fully $500,000, and involve the employment of not less than 150 hands and $150,000 in capital.
From the foregoing statement it will be seen that the annual retail trade of Springfield reaches the handsome sum of $5,436,200. The capital invested in retail stocks runs up to $1,874,900, and the number of men and women employed in this department of trade is 1,137. About 225 men, including the principals, are employed in the jobbing trade.
The following summary of the annual wholesale and retail
trade of the city, while not based on complete and entirely accurate data,
is yet a close approximation to the commercial status of the city for
the year ending June 1st, 1889:
Total wholesale trade.................. $5,000,000
Value of average stocks carried..... 2,000,000
No. of men employed.............................. 225
Total retail trade.......................... $5,436,200
Value of average stocks carried..... 1,874,900
No. of men employed............................ 1137
From the above figures we get: (next
page)
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