Show WHITELEY TRADE ROMANCE Policy to o Supply Everything Needed From Birth Until Death new ew York American The de death th of Wilam William Whiteley who was assassinated recently remove removes the dominant figure in the retail world of England The Tue name of Whiteley ha become a househ ld word and the Ufe Universal Provider furnished the material for jokes and jests and stories ot of al all kinds Whiteley was the pioneer department store merchant of England He was born on a farm near Wakefield York Yorkshire Yorkshire shire in 1831 and was apprenticed to a adry dr dry goods merchant there At the ex expiration ot of his apprenticeship when he be was 20 year years old Whiteley went to London wih with 50 in his pocket He ob tined tamed employment saved some more money and then borrowed from frIends and wih with a capital of opened a Westbourne Grove In the then thinly populated West End of London This store was opened In 1863 and Whiteley had two women assistants and a boy I Four years ater ter h he added a second store to the origInal establishment and gradually expanded his business until the Whiteley covered a huge block and gave employment to persons Whiteley claimed that he lt could pro provide provide vide anything from ane a necile le to an ete ele elephant His Innovations so enraged oth other other er shopkeepers of neighborhood that he was publicly burned in effigy Tn 18 1899 9 the business Wa waa transformed Into with a limited liability Whiteley as chairman of th board of control son on Wilam William as secre secretary secretary tary Th capitalization of the com company panYa pany wa r was the active hea head of up to the moment of his death ath He could be found at his store up to 7 in inthe Inthe the evening five days In the week The policy of the store wa was to supply everything needed by man or woman from birth to death including medica attendance and the funeral I It sup supplied pled plied servants actors tutors couriers governesses and an all of did an express business sold railroad and steamship tickets and even een a yacht If one desired to travel that way One of the stories told concerning him is that a wager ager wa was ma made e by an Elg Erig Ush r to a messmate that the Uni Universal Universal versal Provider furnIsh furnish anything he could name The wager was accept accepted ed and the officer named elephants as the artcle article to be caled called for at the Whiteley store The first officer said he felt certain that Whiteley could furnish them and after privately communIcating wih with the merchant tok took the second officer to the store Elephants Certainly said the clerk who m mt t Them he an and l led them to th the basement where six elephants were chained Whiteley had them from n a menagerie In answer to the charge of In Investing in so many businesses Whiteley once said sald saidI I bel v ln n a ainan his hi money In afy any way a tn ft fit it should be invested and Sot not hoarded i up He should circulate pay pay rent ard and taxes increase the trade trade In gs gas coal and water and give employment to the greatest number of peoplE people possible I Ido Ido do not own to any limit The world is ismy Ismy my parish and I have hae a right to business do In any or al all parts of it itIn ItIn In as many ways as I think proper so that I do it honorably and lawfully |