State

Роде Eighteen THE STATE November 10, 1934 They’ve Sold Plenty of Books Established about two rears after tin* end of the War Be- twoen the States, the firm of Alfred Williams \* Company, Raleigh stationers and Ixtok sellers and prob¬ ably the largest concern «>f its kind in North Carolina, has become right miii'h of nil institution, well-known and well diked throughout the state and almost the entire South. For several years following the ces- Mition of the hitter struggle lietwceu the grey-ulnd hosts of the South and the hlue-liniformed men of the North, conditions in North Carolina ami all other Southern states were, to say the least, chaotic. Uncertainty and doubt prevailed and poverty was in evidence everywhere. Raleigh still was a small city with none of its present modern conven¬ iences. Communication was slow and irregular and the majority of business cstaldishmeiits were conducted upon what now are considered rather anti¬ quated methods. Rut the terrors of the dreadful Re¬ roust runt ion period did not deter Alfred Williams (the first) from car¬ rying out his intention of establishing tiie business that has been carried on so successfully for <!7 years. A man of sterling character ami fine business foresight, Mr. Williams saw the need of a hook supply house for Raleigh and the state at large in order thut the public schools might be supplied ALFRED WILLIAMS, II If all the books which he has sold could be placed end to end, they’d probably stretch around the world several times. ★ with books and «.flier needed equip¬ ment, and the general public given the opportunity of i 'Staining worthwhile literature. The location ol the first Williams store was but a few doors from the present Fayetteville Street site. Asso¬ ciated with Mr. Williams for a num¬ ber of years was Mr. Eugene Harrell, and the original name of the firm was the same that it now bear*. The first Alfred Williams was active in the organization for the first 28 years of its existence, retiring in IsOa at the age of St) years. Following the retirement of the firm’s founder, the business was sold to his grandson. Edgar I lay wood, and his great-nephew, Alfred Williams, II. This duo of young men had become proficient in the conduct of the busi¬ ness under the tutelage of the original owners, and following their acquisition I of the establishment their energies and abilities quickly made necessary expan¬ sions which have occurred with in¬ creasing frequency since that time. Following the death of Mr. Hay¬ wood after a decidedly successful part¬ nership of almost thirty years, his interest was purchased by Alfred Williams, II, and passed on to the latter's sons, Alfred Williams, III and Bryan Grimes Williams, now the jun- ioi members of the firm. Further expansions of the business have been mode during the ten years the two sons of the present head of the firm have Iseon his partners. In addi¬ tion to stationery and books, the store soon began to oiler office furniture and supplies, later supplementing these ad¬ ditions with typewriting, engraving and framing departments. Within a short time, the volume of business was twice what it formerly had been. As concrete evidence that character and ability in the conduct uf any busi¬ ness pays handsome dividends. Alfred Williams «V Company pridefully point to the fact that their establishment has survived five years of almost unprece¬ dented depression without the econom¬ ic scars a great many others have accumulated. Like most busincMoa, Alfred Wil¬ liams, II, recently said, that the one in which he has been engaged for almost forty years, has witnessed sig¬ nificant changes. “We no longer have constant calls for the old masters Dickens, Bulwer- Lytlon, Thackeray and the like," he f said. “Modern reading matter tends more towards magazines and there is too much ‘indifferent’ fiction. I am glad to note, however, that the sale of the Rihle is holding its own, and his¬ tory and biography as it is now writ¬ ten, is on a rising demand.” Public Officials TAX COLLECTORS, TREASURERS. CLERKS OF COURT. SHERIFFS. REGISTER OF DEEDS AND OTHERS I con write your bonds. Do not delay in getting your bond until offer December 1st, write me now, or hove your local agent write me. T H OMA8 O’ В К R R Y I A' S II R 1 ACE — П О A D S Bank of Wayne Building GOLDSBORO. NORTH CAROLINA