A Stroll on Pearl Street

Pearl street is now the wholesale centre of the city, and one of its best business streets. During the past two or three years no street in the city has approached it in the number, extent, and magnificence of the buildings erected, nor is the progress it has made in increased business and business facilities. As Pearl street was to Cincinnati in former years, so is our Pearl street to-day to this city--the grand highway of our leading merchants.. Among the improvements that have been made on this street in the past two or three years, are six immense and first class business blocks, all of brick, with iron fronts; buildings that would do credit to any city. Nearly every one of the business houses in the street have undergone thorough improvements in the way of remodeling, painting, and putting up iron or stone fronts, and to-day there is not a street in any city of the State that presents a more neat, cleanly or handsome appearance.. In the way of street improvement, the spirit of progress has kept up with that in the way of fine buildings. The street has undergone a complete remetalling, and is now one of the best thoroughfares in the city.. Music Hall, the pride and boast of New Albany, was built on this street last year. As a place of amusement it is much the largest building in Indiana, and in point of architectural design it is of such beauty as to excite the admiration of all who see it. In the Vernia Block there is added another large and fine Hall; and in the DePauw Block there is now being fitted up one of the cosiest public halls in the State. Thus, in two years, have three splendid public halls been added to our city, all on Pearl street.. Among the wholesale houses on Pearl street are the following: Boots and shoes, Bradley, Peck, & Co., McCord, Bradley & Co., and W. S. Culbertson & Son. Dry goods, McCord, Bradley, & C., W. S. Culbertson & Son. Notions and variety goods, Cannon, Hughes, & Co. Groceries, J. H. McMahan, Leyden, & Co., and Vernia & Wunderlich. Hats and caps, W. C. Vance & Co., and F. A. Hicks & Co. Drugs, O. Sackett. Clothing, Bierman & Epstein, John Heib, and John Gadient & Co. Hardware and iron, John Gordon & Sons, two very large establishments. Agricultural implements are also kept by this house. Produce, grain, and commission, Geo. Lyman & Co., Dotson & Shaw, and McClintick & Bro. Leather and findings, D. Crane & Son, and Theo. Day. Carpets and dry goods, Webber, Bentley, & Co. Paper, blank books, stationery, and gold pens, New Albany Ledger Office. Tobacco manufacturers and dealers in tobacco and cigars, W. D. Morris, John Goetz, and Serb, Pering & Co. Candies, confectionery, and fruits, J. Goodbub, and George Ehrhart. Bonnets, hats, and millinery goods, Stephen Albert Manufacturers and wholesale candles and Soap, J. P. Frank & Co. Doors, sash, and blinds, &c., John C. Howard & Co. Pork and Beef packing and provision dealer, M. McDonald & Co.. The above only include the wholesale establishments on Pearl street. There are beside these a number of fine retail houses. There are also on the street the post office and two banks, the Bank of Salem and the New Albany National Bank.. To no one man's enterprise and public spirit, more than another, is the city indebted for the splendid improvements made on Pearl street, than to Mr. G. C. Cannon. He has added two to the six new blocks built during the past two years, and both of these blocks will vie in fine appearance with any business house in the city. He was the originator, if we are not mistaken, of Music Hall, and was one among the most active to get up the company that gave the city this magnificent building.. W. C. DePauw and P. Vernia have also shown an enterprise in the improvements upon Pearl street, worthy the emulation of other business men. The improvements upon the street continue, and next year a first class hotel will no doubt be added to the other fine buildings put up, and several blocks of business houses. The day of old frames in this street have been numbered. It has taken on "metropolitan airs," and will soon be the most compactly and elegantly built street in the city.