"When young Wallace Going approached the President of the Transcontinental Railroad with his invention, he was laughed to scorn, but the young man gave a practical demonstration ascending in his balloon and allowing the earth to pass in review before him arriving at Portland again, or rather, rolling around to Portland again 23 hours 55 minutes later. A vast sum was paid young Going for his invention, but the railroad companies stuck to their privilege of bottling it up, fully realizing the revolution it would create in business once it was established. The patent ran out in 25 years when the device became public property and now it is in general use from Alaska on the north to Terra del Fuego on the south and there has been very few mishaps to any of the carriers. "You can see, therefore, how the number of railroads running north and south must have increased and how the traffic across the continent has diminished. "And still the end of the wonders are not yet," and the interesting old lady stopped to consult her memorandum book. "You will want to know, of course, who are in business in Portland at the time I am talking about, A. D. 1999, and I will gladly answer all your enquiries, as I have a city directory for the year 1998, but it will do for our use," and the old lady took a ponderous book from her bag. Illustration: End of Chapter 3. CHAPTER IV. +Old Names Revived.+ "Tell me, please, who are the proprietors of the department stores in 1999?" "Well, there is Lipman, Wolfe & Co., who occupy two blocks, one at their present location, the other being on the east side of the river. I notice the name Ramsdell is still connected with the concern and there are several Lipmans and Wolfes interested in the business. They have always kept up with the times and never grew weary in the race for the golden shekels. "I notice, also, that Meier, Frank Company are not only in the business at the old stand, but occupy a 50-story building near where the Multnomah field once was located. This latter is a grand building and it required a special act of legislature to effect its construction. The down town store, which covers an entire block, is devoted to the heavier and coarser class of merchandise, while the new store is filled with, well, everything. Here most of the employes of this great business are comfortably housed with all the comforts of apartment life and the huge structure is a little city in itself. This building was erected as a monument to Messrs. Meier and Frank, the founders of the house, by their great grand children in 1960. "Olds, Wortman and King are still known by that firm name and the posterity of each of the individual members of the house are represented in the business. The store is conducted on the same broad business principles which always characterized the founders of the house and which today makes it the popular place to do shopping.