Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/521

 ADKLAIDE AND VICINITY 495 Mr. David Murray IN each Australian Colony there are great commercial houses which are intimately associated with its prosperity. Such houses carry on a wholesale trade, and they have business connection in nearly every town and township in the Colony. They are, indeed, immense depots whence the country parts receive their supplies, their customers being the storekeepers throughout the land. Of such institutions in -South Australia, that of D. & VV. -Alurray, Limited, is one of the chief. Since 1853 this house has been in existence, and during the intervening period it has been gradually extending its spheres of operations from north to south, and east to west, and even into the adjacent colonies The biographies of great captains of commerce in the colonies, there- fore, have an especial interest, inasmuch as the men themselves largely contribute in enterprise, wealth, and political sagacity, to the growth of the country. They have grown up, so to speak, with the country, as well in wealth as in importance. David Murray was born at Anstruther, P'ifeshire, Scotland, in December, 1829, and came with his brother William to South Australia in 1853. Almost im- iiamm.r & Co., Photo mediately after their arrival, the ■ Murrays opened a small drapery business in King William Street, Adelaide. At that time the population of South Australia was exceedingly small, for the Province had not recovered from the phenomenal exodus to the Victorian goldfields. Business was depresssed, although there was a goodly amount of money in circulation, due to the South Australian gold-diggers forwarding their winnings to their families, or returning to purchase property and to enjoy a holiday in their own Province. The business of I). & W. Murray obtained popularity, and it soon became necessary for them to remove to larger premises. They chose a site at the corner of Grenfell Street. From thenceforth, as years went by, and the Province increased in population and wealth, the business of the firm expanded