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Loftus Street just opposite the store of Mr. AC. Geyer, on the property
belonging to Mr. William Baker.
'An excavation has been made to admit of a spacious apartment being
built of stone that will be thirty feet by twenty feet, and ten foot walls, There
will also be two rooms above to correspond with those on the same
allotment, so that the whole frontage to the street will be built upon.
'This underground apartment should be a very pleasant resort in the heat
of summer. The temperature of such a place is likely to be 25 degrees less
than most buildings in the town.' (Sturt Recorder, December 8, 1893:2)
The structure extended by the cellar became a focus of the town, well
remembered by both my informants, and the cellar built in 1893 remains a
major feature in the ruins of Milparinka. Photograph 2 is of the cellar
excavation, taken in 1988. For a few years William Baker's store
advertisements occupied half the front page of the Sturt Recorder. In April
1895 it ran as follows: .
lfWilliam Baker, General Storekeeper, Wine and Spirit Merchant,
Milparinka, begs to announce that he has completed his new premises in
Loftus Street where he intends to offer his customers the very best goods
at the very lowest prices on prompt cash terms. Station requirements
always on hand at cost price, carriage added. W. B. invites inspection of his
large and various stock of groceries wines and spirits. Special attention is
directed to the first arrival of summer drapery, consisting of etc., novelties
in new stuff and cotton dress goods, fancy dress muslins, crimped zephyrs,
galatea stripes, print, blouse spots, self-coloured crepons, plain and fancy
cotton drills, calicoes, sheeting, towelling, and every description of
household linen. Ladies and gentleman's boots and shoes in great variety
and of the best quality. Menswear of every description. The best assorted
stock of haberdashery in the back country. Millinery and dress-making a
specialty, and this department will be under the superintendence of Miss
Baker. Popular and fashionable lines in straws laces and ribbons. W.B.
Wishes to impress upon his numerous friends and the general public that
his present season's importations have been purchased for cash and will
be sold at such prices that defy competition.'
The advertisement continued on page one of the Sturt Recorder until July
16, 1898, and other small mentions were made from time to time of Wilfiam
Baker's enterprise ...'Fruit and other luxuries for Christmas - try Baker's
shilling stall - there never was the like in Milparinka' (Sturt Recorder, 25
December 1897:2).
Although advertising that his terms were 'cash', Baker certainly conducted
some business on credit, and incurred occasional bad debts. On one
occasion a claim of £26/3/10 for goods sold and delivered was reported as
follows 'the defendant said he did not object to the amount claimed but he
offered a dam in payment which was refused. The dam was worth about
three times the amount of his debt. I Upon questioning, the defendant