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with Mr. Temple, nnder the firm name of
Temple & Beaupre. In that year they had a
small establishment on Jackson street, be
tween the ^Merchants hotel and the levee.
Their business was necessarily confined to a
Bmall area of territory at that time, as there
was but few white people in the country,
outside of St. Paul, Minneapolis and Still
water. Thefirmcontinued in business un
til 18G2, when Mr. Temple died, and Mr. P.
H. Kelly was admitted as a partner under the
firm name of Beaupre & Kelly, and contin
ued as such until 1875, when Mr. Beaupre
withdrew and associated himself with P. P.
McQuillan & Co., utder the firm name of
McQuillan, Beaupre & Co. This partner
ship continued until the death of Mr. Mc
Quillan in 1877, when the presentfirmwas
organized under the name of Beaupre, Alien
& Keogh. From the small beginning (m the
Uttle shanty we may call it) on Jacksonstreet,
this house has steadily increased itsbnsiness,
until in thisyear of 1879 its trade has reached
the enormous sum of two million dollars.
From the oompaiatively circumsoribed coun
try over winch their trade extended in that
early day, it now extends over the entire
State of Minnesota, the province of Mani
toba, and portions of Iowa, Wisconsin, Ne
braska, Dakota and Montana. Since Mr.
iieaupro first occupied the small quarters
on Jackson street, he has been
obliged to remove four times. When his
increasing business, after his first removal
on Jackson street, demanded more room, he
built a fine block on Third street just be
low the Merchants hotel, which he still owns
inow occupied by Forepaugh & Tarbox), and
moved there with a firm determination tht
when that large building was inadequate to
accommodate his business, he would
ictne. On the death of Mr. Mc
Quillan the present firm was or
ganized, and has continued ever since. The
firm occupies the building on the corner of
Third and Sibley streets, expiessly built for
them. It has a frontage of seventy five foet
on Third street, by 125 feet'on Sibley street.
It is four stones in* height with a basement,
and spacious as all their five floors are, they
are inadequate to accommodatetheir present
business, and arrangements are in progress
for more room. They give employment to
about fifty persons, among whom are seven
traveling men, who cover the entire North
west in their travels. As an evidence of the
enterprise of the firm, it may be stated that
they dispute with Chicago for the trade of
the country half way between St. Paul and
that city. They carry an average stock of
some & 350,000, and always have from $30,-
000 to $50,000 worth of goods on the rails
eu route fr jra the Ea^t and South.
IS oil A JPaar
There a fow Names better known as con
nected With thabusiness
interests of St. Paul,
than those of the two gentleman who com-
pose tfaa him heading this article. For lo'
these many year"newly a quarter of a cen-
tniythey have occupied and maintained an
honorable, upnght and successful' place
among tho business men of the Northwest.
I 18 70 they associated themselves together,
under the firm name of Holl & Paa r, for the
pnrpoae of carrying on the wholesale gro-
cery business. They opened firBt on Robert
stroet, near Third, where they remained nn
til 187G, when they removed to their present
quarters, on the corner of Fourth and Sibley
streets. Heie they occupy a building 37x125
feet, with four floors While their business
largely conured to dealers of their own
nationality, their sturdy honesty and fair
dealing has secured for them a large number
of customers among other nationalities.
They have three traveling men on the road
constantly, and employ twelve in their store.
'1 business daring tho past year will
leach a little over a half million. It is one
ot the solid firms of St. Paul, as well as of
Amenc?.
O. Mclai'iand
On the 10th of May last Mr. O. McFar
land opened a wholesale groceiy store at No.
Kobort street, the store formerly occupied
by Noyes Bros. & Cutler. Ho came to St.
Paxil about eight years ago from "VYisconsiD,
where ho had been engaged in trado for ten
years, for tho purpose of impioving his
htulth, and was for several years owner of
tho Park Place Hotel. About three years
a^o ho euioarked in the package business at
Soven Corners, butfindingtho grocery trade
more congenial he decided to engage in it,
whnh he did as above stated. His large ac
quaintance throughout the Northwest soon
attraoted a large*trade, and the year closes
with total sales amounting to from $350,000
to $400,000, his trade oxtending through all
tho States and territories of the Northwest.
Mr. McFarland occupies tho three stories
and basement of the store, 25x100 feet in di
mensions. He expects to largely increase
his facilities during the coming year, and to
doable hissales. His stook comprises every
thing usually found in wholesale groceiy
houses, and is fresh and comprehensive.
COFFEE AND SPICFS.
Qroff A JJerkey.
It seenn almost incredible, but it is never
theless true, that these two young men who,
(it seems like yesterday) were coasting down
the bluffs surrounding the city, are the same
staid, sober, energetic, driving business men
who are managing a business which requires
the handling of thousands of dollars, the
employment of many persons, and whose
trade extends over a territory equal in extent
to an empire. The house was organized only
a little over three years ago, viz: in 1876, and
comrnonceJ business in a small way, in
cramped quarters in the International block
near tLo corner of Seventh and Jackson
streets. Their business increased so rapidly
that they were compelled to move three times
within one year to get more space. In March,
1877, they removed to their present quarters
in Wann's new blook, on the corner of
Fourth and Sibley streets, where they occcpy
a fine building 30x120 feet with four floors,
all of which are occupied for the purpo se of
carrying on their business. They manufac
ture all^their own sp'ces, baking powders?
ground coffees, etc., etc. All their goods are
labeled with thefirmname, and snch has be
come the acknowledged excellence of their
productions that it is almost impossible for
thm to fill the demands When they com
menced bnsiuess they performed all the work
themselves. To-day they are employing
tweuty-four persons, and still they cannot
fi'l their orders. In round numbers their
business for the year 1879 will reach between
$150,000 and $200,000. They are manufac
turing 500 pounds of their celebrated baking
powders per day. They have a capacity for
roasing 2,oG0 pounds of coffee per day. All
their machinery is run by steam. As one
little item it may be mentioned that during
the past year they have used over one mill
ion tin orns, little and big, for their spioes,
powders, etc. Three years ago their trade
was confined almost exclusively to St. Paul.
To-day it extends over the entire Northwest*
and five men are on the road all the time
taking orders. For a young firm we chal
lenge the world to produce their equal in
business foresight or business success.
Granger Hodge,
This extensive wholesale tea, coffee, spice
and baking powder house, at No. 62 Sibley
street, was established in the spring of 1867,
by Warren Granger and Lyman D. Hodge,
formerly of Buffalo, N. Y. At that time the
population of St. Paulwas only about 15,000,
and the territory tributary so small that the
enterprise was extremely hazardous. At
first it was up hill work, but by push and en
ergy, and the greatest care taken in always
putting up goods of the highest standard cf
cjuality, together with the rapid development
of the Northwest) their business gradually
increased to large proportions, and nowtheir
manusactured goods are a household word
throughout the whole State of Minnesota,
and a large portion of Wisconsin, Iowa, Ne
braska, and the Territories of Dakota and
Montana, while their tea trade is one of the
largest in the whole country.
Their business may be more particularly
mentioned as divided into the following de
partments:
"TEAS.**
With a large depot in New York city, from
which they supply their customers South and
East, and with a complete stock in St. Paul,
they are enabled to meet the demands of the
trade fte a large extent of territory, and by
direct importations and buying in large quan-
tities, they can always meet the closest compe-
tition.
As a specialty in this department we might
mention that they a im always to nrnish teas
of the finest drinking qualities, without regard
to the style or look* of the tea. This their
many customers have long known and appreci-
ated.
BOASTED AM) GROUND COFFEES.
With all the latest and most improved ma-
chinery for xoasting with uniformity and re-
taining the full aroma of the fragrant berry,
and by exercising the greatest care in selecting
fine Savored coffees, the business in this de-
partment has been largely developed, showing
an Increase for the year 1879 of more than one
hundred per cent, over the preceeding year,
and with the meet flattering prospects for tho
future.
"OBOTJND SPICES."
Granger & Hodge's ground spices are now so
well known throughout the Northwest, and
their reputation so firmly established as to
make them the most staple goods of the kind
in the Market, proving that the best KOOOS will
always in in the end.
Put under the most attractive labels and
neatly packed, they represent the very highest
standard of quality and purity in ground
spices.
WHIM STAB BAKINd P0WDEB.
This new brand has iust been placed on the
market, and the firm claim that it will un
doubtedly prove a great favorite. I fast,
when they showed our reporter orders for over
four tona of it, on their booki, he was inclined
to agreo with them. I is put nnder the
handsomest label we ever saw, and the show
cards and streamers for advertising it are ab
solutely gorgeous. For the merits of the
White Star Baking powder we append the re
port of the eminent chemist. Prof. S. F. Peck
ham, of the State university, after which our
readers can judge for themselves!
Omoj or STATE CHEMIST, I
MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 10,1879.
MESSRS. QBAKOEB A HODGE, St. Paul, Minn.:
GENTLEMENAfter a thorough chemical analysis
of your White Star Baking Powder, I find that it con
tains no alum, phosphates, terra Alba or any ingre
dients whatever not perfectly healthful when used
with articles of diet It is mads from grape cream
tartar as a basis, with the attendant ingredients so
exactly combined as to render its action peif ect for
baking purposes.
I am now using it in my own family, ard can
recommend it in the highest terms as a pure grape
cream tartar baking powder. It is the very best
article I have ever examined, having never seen one
before that gave a perfectly neutral solution. Very
respeotfully yours, S F. PECXHAM,
Professor of Chemistry.
DRY GOODS.
Auerbueh, Finch, Culbertson Co.
The history of the great dry good house of
Messrs. Auerbach, Finch, Culbertson & Go. is
a fitting comment upon the growth and pro
gress of the city of St. Paul. The house was
first established i a 1863 as an exclusive whole-
gale establishment by Messrs J. L. Fore
paugh and Maurice Auerbach, nnder the firm
name of J. L. Forepaugh & Co. There
were many in the city at that time who
looked upon the new departure with doubts
as to the success of the enterprise in a busi
ness point of view. The energetic men at
ita head, howeve r, had no such doubts. They
had looked the matter over thoroughly and
taken into account all the possibilities and
probabilities. With a firm faith in the fu
ture of Bt. Paul as the great commercial cen
ter of the Northwest they unhesitatingly in
vested their capital and laid the foundations
of a business which only a few years ago
would have been considered marvelous. The
first five years business amounted to about
$200,000, and has increased from that time
until the business of the house during the
past twelve months has reached the almost
incredible sum of three million dollars!
The business was conducted by J. L.
Forepaugh & Co. until the year 1868, when
Mr. Forepaugh retired and the firm name
was changed to that of Auerbach, Finch &
Scheffer, and remained so until Mr. Charles
Scheffer's death in 1875, when it was
changed to the present firm of Auerbach,
Finch, Culbertson & Co.
Four times have they been compelled to
change their quarters in order to find suffi
cient space to accommodate their large and
constantly growing trade. At present they
are located on the corner of Fourth and Jack
son streets, in the magnificent block erected
expressly for them by Commodore Davidson
at a cost of some $60,000. This fine
building has a front of 150 feet
on Jackson street, by 110 feet on
Fourth. It has four stories with a base
ment, and every inch of the five spacious
floors is not only occupied, but already there
is a necessity for more room. The basement
isfilledwith domestic cottons, thefirstfloor
with dry goods, woolens, etc, the second
with notions, the third with fancy good?, and
the jurth is used largely as a manufactory.
As stated above the sales of this firm for
the past year reac he 1 the magnificent figures
of $3,000,000. Their trade extends over
the entire Northwest, including Minnesota,
Wisconsin, Iowa, Dakota, Nebraska, Colora
do, Wyoming, Manitoba, and even to Utah.
Over one hundred persons are employed in
the building alone, and the firm gives em
ployment in their different departments
to between four and five hundred persons.
They manufacture all kinds of clothing,
overhauls, shirts, lumbermens' supplies can
vass tents, wagon covers, etc. Each de
dartment is under the supervision of a thor
oughly competent manager. And all their
vast business is conducted with such a
thorough business method that all of it
moves on without a single jar. Hundreds
of thousands of dollars worth of
goods are received and shipped
daily, but there is no confusion and no mis
takes. All the members of the firm are
young men, and are true types of the active,
energetio, far seeing, successful business
men of St. Paul. They have studied the
wants and the needs of the territory over
which their trade extends,-and large as their
business has already grown, it is apparently
only in its infancy.
Lindekes, Warner Jb Schurmeier.
This is one of our largest Dry Goods firms,
and the names are probably as familiar as
are those of any gentlemen in the^city of St.
Paul. The senior, Wm. Lindeke, comes into
noticefirstas the lessee of, the old City mill,
erected onTrout brook by Mr. Gibbons, who
was fatally woundad at Biroh Coolie in 1862.
Mr. Gibbons' partner, Marshall, having" a
contract in the army, leased the mill to Mr.
Lindeke, and here was laid the foundation of
a successful business career, which has fol
lowed him ever since. He then built tho
Union Mill, which proved itself a great mint
and is carried on to this day. The junior
Lindeke entered into the dry goods business
as a clerk early in life with the late Louis
Blum, on the corner of Third and Cedar,
where Warner's auction room now stands.
After years of apprenticeship he
became associated with. Messrs
Schafer and Zahm, under the firm name of
A. H. Lindeke & Bro. Thisfirmafter years
of successful trade dissolved, and its place
was taken by A. H. Lindeke & Bro., who
still continue to carry on a large retail busi
ness under the immediate supervision of
Wm. Lindeke.
Reuben Warner is one of the old, old set
tlers. The pioneers will remember him as
associated with his brother on the corner of
Third and Jackson in an old wooden build
ing whioh stood where the general offices of
the C. M. & St. P. R. R. now are. R. War
ner erected the handsome block cornerThird
and Wabashaw, known as Music hall. At a
later datetheyfemoved tothecornerof Waba
shaw and Third streets, and there remained
until they built np on the corner of Third
and Cedar, where J. M/Warner still remains
in business.
T. L. Schurmeier, the junior, is one of St.
Paul's children. His father, the
late C. H. Schurmeier, was an
early settler in St. Paul, and became the
counsel and banker of nearly all the Germans
who came to this part of the country. He
lived an honored life, was a consistent
Christian, a substantial, trustworthy business
man, and lives to-day fresh in the memory of
all old settlers. His sons were left a com
potency and are both successful business
men in St. l*aul to-day. The one of whom
we write in this article gained/his business
education in the First National bank, where
he was employed for a number of years.
The firm of Lindekes, Warner &
Schurmeier commenced business July
1, 1878. The field was looked oven
pronounced goodthe men are
men of means and experience and they were
only called upon to enter in and occupy the
land. The building they ocoupy is 70x160,
with abasement and four stories. It is large
and yet not more than half adequa te to the
demands upon it. This is no boast, for last
year the sales exceeded $1,600,000. In addi
tion to the four members of the firm, they
employ seven traveling salesmen and thirty
nine in-the store, while in the manufacturing
department are employed 120 men and wo
men, who work on overalls, shirts and Macki
naw goods outside of the building. A resi
dent buyer in New York watches the markets
closely and is assisted by at least oemember
of thefirmand occasionelly the heads of the
several departments, who go to New York at
stated periods to replenish in their 'several
lines.
R. A. Durkee has charge of thefirstfloor,
which is the dry goods proper T. A.
Sohultze, secondfloor,or domestics J. W.
Warren, third floor, or notions C. F. Put
nam, white goods, and J. F. Fraenbaoh of
the manufacturing department.
X*axvra- Brothers,
One of the substantial and rising firms of
the city, commenced business in Bt. Paul in
1872, andfirstoccupied the old Camp store,
on Third street below Minnesota street.
They have been and are large advertisers.
They believe in printers' ink, and have sense
enough to know that papers areprinted to be
read, that people are educat ed to expect to
find in the columns of alive paper just what
they ought to know. A column in the oity
dailies announced to the publio that Powers
Brothers, in a few days, open np a stock
of dry goods, aa the people of St.
Paul and fts vioimty had never seen before.
Tho recent purchases were very extensive, a
corps of ladies and gentlemen were em
ployed, and thousands thronged the counters
from daylight until dark, making their pur
chases. As the business of the city seemed
to be drifting down stream they leased the
store they now occupy, No. 91 East Third
street, consisting of abasement for storage,
the first floor for retail and three upper
Btories for wholesale.
The store at all times presents a very
lively appearance, and twenty-five clerks
are busy from early morning until late
at night attending to the wants of expect
ant Customers. Goods are not allowed to
dust and mould on the shelves. A grand
clearing out sale is inaugurated onoe a year,
and goods are sold at any price in order to
make way for the new.
This house makes a specialty of dress
goods, silks, hosiery, white goods, notions,
trimmings, etc. All staple goods are sold at
New York prices. The bnsiness'this year
will foot np $400,000.
William Lee & Co,
Any review of the wholesale business of
St. Paul, past or present, that omitted a
mention of William Lee, would be like the
play of Hamlet with the principal character
left out. Probably no wholesale dealer in
Bt. Paul has been longer or more widely
known than Mr. Lee. He has been identi
fied with St. Paul almost since, it can be
said, her business^was worthy of mention.
came to St. Paul in 1859, end
during that summer he opened a
wholsale and retail dry goods store,
whioh for the past twelve years has been ex
clusively wholesale. A few yea.s ago Mr.
George Lee, of Philadelphia, was admitted
to the firm. As is well known, the senior
member of thefirm'seldomif ever leavesSt.
Paul. It {is a rare thing for him. to be ab
sent from his business plaoe for a singleday,
and then only when official duty or sickness
demand it. The junior member, who re
sides in Philadelphia, is one of the best
posted dry goods men in the East He has
been all his life familiar with the trade inall
its phases. He is constantly on hand in the
markets, Mid nothing pertaining to his hnsi-
ness escapes him, The firm has all the
capital they require. They boy for cash
only, and their business is conducted on the
strictest kind of conservatism. They sell
close, and only to good customers, preferring
this method to takingjlarge risks by increas
ing the volume of theirjxade, as they could
easily do. Mr. Lee started in busi
ness in the well known "Red Front" on
Third street, between Cedar and Minnesota.
All old settlers will remember this store. In
1869 he removed to his present quarters in
the First National Bank blook and adjoining
that institution. They have a front of 50
feet by 125 feet deep with four floors. In
addition to their wholesale trade the firm
are large manufacturers of lumbermen's
goods of all kinds,flanneland oassimere
shirts, overalls, eta, giving employment to
from 75 to 100 persons theyear ronnd. They
nave five traveling men on the road con-
etantly and occasionally more. When a cus
tomer is secured he generally sticks, and as
an incident of this fact we may mention that
there are several customers on their books
who have bought of them for thepasttwenty
years. The annual sales of thefirmreaches
a little beyond half a million. This is em
phatically one of the soundest business
houses in Minnesota.
m* W. Ingersoll & Co.
Since far away back as 1856, the name of
D. W. ingersoll baa been a familiar one on
Bridge Square. At that time the firm was
oomposed of bnt one, and the store was a
small one, whioh at that early day was con
sidered something pretty good for [St. Panl.
In 1858, Mr. T. C. Field, Mr. Ingeraoll'a
son-in-law, and Mr. C. T. Mahler
became members, and the firm
was then known, as it has been ever since, as
D. W. Ingersoll & Co. The first store oc
cupied by Mr. Ingersoll was in what is now
known as Rogers' block. He then moved
into MoGlung's block, and for a num
ber of years occupied the corner
next the bridge. The business
increased rapidly, and it was necessary to
have enlarged quarters. Mr. Ingersoll cast
about for an eligible spot Jon which to erect
a building suitable to the demands of his in
creasing trade. This was about the breaking
out of the war. The land was purchased,
and soon Ingersoll Block became one of the
substantial improvements of St. Paul. The
store proper, whioh is in the form of an L,
has two fronts, one on Wabashaw street and
the other on Third. Thecorner room is and
has been used for banking purposes, and is
now occupied hy the Second National
bank. The basement is admirably ar
ranged for storing surplus goods and packing
for wholesale customers. A fire proof vault
is here bnilt for the accommodation of the
valuable books and papers of the concern.
This firm is to-day the oldest in the city,
and is one of the very few that has passed
through the fiery ordeal of the great busi
ness depressions, -which, is now recorded
mong the things of the past. Over twenty
salesmen and saleswomen are employed, and
the business is conducted on a cash basis.
Their strong hold is on the city trade, and
yet the country contributes largely during
the year.
The present members of the firm are
W. Ingersoll, T. C. Field and C. F. Mahler.
The latter gentleman has twice been, and
now is, a member of the
firm. He withdrew at one time and went
into business at Belle Plaine, but three or
four years ago came back to "his first love,"
where he will probably remain for the bal
ance of his natural life.
Ingersoll Hall, one of the .old landmarks
of the city, remains only in memory. Its
place has been transformed into commodi
ous offices now occupied by lawyers, archi
tects, etc. The second story of thisbuilding
remains about as when first erected, one
portion of which is occupied by the St. Paul
Library, the balance by dentists, lawyers, and
insurance agents.
Mannheimer Brothers.
Twenty-five years ago the firm of Mann
heimer Brothers was organized in Chicago.
For many years they transaeted a large and
constantly increasing trade in dry goods and
notions, and were noted all over the city for
the uniformly excellent quality of their
goods and the reasonable prices charged. In
the spring of 1871, previous to the great fire,
the advantages of St. Paul as a trade center
were presented] to the firm, and a branch
store was opened here, one of the parties
coming to St. Panl to manage it, while the
others remained in Chicago. The fire came
and swept everything before it. The Messrs.
Mannheimer were heavy losers, bnt were not
discouraged. They started in business again
and did remarkably well for about three,
years. After tke lapse of that time, how
ever, it was found that the St. Panl trade re
quired more attention than the resident
partner was able to give it, and it was deter
mined to close out the Chicago business en
tirely and make St. Paul the center of their
trade. Thefirmis now composed of Messrs.
Robert and Emil Mannheimer. The senior
member spends most of his time at the East
making purchases from the latest foreign
invoices, while Mr.Emil Mannheimer makes
his home here and manages the extensive
trade of the firm. Sinoe they commenced
business here their business has more than
doubled, and during the present year it has
increased fully 50 per cent, ever 1878 and is
still constantly increasing. For the year
1879 the sales, exclusively at retail, have ag
gregated the enormous sum of $250,000.
Their stock is probably the finest west of
Chicago, embracing everything in the line
of dry goods and notions. The assortment
is kept constantly fresh by invoices from
New York and Boston, purchased with an
especial view to the wants of Bt. Paul by a
man who has had a long and varied expe
rience in the trade, Mr. Robert Mann
heimer.
Esterley & Heinemann,
This house was established at 103 Seventh
street September 3d, 1878, by Chas. A. Es-
terley and Gustave"Heinemann, both young
men and possessing a thorough practical
knowledge of the business in allitsbranches.
They at onoe found favor with, the publio
and their, business] increased rapidly. In
fact, became one of the most popular estab
lishments of the kind in the^city. With
this largejincrease in business came] the
necessity of more space to accomodate their
patrons. Consequently, about January 1st,
1879, they leased the two stores adjoining
X03 and made -very extensive alterations and
improvements. On April 1st, 1879, they
opened theirJpresentjoommodious^and beau
tiful store, comprising .Nos. 103 and 105
Seventh]JBtreet, replete with every conve
nience, and displaying a superb stook of dry
goods, secondtonone in this city.
This house buys^and sells for cash, hence
they are enabled to offer their goods at ex-
ceedingly lowprices, whioh largely accounts
for the immensejincrease in their business
their sales thisfallhaving more than doubled*
those of last] fall,| and their annual sales
amounting to about two hundred and fifty
thousand dollars.
WithinthepastyearEsterley & Heinemann
have added to their business a wholesale de
partment. This branch is gradually assum
ing large proportions, and offers especial ad
vantages to merchants buying for cash.
Independent of theabove,they are at present
proprietors of several branch houses in this
State, whioh are conducted on the cash sys
tem, and all are successful and prosperous.
Thisfirmcontemplatesfurtherimprovements
ato distant day in thejaddition of a third
store to their present, double store, which
will give them the largest Retail Dry Goods
Store in the State,andafford ample facilities
fox tho transaction of the immense business
which the past and present [rapid increase
JCamm & Mann.
In 1860 thefirmof Zamm & Mann com
menced business in a modest way at the
Seven corners, laying in a small but select
stock of dry goods. They traded carefully,
sold for cash, and soon saw their trade in
creasing at a rate far beyond their expecta
tions. Their store had to be enlarged to
meet the demands of the public upon them,
and when the revival of trade begun about
two years ago, they were found in a position
to take advantage of the markets. In 1878
they did a larger trade than ever before, and
with the opening of the present year they
controlled the bulk of the business of the
part of the oity in whioh they were located.
The failure of A. H. Strouse last fall, and
the sale of his stook at sheriff's sale, pre
sented an opportunity for their enterprise
which was eagerly seized. They succeeded
in bidding in the entire stock in a blook for
the sum of $51,400 cash, and on the 6th of
the present month opened up to the publio.
By offering great bargains they attraoted
buyers from the entire oity and surrounding
country, and thus far their sales have sur
passed their most sanguine expectations.
They report business during the year as
about 25 per oent. better than during 1878,
with every prospect of a still further increase
in 1880. They are now carrying a stock of
about $80,000, elegantly assorted and adapt
ed to the wants of St. Paul custom. They
employ thirty-two persons in their stores.
It is the intention of the firm to conduct
both of their stores in the future, and if the
past is any augury of the future we are safe
in predicting a successful career for this
firm.
BOOTS AND SHOE'.
Gotzian. & Co.
Among the many thousand persons whe
early took Horace Greeley's advice and came
west to grow up with the country, was Mr.
Conrad Gotzia n, head of the great manufac
tory and wholesale boot and shoe house or
0. Gotzian & Co., 133 and 135 East Third
street. Mr. Gotzian located in St. Paul in
1855, with nothing but a brave heart, willing
hands and integrity of purpose as his capi
tal with which to commence the active
battle of life. Three years thereafter, in
1858, he made his first business venture,
establishing himself in the retail boot and
shoe trade in a little frame building on
Jackson, between Fifth and Sixth streets,
now used as a meat market, commencing
with about $600 worth of stook.
Under Mr. Gotzian's careful management,
olose attention to business, and honorable
dealing, backed by clear judgment and a de
termination to "go to the front," his busi
ness grew and developed so that at
the end another three years,
the ever memoiable 1861, wefindhim in the
then new brick blockone of the finest in
the oity at the timecorner of Jackson and
Fifth streets, and engaged in jobbing in a
small way in connection with his retailtrade.
Four years more of careful and intelligent
management, and the business has increased
to such an extent that Mr. Gotzian deter
mined to go out of the retail line entirely
and devote his energies, experience, reputa
tion and capital to jobbing and manufactur
ing, commencing the latter with some twen
ty-five workmen.
Mr. Gotzian's new departure was a success
from the first, the business steadily growing
on his hands until it soon became evident to
him that he must seek more enlarged quar-
ters. This need 'was solved in 1869 by his
erection of what is now No. 183 East Third
streeta large three story and basement
stonestructure, 24x150intowhich hemoved
his business in 1870.
this time Mr. Gotzian's business bad
assumed such dimensions that he found
its management was becoming too much
of a task for one man, and be be
gan fo look around him for a partner
to share the labor and profits of the house.
The result was that in 1871 the present firm
of C. Gotzian & Co. was formed, the "Co."
being Mr. Channing Seabury. In this selec
tion Mr. Gotzian exhibited that keen percep
tion of charaoter to which his success is so
largely due, Mr. Seabury like himself being
a young man in the prime of life, full of
energy, of careful and methodical commer
cial habits, backed and supported by a repu
tation for business and personal integrity
second to no man in this community, noted
the country over for the high standing of its
business men.
Two years of the newfirmand they were
confronted by the necessity of larger accom
modations. This want was supplied by se
curing building No. 35, adjoining the store
then occupied by them, and of the same
dimensions and sty le of architecture, the
two stores being thrown into one, giving
them a frontage of 48x150. These enlarged
quarters were occupied in 1874. In 1878
another enlargement was found necessary,
which was supplied by adding another story
to the double store, making the building
four stories and basement in height.
The manufactured work of the firm is all
han3,-made, in which only the most skilled
workmen, best material and latest improved
hand machinery is used, and to its superi
ority to the slop-shop work of the great
steam establishments of the East, is due the
great success which has attended this depart
ment of the firm.
At present the firm employ on an aver
age 125 men the year through'in theirmanu
factory, making with their salesmen, etc.,
some 160 men on their pay roll. The firm
pursue the same libearal and honorable
policy toward their customers, and the result
is if a person of eharacter and ambition to
succeedbecomesconnected withthe establish
ment, he is almost as much a fixture
as the proprietors themselves, many of the
present most trusted assistants commencing
with Mr. Gotzian before his removal from
Jackson street.
The total sales of the firm the past year
were in round numbers $800,000, of whioh
$250,000 represented their own manufac
tures.
The above brief sketoh of the firm of 0.
Gotzian & Co., presented without embellish
mentor enlargement, teaches a lesson thai
all boys of to-day woukjdo well to follow
and pattern after. The sketoh covers a bus
iness career of twenty-one years, in whioh
time an investment of $600 has grown to
the magnificent proportions where the sales
of 1879 aggregate $860,000. This growth
is not the result, as is too often the case, of
any sharp practice, butrather the legitimate
outcome of steady application to business,
enterprise and unswerving integrity, '"Al"
being the commercial and individual fitand
ine of the firm.
Forepaugh & Tarbox.
There are no two*fgentlemen in St- Fan!
more widely known or honored in business
oircles than J. L. Forepaugh and J. B. Tar
box, composing the boot and shoe firm of
Forepaugh & Tarbox, whose extensive es
tablishment is located at Nos. 129 and 131
East Third street. Although young men,
they have been identified with the heaviest
business operations of the oity, and to their
energy, enterprise and liberality is the city
indebted for much of its present prosperous
condition. Mr. Forepaugh was thefirstper
son, in company with Mr. Auerbach, to em
bark in an exclusive wholesale dry-goods
trade, and it was he who erected the first*
four-story block (on thecorner of Third and
Wabashaw streets in the city which for a
number of years bore his name. Mr. Tar
box is almost equally as well known, as be
ing among the first persons who embarked
his capital in manufacturing in this city. Up
to 1868, the firm of J. B. Tarbox &Co.
were engaged in the manufacture
of shoe packs.' In the spring of
1869 Mr. Forepaugh became
interested in the business, and in 1872 the
presentfirmof Forepaugh & Tarbox was
formed and has continued business ever
since. In July, 1878, they removed to their
present quarters Nos. 129 and 131 East
Third street. This structure is one of the
finest business houses in St. Paul, having a
front of 50 feet on Third street by 150 feet
deep. It has four floors and a basement,
every inch of which space isutilizedto carry
on their immense business. The two upper
floors are used almost entirely for manufac
turing purposes. Directly the firm, gives
employment to 150 persons, while indirectly
they furnish work and a living to many
more. Their business has grown up within
the past few years from comparatively small
proportions to about eight hundred thousand
dollars annually. They employ in the neigh-
borhood of $300,000 capital in their bus i-
nesa. Their trade extends over the entire
Northwest, and so well and favorably have
they become known, that the demands for
their home manufactured goods is far in ex
cess of their ability to fill. Their trade is
increasing from year to year, and already
they have plans on foot for more space,
notwithstanding they cover an area almost
equal to an acre in extent now. They em
ploy none but experienced men inall the de
partments of their large business, and this
added to the long experience of each mem
ber of thefirm,is a positive guarantee to the
customer that he will be fairly and honorably
dealt with, and that all goods purchased of
them will be just as they are represented.
They employ none but skilled workmen and
every department is carefully watched over,
while the unblemished business record of
Messrs. Forepaugh & Tarbox, extending
over so many years, is a matter of pride to
every resident of St. Paul.
HATS, CAPS AND FURS.
Merrell Ryder.
As early as 1860 Mr. Merrell Ryder, 55
Jackson street, embarked in the fur trade*
Atfirsthis operations were limited, but his
business has inoreased year by year, until to
day It is one of the most entensive of the
kind in the Northwest. His trade is princi
pally hi crude furs, skins and buffalo robes,
whioh he purchases largely for shipment to
Europe, where he has extensive business con-
ueotions. To this he adds the manufactur
ing of furs, robes, etc., handles a large share
of the game crop in its season, and deals in
hides, pelts,wool,eto.,oncommission. His Eu
ropean trade is perhaps tho most extensive of
any house in the West, and to supply its de
mands he is obliged to keep several buyers
oat in the fur country daring the entire sea
son. In his manufacturing department he
employs from ten to twelve accomplished
workmen. His trade in furs during tho cur
rent year has amounted to from $40,000 to
$50,000 in manufactured fare and correla
tive branohes to about the same amount
his game trade to from $15,000 to $20,000,
while his commission
business has been
large and lucrative. Mr. Ryder expects to
add largely to his trade during the coming
year, as the present winter is the best one
for fur-bearing animals that has been ex
perienced for many years.
Albrecht, Lanphcr & Finch.
Although thefirmof Albrecht, Lanpher &
Finch was only organized about three years
ago, viz., in 1876, it has made itself pretty
well known throughout the Northwest, not
only by the amount of its sales bnt also by
its purchases of fur in every fur-bearing re
gion of North America. The name of the
firm is almost as well known at Hudson's
Bay and along the banks of the Saskatche
wan as in St. Paul. The senior member of
the firm, Mr. E. Albrecht, has been actively
engaged in the fur business in St. Paul for
the past thirty years. He brings to the busi
ness of the house a practical 'knowledge in
relation to everything there is connected
with furs, whether they be the finest that
adds additional charms to the petted child
of fortune, or covers the back of the sturdi
est frontiersman that ever wore a buffalo or
coon skin overooat. The other members of
thefirm,Messrs.Lanpher andFinch, areboth
young men, bnt young as they are
in years, they have had a practical
business training, and fewamong our young
businessmen are better qualified to carry
forward so large and extensive a trade as this
firm has built up than they. The firm first
opened at Nos. 67 and 59 Jackson street, but
in August last they removedtotheir present
Urge and commodious rooms Nos. 108 and
110 East Third street, the whole of which
block, 38 feet front by 80 deep, and four
floors, is occupied by them either for manu
facturing or sale purposes. They have con
stantly five traveling men on the road, and
their trade extends over theentireNorthwest!
During the period of manufacturing, from
July 1st to January 1st of each year, they
give support to about 250 persons in the
manufacture of all kinds of furs, from the
fineBt mink, otter, seal, etc., to the coarse and
heavy, buffalo overcoats. They buy all their.
furs from first hands, Mr. Albrecht making
this his especial business to visit different
points on thefrontier tomake bis selections.
All their furs thus purchased are manufac
tured in this oity, giving employment, aa
stated above, to several hundred persons.
Their dealings in buffalo robes reaches an
immense sum, as does their trade in buffalo
overcoats, of the manufacture of whioh we
believe they were the first in St. Paul. This
firm also makes a specialty of dealing in
buck gloves and mittens, of whioh they
carry an immense stock. Although their
wholesale business was establishedonlythree
years age, it has already reached immeuEe
proportions, and this,too, inthefaceof a uni
versal depression in the fur market. It will
well repay anyone to spend an hour or two
in looking through the splendid establish
ment of this firm.
Hot the least important department
their business is hats, caps, and strawgoods,
of which they supply the trade immense
quantities. Then* stock in this line is un
rivalled in the West.
Qoraon & Ferguson.
In 1871 Mr. Rioha*ds Gordon started the
first exclusivelyWholesale Hat and Cap store
in St. Paul. It was an experiment in one
sense of the word, but bis well known energy
soon placed it beyond the bounds of an ex
periment, and the business became an estab
lished and highly successful fact. So rap*
idly did his trade increase that he found it
necessary to enlarge its dimensions and enlist
additional capitaltomeet its demands. Both
these objects were accomplished by the ad
mission of Mr. P. D. Ferguson as a partner
in the business in the year 1873, and sinoe
that time the firm has beenknown as Gordon
& Ferguson. Their place of business is the
fine stone front building No. 134 East Third
street. It has a frontage of 35 feet front on
Third street by 180 in depth. The building
has a front elevation of three stories by five
in the rear, thus giving them two basements.
All these five floors are occupied for sale,
store and manufacturing purposes. In ad
dition to their hat and cap trade, they are
extensive dealers in all kinds of Furs, from
the most elegant and costly down to the
cheapest. They are manufacturers of all
kinds of furs, making that of buffalo over
coats and robes a sort of specialty, in the two
latter of which they are probably the heavi
est dealers in the Northwest. They have
four traveling men on the road constantly,
and employ from 50 to 75 in their store and
manufacturing departments. Their trade
extends over all the vast territory of the
Northwest, and during the year 1879 will
reach an aggregate of a quarter of a million
of dollars. Both these gentlemen are young
in years, but old in business experience, and
they manage all the many details of their
business with a care and foresight which has
not only rendered them eminently successful
in a pecuniary point of view, but has also
given thefirman enviable reputation in the
business world.
CARPETS.
John Matheis.
The carpet branoh of St Paul's trade has
kept apace with the times, and as St. Paul
has increased from 10,000 people to over 50,-
000, so nss John Matheis, the
pioneer carpet man of Minnesota,
kept enlarging his quarters to ac
commodate his fast increasing trade. A
retrospective view of this popular houee
leads us baok to 1861, in a very smallframe
building on upper Third street, where $1,-
000 would buy the whole stock. Mr. Matheis
was porter, salesman and proprietor com
bined, content in counting np his profits at
n'ght, tofinda little inthetillover and above
the cost of his goods and his small
expenses. Fair dealing brought more cus
tomers, and enlarged quarters were neces
sary. In 1864 the old King carpet store was
leased by Mr. Matheis, nicely fitted up and
a larger stock opened up for inspection and
sale. In 1866 another move was made to
Concert Hall block, but in 18G7 the Maxfield
block offered attractions, and Mr. Matheis
entered into a lease for one of its commodi
ous stores for a term of years. The inoreased
size of the store called foran increased stock,
and New York was visited, purchases made,
and the daily papers announced that Mr.
Matheis would exhibit to the St. Paul people
a larger stock of carpets in a few days than
could be found in the Northwest. This was
no vain boast. I was a reality. After
remaining here for nine years, a de
sire to get farther down town in
duced Mr. M. to negotiate for
the extensive establishment henow occupies,
and the aove was made to Ho. 1 1 East
Third street. Here wefindhim to-day, and
in addition to the store he occupies from
basement up, we find him extending over
No. 9 on the one side, and No. 13 on the
other, thus giving him one carpet room 75x
150, or the largest room in St. Paul for a
carpet salesroom. Here are arranged the
various products of the loom, from the rich
velvets, Brussels, Axminister, etc, to the
cheaper grades of two and three-ply. One
floor in the building is devoted entirely to oil
cloths and store mattings, window shades
and cornices. Tho general salesroom is, of
course, on the ground floor,
where a large stock of wall
papers and upholstering goods are to be
found, while thebasement is used forstorage
of moss and upholstering materials. The
upper story isused for a mattress factory,
and a large number of hands are constantly
employed at this work. Skilled mechanics
are to be found in the various departments.
Paper hangers are sent out by Mr. Matheis
for hundreds of miles around, to fill orders
that areconstantly coming in by mail for
this kind of work. It is gratifying to know
that this well known house is enjoying a
healthy business after so many years of close
figuring to keep right side up and meet all
the demands upon it
CLOTHIJTO.
Campbell, Burbank & Co,
Familiar names are those of Campbell
and Burbank, not only in St. Paul but
throughout the whole Northwest, and if we
add thatof another member of thefirm,Mr.
0. W. Carpenter, we have a trio of names,
than] whom none is more widely known or
highly honored for business prosperity. In
1875 these congenial spirits came together
and formed the wholesale olothing firm of
Campbell, Burbank & Co* The firm is oom-
posed of Campbell, O. Burbank,
W. Carpenter, and Wi E. Campbell. The
firm occupies the spacious quarters whioh
were vacated by Auerbacb, Finch, Culbertson
& Co. on the corner of Third and Robert
streets. This fine blook has a frontage of
forty feet on Third street by one hundred
and fortyJ feet deep, and is throe stories
with a basement. In addition to their im-
