Buchanan County, Missouri - Biographical sketches, 1900 (part 6 of 6)

BROWN TRANSFER CO. - In 1877 Amos M. Brown began, in a modest way the business of transferring freight. He had only one team and the first load he hauled was for Mr. Ambrose, the foundry man. From this Humble commencement has grown the most extensive transfer and storage business in the west. The Brown Transfer and Storage Company, of which A. M. Brown is president, William A. Brown, general manager and treasurer, and E. M. Hansen secretary, not only transfers freight, but has numerous pleasure wagons, the finest bus and carriage line in the west, has the contract for carrying the United States mail between the postoffice and the railway stations of the city, has immense storage rooms and warehouses and conducts a boarding stable. The headquarters and stables are at Third and Charles streets, where the finest and best kept horses are to be seen, and where every kind of modern business or pleasure vehicle in the market may be had. with the best of service and at moderate prices. There is no institution in the west that is more completely equipped and so well and systematically conducted as the Brown Transfer and Storage Company.

J. B. BRADY CARPET CO. - This is the only exclusive and most reliable carpet and drapery jobbing house in the West. It is also the oldest arid the greatest concern of its kind. The house was established over thirty years ago, and its fame extends to the Pacific coast and to the Northern and Southern confines of this country. Seven floors at 507-509-511 Felix street are filled with carpets, rugs, linoleum, oil cloths, mattings, lace curtains, upholstery goods, window shades, curtain poles and trimmings, etc. Six traveling men are employed in the wholesale department and a large force is engaged in the immense retail department. This house has done much to make St. Joseph famous. The J. B. Brady Carpet Company was recently incorporated. Its officers are: J. B. Brady, president; B. C. Robi nson, vice-president and treasurer; W. O. Thomas, secretary. The importations of this house annually add large sums to the receipts of the St. Joseph custom house.

Phoenix Brick Company

PHOENIX BRICK COMPANY - The first efforts at manufacturing vitrified brick in St. Joseph were not satisfactory, and there was considerable dissatisfaction over the lack of durability of streets paved with this material. However the Phoenix Brick Company has succeeded not only in overcoming this defect, but in making St. Joseph vitrified brick equal to the famous Galesburg product. That confidence has been restored in vitrified brick is evidenced by the fact that the people in every part of the city are petitioning the council to have their streets paved with the product of the Phoenix Brick Company. Wherever this product is put down there is the greatest of satisfaction and it will not be long before the Phoenix Brick will be the only material used in street paving. M,r. Fred P. Halsey, the manager, is a man of long experience in this business and has surrounded himself with a corps of experts in the manufacture of vitrified brick, and it will not be long before the Phoenix brick are as famous as those of Galesburg, for they are fully as good.

WILLIAMS & TYMON, practical jewelers and watchmakers, 508 Edmond street, are among the substantial and well-known houses in this line who by their prompt attention to business, accommodating manners and strict integrity have drawn to themselves a good share of the business, in the repairing and manufacturing and also in the sale of new jewelry and timepieces of which they carry an elegant assortment. Mr. E. R. Williams, the senior member of the firm, has been engaged in the business for twenty-one years, being for many years with the former well-known firm of Baldwin & Co., and later with R. U. Hendrick, where he was known as a first-class workman. Mr. Henry Tymon, his partner, is also a practical watchmaker and in the three years they have been asociated together they have earned and still hold the confidence of the public.

WM. F. UHLMAN, dealer in photographers' supplies, 620 Edmond street, shows a wonderful growth in his business. In 1894 this was established as a side line by the late Rudolph Uhlman, a famous photographer. Under the management of Wm. F. Uhlman, its present proprietor, the business has made wonderful progress and is the leader of its line in the entire West. The stock carried by Mr. Uhlman is complete, fresh and clean, and it embraces every requisite of the photographer. The professional as well as the amateur photographer will find here the largest and most complete outfit of photographic supplies west of Chicago. This house has in stock over fifty styles of kodaks and snap shot cameras, portrait and view cameras, all sizes of dry plates, and, in fact, everything to be found in a first-class photographic supply house. Amateur photographers will find in connection with this house a dark room which has been prepared for their especial convenience. Mr. Uhlman has had sixteen years' experience as a photographer, and consequently he knows exactly what the trade demands, and he has not been slow to meet these demands.

H. EHRLICH & SON, butchers' supplies, hides, etc. - This is one of the oldest and most substantial houses in its line in the Missouri valley, and was founded by Herman Ehrlich, who has now associated with him his son William. This firm has its office at Second and Felix streets, and a warehouse at 120 North Second street. They also operate an extensive plant on South Ninth street, near Olive, in the manufacture of fixtures and refrigerators. This complete establishment is prepared to turn out in a short space of time a large quantity of store fixtures, saloon fixtures and refrigerators. Ehrlich & Son's factory is the only concern manufacturing refrigerators in this city; this alone speaks well for the enterprising firm and Greater St. Joseph. The success of the house of Ehrlich & Son is well merited and demonstrates what pluck and good business judgment can do in this prosperous city.

"THE LEADER," Sturges & Waring proprietors, is one of the most popular and best patronized dry goods establishments in St. Joseph or any other western city. In October, 1894, not yet five years ago, this store was opened in the fine new block at 609 and 61 1 Felix street, known as the Michau block, where it is still located The stock of dry goods was unsurpassed in quality and the prices made were such that they at once received a large share of the public patronage, which has grown steadily, so that in the spring of 1899 an additional room was annexed and the firm now occupies three large commodious rooms, which are thrown together by archways and fitted up in the most approved modern style. Millinery and boot and shoe departments have been added to the dry goods feature and the success of the firm may be imagined when it is stated that forty persons are employed in the house. First-class goods, low prices and fair dealing makes "The Leader" a most desirable place to trade.

THE STOCK YARDS BANK - The wonderful increase in the business at the stock yards and the rapid growth of South St. Joseph, incidental to the coming of Swift and Morris, created a necessity for a bank. A year ago this want was supplied by the organization of the Stock Yards Bank, with a capital stock of $50,000. From the beginning this institution has flourished and now does an immense business. Located in the new Livestock Exchange building it is easy of access to the principal business factors and is a great convenience. The Stockyards Bank carries the accounts of merchants, stockmen, farmers and all others. Business is done on safe lines and the people have the utmost confidence in the institution. Gordon Jones is president, Ernest Lindsay, vice-president, Chas. E. Waite cashier and G. G. Everhard assistant cashier. These are all men of experience and integrity and under their management and direction the institution is bound to succeed.

SIMON BINSWANGER, wholesale liquor dealer, 208 Edmond street, is one of the foremost business young men in this city. Mr. Binswanger graduated from the St. Joseph High School and then entered the commercial field. After traveling for some years he embarked in the wholesale liquor business, in which he has made an enviable reputation and achieved great success. His many customers repose the most implicit confidence in him, knowing him to be thoroughly reliable. Mr. Binswanger is now pushing a brand of whiskey known as "Famo," which is pronounced by connoisseurs to be a very superior article, and which has a wide sale.

TOOTLE, WHEELER & MOTTER - This house is a monument to the commercial ability of its founder, the late Milton Tootle. As Tootle, Hosea & Co., the house made wonderful strides, and as Tootle, Wheeler & Motter it leads all commercial enterprises in the west. The same men who made Mr. Tootle and Mr. Hosea famous now figure as merchant princes themselves. In this they have the reward of fidelity, integrity and loyalty. The immense department jobbing house is located at Fourth and Jule streets, and the shirt, furnishing goods, and shoe factories are located on Fourth street north of Felix. Besides this there are warehouses. Hundreds of people are on the payroll and the business extends throughout the northwest and south, to the outposts of civilization. The Tootle, Wheeler & Motter Mercantile Company is composed as follows: Mrs. Kate Tootle, Wm. W. Wheeler, Joshua Motter and Mrs. Frances Dameron (nee Tootle).

J. F. SMITH, contractor and builder, whose office and residence are on Seneca street, between Twenty-sixth and Twenty-seventh streets, Wyatt Park, is well known in building circles as being competent and successful. He never fails to please his patrons and has established a good business by fair dealing and honesty.

RAINALTER GROCER CO. - The name of Rainalter has been familiar to the housewives of St. Joseph for many years in connection with the grocery business. The house started in a modest way, and for many years had a prosperous business at Sixth and Messanie streets. Later a branch was established at Second and Felix streets, and then the business was consolidated at 710-712 Felix streets, where it is successfully managed by Rudolph Rainalter, one of the shrewdest young business men in St. Joseph. Besides groceries there is a first-class meat market and a famous bakery.

W. T. ULLMAN, news dealer, north side of Edmond near Fifth, is one of St. Joseph's most enterprising young men. His business career is just beginning and, judging from the progress he has already made, there is reason to predict a brilliant career for him.

THE UNION PRINTING COMPANY. - The Union Printing Company, although one of the latest in the field, is enjoying a splendid business from patrons who desire good work at fair prices. This company was organized in 1899, succeeding to the job printing business of I. R. Patterson. The company is composed of W. G. Campbell, Jr., F. L. Campbell, W. W. Anderson, James M. Irvine, F. G. Sprague and H. A. Sprague, all practical printers, who have occupied re- sponsible positions in different newspaper and job offices. James M. Irvine is president of the company, W. G. Campbell, Jr., vice-president; F. L. Campbell, secretary, and F. G. Sprague, treasurer. The Union Printing Company makes a specialty of printing newspapers and periodicals, and has several such publications in charge. In addition to doing a general job printing business, the Union Printing Company owns and publishes the Western Fruit-Grower, the leading horticultural paper of the West - in fapt, the only paper between the Mississippi River and the Pacific coast devoted exclusively to horticultural topics. This paper has the indorsement and recommendation of the state and local horticultural societies of Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska, and has on its editorial staff the leading fruit-growers of those states. The paper was started in 1896, and from the first was popular with the fruitgrowers of the West, who had until that time been compelled to depend upon Eastern horticultural literature for information. The Ust sworn statement showed a circulation of 10.000 copies, and this is continually being increased. Advertising patronage is very satisfactory and profitable to advertisers. The paper is monthly, at 50 cents per year. James M. Irvine has editorial charge of the publication, mid W. G. Campbell, Jr., is manager.