Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/203

 COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES o f Assem bly, and continued its progress for a brief period under the name of the Ber­ wick Store Association, Limited, its original incorporators being W. F. Low ry, C. H. Zchnder, F. H. Eaton. W. H. Woodin, S. P. H anly, S. H. Watts. In December, 1892, this association liqui­ dated its affairs and in its place a new part­ nership, the Berwick Store Company, Lim ­ ited, came into existence. In 1896, M r. Long having resigned, he was succeeded by R. H. Davenport, who had had several years o f association with the busi­ ness. A decided enlargement of the company’s operations took place at this time, it being a period o f rapid growth of the boroughs o f B erw ick and W est Berw ick, as well as tlie neighboring borough o f Nescopeck across the river. T he tran sfer by purchase and sale o f B erw ick ’s foundries and general car m anufac­ turing business having taken place in 1899, th e boom in business and in consequence die rapid growth in all phases of the community’s life made opportunity fo r the further en­ largem ent 01 the store company's establish­ ment. A new addition to the present store building in the rear, making a total depth o f approxim ately 150 feet and a new office and store room alongside of the original building, m ore than doubled the original capacity and enabled the company to add many new de­ partments. M r. Davcnjiort having resigned to enter oth­ e r business, the management passed in May, 1905, to W. C. Garrison, who having bad b i^ c experience in department store practice m the W est brought to the expanding business ripe e.x|>erience and ability, and as a result the resystematizing of the business was put into effect with marked expedition and suc­ cess. In addition, a readjiislment o f (be a c ­ counting system and the rearranging of the store's departments, with further enlaigcmcnt and modifications u f (he buildings, w as accomplishetl in 1905, greatly enhancing the • value of the floor space and otherwise mak­ ing for economical operation. T he stables and warehouse of the com­ pany. situ.'itcd on Bowman .'md Third streets within easy access of the main store build­ ing, and occupying approximately two acres o f ground, were erected under the present management in 1907, and comprise a very nec­ essary adjunct in the storage o f merchandise; in the selling o f horses, o f which seventy head can be housed at one lim e; and fo r the storage o f all classes o f vehicles, including automo­ biles. a large and increasing volume o f busi­

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ness being done in the handling o f automo­ biles. T he meat department docs probably the largest single business o f its kind in this part of the State. The thoroughly equipped mod­ em abattoir, near O ak and Ninth streets, along the tracks of the Susquehanna, Blooms­ burg & Berwick Railroad Company, erected in 1907. also form s a part of the company's plant. M r. T. B. Brobst. the m a n a ^ r of this department, buys a carload o f cattle every two weeks, and in season a carload o f hogs a week. Forty steers can be dressed at one time and refrigerated. The main store rooms have a frontage o f ICO feet, laree plate glass windows admit the display ot a great variety o f attractive merchandise, and the interior as well as the window displays are marked features of the store's publicity policy, in charge o f C. J. Gilds, the decorator. The spacious floors encompass the activi­ ties o f twenty-six departments, and the de­ partmental arrangement includes the follow­ ing classification of merchandise: Dress goods and silks, domestics, wash goods, notions, fancy g o ^ s. ladies’ hosiery, corsets and un­ derwear. men’s funiishings, infants' wear, jew elry, stationery, drugs, groceries, hard­ ware, house furnishings, furniture, wall paper, tobacco and cigars, candy, meats, flour and feed, green groceries, wagons, horses, automo­ biles. coal. A complete elevator scivice and a well a r­ ranged delivery .system augment the conven­ iences in all the departments. Eight delivery wagons, five meat wagons, ten coal wagons, and six auto trucks are used in the transfer o f goods from counter to customer. The use of the telephone in the attention given to the Store Company’.s large trade is a feature that the Store Company very early bi^an to adopt, and "order by telephone” has grown to be a settled method through which the store gives special accommodation to its customers. Frequent renewals and repairs to the Store Company’s buildings and equipment operate to keep the properties in a well maintained con­ dition. for the convenience o f customers and the anticipation of their requirements. T he rctrigcrator plant in the main building, with five or six lai^c refrigerators for the storage o f meats, fruits and vegetables, is kept continuously in ojieration. F^or the up­ keep of the jiroperty, the refrigerating ma­ chinery. light and heating, etc., an engineer and carpenters arc constantly employed. T h e volume of business done enables the company to buy in large quantities at first