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/204

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COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

hand, and thus alw ays insures to the cus­ tomers (he freshest, newest and best goods at (he lowest available prices; fo r instance, sugar is bought in carload lo ts; canned goods are contracted fo r before the v ^ e tab lcs are actu­ ally planted, and large shipments are received and find their w ay to the company’s ware­ house. T h is can tie said also about flour and feed and other merchandise largely con­ sumed. T h e above narrates in a historical w ay the beginning, changes and growth o f a business the exact counterpart of which it would be difficult to find; the early situation as to the manner o f conducting trade that surrounded the efforts of the founders o f Berw ick's large business enterprises and the Ic ^ c in holding on and developing a well e a r n ^ and established place. I'h e purpose and policy of the Berwick Store Company as annotuiced in its advertise­ ment, nariKly, to furnish “ everything to every­ body,” states its principle to present its mer­ chandise to everyone in clean and attractive condition and in courteous and expeditious m anner; customers have alw ays been given fu ll value at right prices. Fresh goods are alw ays kept on hand, and the store stands ready to return cheerfully the money paid for goods which fo r any reason have not proved satisfactory. T h e popularity of the store is attested by the attendance on the special sale occasions by residents from surrounding towns and the large territory contributing to the town's gen­ eral business. T h e oldest employee in the service of the company is M r. John H. T aylor, who has been connected with the business, as previous­ ly slated, since (he early days at the foot of the “ old dug road” on Canal street. Others who have seen many years o f service in the com pany's employ arc Messrs. O scar E . Mc­ B rid e and H arry M . Evans. In November. 1 9 1 1, the limited partner­ ship under the title of the Berwick Store Com­ pany, Limited, passed out o f existence by sale to the newly incorporated company, the present Berwick Store Company, the per­ sonnel o f this concern being: W . C. Garrison, president and m anager; F . A . Witman, treas­ urer and secretary; R . L . Kline, credit mana­ g e r; C. E . F erris, assistant m anager; C . J . Gilds, artist and decorator; T . B. Brobst, man­ ager meat and automobile departments. T h e United States Lum ber & S u p p ly Com ­ pany, a Virginia corporation, which has a branch office in Berwick, has here a fine fourstory planing' mill and lumber yard, to sup­

ply the local trade in building ntaterials. A two-story novelty plant is attached, in which many articles used by builders are made. T he yards and buildings arc on Second street. T h e Standard S h irt Factory in the north end o f Berw ick, owned by I. B. Abram s, is two stories in height, electrically operated, eiu>loys seventy-flve people and produces live mndred dozen line shirts week y. T he fac­ tory w as established here in 1902 by Mr. Abram s, in a small building, but in three years had outgrown its quarters to enter the pres­ ent line building. T lie BeniHek S ilk Throtving M ill of the U niversal Industrial Association, a N ew Y ork concern, is located in W est Berw ick. It was form erly the B aer Silk M ill, until 19 14. About sixty employees are engaged in the m anufac­ ture o f silk yam. T he building is o f brick, three stories in height, and is one of the prin­ cipal industrial establishments of the borough. Edw ard J. Hartman, son of the founder o f ffie mills at Danville, is the present manager of the Berw ick mill. The B erw ick Granite and M arble IVorks were established in the town in 1870 by I « v i K urtz, and arc now in the control o f his son, J. U. Kurtz. M r. K urtz is an exceptionally artistic carver and designer, and his work is to be found all over this section of the State. H e erected the soldiers’ and sailors' monu­ ment at Bloomsburg. SC H O O LS

T he early history of the Berwick schools will probably never be told, for time has erased all evidences of the old buildings, and those whose memories bore records of the old-time teachers and their pupils have also passed away. T he first recorded school in Berw ick wais opened by Isaac H oloway in the brick Q uaker meeting house. From that time until 1837 this and the market house were the only buildings used fo r purposes o f education. Prominent among the teachers of the period prior to 18 18 were David E. O wen, son of the founder o f Berw ick. D rs. Dutlon and Roe, David Jones and Jam es Dilvan. Between 18 18 and 1837 the teachers were Rev. M r. Crosby, Simon lla ik and Messrs. Comstock, Hoyt and Richards. Berwick Academ y, “ for the education o f youth in the English and other languages, and in the useful arts and sciences and literature.” was incorporated Ju n e 25, 1839, the trustees being Marmadukc Pearce, Jo h n Bowman, Thom as M cN air, A. B. Wilson, George M ack and A. B. Shuman. Rev. John R. Rittenhouse