Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 34, Number 177, Decatur, Adams County, 27 July 1936 — Page 55
fas STORES WNUMBER H nfve S. M orris Has —— n „, y three years ago in Nov- ’’"’ Lot a small store was J a side street in BluffS. Morris. Mr. Mor-| V’a young clolhinff clerk who, i’ lb ’ get into business tor! tlf He knew it was a ease of ’’ , w jm because *SOO was all *" Hard work, long hours, and Jbu>me« Judgment had to £ up for his lack of capital. „ del enninatlon then, as it is tav was fair play to all. He concl his business on a strictly ‘ hasi» He bought merchan- * best he could buy. and j ,t the lowest possible price, • * #aß fair to his customers and 1 the store. As he added clerks sother helpers to his store force, M iii them the best wages possanything of
Congratulations "i Our hearty wishes for the success of the Centennial and a cordial welcome to all visitors during the big week. For the finest in meats visit the Sudd ut h Market. Quality and Service our watchword at all times. EARL SUDDUTH 512 S. 13th Street Phone 226
V" z J for many years j—— Zwick has been the lead- A b inn na m e in Mortuary .AN ■i work. We appreciate the j ’ confidence that has been \ ( placed in us and trust we i may continue to be of ser- j ' vice to you in the dark x hours of need. S ; ( Success To The Centennial [! zwico vl ERAL HOME PHO N E "T?" 1 'w DAY 61 NIGHT
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them he wouldn't do himself. The results of his efforts are proof of good business tactics. The store prospered and was moved to a better location, and later moved to its present location in Bluffton. He added a young man, I and after teaching him the business opened a second store. A year I later he added another, and then 'another, until today he Is opurati Ing 59 modern retail five to one dollar stores in Ohio, Illinois, MichI Igau, and Indiana. The Decatur store, number seven, was opened in a small single room on North Second street onehalf block south of its present location in 1912. Following the same policies and theories of Mr. Morris in his first store, they enjoyed a good patronage, and were obliged to look for larger quarters in 1925. Mr. Morris then purchased the Terveer building, which the store now occupies, and moved inito the south half that same year, 1 In 1928 they found it again necessary to enlarge their floor space I and remodel the front using the I entire double room for the modern up-to-date five to one dollar store now in operation in this city. The local Morris Store is at present furnishing employment for three men and seven sales ladies, full time. The total number of employes at peak periods and holidays range from 20 to 35 sales people. ■ During all these years of pro- | grejs the company has met its evI ery obligation in each of the towns i in which it operates stores, taking ■ J**’"! j ''
Our CONGRATULATIONS The progressive spirit of your citizens have kept you youthful despite your hundred years. \V ithout this progressiveness which is so evident in your daily life, you well might be a crossroads or otherwise in a state of decay, instead of the thriving, modern little city that you are.
DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT MONDAY, JULY 27, 1936.
Birdseye View Os Decatur 50 Years Ago ■■ - < fa The ‘aerial” photograph above wa.s taken before the days of airplanes from the top of the court
the attitude of a home owned store. ‘ They take part in contributing to 8 worthy causes, such as the Cham- ! ber of Commerce, churches, Red '■ Cross, Boy Scout work, etc. The "! managers, many of them, own their 8 own homes and are members of B the town's civic organizations. Since the opening of the Decatur store the company has paid taxes, wages and salaries and donated in Decatur the following: Taxes on real estate and stock, $12,908.00. Rent, $37,000.00. Wages, salaries and bonus, $149,578.00. Donations and advertising $3,740.00. Total $203,220.00. It is the desire of Mr. Morris to I operate each of his 59 stores as a home owned store, and he is pleased to present the above figures to his patrons and friends as proof of his statement. The capital stock of the company is almost entirely owned by the officers, directors, and store manj agers. George S. Morris is still actively engaged in the business as president; his brother, William D. Morris is vice-president and gen- ; eral manager, and has been with ! the company 30 years. H. A. Me- ; Farren is secretary and treasurer, i has been with the company over , | 22 years. Ray P. Brown, merchandise manager, has been with the company over 25 years. C. O. Rider, assistant buyer, has been with the company over 21 years. Edifh T. Waltz? buyer of ladies and children's wear, has been with the I company over 14 years. Fred Arend. field manager of Bluffton, has i j been with the company 27 years, I ! The district superintendents, Wai- 1 ter Transcott of New Castle. Frank I Maley of Goshen, Joe McDaniels of Toledo. Ohio. Ray Renolett of . Urbana, Ohio, as well as many of I the store managers have been with I the company 20 years or more. Every officer of the company, ev-I . ery manager, and every employe , began work where Mr. Morris; ■ started —at the bottom and made good, and grew with the company, i i Every manager must begin as an ' I assistant manager and must spend j from two to five years learning ' the business before he is judged I capable of operating a store. The ; officers and directors of the company are selected from the ranks 'of the store managers. j George S. Morris is proud of the I progress and development the com|pany has made, and enjoys the 1 ]>art he takes in directing and guiding tile destines of the Morris five to one dollar stores, he started under such a handicap 33 years ago this November. Merle Ellenberger, manager of I the local store for the past six years, has recently purchased a
home in Decatur on Fifth street. 1 Former Decatur men now in the employments of the Morris organization are: Frank Maley, district manager, northwestern district. Dick Sutton, assistant manager, Troy. Ohio. Frank DeVor, manager, Peru, Indiana. Joe McDaniels, district manager, northeastern district. o FIRM HERE SINCE 1867 Wemhoft’ Monumental Works Began Operating 70 Years Ago As the oldest manufacturing enterprise in Decatur, the Wemhoft Monumental Works can recall the ’ pioneers who brought about the j founding of this thriving conimun-! ity. In the early part of 1867, seventy
Progress Os Radio In Decatur By GERALD COLE
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Radio in Decatur as we know it today, had its origin just 15 years ago. Its "Century of Progress” has been made in that short period. Not content with using »crude 1 wireless sets to pick up code signals of ship and shore stations, Janies Downs, Gerald Colo and Bernard Clark, high school students aided by M. F. Worthman, superintendent, erected the city’s first set at the high school in 1921. Encountering much difficulty in securing parts, the boys built a four-wire antenna on the schoolhouse roof. But the honor of having the first set in the city went to the American Legion, who purchased a factory set, shortly before | the boys completed their home-i made set. The first radio shop was started I in April, 1922, under the name of C. D. & C., owned and operated by these three young men. It was 10-j cated in the rear of the Holt house garage. The company installed one of its first set’s at the Burk Elevator for receiving, market reports. In March 1923, Gerald Cole received his governmental license for operating the first amateur transmitting station. The call letters were 9DRS, and it operated on home-made apparatus of 10 watts, power. In 1925 it was increased to! 50 watts. In 1926 Ferd Nichols purchased Decatur's first all eldctric set,| which since almost entirely replaced the battery operated radio. In 1934 Mr. Cole opened work on his present station, a combined 500 watt phone and code transmitter. Il was completed last January and open-ates on 20 meters. He now has confirmation cards ol ! conversation with hundreds of stations i in 19 countries, including Africa i and New Zealand, excepting Asia.! This set is offered by Its owner to the community in case or emergency or disaster tor commuuica-
I years ago. the ’ate Bernard F. Wem>ihoff after serving his apprentice•j ship as a marble carver on the in-1 terior of the world's famous Ca-' , I thedral of Cologne, Germany, came j to Indiana and here began his la- , I bors in the memorial industry. From that time on the name , WEMHOFF has been identified with progressive Cemetery art, . throughout the countries of North-1 ern Indiana and associated with the present organization, which bears | the name of the founder, are three I sons, George, Oswald and Otto and two grandsons, Adrain and Robert. This progressive firm offers a i service that is indiepensible in the choosing of a fitting tribute to your I departed loved ones. They have a (personal designing service where beauty at a moderate cost can be obtained and a landscaping service that will enhance the beauty of individual lots. - They have as their motto: “When it is something that can |be done but once, be it great or •small, the beet alone is sufficient.’’
’ tion with the outside world, such as flood or tornado when all other means of communication are shut off. The station will be open for inspection during Centennial week at the Decatur Electric shop, and the putflic has been invited. , Thus radio in Decatur has been built from th’iit small set in Deca- • tur high school. 15 years ago. to , its present status—a set in the majority of homes in the city—use by local and county police in the fight against crime— by doctors .in therauptic instruments— and in • contact with foreign countries.
The Home of Good Printing It has been our privilege to serve the printing needs of Decatur for many years. With our modern plant we are equipped to furnish your every printing need. Prompt service and prices that please. Success to the Centennial and congratulations to the various committees on their splendid efforts. Commercial Print Shop FRANK DOWNS
LOCAL STORE HOLDS RECORD Niblick And Company Is One Os Oldest Stores In Indiana Four years after the founding of Decatur, a young unmarried, settler braved the discomforts of a backwoods hamlet to open a finy general store, which was to estabI lish a record for the number of years of continuous service in one community. Now operated as Niblick & company. dry goods store, the store typifies the progress of retail Decatur. It was founded by J. D. Nuttman, pioneer citizen of Decatur and for the last 70 years has been managed by three generations of Niblicks and their associates. In 1840 the store was located on the east side of Second street. While still in this location Jessie Niblick, father of Dan Niblick bought an interest, purchasing at the same time the old Nuttman home, now occupied by the B. P. O. Elk's home where Dan was born. In 1876, Mr. NiblTck built the building now occupied by the store. A corner of the building was occupied by the newly organized Nuttman and Niblick bank, which Fater became the Old Adams county bank. The rear of the building was used as a grocery store. This room is now used by the O. K. barber shop. A few years later John Craw- > ford entered the firm whose name , was changed to Niblick and Crawford. When Frank Crawford and John Niblick entered the firm its name was changed to Niblick, Crawford and sons. Dan Niblick began to work in the store after school and on Sat- i urdays more than 50 years ago and 49 years ago, after completing his schooling, devoted his whole time to the store. A few years later the I Crawfords sold their interest to Jessie and John Niblick and the name was again changed, this time to Niblick and Son. Jessie Niblick died in October. 1895, and the store was operated as an estate until 1897 when, on
WELCOME to L’ecatur's outstanding celebration. Se us for wood working, refinishing and used furniture; Decatur Upholster Shop | Centennial Visitors I Make the most of the I week — and make our I place your headquarters I for— I BEER I and Good Foods Colonial Case i Monroe St.
November 1, a ato«k company was organized to purcbaae the assets from the estate. The Incorporators were 3ohn, William and Dan Nib- | lick and Charles Ehinger. Os these I all but William Niblick were active in the management of the store. After the death of Charles Ehing--1 er, the store was run by John and Dan Niblick, until John's death in j May, 193(1. In the meantime, Harold Niblick of the third generation, ,' had purchased an interest in 1926. The store is now managed by Dan and Harold Niblick. Many departments have been eliminated, such as men's cloth- - ing and groceries, from the store, I which today handles only drygoods and allied products. Since the construction of the new Old , Adams County bank building, the store has used both front rooms. LIONS CLUB IS ACTIVE HERE Local Order Sponsors Os Blind Movements And Boy Scout Troop The Decatur Lions Club, local no--1 cial club was organized January 17, 1927, with 28 charter members on the roster. Since that time they have been actively engaged in all social and civic activities of the city, holding weekly meetings in the local hotel. Dr. Burt Mangold was the first
Success to the Centennial We are young in Decatur but the great civic spirit so prominently displayed by all has made us feel as though we’ve been here a long, long time. No Gamble With GAMBLE Outstanding Values For Centennial Week Crest auto tires al extra low prices. V\ hen all other makes have advanced 10% our remains at the old low prices for the same quality tire. All makes of Coronado oil stoves, from 2 to 5 burner models. I Coronado refrigerators and radios, quality performance at a minimum cost. Tiger auto batteries—an outstanding value. GAMBLE STORE SOUTH SECOND STREET
L & xT ■ I Welcome —to the Decatur Centennial. This is your week and we hope you enjoy every day of it. stop in for your BEER We carry your favorite beer in bottles and are ready to serve you any hour of the day. o Order a case sent to your home for Centennial week visitors. We will make delivery anytime yoti wish. CITY CONFECTIONERY
PAGE FIFTY-FIVE
president of tbo club. Other officers of the first organization wero: Dough Haney, first vice-president; Clifford Saylors, second vice-presi-dent; Ralph Tyndall, third vice president; Norbert Holthouae, secretary; Albert Scheumann, treasurer; H. Myers, Lion Tamer; Benjamin Beavers, Tall Twister- The directors were; Wifi Lenhart, Harry Knapp, N. A. Bixler. Ralph Yager, Raymond Kohne and Leo Kirsch wan chorister. Other members were: Rev. Harry Thompson, Freq Schurger, Bernard Clark. Frank Braun. Dee Fryback, Leo Ehinger, Don Farr, Arthur Hyland, Vincent Bormann,, 11. K. Jones, W. J. Krick. Roy Mumma, R. Q. Gentle and William Linn. The local club hae been enthusiastically engaged in socal wirk since the time of its organization, including the White Cane movement, instigated for the protection of the blind, and furnishing literature composed in the Brailie system. They aleo sponsor a Boy Scout Troop named after the club. The present officers are: W. F. Berry, president; Walter J. Krick, A'va Nichols and Ed. Boknecht. first, second and third vice-presi-dents, respectively; N. A. Bixler, treasurer; Roy Mumma, secretary; ijarry Knapp. Clifford Saylors, Herman Krtn keiberg. Andrew Appleman and Ed. Bohnecht. members of the board of directors; Merle Ellenberger, Lion Tamer and George Morris, Tail Twistei. 0 Buy Wooden Money!