Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-12-31

that have contributed largely to making St.
Paul what it is, the chief commercial center
of the great Northwest.
p. II. Kelly g Co.
There are always certain things in every
city which stand out to give it prominence.
In st. Paul the most noted establishment is
the mammoth grocery house of P. 81. Kelly ;
& Co., which is at once the pride and adorn-
ment of the city and State.
Mr.. Kelly came to Minnesota in 1857, be-
ing then but 90 years of age. Gov. Proctor,
of Vermont, Mr.. Twombly and himself
formed party of three who went to Meeker
county and each pre-empted 100 acres of
land. The others did not remain, Mr..
Proctor, entering the army and, as
his title indicates, subsequently becoming
q governor, and Mr.. Twombly, after
making his fortune in Japan, is now
Wall etreet nnagnate- Mr.. Kelly remained
in Minnesota, though he did not remain q
granger. After holding his presumption for
ten years he sold it to the present ownei<
Herman Kruger, for $40 per acre. His first
venture in business was in the spring of
1853, when, in company with his brother
Anthony, he formed the firm of Kelly &
Brother, and with less than $1,000 cash
! capital they opened a retail grocery house
in Minneapolis, and subsequently added
wholesale department.. He contin-
ued in business there until the fall of 1863.
Though they had built up trade amount
Ing to quarter of million dollars year
MI. Kelly had the sagacity to see that the
seat of the commercial empire was at St
Paul, and he turned his attention in this
direction. The firm of Temple & Beaupre
had just been. dissolved by Mr.. Temples
death, and Mr.. Kelly purchasing the Temple
interest, the firm & Beaupre & Kelly was Or
gained. The house was exclusively whole
sale and was located on Jackson street near
the !evee, occupying o store room 22x110
teet. MIR. Kelly removed with his family 10
st. Paul in the spring of 1864, and from
that time to the present has been an untir;ne
and unceasing worker in the business which
mas now grown to such great proportions.
The first years business of Reaupre &
Kelly amounted to $4,000, but it rapidly
grew, and they soon were compelled to obtain
the adjoining store, giving them building
441l10 feet. Their chief competitor was the
late P. F. McQuillan, one of the best mer-
chants Minnesota has ever had. The rivalry
was entirely friendly, each firm having tho
utmost confidence in the integrity of the
other, and both grew and prospered. In
1869 the business of the firm had 90 in
creased that they bought lot on Third
street aud erected the building Nos. 129 and
151, now occupied by Forepaugh & Ta1box.
This gave!them immense room but they hal
still moderated their growth and scarcely
were they located before they found their ca
pac'ty oVerta1ed. They immediately began
to look for quarters and offered Mr. Wright
$1,000 for 100 feet on the corner of Third
and Sibley streets. The offer was refused,
but it resulted lin MIR. Wright's erecting the
mammoth building on the site one hundred
feet square with five floors and basement,
giving $4,000 square feet. Here the firm re-
moved In 1873, and at this place MIR. Kelly
continues the business. In 1875 Mr.. Kelly
purchased the remaining one-fourth interest
of Mr.. Beaupre, he having in January, 1874,
acquired thee quarter interest. The firm
Of P. H. Kelly & 90. was then organized,
Mr.! Kelly, A. Dufrenne and James O'Gor-
man being the partners. Still later, ill
health compelled Mr.. O'Gorman to retire,
and MIR. Dufrenne remains the only partner
in this great house. He is worthy COM
panion of such a man as Mr.. Kelly, and his
zeal and ability both felt
in the conduct of the business. The bust
ness of the house has continued to grow
until their building capacity is taxed to tie
utmost, and storage has to be obtained out
side. Their sales the past year have reached
two and half million dollars. Some idea
of the business may be formed from the fact
that at times one hundred cars are on the
tracks at once in the city with incoming and
outgoing freight of this house. The house
employs some sixty men, and every town or
hamlet in several States and Territories is
invaded by its enterprising statesmen. Their
trade extends to Idaho and Montana in sales
and to China and Japan in purchases.
Everything is bought at first hands, and
hence this house can give it's customers ad
vantages which those who deal through mid
dlamen, and with limited capital, do not
possess.
| Besides his grocery trade, Mr.. Kelly is
largely interested in army contracts. To-
gether with Mr.. N. P. Clark, of St. Cloud,
he has just supplied the Indian department
with $4,000 head of cattle. He has also
furnished four million pounds of -four, two
million pounds of corn and two million
poundsof oats. He secured contract for
supplying the Indian department. with 1000
bags of coffee, bidding it away from New
York. All Of this immense business ia en-.
tirely distinct from the grocery house, hays
ing no more connection with it than though
it was conducted by entirely different
parties.
Mr.. Kelly is one of the hardest WORKING
and most sagacious men in the city. Seven
o'clock in the morning finds him at his desk
in the store, and until seven at night he is
necessarily engaged. About midday his Of
flee looks as if levee was being held, the
throng is SO great who desire moments
audience with him. Every man is met in
true democratic style. No airs, no flummery.
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