The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-10-08
Hniiherr.

+. ". hdilUcfB was dIouud tbulSIoy
fixing up'' with the boys. He sat down
in THE NEWS Office longer than he had
sat altogether in ten years. We had
chat over old times. On this subject he
is full of facts and anecdotes, and is in
teresting. We have heretofore noticed |
the fact that Mr.. HalIberg has leased his |
nursery and gardens, and proposes TO
take sort of rest. We believe we
speak within the bounds of truth when
we say there is not man IN Che state of
Kansas who has worked harder for TWEEN
ty-two years with both hands and brain
than p G. Hallbcrg. he commenced
here, we think, in 1883, He could hard
ly speak word of English at that time
and had no capital. The few who were
here then will remember his little
"shanty" over on the east side Of Mar
ket street between Fifth and Sixth.
There he laid the foundation of what al
wards was large and prosperous bust
mess, out of which he made a snug for
tune. To begin with he borrowed $50,
paying four per cent. per month interest
for it, A wheel-barrow would have
held his stock He struggled with heavy
interest aud hard times, overcoming ev-
cry difficulty. lie saved every dollar
he earned, and il was not many years
until Hallberg had adverse circum-
stances" under his feet. From Market
he moved to Commercial street, and oc-
cupied little eight by ten building
boarded up and down without battons.
This he warmed with an old cook stove.
This building stood about where Sam
Halls grocery store now is. His next
move was la put up the wooden build
ing which still stands next to McMur-
tries stone store. Getting into this he
enlarged his stock OF groceries and add
ed dry goods. His greatest prosperity
was in this old building. He crammed
IL full of goods and during the war these
doubled, ihribbled and quadrupled on
his hands. II was not AN uncommon
thing E,r him TO make $500 by the
rise OF prices in one days sales
After few years successful work
here he had the snug sum of $33 ZOO in
his "breaches pocket" TO use his own
phrase, besides thousands of dollars
worth of property. Hallberg hesitated
Just here whether to ''salt down" this
cash in government bonds, or to
branch out in some other i'm
provements. He was always pub
public spirited, and was especially pleas
ed to see Emporia grow. About this time,
or perhaps before, he bought what is
known as the "Hallberg nursery and gar
dens." For this he paid 5000. He
decided, also. to put up what was then
the largest business house IN Emporia,
| This is the store building now occupied
| by ID. G.. McMurtrie. Strange rs it
may seem now, this building and fix
lures cost about $l1,000 Soon after
this was completed he decided to go out
of the mercantile busin ess, and turn his
He soon put $4,000 on the grounds in
the shape of improvements. AS is the
experience of ali men who have actively
engaged in business for a series of years
it was not all fair sailing with Mr.. Hall
berg. He had his numerous clouds with
silver lining, but about the time of the
financial crash of 1878, he found some
very dark ones hanging over his path.
To abbreviale long and interesting
story in this gentlemen's personal
experience, we will simply relate that he
lost sec, 900 of hard earned cash by bad
debts, scattered throughout southwest
ern Kansas. His money was invested
in such a shape that he could not make
it available, and at one time he was Sc
rIously threatened by the financial rocks
Selling his stone store building for les
than one-half what il cost him, and raj
lying all the powers of his well-knowI
industry and energy. he was soon il
: shape TO save what he had. Has credi
} remained untarnished. From '73 on h
5 adopted the cash system He has dom
reasonably well with his garden ant
= nursery, and We are glad To know Is IN
y shape to stop for awhile from his toll
p without fear that the wolf will call a
9 his door. He Will still devote himsel
| " htlc'uiuS W MS property just SOuL
of the city. In all his struggles in En-
poria. Mr.. Hallberg has been aided an
counselled by his wife. She, too, LA
worked hard and needs the respite fror
=, hard and irksome duties which til
!, new business arrangement will give he
She has been indeed true heIpmat'
and we trust these people may Ion
live to enjoy their well-earned rest fror
: ceaseless toll Mr.. Hallberg's integrit
< has always ranked first class among I'll
= business men in Emporia, and whereVt
VI he is known His word is today ali
has always been considered as good a
n his bond. He has been an active an
4 useful man ever since the day he cntere
" what was the little struggling boar
Il shaniy town of Emporia tWenty-tw
a | wears ago