, 1881-01-01
OUR BUSINESS MEN.


a review of the foundation ard career If
the leading mercantile establishments of the
city of Walla Walla would be incomplete if
the establishment OF F. F. Adams, late of
Adams Bros, and formerly Brown Brcs. &
Co, were excluded. Founded at time
dating back to the first actual settlement of
the valley, the Brown Bros. established the
germ OF what has since expanded into the
magnificent proportions of the business now
under tie sole and exclusive control and
management OF F. T. Adams. As bit Of
personal history it may be as well to state
that W p Adams, late senior member OF
the firm of Adams Bros, crossed the plains
In 1859 and arrived here with all his worldly
possessions on his back. After getting a
'lay out to cut timber in the mountains and
afterwards clerkIng it for a time In Sam
Baldwin's store he started pack train and
took load Of goods into the Bitter Root
valley; he hadn't any experience in that
business but the mules had, so after his re-
turn We find him clerking it agaiE, this time
with Brown Bros, and revellil & in the gran
deur of an annual salary OF $500 This was
merely temporary engagement, however,
for a short time after he opened the iirst
store, known as the slab store because
bnilt of slabs whitfield out with a whip saw,
ever started in Idaho city IN the Boise basin.
The spirit of unrest which afflicted the pio-
neers again brought him back TO this city,
where, until the spring OF 1865, he remained
as partner with his old standbys Brown
Bros. & Co. About tins time the irrepressi
BILE F. +. Adams arrived here ria the Mis-
souri river, Fort Benton and Mullan trails
with SIS. A co-partnership was formed by
the brothers, and they embarked IN mercan-
tile pursuits, operating in Helena, and the
row defunct Reynolds city in Montana ter
ri'ory, and Lelnhi on the Salmon river in
Idaho territory with success until July 1868,
when they finally bought oa. the business
interests OF Brown Bros 4 Co., in this city,
the former partners retiring to San Francisco
to enjoy the competency they amasssed while
here and devo;ing their surplus time and
energy 10 the establishment OF one of the
largest iobbing houses IN the Golden city.
From that date down 10 July 1850, when
the senior partner Withdrew on account of
failing health, the firm OF Adams Bros. have
ever since resided here, concentrating the
whole of their untiring energies to the up
building OF the vast business carried on by
them in the brick store on the corner of Main
and Third streets, with such success that for
& large number OF years the business OF the
house has expanded till it stands A. No. l.
and second to no other establishment in CON-
mercisl circles IN the territory. The infu-
sion Of new blood into the management of
the concern III 1865 marks the era OF its
greatest success. for owing TO fair dealing.
hberality, and selling goods at very small
margin the business transactions Of the house
have increased many thousand per cent
Ever since the retirement of W. p. Adams to
Oakland in July last, the immense business
has been controlled exclusively BY f. F.
Adams, who has sold his interests In
yarled business enterprises throughout the
territory in order TO give this great mercan-
tile establishment his uu1ivided attention.
The store is literally packed 20 its fullest