The Benton weekly record., 1883-08-25
POWERS POWER.
What a Great House Carries An the
Way OF Stock. and the Business III
Does

Some sixteen years ago, &c. Powe
and J. w. Power, commenced business il
Benton, ina very unprerentious building
on Front street, carrying a stock which
invoiced but few hundred dollars. ant
from this small start has grown up q bust
ness that is certainly not equalled in th'
| United States. Benton business men arr
noted for their modesty, and the news
fiend who hungers for the festive item,
| finds it almost a moral impossibility to I'M
earth the least thing concerning them ex
| cept what is observable from the outside
Among the most modest of these is L. c
| Power s. Brother, who, while handling 6
larger amount of staple and fancy articles
| than any of their competitors, do their
business with wonderful quietness and toll
crate no meddlers, not even newspaper
men. A RECORD hired man, filled with
admiration for the firm, succeeded this
morning in penetrating the sacred pre-
cincts of the house, however, and learned
great deal which will surely interest the
general public.
Major Dunno, who has been a highly
valued employc Of the firm for about
twelve years, was persuaded into showing
the news hunter through the mammoth
establishment ard, commencing at the
basement, a general tour of the house was
made. To tenderfoot, MS the reporter is,
the large stock of goods carried by Power
& Brother seemed positively marvellous.
In the north cellar was stored Il supply of
canned goods, sugar, etc., which would
furnish years business to the average
Eastern wholesale grocery house, and in
south division of the basement is a stock of
wines, liquors and cigars which is simply
marvellous for its magnitude.
On the second floor is situated the retail
grocery and dry goods rooms, each of
which are the best appointed i'll the Ter
ritory. The dry goods room, especially, is
worthy of notice, being one Of the best
arranged and carefully cared for stores
west of the Mississippi. This department
is under the charge of n. Authier, very
popular and valuable man, and his work
is noticeable everywhere. In the dry
goods department can be found everything
that can be purchased in New York and,
what may seem more strange to the aver
age buyer, prices are very little, if any,
higher than in the Metropolis. The busi-
ness of this portion of their trade would
bring Power & Brother much larger in
come than is usually enjoyed, but as will
be seen by the following report they are
not satisfied with this alone, and their en-
terprise has led them to greater things.
The south room and ground floor is oc-
cupied with groceries, boots, shoes and
hardware, together with a large line of
miscellaneous goods, all under the care of
Edward Dunno, Esq, who was the re-
porter's guide through the house. Mr..
Dunno stated that the trade of the firm in
this department alone was fortune and
that it was constantly increasing. A large
city business is done in both this and the
dry goods room, the latter being the most
popular place to trade in town.
On the second floor is the shipping and
carpet rooms, the former under charge Of
Mr.. Ell. J. O'Hanlon and the latter under
Mr.. Authier. At the time of the report-
er's visit Mr.. O'Hanlan was busy filling a
large order for the country and Mr.. Au-
thier had great deal Of business in the
carpet department.
The whole store, from cellar to garret,
is filled with merchandise Of every dcsrip-
ton and an intended purchaser can find in
the stock any article modern man can de-
sire. In addition to the business transact
ed in the Benton store Power & Brother
have no less than twelve branches in the
Northwest, one of which is located at Ma
pie Creek, in Canada, and is under charge
of E. W. Marsh.
Mr.. A. G. Johnson, the business man
ager at this point, is a young man of far
more than ordinary ability and his SER
vices to the firm are almost Invaluable.
He is ably assisted by a highly accomplish
ed force of book-keepers, etc., among
whom is l.. C. Stark, a stenographer and
correspondent having few equals. Mr..
Stark uses a Typewriter in his correspon-
dence and is a most expert operator on
this almost Invaluable machine.
Still another bit of enterprise for which
Power & Brother have become celebrated
is the establishment of steamboat and
stage lines which are now maintained in
highly credible and popular manner.
The firm owns a number of the finest boats
on the river and their stage lines run from
Benton to Barker, Billings, Assinaboine,
etc. Mr.. Stark is the agent for the stage
lines and has proven both popular and
worthy. The business done by these lines
is simply enormous.
Columns could be filled with interesting
notes concerning the business of Power &
Brother, which certainly reaches a million
a year, but these condensed and random
notes are compelled by lack of space to suf-
flee. The RECORD, as we'll as the general
public, is perfectly familiar with the mag
nitude of this business, and no words are
adequate to paint the pride the people OF
the northwest take in the men who have
built it up. This paper has often spoken
of them and will ever keep their names be-
fore the people. Their business is a won
der and their enterprise proverbial.
Despite the disparaging remarks made
about tLo tfDndas - If was q noticeable