Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-08
A PROSPEROUS BUSINESS.
Growth and Development OF the
House Of w. b. Moses 4 Sons.

Washington has improved wonderfully in the
past five years in the line of its mercantile es-
adjustments and instances are numerous OF
sudden and great prosperity. tending to in
crease the wealth of the city by inducing buyers
to spend their money at home instead OF send
ing it elsewhere. The enlargement or reor-
ganization of the well-known firm Of W. B.
Moses d Son occurred on the 4th instant The
firm name ia now w. B. Moses Il Sons, the
senior member having admitted to partnership
his two younger sons, Harry G. and Arthur G.
Moses. who receive the same share In the busi-
ness as Mr.. VIM. H. Moses
The history of the grow th and development
of this fine establishment is an interesting one,
illustrating it does phase in the life OF
Washington. sketch of the career OF the
man who has succeeded in building up the in
stitution will not be inappropriate now. He
started i'll the furniture business in February,
1855, in Cleveland, Ohio, and five years later
moved to Philadelphia and established two
places of business there one wholesale and the
other retail The year '62 saw him Washing
tonian, as in that year he opened house on
It'll street next to Odd Fellows hall. The next
year he started branch on ID street between
9th and 7th and couple of years later another
branch appeared on 7th. the second door from
ID street, this being for the sale of carpets and
upholstery goods. On the LIST of May, 81, the
OF 7th and Market space, the building being
then a ive-story hotel.
Mr.. Moses shrewdly foresaw the future which
existed for street as q center for mercantile
houses. and little over five years ago he
erected a magnificent nine-stOry building at the
corner of and 18th streets, where he i'd now
permanently located This was practically the
pioneer house of its character on the street.
and to MIR. Moses sagacity is due much Of the
credit that belongs somewhere for the develop
ment OF this fine thOrOnghfare. When he pur-
chased the ground he paid -. so foot for it,
and he considers it now worth at least 800 In
as the original was put up.making an establish
ment with 100000 square feet of flooring in
which to display the different lines of the enor-
nous stock that has always been carried
In 1881 the eldest son, Mr.. w. II. Noses
was taken into the firm and eight years
ago the father promised the two younger
sons, who had just returned from Europe,
that when they reached the age of twenty-one
they should also become partners II they
proved worthy of his confidence. After tour
years of business education in New York they
returned and paid diligent attention to the de-
tails Of the trade, with the result already
stated. MIR. Moses thinks that now. with his
three sons aiding him. each in his particular
department, his already enormous business
cannot help increasing materially. He has
proved the wisdom of his move to F street, in
spite Of the croakings and head-shakings of his
friends, who predicted an early failure. He
has always shown himself to be up to the times,
with courage to carry the very best of goods
that the city's population would warrant, and
he has many wellwishers who ascribe to him
the very honorable place of one of the fathers
of Washington's mercantile interest