The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-10-24


Bros. is to GOldsboro and all this section
of country what Wanamaker is to Phil
adelphia. II. We'll & Bros. is q part
and parcel Of Goldsboro. For thirty
two years they have been doing bust
ness here. Many of our active business
men cannot remember when the firm
of II. We'll Il Bros. did not exist. When
they We're mere children their parents
bought at wells" for them their gar
ments, shoes, hats, caps, and other arti-
cles now they buy for their own child
rem from the same firm. Rare, indeed,
is it that a firm does a uniformly success
full business for a third of a century.
This fact alone is the strongest evidence
of the real merit OF this great house.
From a small beginning this firm Is
now the largest in North Carolina. The
three connecting huge iron-frOnt stores
would be an ornament to Broadway,
New York. At this mammoth establish
inent one can get almost anything
handsome suit Of clothes, an elegant silk
dress, shoes of all sorts, and, in fact, 80
complete is the assortment, that nearly
all wants can be supplied at Wells.
Notwithstanding the firm has reached
such giant proportions, it is not salts
ned with its achievements, but it is
constantly reaching out, charging its
circle Of trade, adding new denart-
ments and growing greater as the wears
come and go.
"In thinking over the wonderful sup-
cess Of H.Weil & Bros. 1T is but natural
to study the methods Of men whose wis
dom has enabled them to ride ont ALI
the storms of panics and financial min
which bore so many royal merchants
down. Now, this one fact stands ont
prominently in their history. III, Well
Bros have always been great adyer-
tsers. They were conscious Of their
ability to serve tie pubic, but that
knowledge was like the gold hidden be-
meath the rocks Of the mountains. II
was useless unless the public knew 1t as
we'll"
In 1892 after the death Of his father,
Mr.. 10 Rosenthal was admitted as
partner in the firm. Mr.. Rosenthal ia a
trained young merchant. He has identi-
he'd himself closely with the business and
| is in thorough touch with it in every de-
tail. lie is prudent, careful, competent
young business man, a discriminating
buyer, and positive force in the con-
duct OF the great mercantile esta blish-
ment.
In 1869, fire destroyed the We'll
store, entailing considerable loss in tbs
burned buildings and in damaged goods.
but they were not the kind Of men to be
retarded in the building up of a life
business, and the smoke had not cleared
away before wOrkmen were busy erecting
a new brick store, another and bigger
than the one burned. A year later still
another building the same size WAS
erected, and in 1890 the third was built.
These three combined make a total Of
50 by 100 feet, and form the present es-
Enlistment. The lot runs back four
hundred and ten feet and contains sew
eraI brick warehouses for storing heavy
groceries, farm utensils and other pur-
poses.
The Wells have been for years manu-
facturerS Of brick and are among the
largest coal dealers in the State. They
have large number of well located and
well tenanted farms in Wayne and ad-
joining counties, all under the suBervi-
sion of Mr.. l.. e. Pridgen, a practical
and successful farmer
1t is a fact worth mentioning thai
the Messrs. We'll hardly ever part with
competent men. Mr.. John Fl. Powell,
the confidential man, has been with
the firm eighteen years Mr.. James
Slocumb, the head bookkeeper, has
held his position for twenty-five years,
and Mr. w. I. HOllOwel has been here
for dozen years or more Besides these
they have little army OF statesmen,
sales ladies, accountants and others.
Miss Eliza Evans is the trusted cashier
of the firm.
The late Herman We'll, the elder of
the brothers, was married in 1868. His
widow is now a resident of Baltimore,
her native home.
Mrs. Henry We'll was Miss Nina Ros-
enthal, of Wilson. They have four chill.
dren, two sons and two daughters. The
elder Of the sons, Mr. Leslie We'll, was
graduated at the University with the
class 80 and has taken a position in the
store. Miss Gertrude is now at Smith
| College. Herman at the University, and
Janet, the youngest at home
Mr. Sol. Well married Miss Sarah
Einstein, of Boston. They have three
children one son and two daughters
Miss Edna, educated at Cornell Lionel,
the eldest son, who graduated at Chapel
Hill in June last, and Miss Helen, the
youngest, who is now at school.
| The Wells have for years been active
individual spirits in the busy life OF
| GoldsborO and the surrounding country.
Mr.. Henry We'll is president of the
Carolina Rice Mills, president Of the
Goldsboro Ice Company, secretary and
treasurer Of the Goldsboro Land Com
pany, director in the Bank Of Wayne,
the GOdsboro Oil Company and the
Wayne Cotton Mills.
Mr.. SOL We'll is president of the
Wayne Cotton Mills, secretary and
treasurer OF the Goldsboro Storage and
Warehouse Company, and director in the
Wayne Agricultural Works.
The Wells have sold during the past
year 5000 tons OF fertilizers and other
farm supplies in proportion. Their en-
tire business approached half a million
dollars last year.
These gentlemen areas a gentleman
remarked to me-to Goldsboro, what Col.
Julian s. Carr is to Durham. They are
enterprising and philanthropic. They in
Voc Of fIn5 hvn8F g,