The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-10-25
WHOSE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY
is TO BE CELEBRATED THIS
WEEK. COMMENCING THIS
EyENING-IT WAS A MODEST
BEGINNING MADE BY E, J,
STONE AND ]. c. THOMAS IN
1SR-"THE GOLDEN BEE HIVE"
STORE RECALLED.

~, StOHeI Oh lne HIll' ouE CSlepEdbioH
is to put money in the pockets OF the
people through the most remarkable
bargains ever offered the Wheeling
public"
When an Intelllgencer reporter visit
ed the big department store of the
firm last evening, he was surprised to
witness the wonderful transformation
that has been wrought out by force
OF decorators under the direction OF Mr..
VIII McNabb within a few hours, on
the main floor three rows of gaily
decorated arches run from front to
rear, and at night these are TO be illu-
minated with countless vari-oolored
electric lights, giving radiance and
sottness to the scene which will lead
the multitude to express IFS wonder
and admiration. The effect viii he
heightened with u concert by the Opera
House orchestra.
When q business reaRhes It's ffheth
birthday the proprietors may Justly feel
entitled TO make some noise about It..
Much has happened and many have
dropped by the waVslde in the years
that have passed IN review since 1877.
The nation has developed and grown
beyond the fondest dreams OF Clay,
Calhoun and Webster, who were the
intellectual giants when Messrs p. j..
Stone and j. C. Thomas began business
on modest scale IL ~ ut o location on
Main street, almost directly opposite the
site of the present great retail estao-
llshment. Their business has grown
with the nation-in fact has outstripS
ped the nation in proportion within the
past seven or eight years.
To-day 5000 would be but n drop In
the bucket of capital required to con-
duct the great department store bust-
ness OF Stone g. Thomas, but those fig
ures represent the backing OF the firm
at Its birth fifty years ago, when a
store room sixteen by thirty feet Dust
the size OF the firms reception room
to-dag) was occupied. But limited
financial backing formed only one part
OF the firms assets. Added to II was
the enterprise and commercial ability
OF two self-made men who knew no
such word as fail.
From year 10 year the firm moved
onward and upward. The original To-
cation suffced for Ave years, when the
growth Of the business made n move to
more commodlous quarters imperative.
The room at 1880 Main street was Sc
cured-the site OF n small part OF the
present large building occupied by the
flrm-and for years the establishment;
tvas known as THE Old Golden Bee
Hive" Many old citizens recall the
bee hive Sign that hung at the front or
the Stone & Thomas store In the M
ties and sixties.
Ten years ago, when Mr.. ., ]. Stone
died, the youngsters" Messrs. w. u.
Stone and Il. L. Stone, entered the frm,
the former becoming manager soon at
ter. Mr.. ]. C. Thomas still retains his
interest, but for some time has not ia
ken nm active part In the conduct OF
the business which he has seen grow
In a vigorous way to such generous
proportions.
grown Mt n phenomenal rate, and the
Berrer and Alexander properties were
ncnuired. Just year ago the firm put
I'm a six story stone front building on
the Berger lot, which has frontage on
Main street and about one hundred feet
on Market alley, which throws n food
of LIGHT into every corner on every floor
OF the Immense establishment, feature
that pleases the firms customers and
employees alike.
As stated above, tho firms expansion
In the past eight years has been ire
mendous Eight years ago eight clerks
we're employed; now there are ninety,
and during the holidays one hundred
~. ..st11 fa nFTNYINUn1
Two years ago the firm branched ous
from dry goods and the department
store system in vogue In the larger cit
les was adopted. In each OF the nn-
merous departments there IS mana
ger and clerks who do not sell goods IN
other departments A clerk In the
Stone & Thomas store knows his busi-
ness from A TO Els an expert In his
particular line This has been found
a most satisfactory system, both to the
firm and to the public. At the snme
time the STRICTLY oue-prlce system was
adopted. Small profits are the rue,
md the firms customers soon realized
the not uncomfortable advantages OF
prices that they knew were hxed LOT
one and all alike. -,
The plan of conducting this busl-
ness, the furniture and the other up-to-
dnte features. soon attracted wide at
tention, and many visitors come every
week from cities 400 ana 800
miles nwny to secure valuable pointers
for use in their own business one note.
worthy feature ia the arrangement or
show cases, which are lighted by cleo
,rlelty. The firm spent $4,000 In show
cases alone.
or trip through this establishment
It's large and varied stocks In all de-
partmcnts, columns might be written,
but lack OF space forbtds II Mt this time.
An up-to-datc feature OF the third floor
is the ladies' reception room, where
customers find the conVenlenccs. luxury
ard privacy df the home while shop
ping. The leading magazines and peril
odlcnls, handsome stationery and other
conyenionccs are nj the command OF
the shopper
"systcm" IL the watohword at Stone
& Thomas store. From Manager w.
n. Stone down TO the smallest elevator
boy II has the call. Among up-to-dnto
equipments, Tho establishment has a
competent advertising manager, In the
person OF Mr. Bert Dunnaway, whose
work on the mammoth Stone g. Thomas
"Fifticth Anniversary" advertisements
In the daily papers Is worthy OF high
praise.
The nrm expects n multitude to-day
ana through tho week. but propnrn.
tons on mn extensive scale have been
made and cvcrybodg will be well cared
for
"Of course YOU have a handsome pou-
vonr2' inquired the reporter OF Mr.,
Stone.
mo. lndncdl" was the reply ION
two recent occasions we had souvenirs,
nnf every 'muii toy from tho upper