The San Francisco call., 1897-12-19
Leading Stationery and Print
ing Concern West Of
Chicago.
Some OF the Features Which Have
Made This Establishment a
Power in California.

lG GAlcilSlkt BUSINESS transacted hV
that house, its UNSURPASSED facilities
for satisfying the wants [: the trade,
its superb quarters, ali have long been
the admiration of Eastern as well as
local manufacturers and dealers in the
same branch of business. Giving steady
employment to several hundred men
and women, many Of whom are stock
holders in the concern, the establish
ment of H. S. Crocker & Co. is an i'm
portant factor in the Industrial welfare
of San Francisco, the Importance of
which has been generally recognized.
H. S. Crocker, the founder of the
firm, is a brother of the late Charles
Crocker, one of the builders of the Cen
trail Pacific. Possessed of the same in
domitable spirit to do and dare which
characterized the life of the railway
magnate, Mr.. Crocker, in 1856, then a
resident of Sacramento, established the
house of II. S. Crocker & Co. which is
to-day one of the leading business en-
terprises in the Capital City. The af-
fairs of the firm, directed by a sound
and conservative policy, prospered, and
from time to time improvements of
various characters were made in or
der that the eVer-increasing demands
of the trade might be satisfied. In 1871
the firm felt the need of branching out
on a larger scale, and with that pur-
pose in view Mr.. Crocker came to this
city and established a branch eStab-
lishment at the corner of Sacramento
and SanSome streets. 1t was not long
before the branch outgrew the parent
stem in Importance and volume of busi-
ness, and in 1880 the firm removed 10
it's present site in a building erected
especially to meet the requirements of
the firm. The building with it's con-
tents, including an immense stock of
goods, machinery and implements of
various kinds, was destroyed by fire
in 1885, but twelve months later larg-
er and handsomer structure lose from
the ashes of its predecessor. In the
spring of 1891 the firm was ircorporat-
ed in accordance with the long enter
tanned views of Mr.. Crocker, so as to
enable all employees who desired to do
so to purchase stock and share in the
profits of the firm. Nearly all OF the
workmen connected with the concern
took advantage of this opportunity for
investment in a large and growing
business, and if there is one who re-
grets having taken this step his where
abouts is unknown.
In this sketch it is purposed to give
description of the various departments
which serve to give the crown of SUI
premacy in its line to H. S. Crocker &
Company. The handsome red building
in which the firm has it's home is Ave
stories in height, and it's equipments
are all that the most eXacting taste
could desire. In the construction of the
edifice two great hygienic principles
were never lost sight Generalization and
light. Every floor is lighted by means
of skylights and windows extending to
the ceiling. The heating and ventilat-
ing apparatus is perfect, so that the
employees, to whom the deprivation of
these important essentials means bod
lily ills of a more or less serious char
acter, find themselves in the position
of men who delight to labor as athletes
love to indulge in sport. In these re-
spects the workshops of H. S. Crocker
& Co. are unsurpassed in any other
establishment in the city.
The main floor is the salesroom of the
house, which is by long odds the larg-
est and most elegant in the city. The
entrance is hanked by immense show
windows constantly filed with attract
i've displays of artistic goods, including
the latest bric-a-brac only to be found
in a house of this character. To the
left of the entrance is the private Of
flee of Mr.. Crocker and his son Charles,
who takes an active part in the busi-
ness of the firm. On all sides and ex-
tending to the rear are immense show
cases, under the polished glass of
which are arranged goods of every de-
scription in bewildering variety. These
IL
value in the home or in the office of the
business man. Those little articles
which go to beautify the family hearth,
as well as those which are indispensa-
BILE to the comfort of men and women,
are here displayed in vast quantities
with the most artistic effect. To the
right is the stationery department,
which contains everything that the re-
quirements of trade may demand; le-
gal documents of all kinds, mercan-
tile printing in great variety-in tact,
nothing is lacking to render this de-
partment complete in every detail. In
the rear of the store are the handsome
ly equipped offices in which an army of
accountants find constant employment.
From this point the scene is an ami
mated one, and not without a beauty
of its own. One is impressed with it's
immensity from a commercial aspect,
and one feels that the statement that
this storeroom is the largest west of
Chicago is no exaggeration. This has
been repeatedly asserted by Eastern
visitors and it's truth cannot be ques-
toned.
BY taking the elevator. located on
the west side near the stationery de-
partment, one ascends to the second
floor, in front of which is located the
apartments of the directors. a por-
ton of this floor is devoted to the stor-
age of the vast supplies needed by the
firm in its business. The east side is
given up to series of large cylinder
presses, which are in constant motion
Printing of every description is done
here, and in quantities which would
make the small dealer who visits the
establishment turn green with envy.
On the third floor is located the Iitno-
graphing department. one of the rlost
important adjuncts of the firms busi-
ness. This department is presided over
by Theodore Pohlman, an expert in his
line. The number of employees is eighty,