The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-01-01
PEASE & MAYS.

J. w. J. French became associated with G. B. Gil
man. French & Gilman opened store Mai1
street, Court The year following they removed tt
the stone building northeast of Second and Wash
ington streets.
At The Dalles the commercial center of
vast scope of country Western Montana Idaho Eastern
Washington of British Columbia all of Eastern Ore
gon tributary The Daes supplied the goods for
this Inland Empire. The business of this firm rap
idly, exceeded half a million dollars.
M. French, in 1868, bought the interests of
this the of the well
known firm of French & Co. This firm, perhaps well
known in the Pacific northwest enjoyed trade
tending what is wseveral states In business be-
fore the advent of the railroad the merchandise sold for
these distant points distributed wholly by pack trains
They conducted general merchandise business until
1875, they sold E. B. Mcfarland,
had been in their employ for several years. and S. L.
Brooks, and have confined themselves banking.
Mr. Smith French purchased in 1877 the interest of S. L.
Brooks, and the firm of Mcfarland French succeeded
The business situation now different The Dalles
longer the shipping point northwest. Rail
roads in successful operaton and other distrbut
ing points further had been built and trade had
been very much curtailed
This made several changes imperative. The firm
compelled attention the retail trade this
necessated floor and in 1883 Robt
ted for them the store northwest of Second and
Federal streets Edward c. Pease Joined this
man in the spring of 1884, and admitted a partner
in 1888
Mays Edward C. Pease in 1892, bought the
interests of E. B. Mcfarland Smith French
the firm of Pease & Mays
You will observe that in all the changes
nected with retiring firm has been active the
concern; that each firm has had
Der who for several had been under the tuition
senior members of the older and that
these firms have had successful career
haps the most successful in the HISTORY
1S621S9S forms quite in the history Dales
think she well be proud a
different firm it but still having part
in the that the old firm thus knitting them
together has Wthstood all the vcsstudes of mercantile
tO-da
as the leading mercantile of Oregon
land The last few years have been trying all
who have been engaged in commercial pursuits Pancs
short crops, and the extremely low prevailing
all products have taxed the business ability country
to its utmost Still in spite of these
cumstances this pushed itself to the front and
stands to-day head shoulders general mer
chandise concerns of Eastern Oregon When they COM
menced business, owing to the fact that Mcfarland &
French had contemplated retiring little time bus
mess had Deen curtaed and the
sisted OF but Six To-day, spite unfavorabe con-
dons existing during the past five years. which we
nave heard some OF the acuest business
try state have been the to successfully
conduc business that have existed in the last half
century, requires the nearly double the num-
Der OF people employed any to meet
the requirements of their trade.
For this unusual growth be reasons If this
had taken place under circumstances it would
perhaps cause no great comment; but under existing
conditions it remarkable
When Pease Mays opened their doors if was with tho
distinct idea that volume success that thew coud
no longer figure upon profits that past The
country had settled and business conducted
more upon Eastern principles. necessarily he
greatly reduced and the firm would to gra-
dual increasing business for adequate upon capital
invested.
With this they have ever been alive to the
proposition OF selling goods figures would enable
them to handle more merchandise until today they are p
recognized being the heaviest buyers Oregon outside
of Portland.
They resolved to have store conducted as far
practical upon the general department.
stores III the larger cities The store five
departments each having responsible head securing
Inc same attention to each department were dis
nct store under different ownership this difference
favor OF Pease Maystheir centage customers is
arger and expense of doing business less.
Experience gained by many years business taught
hem the Importance of having goods designed to he
laued into the interior by carefully packed
They have packing goods are first care