Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-11-25
STONE 4 THOMAS OPENING
WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW
AND CONTINUE THROUGHOUT
THE WEEK.
THE BIG DEPARTMENT STORE
Will BE Handsomely EmbeIlished
and the Opera House Orchestra
VIII Give Concert Each After
noon-History of the Birth and
Growth of the Present Establish


Tomorrow and all Of this week, the
opening of Stone & Thomas enlarged
department store will take place, and
the event will mark the establishment
In Wheeling of retail institution Of
metropolitan proportions. For this
reason the opening will be of general
interest to the residents of the Ohio
Valley and especially the citizens of
Greater Wheeling, who have seen the
store grow from the tiniest to the
greatest in the State.
The recent growth of the store has
indeed been phenomenal and the pro-
gress made in building up an immense
patronage must be highly gratifying
to the members of the firm, Who.
through shrewd business ideas and en-
terprise justly merit the respect and
confidence of the community.
Beginning fifty-three years ago in
little two-story building nearly oppo-
site the present store, Messrs. e. J.
Stcne and j. c. Thomas entered bust
ness, conducting what was known tar
and near as the bee Hive Store Lat
er they moved across to small build
ing situated on the small par- of the
present site, where the sign of the
golden bee hive" was familiar to DID
er citizens. 1t was here that the foun
dation of the present gigantic concern
was laid; it was here that our grand
mothers used to look for bargains. I he
old firm remained in this building I'M
til 1851, just forty years; then the
branching out began. Mr.. e. }. Stone
had in the meantime passed away, dur
ing the year of 1887. His interests
were taken up by his sons, w. +. Stone
and E. L. Stone.
In 1887 the Berger building was
bought and the stores capacity doub-
led. Then in 1892 the old store rooms
north were secured and a fine stone
front structure erected. The business
increased faster than the size OF the
store and two years later it was found
necessary to build a five-story stone
front addition on the corner of Bridge
place Three years later another step
was taken in the purchasing of the
Leader building north of their proper
ty. The rooms were remodeled and
adapted to the firms use, but they
soon outgrew what was then looked
upon to be too big store Cor Wheel
ing to support" and last spring the
old stores were pulled down and the
present magnificent structure takes its
place.
Such is the history of the firm o.
Stone & Thomas-the old firm. Mr..
J. c. Thomas died in 1898, leaving his
entire interests in the hands Of Mr.. w.
E. Stone, whose vim and careful busi
ness enterprise he had so much admir-
ed and trusted in life. At Mr.. Thorn
as death the firm was reorganized and
is now composed of Messrs. w. E.
Stone, E. L. Stone and w H. Rownd.
The new firm began with a deter
mination to follow the principles set
down by the old, of never nisrepre-
senting a value and doing nothing TO
destroy the confidence of patrons. On
these lines they hoped to give Wheel
ing store as good as any in Ameri-
Ca perhaps not as large as some i'll
the larger cities, but as safe and COM
plete. That they have succeeded is
evidenced by the progress they have
made.
The old firm began with a cash cap
ital of 81 100. The present wealth rep
resented is, as may be imagined, many
times that amount. In 1887 they en-
ployed six clerks; to-day there are AS
employees, and during the holidays the
number will be increased to at least
200.
Four yeras ago it was decided that
the ''old way" was not the best for
large store that was branching ont
and growing at the rate this one was,
and the department system was inaug-
urated for the first time in Wheeling
1t was venture. Many predicted that
it would be unsuccessful. Time PROV
ed differently. The patrons had little
trouble in getting accustomed to the
change, but they finally began to like
1t, and the result was the business took
substantial and active increase here
tofore unknown.
The establishment of the department
system meant many new lines to hand