Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-30
BIRTH OF OMAHAS BUSINESS
Genesis Of the Jobbing Trade Of the Gate
City Briefly Told.
EARLY TRIUMPH OF THE "~oNE-LINERs'
Evolution of Merchandising Through
the General store Up TO h Pres
ent Era Of Wholesale and
Retail EmPoriums.

with interest, as It is a complete reversal
u the experience which they gained in bus
mess but few years ago, for the first stores
10 open in the country we're department
stores in all but name and size. One OF
these old-time merchants, who has retired
from that line OF business, said during the
week:
1.-THE first stores to be opened in Omaha
we're places where everything demanded by
man, except those things which were the
Immediate product OF the soil, could be
purchased. We carried not only dry goods
lnd groceries, but hardware, furniture and
clothing. This lasted for ten years or such
} matter, and then the single line stores
bame. II was then proven to the satisfac-
lion OF all concerned that the man or firm
which gave undivided attention to one line
hf merchandise could buy cheaper and sell
tower than the general merchant and all of
The general stores gradually dropped line
after line until they carried but one. The
development began generally by dropping
furniture, then hardware went, then the
groceries,, then the clothing, after that the
boots and shoes, and dry goods alone re-
NAMED; some OF the houses carried a line.
u millinery for a while, but 1t speedily
gave away to the one-line house. Now the
Dne-llne houses are organizing for self
bIOltCllOu lIOm utblI III NJ u anu
n the department store. Another genera
lion has discovered what we could not find
Sut, and that is how to combine lines Of
merchandise upon a cheaper basis than
Pould be done by the merchants carrying
but one line
Omaha Pioneer Stores.
There is a question as to what firm
opened the first store Of any size in the
hifv ~ Omaha tha bouaao of TonfIa e. IopL-
son and Megeath Bros. & Co. having been
established about the same time. The first
" these houses had for its senior partner
Milton Tootle, a man who was interested
1T that time and in later years in a num-
Der Of stores along the Missouri river, hav-
ing had one at st. Joseph, one at Sioux
City. one at Omaha and two at Council
Bluffs. TIL Junior partner resided in this
city for some time and conducted the local
business.
The second firm was composed Of James
and Samuel Megeath and a Mr.. Richards Of
Baltimore, Md. 1t was conducted on Far
nam street for several years and a%fterward
BASED into the hands of Megeath, whitney
g Co, by whom it was discontinued after
beveral years.
The general store Of Tootle & Jackson
developed into a wholesale house. Upon
Inc ISblIcmcnI VI MT. JdChSOu ne was sue
ceeded by William @. Maui, now vice presi-
dent Of the Commercial National bank, and
the title was changed to Tootle & Maui.
A few years later William Koch was ad-
mitted to the firm and it was known as
Tootle, Maui & Co. They relired from the
retail trade and entered the wholesale field,
all lines other than dry goods having been
dropped after Mr.. Maui entered the firm.
Upon the death Of Milton Tootle the hold
lngs of Tootle g. Maui passed into the hands
Of Thomas Fitzpatrick and the Arm of Kill
patrick-Koch Dry Goods company was
formed, which continued for many years.
Mr.. Koch now travels for the Williams Shoe
company and Mr.. Fitzpatrick is at the head
of the retail dry goods house OF that name.
Oldest Continuous House.
This house is probably the Oldest con-
tinuous house in the city, although 1t has
passed through several hands. but having
two men interested in II as principal owners
since its foundation. 1t is the direct sue
cessor of the house 'of Rose & Cruikshank,
which was opened in Omaha in 1866. The
silent partner, but heaviest holder in that
house was N. B. Falconer. The house con-
tinued in the name OF the men who first
opened IL for some time, when as a result
OF financial difficulties 1t was succeeded by
the firm of A. Cruikshank & Co., Of which
Mr.. Falconer was a recognized member.
This firm continued for about ten years
when 1t was succeeded by N. B. Falconer
personally, who several years later sold to
Thomas Fitzpatrick & Co..
One OF the first merchants Of the city
was the late J. ]. Brown, who, with his
brother, r. A. Brown, opened a store carry
ing q general stock near Fourteenth and
Douglas streets. The firm Of Brown Bros.
was dissolved after a few years and r. A..
Brown entered business on his own ac-
count near the quarters Of the old firm.
]. ]. Brown continued the original store
for a time and then went into the wholesale
trade. The store OF R. A. Brown remained
in the retail trade until he retired from
business.