The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-01-14
GROWTH OF AGRICULTURAL IN
TERESTS IN THE INTER
MOUNTAIN REGION.

A quarter of a century since an or
ganiZation was perfected under the
territorial laws of Utah which, while
only partially anticipated at that time.
has proven Itself TO be the foundation
of one Of the largest mercantile insti-
tutions, and in its particular line Of
business is perhaps of greater magnl-
tude than any other in America, sell
ing at retail agricultural implements,
vehicles and machinery, this from
partnership arrangement in the Win
ter season Of 1SS3-S4 perfected between
J. r. Grant (the manager of the Amer
ical Steel & Wire company, Salt Lake
City). H J. Grant and George I.
Odell, which through changes occa-
stoned by the rapid growth of agricul-
tural industries, has developed INTO
business marvellous in its growth, Its
operations confined only by the boun-
diaries of Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and
Nevada, with establishments in each
Of the states named and drawing trade
to a not inconsiderable extent from
parts of Colorado, Arizona and Mon
tana. We refer to the Consolidated
Wagon & Machine company, whose
headquarters are at $50 State street,
this city.
Photographs in the possession of the
company's general manager, taken at
the time Grant, Odell & Co. was in
existence in "a, are interesting in the
extreme At that time the company's
buildings, while occupying a great deal
OF ground on State street, were worth
perhaps less than $3.50; in fact, the first
place in which they did business was
a corral without a roof, on the site Of
their present property, and the entire
Office by actual measurement contained
ninety-six square feet of floor space.
III ? buildings now 0ccH0ied IN s.
street are one hundred and ten feet
front by some two hundred and fifty
feet in depth, having both front and
rear entrances from public thorough
fares; are of modern construction in
brick and stone, equipped with two
freight and one passenger elevator
sufficient for the company's present re-
quirements; having a floor space OF
two and half acres, and at the pres
ent value worth approximately $l50,0OO
The company has also similarly con-
structed buildings at Ogden and Logan,
Utah; Idaho Falls and Montpelier,
Idaho, where branch houses have been
established. They also have brick or
stone buildings at Provo, Richfield and
Garland, in Utah; Preston, Blackfoot
and st. Anthony, Idaho, with frame
buildings at Spanish Fork, Price, Yer
nal and Morgan, Utah; ReXburg ana
Burley, Idaho and Alton, Wyoming,
where agencies have been established
for the sale Of similar goods to what
are carried in this city, and the aggre-
gate floor space owned and operated
by the Consolidated Wagon & Machine
company on which, they are now doing
business approximates twelve acres.
The lines of goods they represent are
so we'll known that a limited reference
to the manufacturers names is suf-
f1cient. Amongst them are found:
Balm and Cooper wagons, Oliver,
Deere and Parlin, Orendorff plows
Mccormick and Champion harvesting
machinery with I H. Co. and Plymouth
Red Tag twines; for light vehicles the
Racine, Velie, Kaufman, COnnersville
and Frazier; for stoves and ranges the
celebrated Stewart" and "Malleable"
steel; the Slower Mfg. Co. for wind
mills; the Vermont Farm Machine
company for cream separators. The
best line of beet tools in the world,
made by Deere & Mansur Co. Of Mo-
line, with all kinds of metal and the
celebrated elaterite roofing, the agen-
cies of which are controlled by this
company; and last, but not least, the
well-knOwn line Of automobiles manu-
featured by Thomas 3. Jeffery & Co.
of Kenosha, Wis, the Rambler" The
remarkable trips accomplished with
these autos in Utah and surrounding
states during the past summer have
been chrOnicled in the different news
papers. Mr.. Elliott, in charge Of this
department, is under contract to oper-
ate a Rambler car every day in the
year To date and through the in
clement weather, deep snow and severe
frOSts Rambler car 5S17" has been on
the streets, carrying a sign which ere
ates considerable comment: Rambler
runs every day. Ask the man. Mr..
Elliott states regardless of weather,
himself, the Rambler" and his black
dog are at the service of would-be pur-
chasers for demonstration purposes.
Jan. 10 at p. m. the department
managers, statesmen, collectors and
general manager meet with the COM
pany's executive board to review the
past and discuss methods for future
business of mutual benefit to them
selves and their DatrOns