Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1909-12-30
Built B1e BUSINESS

Where Ssaia Qualities, German
Thrift and Industry Mse& fosni-
ble the Great shoe Business of
pany. Milwaukee, Manufacturers
of Mayer Quality Shoes.
Most OF US see only the present. We
see success only as we are brought
face to face with it today. How many
of us ever look back for the cause, the
vital things that make success possi-
! BILE?
That the key to real business sue
cess is often based on sound princi-
pie. rather than money, is best Illus
trated by the reproduction of the fol-
lowing biographical sketch of Freder-
lex MAYER. founder of the f. Mayer
Boot & Shoe Company, reproduced
from an issue of the German American
National Alliance:
Frederick Mayer founder of the fac
tories al Milwaukee and Seattle now
bearing his name, came to this country
! from Niernstein, Hessen Darmstadt. In
| May 1891. and Immediately proceeded
to Milwaukee. Wisconsin. where he en-
tered the employ of r. Suhm as a jour
newman shoemaker
Ihe spirit that prompted him to seek
+, his fortune in the new world was soon
1857. year later. he embarked in
business on his own accord making
boots and shoes to order as only a
German apprentced artisan knows
now. Subsequently a stock of goods
was carried and a retail business con-
Quoted until 1880 when the nanufac-
/ ture OF shoes was engaged in at whole
! sale to the trade
| The business succeeded from the he
hoy ~l,r "a
! qualities of German honesty and per-
s,stency, together with the knowledge
OF shoe making gained by strict Ger
man apprenticeship, came to the aid of
/ Young business destined to become a
factor in the production OF shoes in
America, for ii soon became known
! that the shoes manufactured by IT,
Mayer had qualities not ordinarily
/ found in shoes, and business began to
expand.
In 1890 he business was well estab.
)ished, the foundation firmly laid and
! the policy we'll determined From that
time on the growth was more rapio
Factories, additions. more factories and
| more additions were added, unit! nov
! the plant occupies substantial groun
of buildings in Milwaukee and Seattle.
| The capacity of the present Mayer fac
| tories at Milwaukee and Seattle is o.
900 pair per day, giving employment to
an army Of people, paying annually
over SIX hundred thousand dollars in
wages. and employing sixty-fve sales
men who travel "a states in the inter-
est of Mayer shoes.
Frederick Mayer died on March is.
1893 after building up II large and sue
/ cessfni business. He was succeeded
by his sous George p. Mayer. Fred ].
/ Mayer and Adam j. Mayer, who, by
-igidly maintaining the policy of the
| founder have succeeded in bringing
| the business UP To its present magni-
Jude, where ii stands as a monument
OF German thrift and industry Fred
! erlck Mayer was a man of strong char
1 acter and amiahle disposition. He be-
| lieved ID a square deal for everybody.
4 He was popular and had hosts of
| friends. especially among the early set
| tiers OF Milwaukee, who admired him
for the qualities that We're responsible
! for his success. He was a man of sim
| pie tastes who loved his home and be-
/ lieved in the strict observances of his
/ duty TO God and man. He left behind
/ him {, striking example of what has. in
! at least one instance. been contributed
/ by German To the welfare and pros
perity OF thus great country.
4 The leading brands manufactured by
/ the + Mayer Boot & Shoe Co are:
"llcnorbilt.' for men: Leading Lady
Shoes, Martha Washington" Comfort
Shoes. 'Yerman" Cushion Shoes. "Spe-
cjai Merit" School Shoes