The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-01-06
ANOTHER SUCCESS.
A HonesdaIe Boy a Member of the
Firm OF Blooming dale Brothers,
New York-A Remarkable
b.. Business Career.

of Honesdale in the early 'fifties, and,
being of the thrifty sort, as were many
others of his faith-in fact we might say
all of the Jewish people who located
and engaged in business here--he pros
pered. His home was in what is now
known as the Henry Bussa house on
River street, between the Farnham and
covered" bridges. There he reared
family, among whom were three boys,
Samuel, Marx and Henry. Samuel and
Marx eventually went to New York and
engaged in business; Henry died here.
Mr.. Blumenthal became proprietor of
! store in the Dittrich building, cores
ponding to the rooms now occupied by
Mrs. Spruks's millinery establishment.
His son Samuel was employed in the
store of the late Hon. Isaiah Snyder, on
the opposite side of Main street. In the
early evening of Tuesday, May 16, 1871,
fire broke out in the second story of
the Cummings building, where Browns
clothing store is now located, and, rap
idly spreading northward, caused a
damage of more than one hundred thous-
and dollars. Mr.. Snyder's store, among
others, was burned, with large share
of its contents, involving loss of $4S,-
600. When young Blumenthal decided
that he could be of no more service at
the Snyder ruins, he went to the help of
his father, whose store was in such peril
that it was considered necessary to re-
move the stock. Fortunately, however,
the fire was restricted to the west side
of the street. For this abandonment by
young Blumenthal of what Judge Snyder
regarded as his post of duty, he refused
to pay him his arrears of salary, which
resulted in a law suit in which the boy
was represented by the late F. NJ. Crane,
and recovered judgment.
Two years later Samuel, accompanied
Sigmund Seeman, of the present firm of
Seeman Brothers, of New York, to that
city. and it was through Mr.. Seeman's S
influence that he secured aposition with
the Bloomingdale Brothers, who though
of the same name were in no way ere
lated to him.
Jacob Blumenthal, the father, con-
tinued his business here until Jan. 1875.
when he was one of the sufferers from
a 5000, 900 fire which started at half-past
two in the morning, in the old "Throop
Building" adjoining the then lateral
basin, and destroyed everything in its
path down to 9th street. His loss was
a stock OF dry goods valued at $1,000.
After this misfortune, he also went to
New York, in after years visiting Homes
dale on peddling trips, on which occa-
sions he made his temporary home with
Jacob Katz. He ssdied in New York
some years since. .... ..
OF the boy Samuel's career, The New
York American, of Friday slast, gives
the following interesting particulars I'LL !
Perhaps in some instances rolling
stone gathers bit of moss; but here is
another instance of the successful &C
emulation OF a competency of the stone
that stayed.
From Honesdale, Pa, Samuel Blumen-
thai, "a boy of eighteen, drifted into New
York one day in 1873. His intention was
to embark in the wholesale business in
New York, but on the Tuesday after his
arrival, he dropped into the little 25x100
feet store then conducted by Blooming
dale Brothers, at 93S Third avenue, and
made arrangements with them which
resulted in his entering their employ
menu the next day, at the munificent
salary OF So per week.
His first post was in the hosiery de-
partment. The store at that time sold
little else but notions, hosiery, corsets,
hoop skirts and few white goods. The
installation fsilks, dress goods and allied
lines came in due course, and young
Mr.. Blumenthal was put in charge.
lr 1876 the firm removed to the corner
of Fifty-siXth street and Third avenue,
where considerably more space was
available. With the progress of the
business, Mr.. Blumenthal's salary made
proportionate advances. His Suntiring
energy resulted in rapid increases OF
business in the departments that driftcd
under his control, one after the other.
Some of the great special sales in these
early days are interesting. Z One OF the
sales that created Il good bit of interest
was held about twenty-five years ago. 1t
consisted of 300 cases of cotton goods,
which in those days was a purchase of
untold magnitude. Another sale that
created a furore and drew such throng
that the police were obliged to take
charge OF affairs in the street in front of
the store, was held a few months later.
This consisted of several carloads of dress