Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1910-01-05
BUILT BIG BUSINESS

Where Jtata Qualities, Ge.nAsn
Thrift and Industry Made Possi-
BILE the Great Shoe Business Of
the +. Mayer Boot & Shoe Conn
pany, Milwaukee, manufacturers
OF Mayer Quality Shoes
Most of us see only the present. We
see success only as we are brought
tace to face with it today How many
OF US ever look back for the cause, the
vital things that make success possi-
ble?
i That the key to real business sue
cess is often based on a 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 at Milwaukee and Seattle now
bearing his name, came to this country
! from Niernstein, Hessen Darmstadt. in
May, 1851, and Immediately proceeded
! to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he en-
! tered the employ of r. Suhm as jour-
neyman shoemaker
The spirit that prompted him TO seek
MS fortune in the new world was soon
responsible for another change, and in
1852, year later, he embarked in
business on his own accord making
boots and shoes to order as only a
German apprenticed artisan knows
how. Subsequently stock of goods
was carried and a retail business con-
Quoted until 1880, when the manufac-
ture of shoes was engaged in at whole
sale to the trade.
| The business succeeded from the be-
ginning and it was here that the staid
qualities of German honesty and per-
sistency, together with the knowledge
of shoe making gained by a strict Ger
man apprenticeship, came to the aid OF
a young business destined to become a
factor in the production of shoes In
America, for it soon became known
that the shoes manufactured by L
Mayer had qualities not ordinarily
found in shoes, and business began tt
expand
In 1890 the business was well estab-
lished, the foundation firmly laid ant
the policy well determined. From tina
time on the growth was more rapid
Factories, additions, more factories ani
more additions were added, until nov
the plant occupies substantial grouI
of buildings in Milwaukee and Seattle
The capacity of the present Mayer fac
~ tories at. milwaukee, ana Seattle Is D.
900 pair per day, giving employment t,
an army of people, paying annual.
over six hundred thousand dollars IL
wages, and employing sixty five sales
men who travel "a states in the inter
est of Mayer shoes.
Frederick Mayer died on March LIZ
1885,. .sfter building up large and sue
cessful business. He was succeede,
by his sons George p. Mayer, Fred J
Mayer and Adam j. Mayer. who, b.
rigidly maintaining the policy of tn
founder, tave succeeded in bringing
the business up to it's present magni
tude, where it stands as a monumen
of German thrift and industry. Fred
erick Mayer was man of strong char
acter and amiable disposition. He be
lieyed in a square deal for everybody
He was popular and had hosts G
friends, especially among the early set
tiers Of Milwaukee, who admired hir
/ for the qualities that were responsible
for his success. He was man of sim
pie tastes, who loved his home and be
lieved in the strict observances of hi
duty to God and man. He left benin
him striking example of what has, i
at least one instance, been contribute
nv a German to the welfare and pros
perity of this great country.
/ The leading brands manufactured b
the F Mayer Boot & Shoe Co. are
"Honorbilt," for men; Leading Lady
Shoes, Martha Washington" Comfol
Shoes, "Yerman" Cushion Shoes. "Spe
cial Merit School Shoes.