Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-08-17
WEST Is CLOTHED BY OMAHA
Gigantic Concerns of the Gate City
Supply a. Vast Territory
SHOE BUSINESS IS GROWING
OmRbR's Contingent Trade Territory
Extends All the Way to Pacific
Coast states, which Are f51
4s-e.-,,.. Heavy Buyers. .s..-..

Probably the first commercial Industry Of
Omaha to enter the western wholesale field
was clothing This city holds It's rank as
the market town in the wholesale clothing
business as well as in the scores of other
industries, and by reason of the years in
which that particular trade has been
worked up is stronger in respect to whole
sale clothing selling than in any other.
The trade for Omaha extends from the
Mississippi river to the coast, in just the
same extent as Omahas other wholesale
enterprises reach that field. All the big
clothing houses of the city. which includes
concerns which handle dry goods and which
manufactures them, are sout in open and
very stern competition with Chicago, ST.
Louis and the other great markets farther
east. The factory output of clothing IN
Omaha amounted to $2,3750oo last year.
n The shoe industry, both the wholesale
and manufacturing phases, rs one Of
Omaha's half dozen mainstRys. The finan-
cial magnitude Of the business is indicated
by, tho report last year thatth manufac-
tured output reached $575 900 and the whole
sale business srnounted to $2,soO0OO.
s. There are five big Wholesale shoe con-
Germs in the city. all putting up severe and
healthful competition. The sternness of
the strife for business has the effect ac-
cording to the various sales managers OF
booming Omaha to the advantage of all.
Statesmen are,-being sent from the local
concerns through all the middle west and
coast states and. the result, is an ever
growing inroad, into the business OF ST.
Louis. The Omaha market has easy access
to its material from all over the country
by reason OF its central location. and has
territory at hand which justifies the
carrying of enormous stocks, regardless Of
the demand from distant points Hs
t a. Boot. and shoe Business. "a,
1t "a declared, that the advent Of whole
| sale boot and shoe houses in Omaha has
had the greatest sort Of an effort in bring
ing into being countless retail shoe stores
throughout the west It is to the Omaha
market that the dealers Throughout the
west look for their catalogues and advertis-
ing matter To this end the shoelceneerns
OF Omaha have become educated 10 a
high degree in the production of shoe liter
ature OF the excellence found nowhere else
In the landys The footweaf industry is made
to cover a large range OF products under
that general head in Omaha, It includes
the product on and distribution Of shoes
boots, rubbers and variety of leather
goods and incidentals. This scheme OF
handling a large variety OF products with.
out regard to specialization in no other
line has become SO distinctveto of Omaha
as in the shoe industry. It seems to be
a proof that close specialization is not jus,
titled in the west. II, in fact anywhere
and that a big business, built upon trade
in related articles Swill be more apt tC
succeed and will reach vastly greater vol
ume than "a business confiEing itself tC
single article.
With eight large dry goods establishment
in the city, Omaha Is a colossus of dr.
goods Importance. The city virtually
stepped into its greatness. in this respec
without any remarkable effort. The loca
tion in a territory naturally, tributary t.
the town for hundreds of miles, and IN,
natural advantage over other cities located
aiong the Missouri river. was Away
Omaha's advantage.
.tHt other Lines Carried.
OF the enormous establishments dealing II
q dry goods, most Of the, local, concern,
handle the rug. carpet ana many other In
dustries besides the strict dry goods lines