The Washington herald., 1917-05-13

the IoundatlonS. washington IN thOso
days was not as big as 1t is now, ana y
street was not great business thorough
fare. Many predicted failure and bank
ruptcy as the result of such wild
venture.
But the building soon arose over the
foundations and 1t has been left for tne
experience of many years to judge OF tne
practical foresight of the builders. ~
was not long afterward that woodward
and Lothrop, largely through the enorts
of Mr.. Moses, moved from PennsylVania
avenue to their present location at
Eleventh and F streets.
Property values in this district began
to climb. In 1884 the prevailing price for
lots in this part OF the city was $3.50 per
square foot. Now a site near the Moses
Building probably could not be bought
for so or 500 a foot
The original Moses Building was seven
stories high, with two stories under
ground. making nine stories. II covered
space so by 100 feet. An additional
piece Of property, 25 by 100 feet, was pur-
chased In 1857, and seven stories were
built up to join on the old building An
other addition. 80 by 100 feet in size, went
up on the Eleventh street side in 1889,
matching the old building, and again In
1885 still another addition was erected on
the Eleventh street side on a forty-hve-
foot frontage. This last part was built
up ten stories high and made absolutely
hreproof. The last addition was de-
signed to accommodate the shops and
manufacturing departments Of the now
great institution.
Honor for Washington.
Although Washington is not a CONNER
cial city. there is one fact to which 1t
can boast-it has the largest exclusively
retail furniture, carpet and drapery
house In America. And this establish
ment is that OF w. B. Moses & Sons.
There is hardly a firm in the country
better known to Uncle Sam than that OF
w b. Moses & Sons. Hardly a large
Government building in this city and in
others outside Of the city, but what does
not carry some part OF its equipment in
the way Of furniture and carpet, window
shades, ONCE furniture that came from
Moses. The largest stock Of rugs, both
Oriental and domestic, South OF New
York city, are carried by the firm.
In recent years many fine residences
have been erected in the city. Naturally,
the persons who erect good homes want
the best In interior decoration, from
wall paper in the drawing room to the
hnoleum in the kitchen.
w. B. Moses employs expert estimat-
ors who are capable of going over a
newly built house and furnishing 1t from
top to bottom, inside and outside. They
have men especially trained in the busi-
ness of studying interior decoration. In
many OF this city's palatial residences
the firm has been at work, designing the
elaborate and complicated drawing room
decorations, likewise in many hotels and
theaters.
Complete Equipment.
Not so many years ago It occurred to
the firm that they could supply nearly
all Of the needs OF the man who was
just furnishing a new home, Just as
well as their competitors. Today the
establishment carries practically every
thing for the home except, of course,
perishable articles. One can buy q
go-cart or fireless cooker, an expensive
Oriental rug, or enough furniture to fit
out a large hotel or ONCE building. so
complete Is the stock now carried by the
firm.
But the firm puts its main energies in
the carpet and furniture departments,
1t Is now equipped TO execute on short
notice very large contracts for equipment
for office buildings, theaters, hotels, etc.
Hardly modern appliance for any of
these establishments comes on the
market but what 1t may be found on
sale on one of the ten we'll stocked floors
of the FIRMS building.
OF late the firm had added the minia-
ture refrigeration plant for the home
owners. electrically operated and priced
within the means of the average man.
A full line of electrically operated labor
saving devices have been added to tho
stock Of the firm as fast as these inven-
uons have proved themselves practical
Even with the ever changing styles in
household equipment, w. B. Moses and
Sons have adhered to the practical,
rather than the novel side of merchandise
FOR the home. Today the firm is the
largest and best equipped establishment
of its kind in the United States.