The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-12-20
BUILDINGS FOR
PRODUCE HOUSE
BROOklNCS CONCERN OUTGROWS
QUARTERS AND NEW BRICK
BUILDING NOW USED
BROOKNGS PRODUCE COMPANY GROWING
More Ice Houses Built To House Sup
ply To Keep City Cool In
The Summer

If anyone thinks that there is not
one busy place in the city he should
make a visit to the new plant of the
Bookings Produce Co. While the
new brick building is not completed,
the company is, however, using the
place for the transaction of business
and getting along the best they can,
The hardware for the finishing has not
arrived and the doors have not been
hung, but nevertheless they are doing
business with the usual vim and vigor.
The new brick and cement building
is 40 by so feet, two stories above
ground and a full basement. Large
cooling rooms are on the basement
and first floors; one-half of the sec
ond floor is given entirely to the pOul-
try, and other convenient sections 20
the butter, eggs and fruit. All last
summer the company handled the out
put of FIVE creameries, and still con
tinues to do so when it can be sent in
carload lots. They will resume their
bigger butter business again in the
spring. They are handling great guam
titles of eggs all the time and carloads
of chickens go out several times a
they are shipping all the time. In
handling fruit they mostly buy and
sell direct, though they have handled
it on commission for other companies.
When the building is completed they
will buy and sell direct, doing a strict
ly wholesale business.
The former wooden buildings are
being made over into ice houses and
this will double the storage capacity
for ice. Six men are employed all
the time in addition to A. r. Weaver
and Miss Elsie Bartlett, the competent
bookkeeper. In the summer they eX-
pect To handle a great deal of bust
ness for the smaller produce firms
and thus build up the business to a
very respectable size. Then during
the summer they will employ beside
the present force, about fifteen girls
to candle eggs.
Water. sewerage and their own
heating plant gives them many of
the conveniences that they were be
F,,- ,.;41n,t o,J aftnr Tho n1aDf &c
completed and sidewalks connecting
them with the side streets that APP
proach from town they will be in a
condition for the efficient handling of
their business.
The Offices at the northwest corner
of the building are c~ommodious and
we'll lighted. A good many conven
fences that are planned have not yet
been installed.
The company is composed entirely
of local people and capital. Mr..
Weaver being the principle owner and
also the general manager. There is
no doubt but what they will continue
to increase their business and it looks
now as if this company would in a
short time become n of the biggest
business concerns of the city Much
that has been done to increase the
capacity and business, has been done
by Mr. Weaver in a quiet way, and It
now seems time that the people of
Brookings should know of this enter
prise that is growing up to such
strength, right here in our midst.
1t will be spring before the walks
are laid and all the outside improve
ments completed and then we can
more readily appreciate what il means
to the community. Having a constant
cash market for all the products Of
the farm will enhance the value Of
the city as a trading point and this
the farmers will soon learn and ap-
preciate. Next fall the company will
be fixed to handle potatoes and other
products in large quantities.