Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-01-10
GILBERT AND SON
TO MOVE STORE
Big Hardware Establishment
Erects Modern Plant i'll
South Second Street

A big step in the march of mer-
camille progress in Harrisburg, a
significant move in the developm ent
of the city will be that OF the
closing of The ancient establish
ment of Henry Gilbert & Son Mon
day, The famous old Gilbert firm
Will shut up shop on that day pre-
liminary to moving from their
present location, 219 Market street,
to 400 South Second street. This
means most important addition
to the newly developed wholesale
district of Harrisburg, the wide
Second street section directly across
from the Pennsylvania freight Of
fees, section which is now identi-
fled with some of the biggest of
Harrisburg's merchantile enter
prises, Evans-Burtnett, Appleby
Bros. & Whitaker and the York Cor
rugating Company.
The firm of Henry Gilbert is the
oldest, excepting one, in Harris
burg, founded by Henry Gilbert back
on May ] ;, 1910. 1t passed into
the hands of Spencer G. Gilbert who
had for his silent partner" the late
Lyman d. Gilbert. The third gen.
Grafton now is represented by Hen
derson Gilbert.
Novel Features
The moving of Gilbert's hardware
plant to the latter spot, according TO
real estate dealers, means a general
building up OF that neighborhood
The shift was made for many good
reasons, the chief one being the i'm
mediate proximity to the Pennsyl-
Vania freight station which is Just
across the way. This new Gilbert
structure will embody all that is
modern. A novel feature which
tells the tale of progress is a ''wel-
fare room," an apartment where the
employees may gather at leisure time,
smoke, cook a meal and have So
cial intercourse.
The heating apparatus is of new
and most efficient type, compara-
lively small firebox, generating
such heat that the big place is
thoroughly warmed. The entire
area is 5000 feet with $1,000 feet
of floor space. The arrangement is
so perfect that no labor or time is
lost in handling the immense volume
of business. The shipping facilities
in particular, are notable, and this
was one of the chief reasons for
locating here. 4 spacious garage
SISCleu just Ddch OIL the ola BOaS
Planning Mill, which is now part of
the plant, will enable the Gilbert
trucks to load up the night before
and get out early in -<he morning.
\ New Stock
Light and air were two points
upon which Mr.. Gilbert insisted and
spaciousnesS is the keynote of this
huge hive of industry.
The moving of the store will be a
big job and it is expected 70 take
up the best part of next week For
this the store will be closed on
Monday for one week. After that
the plan is to reopen it for some
time to sell off all material that
the firm does not care to take down
to the new quarters. There, an en-
tirely new stock of goods is now be-
ing stored.
The Gilbert firm is aware that
they may lose some portion OF re-
tail trade in this move from Market
street, but this is not much of a
consideration. The bulk of it's
business is in heavy hardware and
it ships to all parts of central Penn
sylvania, so that shipping facilities
are paramount. Mr.. Gilbert said
that he could not say what would
be the future of the old building in
Market street, whether it would be
rented or torn down to make way
for another structure.