The Washington times., 1929-08-20
(Continued from First PAGE

NNf1AtSAAiASA jA%'SlA- Il -
Feeling the need Of more central
location as his trade continued t.
increase, he moved to Chicago late
in 1887 and went into business un'
der the name Of r.. w. Sears Watch
Company. BY this time Sears was
advertising In newspapers anc
periodicals with national circula-
ton and the business was growing
at a tremendous rate.
Then he advertised for a watch
maker to take care of his watch
adjustments and timing and A. y,
Roebuck applied and was accepted
for the position. Roebuck also was
sof English ancestry. His great
grandfather came from one Of the
earliest colonies In Virginia and
was one Of the two first settlers
in Mercer county, Ohio. His father
was a superintendent Of construc-
tion for bridges on the Wabash
railroad and lived in Lafayette,
Ind, when A. G. Roebuck was born,
Sold Out In 1889
Early in 1889 Sears sold his watch
business and made d contract with
the buyers not to re.enter the mail
order business in Chicago for q
period Of three years. BY this
time he had made a fortune 81
100000 and planned to go into the
banking business in Iowa, but after
becoming thoroughly rested and still
being greatly interested in selling
merchandise, he started a mai
order watch and jewelry business n
Minneapolis in partnership with
A. c. Roebuck, later forming q
corporation under the name OF A.
c. Roebuck and Co., which con,
tinued in business under that name
until 1898. At that time the name
was changed to Sears, Roebuch
and Co.
Expands And Moves To Chicago
In 1894 the two men started ex
panding their business, adding 81
cycles, clothing, sporting goods
harness. in fact d general line 81
the heavier merchandise. Again
feeling the need of more centra
location, headquarters for the com
pany were moved to Chicago.
The first Chicago location was or
Adams Street near Halstead. where
five-story building was occupied
At first the company did not oc
cupy the entire building, which wa,
5Ox1OO feet, but rented the two up
per floors. In a few months. how
ever. the entire structure was uti
lized and by 1906 the business haf
grown so rapidly that mach largeI
quarters were required. In Anri
e that year. the company moved
20 the corner of Fulton and Des
PLANES Streets, occupying build
Ing several times larger than the
one on Adams Street.
Roaehwald Buys Interest
Roebuck sold out his interest In
1895 and soon after retired from
the business, Julius Rosenwald buv,
Ing an interest in it. At that time
the company was incorporated with
4 capital Of 9150,OOO and Sears lvas
elected president and RogenvVafd
vice president. Those two men
then controlled virtually an fhe
stock. In 1895 Sears was writing
advertislsg copy for some $5O, 900 ia
10000 worth of newspaper space
q month. with a circulation of an.
proximately 81, 1000, 900 copies.
The business grew almost too rap.
idly, and by. 1905 the company had
occupied all available space in many
buildings In the neighborhood of its
store. Receiving and shipping be.
came almost fntolerable under the
conditions and the company was
compelled to seek larger quarters.
BY this time the business had
reached q total Of almost $40, coo.
600 q year.
Big Plant Is Built
A site along the right.of.way of
the Belt Line railroad, the great
rail distributing system in Chicago.
was obtained. Here the company
built merchandise building com.
prising 100000 square feet OF