Sumpter Business, Baker County, Oregon

L. N. Blowers ~ Sumpter Mercantile & Warehouse Company
 

     Was incorporated October 30, 1897, by A. S. Blowers, E. W. Copner, Chas. Early, and L. N. Blowers, with a capital stock of $20,000.00, for the purpose of carrying on a general merchandise business, making a specialty of supplying the mimes, in the close proximity of which Sumpter lies. With this idea to view they carry it very large and well assorted stock, consisting of well-known and regular brands of goods, and they do mot fall to guarantee all purchases made of them.
    I.. N. Blowers, the president of the company, was born in Buchanan County, Iowa, April 18, 1867, but at an early age moved with his father to Minnesota, where he
received his education in the public schools. In 1890 he moved to Hood River, Oregon, where his father and himself bought out the general merchandise stock, of E. L. Smith, which business they operated until, October 20, 1897.
     In December, 1895, Mr. Blowers was elected mayor of Hood River on the Republican ticket, and served his term of two years with credit to himself and to Hood River. He has also been very active in National Guard affairs, having been lieutenant of Co. D, 3rd Regiment. He has lately been honored in being elected mayor of the newly Incorporated city of Sumpter.
     A. S. and I.. N. Blowers have lately acquired the interest of the other incorporators, and are now sole owners of the business.

P. J. Griffin ~ Capitol Hotel
 

    "Mine host" of the Spencer, the leading hotel of Sumpter, was born in New Hampshire in 1848. He has had considerable experience in the business, gained in hotels in Boston and in British Columbia. Lately, however, he has been engaged in miming and stock raising in the Burnt River country. On the first of April he bought this hotel. It is a large and commodious building, having, thirty-eight bedrooms. It is thoroughly lit by electricity, and has all the modern improvements. The table is furnished with all the market affords, and is a cardinal feature of the house. His wife aids him in the supervision of the hotel, and we bespeak for them a large and growing patronage.

Sumpter Lumber Company

     The Sumpter Lumber Company, of whose plant we present a cut, is one of the best equipped mills in Eastern Oregon, the main building being two stories in height, with a length of 126 feet, and an extreme width of 60 feet. They also have a planing mill and a shingle mill, and are in a position to supply the complete wants of their many customers, their capacity being twenty thousand feet of lumber in a day. The firm is composed of A. W. Ellis and J. B. Stoddard, the latter acting as general manager, and of whom it can be truthfully said that he has passed the majority of his life in the lumber business. He is a native of Utah, and after receiving a liberal
education, in 1877, became identified with his father in the lumber business in Wyoming, also operating saw mills at Beaver Canyon, Idaho and Logan Canyon, Utah. In 1884, in connection with his father and brother, they bought out Henry E. Gibson, of Ogden, Utah, and for a period of two years did a wholesale business from that point. Then forming with others the Ogden Lumber & Building Company, he acted as manager of it for a year, but after its incorporation resigned to take charge of his other plants at Aspen, Wyoming. Selling his Aspen property, he returned to Ogden, and in connection with David Kay and L. J. Holther, organized and incorporated the Rocky Mountain Lumber Company, in which he retained his stock until several months ago, disposing if it to Mr. Holther. Coming out here to assist his brothers in moving  their plant, he saw the need of a saw mill at Sumpter, and the result was the establishment of his present plant.
     In 1881, Mr. Stoddard married Miss Esther Leishman, the oldest daughter of Hon. J. A. Leishman, of Logan, Utah, and has four children, the eldest, his son Leon, being 15. He is president of the Business Men's Association of Sumpter, and has been active in advancing the interests of the town. He, is a prominent Republican worker, and has time and again lent his aid in advancing the cause of his party.

Kahler & Company

    One of the most progressive firms of Sumpter is that composed of W. E. Kahler and M. C. Foreman, doing business under the style of Kahler & Co. They carry a well selected stock of general merchandise including clothing, furnishing goods, boots and shoes, &c., making a specialty marking their goods at as close a margin as possible, and treating all customers with courtesy, they have in this way built up a trade that is a credit to their judgment.
     Mr. W. E. Kahler is a native son, having been born in Jackson County, in 1857, receiving his education in the public schools, and at the Ashland Academy and the Agricultural College at Corvallis. He has resided in Eastern Oregon since 1881, having been engaged in the stock business in Grant County for two years, and in the mercantile business in Morrow and Wasco Counties for four years prior to coming here in the fall of 1897. He is an active member of the Odd Fellows and Workmen.  In 1891 he married Miss Jose Miles, of Douglas County, and has one child, a boy.

J. N. Jones

     J. N. Jones was born in  Independence, Oregon, October 22, 1869, but at all early age moved with his parents to Umatilla County, where they stayed seven years. Moving then to Morrow County. He received his preliminary education in the public schools, and later attended the Willamette University at Salem. Returning home. He became engaged in the stock business until May 1896, when he moved to Sumpter.  In September of the same year he bought out the livery, feed and sale stable of Thos. McEwan and has made a number of improvements to it. His barn is large and commodious, being 40x100, in which he can stable sixty head of horses. He has a number of of fine turnouts on hand which he keeps for the
benefit of the public, and rents at very reasonable figures. He especially caters to the traveling and mining men, making their trade a feature of his business.

Sumpter Meat Company ~ Wm. Gleison, Jos. Woods, J. P. Alden
 

     This establishment, composed of Jos. Woods. Wm. Gleison and J. P. Alden, operating shops both here and in Bourne, has been exceptionally successful, and is steadily growing in public favor. Their retail rooms are spacious and complete in equipment, while their slaughter house, located about a mile front Sumpter is large and modern, and is supplied with the latest appliances for killing, averaging thirty beeves, thirty-five hogs and forty sheep monthly. They make a specialty of supplying the mines, running a wagon out to them. Mr. Alden does the outside work, buying cattle &c., while Mr. Woods attends to the Sumpter shop, and Mr. Gleison to the Bourne shop.
    Their building was built especially for their
business, being most substantial in all details, being equipped with the latest machinery for sausage making, and they also have a cold storage plant where all meats are kept.     
     Mr. Woods was born in England in 1848, remaining there until his 23rd year. He then came to the States, spending more or less time in New York, New England. St. Louts, Missouri and Arkansas, following the butchering business. Coming west, he spent a short while in California, and then moved to Montesano, Washington, where he had a shop far ten years, moving to Hoquain, he ran a shop there for four years, and then opened his present place of business here. He is a thorough master of the business, and has the well earned reputation of being the most artistic meat dresser in the State.
     Mr. Gleison is a native of Maine, born in 1852, and remained there until 1883. Coming to Oregon he spent ten years in La Grande and also two years in McEwan, where he operated a shop. Moving to, Sumpter he continued in the business, erecting the first building on the present Main street of the town. When the present company was organized he became one of the partners. He married Mrs. F. D. Farnham, of .Auburn, and is a member of the Masonic order. 
     J. F. Alden the junior member of the firm is a native of Wisconsin.  He came to Oregon in the fall of 1883 and for one year was in the employ of the S. F. Richardson Lumber Co. in Union County. He then went into the stock business, remaining in it until 1891, going into the general merchandise business with S. F. Richardson at Hilgard, Oregon. He followed that until burnt out. Returning to his ranch, he remained there until the spring of 1897, when be moved to Sumpter and entered the present firm. He married Miss Ida S. Ripley, of La Grande, in 1882, and has two daughters living.


The Sumpter Hardware Company ~ Geo. C. Hickok
 

     This establishment, which has lately opened business here on the Main street, occupies a two-story building 25x100, which is completely filled with shelf and builders' hardware, mining machinery, and everything pertaining to that line. They make a specialty of supplying the mines, and buying in the largest quantities and at very close figures, are enabled to meet any and all prices in their lime. The policy of the firm is honest dealing, the best goods, and prices low for the best.
     Mr. Geo. C. Hickok, the manager of the company, was born in Greeue County, Wisconsin, in 1855, on a farm. Moving to Evansville he entered a printing office and later followed it at Madison, Wisconsin. At the age of fourteen he entered the employ of the First National Bank as messenger boy and gradually worked himself up to cashier, remaining with the bank for ten years. He then moved to Baraboo, Wisconsin, engaging in the milling business with Messrs. McFettridge & Warren. Moving to Chicago he began to operate on the board of trade, which he followed for two years, retaining his interest in the mill. Selling out he went to North Bend, Nebraska, where he acted as cashier and Manager of the lst National Bank until 1886, when, with the same people, he organized the Deadwood National Bank, with a capital stock of $100,000.00, of which institution he was president for five years. He had become largely interested in mining during the time he was in Deadwood and acted as secretary and treasurer of the Golden Reward Milling Co. In the fall of 1891, he resigned his position in the bank and selling out his interest in the Golden Reward, became treasurer and general manager of the Portland Consolidated Mining Company. In 1894, he went to Colorado and acted as superintendent of the Ashland and Cripple Creek Mining Co., and remained there until 1897. During all this time, he had been interested, in a hardware store in La Grande, but hadl only been able to visit it once a year. Mr. Hickok is a Mason andd Woodman, and is married to Miss Jessie Harris, of South Bend Indiana, daughter of James Harris, one of the early pioneers of that state.  He has five children, four boys and a girl.

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