The most important work of the Levitt Investment Co. since it was organized in 1912, by J. L. Levitt and J. Levitt, is the dividing of outlaying tracts of land into city lots and selling the lots to the public. Some of the tracts that they have opened are Levitt Heights, the Pendelton Hill Addition, Kelly Park Addition and the district now owned by the company at Twenty-eighth street east of Court. They also do a general real estate business throughout the city, specializing in residence and building lots. In addition to the two Levitts, R. W. Weisser has been active in the business which employs a total of about 12 people.

When C. F. Johnson organized the United Blue Print and Supply Co., in Sioux City, on August 10, 1920, he gave to the engineers and architects of Sioux City a real service. The company furnishes the technical men with blue prints, blue line print, cloth prints, drawing materials, equipment for the drafting room ,supplies of all kinds and engineering instruments. They also make all kinds of maps and prepare them in any shape, mounted or unmounted. The company is a department store for architects, engineers, draughtsmen and technical schools. The office and plant is located in the United Bank Building.

The I. Miller & Co. organization was formed in Sioux City in 1917 by a group of men who had been successful in business for a great many years. At the present time they employ 50 people and operate in their own modern brick fireproof building on East Third street. They conduct a general jobbing business covering the Sioux City trade territory, reaching out several hundred miles to the west. In addition to the large force necessary to carryon the business in Sioux City, they have regular salesmen and specialty men to the number of 21. These men travel the territory handling the lines of I. Miller & Co. exclusively. The principal lines they carry are beverages, groceries, notions, paints, oils and greases, fruits and syrups, stoneware and woodenware, paper and twines, school supplies, disinfectants, stock powders and poultry feeds. Large stocks of these goods are kept on hand at the Sioux City home of the company ready for shipments. The personnel of the organization includes I. Miller, H. Galinsky, Herman Miller and Joe Miller.

The Sioux City yards and other holdings of Thompson Yards, Inc., forms the most extensive and modern retail lumber properties in the United States west of the Mississippi river. There is no concern of a like nature to compare with it in this section of the north west. They not only have a giant yard larger than anything of the kind in Sioux City, but in addition maintain large branch yards in Riverside, Leeds, Morningside, Sergeant Bluffs and South Sioux City. Each yard is complete within itself and the entire organization is one of the largest distributors of building materials in the northwest. A few minutes driving in Sioux City is almost sure to put you familiar with the Thompson Yards because if you do not see the yards you will see one of the large poster boards erected on the outskirts of the city by this concern.

The main yard is located on Third street. The most outstanding feature of this plant is the giant traveling crane that has a range of several hundred feet up and down and across the yards. It will reach practically any nook or corner and handle materials by the car almost as fast as a man handles a wheelbarrow. An electric sign spelling out the name of the company is mounted on the top of this traveling crane and attracts attention from any high point in the city and from the streets in that part of the city where thousands of cars pass every evening.

The company handles on a large scale lumber for building purposes, as well as sand, gravel, roofing and other materials used in construction work. They are also one of the largest dealers in the city in coal. Their yards have capacity of several hundred tons of all kinds of coal. The giant electric crane unloads and loads a car almost as quick as it takes to write these lines. One bite of the shovel or bucket on the crane will fill an ordinary coal wagon. The trucks, however, used by this company, have a capacity of several tons.

Two years ago the wholesale end of the business was started. However, with six yards the concern is almost a wholesaler to itself. They employ six salesmen for the territory, one from each branch office. The general offices of the company are now located at 2100 Fourth street, where they have one of the finest lumber offices to be found anywhere. Every modern convenience and equipment looking to efficiency in office detail has been installed.

Among the younger, thriving enterprises in Sioux City is the Sioux City Upholstering Company, engaged in the manufacture of overstuffed living room furniture. This company, owned and operated by P. J. Vanderveen, H. C. Weaver and Axel Simonsen, who are men thoroughly acquainted with the furniture industry, designs and manufactures davenports, with matched chairs and rockers, of high quality and dependability. The output of the factory, which is located at Nos. 200-204 Iowa street, is being sold in Sioux City and its trade territory. Since its organization in 1921, this company has enjoyed a splendid growth.

SMITH ELECTRICAL WORKS

All kinds of electrical work is handled by the Smith Electrical Works, established in 1916, by Axel T. Smith, himself an experienced electrical machinist. Six employees are kept busy repairing all kinds of electrical machinery. They repair and rewind motors and dynamos and install all kinds of heavy electrical construction. New and used motors are handled for their customers who live in Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and Minnesota. The Smith Electrical Works are manufacturer's agents for Eisemann magnetos and Kimble variable speed motors, Kimble, ventilating fans and General Electric machinery.

All of the recently built schools in Sioux City were designed by Beuttler & Arnold, who as architects and engineers are helping to make Sioux City a better city from the building point of view. William Beuttler and Ralph Arnold are the members of the firm who opened offices here in 1912.

They have specialized since that time in public buildings, schools, churches and lodge buildings. In addition to the many schools designed by them, such local buildings as the Masonic Temple, Martin's store building, Grain Exchange building, Elk's Club, Young Women's Christian Association building and other5 were designed by these architects.

Their engineering department, which features fireproof construction, is under the supervision of R. R. Zipprodt, a graduate engineer.

WIGMAN COMPANY
Wholesale Plumbing Supplies

One of the most phenomenal growths in the jobbing business in Sioux City has been that of the Wigman Co. It was started by the present president, and after whom the company takes its name, W. H. Wigman. This was in 1916. At that time they had a force of nine people, including officers, office force, janitor, warehouse men and salesmen. It was started as a wholesale plumbing, heating supplies and water equipment on a very small scale. That year they did a business of about $150,000, proving beyond a doubt that they had the right idea and had started a business on a basis and principle that would make good in Sioux City. Then came the war with such materials as they were handling at a premium and being taken up by the government. They withstood this and the after-effects of the war that brought ruin to so many concerns in the and other cities. The results with which they came through the trying times after the war is shown in the fact that their 1922 business amounted to over a million dollars.

The present force totals 30 people. Eight of these are salesmen covering northwest Iowa, northeast Nebraska, South Dakota and southern Minnesota. They sell to plumbers and to retail hardware dealers in this territory. Although in the business only these seven years, they have built up a chain of customers that swear by Wigman products. The principal lines handled include pipe, valves, fittings, boilers, radiators, equipment for steam, hot water, vapor and vacuum heating plants, plumbing supplies of all kinds, pumps, cylinders, tanks, windmills and water plant equipment. This is all heavy equipment and means large storage facilities which the company has in their newly erected home of reinforced concrete and brick. The building is located on trackage and everything is received in carlots and much of it is shipped out in mixed cars.

Mr. Wigman is president and manager of the company. Other officers are A. H. Evans, vice president and sales manager; W. H. Griffith, secretary and buyer, and E. L. Vernard, accountant. All of these are well known business men of Sioux City who take an active part in civic and commercial activities of Sioux City.

For over 47 years this firm, now known as Lewis Bros., has operated extensively in farm lands in northwestern Iowa, northeastern Nebraska and southeastern South Dakota. They also deal in city property and specialize in suburban acreage and railroad trackage for industrial sites. The firm was established by N. A. McFaul in 1878, as N. A. McFaul & Co. D. S. Lewis joined the firm on January 1, 1886 and the business was carried on under the firm name of N. A. McFaul & Co. until January 1. 1888, when E. H. Lewis succeeded to Mr. McFaul's interest. Since that time the business has been conducted by E. H. Lewis and D. S. Lewis under the firm name of Lewis Bros., with the exception of a period preceding 1910, during which Mr. McFaul was again a member of the partnership with the firm name of Lewis Bros. & McFaul.

Both members of the firm of Lewis Bros. are Sioux City born, and have been active in many fields in the up-building and development of Sioux City.

An important department of the business of Lewis Bros. is making first mortgage loans on real estate in Sioux City and neighboring territory.

A. Simons is the connecting link that makes it possible for the lady to wear beautiful furs from the fur bearing animals of the north. Mr. Simons opened his shop to the public in 1911, and has enjoyed an increasing business since. He now employs experienced furriers and fur workers who are capable of transforming the pelt into beautiful furs to adorn the discrimnating [discriminating] women of today. In addition to Sioux City, Mr. Simons caters to the trade in many cities throughout the country.

The Castle Electric Shop was founded about five years ago. At the present time the company is engaged in electrical contracting and retailing of electrical goods. Located in the Trimble block, few people in Sioux City but pass the doors of the shop in the course of time. The retail store is well stocked with standard lines of electrical equipment for the home. Such well known national brands as Thor washers and ironers, Thor vacuum cleaners, Walker dishwashers, Free Westinghouse sewing machines, National Mazda lamps and standard makes of commercial and electrical fixtures are on display here. The contracting end of the business covers wiring and placing of all kinds of electrical fixtures and equipment in the home. A. S. Henry and C. A. Steel, who are now the proprietors of this establishment, are strong advocates of the electrical home. Their work is one of lessening the housewife's work by substituting electricity. Four employees handle the contracting end of the business, while two salesmen devote their time to the retail end. Practically all of the business of this concern is in Sioux City with the citizens of the city. Novel advertising stunts are constantly calling the attention of the public to the lines handled.

HANFORD PRODUCE CO.
The World's Largest Creamery Butter Factory

The Hanford Produce Co. was one of the very first companies in this section of the country to engage in the centralized system of manufacturing butter. Their plant is the forerunner of thousands of others who have taken up the idea. It has grown to be the largest single manufacturing plant of creamery butter in the world, with a monthly average of over a million pounds of butter. Along with this quantity production has grown a reputation for good butter that is known in the large section of the United States where Hanford butter is known.

The firm had its start over 35 years ago when A. S. Hanford, still active head of the concern, opened a wholesale egg and poultry business. From this modest start the present organization has been built up. While obtaining the volume of butter production that has given it the title of the world's largest, it has built up an ice cream department that is one of the largest in the territory, covering not only Sioux City but an unusually large territory for merchandise of this nature. They continue to buy eggs and poultry, together with cream, through 600 stations scattered throughout four states. They buy direct, paying out millions of dollars annually to the farmer for his products.

A new unit has just been completed which gives the plant one of the most modern poultry feeding and dressing departments in the west. It has a daily feeding capacity of 30,000 chickens. The great amount of ice used annually by this plant caused them to erect their own ice plant in a newly constructed building adjoining the plant, or rather across the street, since the plant occupies the entire length of a city block. This addition of an ice plant makes it one of the most self efficient plants in the city with their own power plants, deep wells and retinning plants. Over 400 people are employed by this concern making products that are sold to the world.

The present officers of the concern are A. S. Hanford, president; A. S. Hanford, Jr., vice president; J. W. Schunk, general manager; J. H. Whittemore, secretary-treasurer. They have a large force of salesmen covering the entire country with their products.

In 1868, D. T. Gilman opened a real estate business in Sioux City that was destined to become one of the largest holders of city and farm property in the city. At present the business goes under the name of the owner, W. S. Gilman. The company specializes in farm land, having charge of many farms in this territory. It also owns the Trimble building, one of Sioux City's most modern fireproof office buildings, and other city property. In addition to Mr. Gilman, there is a large field and office force carrying on the business.

Among the newer shops of Sioux City is one established by H. Fishgall under his own name in 1922. They handle women's and misses' coats, suits, dresses, skirts, millinery, blouses, sweaters, hosiery and corsets. About 40 people are employed in the exclusive store which occupies three floors on Fourth street in the best retail district of the city. It is a strictly one-price store handling quality merchandise and is considered one of the finest in this section.

The first anti-hog cholera serum produced by a commercial company was in the year 1908. The Sioux City Serum Company was organized and established in the year 1912. They were the first company in this section of the country to produce anti-hog cholera serum. They have grown since then to be one of the largest companies in the country. There have been 10 different companies engaged in the production of anti-hog cholera serum at Sioux City since 1912, up to the present time. At this time there are only three companies producing anti-hog cholera serum in Sioux City. Sioux City is second in the production of anti-hog cholera serum, Kansas City, where there are approximately 12 plants operating, ranks first.

Thousands of immune hogs are used each year in the production of serum. Some companies own farms in connection with, their serum plants, where they grow and fatten immune hogs. The Sioux City Serum Company has its own -farm, located about eight miles from Sioux City, where they grow and fatten the immune hogs used in the production of Sioux Brand anti-hog cholera serum. They always have on feed and pasture at this farm from 1,500 to 3,000 head of hogs.

The Sioux City Serum Company employs 60 people at the present time. They will produce and market this year over 60 million cubic centimeters of serum.

Mr. W. F. Gilchrist is president and treasurer of the .company, Mr. S. F. Cusack is vice president and manager, and Dr. F. W. Larson is chief veterinarian and in charge of production. These men have been connected with the company and have been active in the management practically since its establishment.

The Martin Hotel is a modern, fireproof building of 350 rooms, completed in 1913, and enlarged in 1918. As a hotel it ranks with the finest in the country in furnishings and appointments. It is located in the very heart of the downtown district at the convergence of Fourth and Pierce streets, and its commodious lobbies, mezzanine floor and public spaces are utilized for practically all of Sioux City commercial and social gatherings requiring a meeting place or a banquet. Under this single roof are operated a hotel, a fine restaurant, a model cafeteria, an attractive barber shop, a valet shop and a cigar stand by the hotel, as well as the several subleased shops occupied by a drug store, a shoe store, a haberdashery, a cigar store, a jewelry shop and a floral shop. Two hundred employees are required to operate and maintain in this metropolitan hotel a standard of service that is recognized the world over.

The Martin is a unit in the "Hospitality Chain" of the Eppley Hotels Company (E. C. Eppley, president), which also operates the Fontenelle in Omaha, the Carpenter and Cataract in Sioux Falls, the Lincoln in Lincoln, the Montrose in Cedar Rapids, and the Lincoln in Scotsbluff, Nebraska.
The Martin is truly the community center of Sioux City, both in location and in utility.

To the stranger it is the very personification of the hospitality of the west.

It has comfort that is conspicuous, luxury that is practical and a courtesy toward guests that is unfailing.

The Sioux City Optical Co. was organized by its owner, Haftor Sve, in 1907, as a distributor, manufacturer and retailer of optical goods. At the present time they employ 14 people and cover a large territory. Business is received from practically every state in the union in a retail way. The store is one of the finest and most modern in this country. Five specialists devote their entire time to the examination of eyes and designing of glasses.

Sidney L. Taylor opened an office in Sioux City in 1920. He had formerly been connected with the United States Treasury Department in the Income Tax Bureau. For four years he had been an internal revenue agent, auditing books in connection with the income and excess profits tax of the larger mercantile corporations. Knowing the income tax work for both the receiving and paying end, he opened an office of his own. Mr. Taylor does work for his clients located in ten or twelve different states. He prepares income tax reports, audits revenue agents reports, audits books, installs systems, makes special investigations and other work of this nature.

The Omaha Hardwood Lumber Co. was established in 1898, and has been distributing hardwoods in this territory continuously since that time. The Sioux City yard was established .in 1920, in order to be in closer touch with thousands of customers the company had in this section of the northwest. The company has, besides the Sioux City and Omaha yards, a distributing plant at Des Moines, Iowa, and a factory at Little Rock, Arkansas. The factory manufactures wagon stock and oak lumber and ships these products to points all over the United States. The local yard carries a complete stock of hardwood flooring and practically all hardwood grown in the United States and also some foreign woods. These products they wholesale to points in Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and Minnesota, which are in the Sioux City territory. About 50 people are employed by the company at their different points. G. W. Douglas, of Omaha, is president of the company, and Randall Curtis is manager of the Sioux City yard.

THE BIERMAN ENGRAVING CO.
Commercial Photo-Engraving

The Bierman Engraving Co. has done as much to better advertising in Sioux City as has anyone institution. This has been done by furnishing cuts and commercial art work to the advertisers. Illustrated catalogs and sales literature is made simple by having a modernly equipped photo-engraving plant in the city. This plant was established in 1913, and is the only exclusive commercial engraving establishment here. F. H. Bierman and K. I. Federhart were the founders. Mr. Bierman disposed of his interests in 1915. Since that time Mr. Federhart has been in charge of the plant. The service rendered by the Company is complete from art work to finished printing plates. The half-tone illustrations in this book are examples of the work of the Bierman Engraving Company. Most of the catalogs of the manufacturers, Jobbers and mail order houses of Sioux City are illustrated with Bierman made zinc etchings and half
tones.

While the business consisting of over $25,000 worth of cuts annually is mostly Confined to Sioux City, a large portion goes out of the city. College annuals, letter head designs and newspaper illustrations in the country towns surrounding Sioux City come from this institution, as do all of the cuts used in the Sioux City Tribune, one of the two large dailies. The business is growing rapidly, keeping pace with the growth of business and advertising in the city.

The plant is located at the corner of Douglas and Fifth streets in the heart of the business part of the city. It was recently moved here in order to get more room and to have a location for better serving their customers.