One of the largest tire businesses in the city is done by the Perfection Tire Distributing Co., organized in 1920, by A. E. Giesen. Both wholesale and retail business is carried on by the company which covers a large territory enabling them to buy factory outputs in many instances. They employ a large number of people and maintain a force of traveling men. These men cover the territory surrounding Sioux City in several different states. The growth of the company has been remarkable considering the short time that it has been in operation in the city.

The latest books of fiction, history, trade or anything else can be found in Sioux City at the Sioux City Stationery Co., the largest retail book and stationery store in the city. The business has been in existence in Sioux City for over 30 years under the ownership of F. C. Small. In 1910, it was consolidated with the Jackson Book Store. They employ 10 people and do an enormous trade locally. Everything in books, school supplies, office supplies, periodicals, maps, stationery and similar lines are to be had at this store located opposite the post office in Sioux City.

The Pioneer Iron Works, successors to the Herman Iron Works, was organized by men expert in the business, with Paul Kaplan as general manager. Associated with Mr. Kaplan are: Herman Galinsky, president; Abraham Kaplan, vice president; Herman Miller secretary, and I. Miller, treasurer. At the beginning only a small wire and iron business was carried on mostly as a service shop. The business has now grown to a manufacturing and jobbing business for all iron products used in building as well as heavy machine work. Iron ladders and stairway fire escapes, iron and ornamental fences, all kinds of wire work, steel doors, stairs, smoke stacks and all kinds of mill supplies of iron are made and distributed here. The machine shop includes service such as heavy blacksmithing, machine work of all kinds, auto repairing on such things as springs, axles, crankshaft grinding and oxy-acetylene welding. This is one of the best equipped welding plants in the city and work comes in from all over the surrounding territory. The manufacturers of other lines get service on their equipment at this plant in the way of repairs and mill equipment. An average of 11 men are employed in the shop all the time which enables them to turn out work in record time. The plant is located on Water street between Fourth and Fifth, and is convenient to reach.

G. W. Burkhead was first known in Sioux City in 1893, when he was with the firm of Burkhead & Reese. This company was changed to G. W. Burkhead in 1900. He has continued to operate by himself since that time. He has six employees and does an annual business of nearly half a million dollars worth of construction work. His work is not confined to Sioux City but extends over Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and Minnesota. He does a general architectural business designing churches, public buildings, commercial blocks and similar lines of construction work. Hundreds of edifices in this territory owe their design to Mr. Burkhead.

The first hotel building built by John J. Lessenich was built in 1867. This was burned in 1881, and the second was built in that year. The present building of the Chicago House was built in 1905. All of these have been built by Mr. Lessenich, who with Mr. Federman, are operators of the Chicago House which is the oldest hotel in the city under same name and management.

Thirty-three years of constant development in Sioux City is the story of the Orcutt Co., organized in 1890, by W. W. and W. M. Orcutt, as a hardware and tin shop. For 15 years they occupied the Major block at Fourth and Virginia streets. In 1905, they erected the Orcutt building which they now occupy entirely. It consists of four stories and basement and contains the largest stock in this territory. They do a general hardware retail business, with wholesale departments in contractors', factory and mill supplies. They do a large business in finishing hardware, plant equipment, furnaces, electrical fixtures, paints, sporting goods, furnishings, hotel and school supplies and similar goods. They not only serve Sioux City but the trading radius of 100 miles. Many of their customers come or send orders from many miles further than this. They are located in the heart of the retail district of the city, a condition seldom found in the case of a hardware store. The volume of their business is greater than any similar store in this part of the west. It is due to their long standing in the community and large stock of supplies which enables them to give good service on any of the lines they handle. W. W. Orcutt is president, and W. M., secretary-treasurer of the company.

The Sioux City Gas and Electric Company owns and operates the Sioux City Gas and Electric Company and the Sioux City Service Company. These two companies furnish the city of Sioux City gas, electricity and street car service, and steam heat in the business district.

This company began operating in Sioux City on February 26, 1859, on which date the Sioux City Gas Light Company was organized. In 1885, the Sioux City Electric Company was organized, and on July 2, 1901, the Sioux City Gas and Electric company was organized and purchased the property and equipment of the Sioux City Gas Light Company and the Sioux City Electric Company.

In 1922, the Sioux City Gas and Electric Company and the Sioux City Service Company were merged and are now operated under the name of the Sioux City Gas and Electric Company.

The officials of the company are: L. L. Kellogg, president; W. J. Bertke, vice president and general manager; R. B. Searing, secretary; I. W. Morris, treasurer, with offices in the Commerce building. Six hundred and fifty people are employed by the company in its various departments and plants.

Many improvements have been made during 1923, including supplying the outlying districts of the city with gas and electric service.

The gas works and the Court street plant are located at First and Court streets. The Water street plant is located at Water street on Perry creek and the Missouri river.

The company has approximately 160 miles of mains supplying over 16,000 customers with gas. Over half a billion cubic feet of gas is manufactured annually, consuming 400 cars of coke in its manufacture. Over 15,000 customers are supplied with electric service. Some of Sioux City's largest industries are operated entirely by electric power furnished by this company.

In the last 10 years a recent survey shows an increase in gas sales of 55.46 per cent; an increase in electric sales of 760.57 per cent. Gas customers have increased 40.35 per cent, and electric customers, 445.07 per cent.

With the farmers becoming disgusted with the fly-by-night wagon medicine peddlers, the Johnson Tonic Co., of Sioux City, is becoming known as a reliable source of first class stock remedies. The business was established in 1920, by H. L. Johnson, who is president of the concern. A. E. Gieson is secretary-treasurer. They employ 20 people and do an annual business of over $50,000 in the three surrounding states. Plans are now being made to widen their market to include all of the Sioux City territory. They have four salesmen and 35 agencies at the present time. Some of the products they make include Johnson's Hog Tonic, Horse Tonic, Poultry Tonic, Sheep Tonic, Cattle Tonic, Hog Special, Furno, Worm Capsules, Fly Spray and Dip. Many farmers are raising better hogs because of this company and their service.

The Big Sioux Furnace Co. has been installing Big Sioux furnaces and other heating equipment in Sioux City since 1915. The company is under management of J. J. Piuser.

They install Rudy furnaces, Liberty oil burners and steam nozzle burners for industrial plants, public buildings and apartment houses. Five mechanics and four salesmen handle the business which covers a territory of 50 miles radius of Sioux City. The lines handled are well known and guaranteed products which accounts for the large business Of the concern. They do all kinds of furnace repairing and tin work in addition to the installation work.

The Federation Construction Co. was organized in May, 1919, by its president, K. B. White. Since then the company has completed one and a quarter million dollars of construction work including industrial, commercial and residences. One hundred and fifty thousand dollars worth of residences alone have been built in the four years the company has been in operation. Some of the buildings most familiar to Sioux City people constructed by this company are Swine Pavilion of Interstate Fair Association, Albertson & Co. building and the War Eagle store and office building at Sixth and Pierce streets. They recently completed a half million dollar factory building at Muscatine, Iowa. Mr. White and H. H. Lueder have been active in the organization and have superintended the construction of all the buildings. The building and financing of many small homes have enabled numerous families to have homes on small payments that otherwise would not have had them.

The Crescent Jewelry Co. is one of the successful credit jewelry stores opened in Sioux City in 1920. The basis of the entire business is that everyone is honest if given a fair chance. This company also operates a store in Fargo, N. D. They employ 23 people in the two stores. Their customers come not only from Sioux City, but from many miles around in the territory. They handle large stocks of diamonds, watches and silverware. B. J. Rubel is in charge of the Sioux City store and I. Howitz is in the Fargo store. Both have had many years of experience in the jewelry business in this territory and know the wants of the people. This accounts for the success that they have met.

Buick automobiles in Sioux City have meant for the most part Wade & Burnight, who have been distributing them in this territory for a great many years. The firm was first established here in 1908, and since that time have furnished the territory with thousands of cars. They sell over a half million dollars worth of Buick cars annually in northeastern Nebraska, western Iowa and a portion of South Dakota. J. C. Wade and F. L. Burnight, who form the company, have been known throughout the territory which they serve for a great many years.

Operating one of the largest and most modern exclusive cleaning and dyeing plants in the west, it is not at all strange that the Davenport Cleaning Works has built up a reputation and business that cannot be excelled. The plant was established in 1910, by W. C. Davenport, and has been added onto at intervals since that time. New equipment and machinery have been added to the already modern plant until it is capable of turning out an enormous volume of work in record time. Associated with W. C. Davenport is his son, C. C. Davenport. They have over 25 employees in Sioux City and maintain over 50 agencies throughout the territory. An extensive business is carried on with their customers in the territory through these agents. Their delivery trucks cover the entire city and enable them to give prompt service to their customers locally.

While this company takes a great pride in the volume and class of work done for the local Sioux City patrons, they are at all times on the alert for new ways of speeding up the efficiency on the work received from the many agencies in the territory. As a result this important branch of their business has reached a tremendous annual total.

The Novelty Manufacturing Co. was organized in 1888, by George W. Coulson, and incorporated the following year. At that time they were engaged in manufacturing small novelties and doing general repair work. From this the business branched out into a general machine shop and supply house. In addition to handling all kinds of machine work from small screws to giant engines, they deal in mill supplies and engine room equipment. They employ an average of 18 or 20 skilled mechanics and machinists. The business covers not only Sioux City but northwestern Iowa, northeastern Nebraska and southern South Dakota. They do an extensive business in power plant work, municipal lighting plants and other heavy machine work. Their line of mill and engine room supplies is very extensive and fills a real need in the industrial life of the city.

The Novelty Manufacturing Co. at the present time is making a specialty of both automobile and steam engine repairing, their equipment for the conducting of this class of work being unexcelled. A large part of their time and machinery is also devoted to acetylene welding, much of this work coming to their plant from the surrounding territory.

Since 1904 the products of the Day Coal Co. have kept people of Sioux City warm. This company was organized by Elmer A. Butler and C. A. Day in May of that year. Two years later Mr. Butler purchased Mr. Day's interest and since then he has been sole owner. Their customers have grown from a handful at that time to hundreds now, both retail and wholesale. They handle both wood and coal and .cover northwest Iowa, part of Nebraska and South Dakota in a wholesale way, and Sioux City at retail. The products include such well known coals and coal products as Milwaukee Solvay Coke, Stott Briquets, Colorado Pinnacle Lump and Southern Gem Franklin County Illinois Lump. The force employed averages 20 people including an office force of six. This is raised during the rush season to 30 or 35. The business is under the personal direction of Mr. Butler.

THE SIOUX CITY TRIBUNE

Perhaps little attention was paid to the efforts of the late John C. Kelly, back in 1880, when he started a small four-page weekly newspaper. People were not accustomed to much in the way of news in those days but many of them had the opportunity of watching this small weekly grow into the metropolitan paper that it is today with eight daily editions, each with from 10 to 24 pages. The struggles of an editor back in those days when Sioux City was a frontier town need not be retold. Mr. Kelly, however, had the courage to withstand the struggle and lived to see his paper the big daily that it is now—he died in 1920, after becoming known as one of the leaders in journalism in the northwest.

The present Tribune is full of features from front to back. Well known comic strips such as "Little Jimmy," "Mutt and Jeff," "Bringing Up Father," "Barney Google," and others are known in this territory only through the Tribune. Associated Press, Universal News and United Press reports are carried daily while hundreds of special features are carried during various parts of the year. The Saturday edition corresponds to a Sunday feature paper, there being no Sunday Tribune. Thiele cartoons appear exclusively in the Tribune, Mr. Thiele being a member of the Tribune staff. His work has been recognized to an extent that his cartoons are copied in the leading magazines of the country.

It was fortunate that three sons of John C. Kelly grew up with the business and were in position to assume management of the entire paper and plant. John H. Kelly is editor, while Eugene Kelly is manager. Both are well known in business circles of the city. The plant employs 258, including editorial and office force. The subscribers of the Tribune number over 50,000 and extend over northwest Iowa, northeast Nebraska, southwest Minnesota arid all of South Dakota. The traveling force of agents numbers 15. They cover this territory. Hundreds of towns in the territory have carrier service. Farmers and residents of smaller cities get their copy of the Tribune direct by mail.

Ben Rosenbloom opened his first store in Sioux City in November, 1920. In the spring of this year he opened a new and more complete store on Fourth street in the very heart of the retail district. This store is modern in every respect with beautiful new fixtures covered with the highest class of merchandise. Because Mr. Rosenbloom is known by thousands as "Ben," he chose that name for his store. He has four live wire employees. The stock of high grade diamonds, watches and all kinds of jewelry is complete in every way. The newest creations of the goldsmith's art is to be found here in this enterprising jewelry store.

Started on a small scale in 1912 by Ralph Gaynor and J. A. Todd, the Gaynor-Bagstad Co. has grown to a quarter of a million dollar a year business employing 17 men and with four salesmen on the road. The company handles drugs, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, hospital and office furniture, laboratory supplies and equipment, surgical dressings and drug sundries, surgical instruments, veterinary supplies, trusses, elastic hosiery and abdominal belts, therapeutic electric equipment and sick room supplies. The line handled is one of the most complete in the northwest. Mr. Gaynor, president and manager of the company, is well known in public life in Sioux City.

The importance of good roads and the development of Sioux City residential sections have been responsible for the rapid and substantial growth of the W. R. Shipman Construction Co., one of the largest concerns engaged ill road grading and bridge construction in this section of the middle west. Probably the largest single contract assumed by this organization was the grading and leveling required in the improvement of the Sunset View residence addition, where millions of yards of dirt were removed by them. This project included, besides the grading of the newly laid-out streets, the cutting down of large hills and the filling of considerable areas. Many of the more important country highways in the Sioux City territory were graded by this company, and their force of men, maintained during the seasonable months, means a payroll that is of much importance to Sioux City merchants and other commercial institutions. They have every modern equipment necessary in the conduct of an extensive grading and bridge building business, including horses and power equipment. The company's headquarters and offices are located in the Iowa building. W. R. Shipman, president, is also general manager, and has personal charge of the projects undertaken.

The Moore-Toller Drug Co. was organized in 1879, by the late S. H. Moore. Since his death the store has been owned by A. J. Toller. The store specializes on prescription service which is respected and appreciated by most of the physicians of the city. This department is under the supervision of Mr. Kugel and Mr. Anderson, who are known as among the leading pharmacists of the state. The soda and luncheonette department is under the management of Mr. Bartels and Mr. Huntting. A total force of 12 is employed in this progressive drug store.

The Fullerton Lumber Company is strictly a child of Sioux City. It was organized here in 1888, by James, Thomas and George Fullerton, the active management being in charge of James Fullerton, who made his home here until 1900, after that W. F. Beam was in charge until
his death which occurred December 10, 1912. The management was then taken over by Mr. Joe Fullerton who came here from St. Joseph, Mo., and he conducted the business until his death, about eight years ago. After that Mr. George Jordan was manager until the early spring of 1918, when the management was taken over by Mr. H. T. Walensky and Mr. F. E. Johnson.

The main Yard is located at Fourth and Lafayette streets, the material yard at Third and Clark streets.

The story of the Moore Clothing Co. is one of progress since the store was opened in 1905. A most complete line of men's and boys' hats, caps, clothing and furnishings is carried in the modern store at Fourth and Nebraska. This location in the heart of the retail business district brings thousands of people by their door daily. They get their share of customers from this daily stream. Over 25 employees work here, giving their services to the men who want good clothes. Some of the nationally advertised lines handled here include Kuppenheimer clothes, Dobbs hats and caps, Stetson hats, Manhattan shirts, Interwoven hosiery, Vassar underwear and many leading lines of domestic and imported men's wear. The buyers of this company keep in close touch with the eastern and foreign markets in a way that assures Sioux City men of the latest styles almost as soon as they appear in the east. The customers which number in the thousands, come from Sioux City and hundreds of small towns in the territory. Geo. G. Moore, founder of the business, is president. F. T. Sharts, who has been prominent in the clothing business in the city for many years, is vice president. E. H. Looker is advertising manager.

In 1919, A. Braunger and L. D. Anthony formed the partnership of Braunger & Anthony. Mr. Braunger had been in business in Sioux City since 1886. Mr. Anthony had been manager of the local branch of the Cudahy Packing Co. Their business when organized as now consists in wholesale and retail selling of food products. They sell fresh meat, salt meats, poultry, eggs and other staple food products. They employ 12 people and do an annual business of over a quarter of a million dollars. Most of their business is locally. Two salesmen cover this city with sales. Many hotels, restaurants and other large users of foods are among the best customers of this company.

This rapidly growing concern was organized on February 14, 1916, by E. H. Olson and Geo. L. Booth, who are still at the head of the organization. From 25 to 100 people are employed, the larger number being required during the summer months when the firm is very active in street and road paving. Booth & Olson have contracted and built many miles of concrete paving in Sioux City and the surrounding towns, and in 1923, constructed over five miles of paving here, and five miles in Kingsley, Iowa. Booth & Olson sell several lines of high grade coal, both at wholesale and retail, their territory covering northeast Nebraska, northwest Iowa, southern South Dakota and southwestern Minnesota.

The Seymour White Laundry and the Humphrey Dry Cleaning Co. were consolidated into one concern in 1920. The Seymour Laundry was established 35 years ago in a building where the Orpheum now stands, by W. H. Seymour. Humphrey Dry Cleaning Co. was established about the same time at 517 Pierce street. J. D. Seibert is president and manager of the company at the present time. There are 100 people employed in the plant located on Nebraska street between Fifth and Sixth streets, in the heart of the business section of Sioux City. They cover the trade territory as well as Sioux City and employ seven salesmen. The efficient and satisfactory services of the Seymour Laundry is rapidly taking the place of the old fashioned methods of washing. The housewife now sends her clothes out of the house to be laundered knowing that they will be returned in better condition than they could have been done in her own home. Every kind of modern laundry and dry cleaning service is offered in this establishment from washing handkerchiefs to cleaning automobile upholstering. Special departments handle different classes of work and insure proper attention and service.

Since 1906 the well dressed and particular men of Sioux City have been fitted with clothes by the shop of C. A. Hollenbeck. Mr. Hollenbeck himself is one of the most skillful tailors in the northwest and employs 15 other tailors, all doing exclusively men's tailoring. They occupy quarters on the second floor of the Frances building in the heart of the business district. The location, together with the wonderful service and good workmanship, has built up a tailoring business that is not excelled in the city. They cover not only Sioux City but the three surrounding states. Many orders come by mail from men whose measurements are on file here.

Sturges Bros. is the oldest firm in Sioux City without change of membership or management and under the same name. In 1887, E. F. and C. L. Sturges opened a modest little harness shop. They now do an extensive retail, wholesale and manufacturing business in harness and saddlery and strap work of all kinds. They sell shoe findings, leather, automobile top material, nose guards for horses and all other horse equipment. The business has gradually expanded until it now covers Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Nebraska and South Dakota with sales.

Among the largest of its kind in the northwest of which Sioux City boasts, is the greenhouse of the J. C. Rennison company. Over 12 acres of glass buildings containing every kind of flower known to the florists of this country is owned by this company on the Denison road in the edge of the city. The business was started on a very small scale in 1881, by J. C. Rennison, from whom the company gets its name On his death his daughter, Miss F. L. Rennison, took charge of the business and has operated it successfully since. In addition to the wholesale business in flowers of all kinds, nursery stock, landscape shrubbery and potted plants, they do a large retail business. The retail store is a complete business in itself. The company does a business of over $175,000 annually and cover territory in the Dakotas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, and as far as Wyoming and Colorado. They have over 200 agencies in the immediate territory and have several salesmen out in the territory. The modern greenhouse has been built new since 1920. This year they erected three new units, each 200 feet long and 40 feet wide. They own considerable acreage in the immediate neighborhood and will expand as needed to care for the business. They maintain a department for making garden furniture to order.