HISTORICAL AND INDUSTRIAL EDITION OF THE GASTON PROGRESS
Eleven
EFIRD’S DEPARTMENT STORE-Buy Here and Save Money
Among the various mercantile estab- large quantities direct from the manu-
lishments that go toward making up facturers for cash, thus taking advan-
the business life of a community, the tage of all discounts and selling strict-
EFIRD’S DEPARTMENT STORE
high class department store occupies
a commanding position. Buying in
ly for cash. Located here in Gastonia
is a store of this kind of the highest
class, and one that would do credit to
any city no matter where it may be.
This is “Efird’s” on Main street in the
center of the shopping district, and it
is admittedly one of the most attract-
ivo and popular establishments in this
section of the State. It is one of a
chain of stores in Charlotte, Winston-
Salem, Concord and Gastonia, all of
which have met with graitfying suc
cess and every year becoming larger
and larger. Under the firm name of
Efird Brothers, the concern was incor
porated in Charlotte about 10 years
ago. The officers are .T. B. Efird, presi
dent; P. H. Efird, vice-president; E. L.
Efird, secretary and treasurer; and J.
R. Efird and J. W. Efird. They are
brothers and came originally from
near Wadesboro, North Carolina,
where they were born and raised on
the home farm, and are excellent types
of the young business men of the new
south. Like all the other stores of the
brothers, the one here in* Gastonia
was a success from the day it threw
open its doors to the public, and in
vited the people to buy for cash, and
get the benefit of reduced prices. This
was something of an innovation in
long accustomed methods of doing
business in the south, but the people
were not long in realizing the fact that
it was to their benefit to pay cash and
save money. The store was the
pioneer in this section and since it was
established others have been obliged
to fall in line. Fronting 50 feet on
Main avenue. “Efird’s” extends back a
distance of 150 feet, the building con
sisting of two stories, both of which are
occupied by the firm. There is 15,000
square feet of floor space in which to
display the immense stock carried,
consisting of dry goods, ladies, men’s
and children’s ready-to-wear clothing,
cloaks, suits and garments, shoes in
infinite variety and from the best
makers, dress goods, silks, wash goods,
household goods, and the thousands
upon thouands of articles found in the
modern, high class department store.
It would require columns of The Pro
gress to enumerate. One of the first
impressions the visitor has upon enter
ing Efird’s is the newness and fresh
ness of the stock. It is the settled
policy of “Efird’s” and one of the
things that have brought success, never
tv^/^arry any goods over, from season
^ season. Before the close of a sea
son everything is sold, no matter what
the sacrifice, and the stock replaced
with entirely new goods. Nothing has
been forgotten or left undone that
\jvould add to the comfort of patrons.
'blT^^oods are conveniently arranged
for their inspection, the building is
splendidly lighted and ventilated, the
clerks courteous and experienced, and
the delivery system prompt and efiic-
ient. The Lampson trolley cash sys
DIMITV
--^SPfC/Al
INTERIOR OF THE BIG EFIRD COMPANY STORE.
tem enables the clerks to make change
quickly so that there is no unnecces-
sary waiting, and taken as a whole the
establishment could not be improved
upon. Mr. P. H. Efird is the man
ager of the Gastonia store, which
employs sixteen people, that at Char
lotte, which is the largest in the city,
65, Winston 30, and Concord 25. The
system of stores built up by these five
brothers in a comparatively short time,
by enterprise, energy and uniformly
fair and square dealing, is a fine illus
tration of what the young men of North
Carolina are capable of accomplishing
and also of the opportunities that
exist right here at home if they are
taken advantage of and backed by
hard work as was the case with Efird
Brothers, who are all full of life and
public spirit.
TMfNG c^
Mr. Warren’s shops are of brick, two
stories high, and front 26 feet, running
back a distance of 75 feet, which gives
him a floor space of nearly 3,000 square
feet in which to conduct his large and
constantly increasing business. Mr.
Warren comes of a family of black
smith’s and there has been one in the
family for the last five generations.
The family formerly lived in South
Carolina but moved here in 1878, and
here it was that he learned his trade.
In 1891 he went into business on his
own account, and for 20 years has been
the leading blacksmith and wheel
wright of these parts. Mr. Warren is
a Mason.
RHYNE ROLLER MILLS.
Manufacturers of
Flour, Meal and Feed Stuffs—Custom
Grind ing.
''”1/1 mea^ from
• R.bvne
SNOWFLAKE STEAM LAUNDRY.
W. M. Morris & Co., Prop.
The advent of the steam laundry has
caused a veritable revolution in hun
dreds of thousands of homes all over
the country, and there is not the slight
est doubt as improvements are being
n;ade, that the great bug-a-boo of every
housekeeper known as'wash day will
in time become a thing of the past. .
Even at present there is no real reason
for washday in Gastonia homes if the
head of the family would only inves
tigate and consider the merits of the
Snowflake Steam Laundry of which
W. M. Morris & Company are the en
terprising proprietors. It can easily
be proven that it is true economy to
patronize this up-to-date sanitary
establishment, and eliminate a day for
the calendar that means nothing but
hard w'ork and oftimes writhed
temper, a poor dinner and a generally
disagreeable time for every member of
the family of average or moderate
GASTONIA CLOTHING COMPANY.
A. R. Sherman, Proprietor.
Good clothes are undoubtedly one of
the greatest assets a man can possess
in the making of a successful career.
They cannot be neglected by any man
for they mean much in these days of
lieen competition when the well-dress-
ed man is given the preference over
the poorly dressed one in every walk
of life where intelligence and ability
is required. There is no valid reason
why any man in this city or section
should net be well-dressed, while there
is here such p. store as that conducted
b.i the Gastonia Clothing Company, of
which Mr. A. R. Sherman is the
popular proprietor. This is one of the
STORE OF THE GASTON CLOTHING COMPANY
ishing business, having had a long ex
perience, and his friends have learned
to rely implicitly on his judgment in
the selection of clothing, and their con
fidence has never been misplaced.
This is one of the secrets of his suc
cess, together with the fact that he
only handles goods made by the best
manufacturers.
Roller Mills has for a number of years iru
>t6am ijau'iL-
ROBT. C. WARREN.
Blacksmith and Repair Shop.
Almost the first industry to he estab
lished at some country cross-roads,
which is in time, perhaps, to became
the site of a thriving city, is a black-
sm th and wheelwright shop, and
around this, as a nucleus, the com
munity gradually or raiiidly grows as
the case may be. This was to a great
a
nowna
wniijni
MR. MORRIS AND HIS SNOWFLAKE LAUNDRY BOOSTERS
J, O. FASSOUX. the most discriminating housewives ot
Fresh Meat, Fish and Oysters.
most attractive establishments in the
city, and is located at 135 Main street,
in the center of the shopping district
Fronting 30 feet on the principal thor
oughfare ot the town, it extends back
a distance of 100 feet, providing .a well
lighted floor space of 3,000 square feet
in which to display the immense stock
of clothing, gentlemen'.? furnithing
goods, hats, caps, underwear, shoes
and everything needed by the well
dressed man, no matter what his avo
cation in life may be, or what the size
ot his pocketbook. Mr. Sherman has
only been in business on his own ac
count for 18 months, but has been a
resident of Gastonia for the past 8
years, and has a host of friends among
all classes of society who have learned
to like him for his integrity and uni
form good nature. He throughly un
derstands the clothing and men’s furn-
SHOPS OF ROBERT C. WARREN
extent the case with Gastonia, and
Mr. Robt. C. Warren, who now con
ducts the largest establishment of the
kind in this section, can, although still
in the very prime of life, remember
well when the city was only a scat
tered country village. Mr. Warren's
shop, located on South street, just be
low Main, are headquarters, to a great
extent, for the horse owners of this
city and section. His horse shoeing
department is patronized by the most
discriminating horsemen for they are
well aware that he employs only the
most expert and experienced me
chanics to do his work. This however,
is only one department ot his large
and groiwng business, for he does all
kinds of general blacksmithing, repair
work, paints and trims carriages, and
is an alround wheelwright. He also
does all kinds of rubber tire work.
held a high place in the estimation of
the housewives of Gastonia and the
surrounding country. They think
truxy that there is none quite as good
and the demand for the products of
this high class mill are always in
steady demand among the people of
this section. The Rhyne Mills are
located just in the rear of the Ozark
Cotton Mills, across the road, and the
pi-oprietor is Mr. A. B. Rhyne, who for
50 years has been a miller in this part
of the country. He built the mills
about 17 years ago, after ideas of his
own and has successfully conducted
them ever since, assisted by his two '
sons, B. G. and A. T. Rhyne, both of
whom are expert millers, having been
taught by their father. When they
were first started the mills were run
on the burr system, and this was con
tinued for 14 years, but as the demand
became greater it was decided to in
stall the roller process, and three
years ago this was done. The mills at
the same time were thoroughly reno
vated and modernized by the installa
tion of new machinery. It would be
difficult to And cleaner and more sani
tary surroundings than those in and
about the mills, and Mr. Rhyne and his
sons pride themselves on this fact.
The capacity of the Rhyne Roller Mills
is 30 barrels ot flour, 200 bushels ot
meal, and 200 sacks of mill feed every
day, and a ready sale is found tor the
product. Both Mr. Rhyne and his sons
are natives of the county where they
have always lived.
PLANT OP THE RHYNE ROLLER MILLS
There is not a more sanitary and
well ventilated store for the sale of
meats exclusively in Gastonia or any
where else for that matter, than the
establishment kept by Mr. J. o
Passoux, located at 112 east Main
street conveniently near the best resi-
dental as well as the business section
cf the city. The stand has been a meat
stcre for many years, and is modernly
equipped with every convenience tor
carrying cn a high class business such
as that ecnducted by the popular and
enterprising proprietor. The first im
pression one has upon entering the
store is that of the extreme cleanliness
everywhere apparent not only to the
eye but to the nostrils. The sanitary
arrangements of the establishment
thiis city and seclioV'and lias an ever
increasing trade. Although born in
Charlotte he was raised here and
worked as a butcher for Mr. W. •
Davis 13 years. He started in business
on his own account March 20, 1911, at
1)2 Church street, but his ’ present
quarters are much larger and better.
We want more public spirited men
like Mayor Craig, Col. Armstrong, John
C. Rankin, Joseph H. Separk. A. G.
Myers, L. L. .Tenkins, J. K. Dixon, R.
R. Ray, F. G. McLurd, and a few others
in Gastcnia and vicinity, and then this
good young town would get a much
swifter mcve on.
All k-nds cf Prst class tenevolent
and fraternal ciganizaticns in Gas-
ttrn'a.
diy is located on Airline avenue and
was established in 1895, since which
time it has passed through several
hands. The present owners came into
possession of the plant about seven
years ago and under their progres
sive, and energetic management, a
number of improvements have been
(made until at present it is one of
the model laundries of the country.
It Is the only steam laundry in Gas
ton county and has branches in all
the neighboring towns, besides a
I branch at the department store of
/Harris Bros., corner South and Main
streets. An excellent and prompt col
lection and delivery system covers
every section of the city and suburbs.
The plant is modern in every particu
lar, is equipped with the most
Joseph W. Timberlake, true Virgin
ian and rising young attorney, some
day will be heard from.
proved machinery obtainable and the
work turned out is equal to that of
any laundry anywhere, being tar su
perior to the best work that can be
dene by hand, at the same time being
mflniteiy more sanitary. When cloth
ing is taken from home no one knows
m what surroundings it is washed and
ironed unless the work is done by ma
chinery which does not carry disease
germs. Mr. W. M. Morris, the manag-
ing owner of the Snowflake Steam
Launry is a native of this county, hay-
mg been born at Dallas, the old county
seat, and is one of the enterprising
young business men of the city. He is
a son of Mr. S. M. Morris and a nephew
of Mr. B. T. Morris, who comprise the
firm of Morris Brothers, proprietors ot
one of the big department stores of the
city, and has lived here for many
years. Mr. Morris is a member of the
Commercial Club, the Odd Fellows and
the Heptasophs.
n
STORE OF J. O. FASSOUX
could not be improved upon and this is
saying much for a business of this
character. Instead of having his meats
exposed for sale on the counters to be
fed upon by disease infected flies and
other insects, Mr. Fassoux keeps them
carefully stored in the largest and most
modern refrigerator in this section and
they are served to his customers free
from any possible contamination. This
is the largest butcher shop in the city,
fronHng 25 feet on Main street and ex
tending to the rear 90 feet. All the
meat handled is all home dressed
meats, slaughtered here in Gastonia,
and no western meat is sold. Mr!
Fassoux numbers among his patrons
Bessemer City is one of the best ot
Its size in the old North State.
Oh, may you dwell in such a scene
Where love and peace abide,
Where life is but joy serene
With none to fear or chide.
“Ah me, what changes time has
wrought—
And how predictions have miscar-
ried!
A few have reached the goal they
sought, ^
And some are dead, and some are
married! ”