Six
HISTORICAL AXD INDUSTRIAL EDITION OF THE GASTON PROGRESS
GEO. R. SPENCER
SPENCER LUMBER COMPANY
S. ELMER SPENCER
High-class dealers in lumber and
manufacturers of builders supplies,
are of the greatest importance to grow
ing and progressive cities, and the fact
that Gastonia can support an establish
ment of this character, and size of that
of the Spencer Lumber Company is
one of the best indications that the
city is not only rapidly increasing in
population, but that it is really boom
ing. The Spencer Lumber Company is
one of the largest and best equipped
in this section of the Carolinas, and
its trade is constantly increasing
throughout the adjacent territory, as
■well as in the city proper. There aa?
been a building permit issued every
other day in Gastonia during the past
few months, and by far the larger part
of the materials used in the erection of
these buildings is the product of the
Spencer Company, which has during its
long years of existence both as the
Page Company and under its present
ownership been, to a large extent, the
center around which the building in
terests of this city and section have
revolved. There have been but few
structures built in this city since it was
founded in which material from the
plant has not been used and always
with the most satisfactory results.
The yards and mills of the company
are located along Falls and west Page
streets, and are about 700x1,000 feet,
comprising a space of about 700,000
square feet. In these yards at the
present writing there are over 750,000
feet of lumber of various kinds.
The mills and shops comprising six
modern buildings equipped w'ith the
most improved wood working machin
ery that long experience and ample
capital could assemble, have a floor
space of 26,000 square feet, exclusive
of the barns and sheds, and 40 men are
employed in the plant in various
capacities. There is nothing needed
by the builder and contractor or the
man who wishes to do his own work
that is made of timber that cannot be
procured at the mills and in the yards
of the Spencer Lumber Company, at
the lowest market prices. The mills
turn out in large quantities and by the
most improved methods the finest
grades of mouldings, sash, doors,
blinds, frames, cornices, flooring, ceil
ings, sidings. They are also prepared
to do all kinds of special contract work
and the company numbers among its
patrons the most prominent contract
ors and builders in this section, men
who know good material when they see
it, and always keep in touch with the
market. They furnish glass of all
kinds, the company handles nothing
but rough and dressed lumber, lathes,
shingles and the various manufact
ured product of its mills which in
clude all kinds of mantels and turned
\\ork. Its trade extends from Char-
Rough and
Dressed Lumber
Sash, Doors
Blinds
^ I *-7 . - i'Z..
TO'SM'iV*!
■ jaww,.- I ’
EXTENSIVE PLANT JlP-'Ti^E SPENCER LUMBER COMPANY
Mouldings
Turned Work
Laths, Mantels
Shingles, Etc.
lotte to Spartanburg, and from Ches
ter to Lincoln, including all inter
mediate points. The plant now operat
ed by the Spencer Lumber Company
was for many years the property of
the Page Company, of w'hich Mr. J. E.
Page was the guilding spirit. Two years
ago this coming September, it was
purchased by George R. Spencer and
S. Elmer Spencer, the sons of the late
John T. Spencer, who for many years
was the leading contractor and builder
of this city and section, and one of its
most prominent and successful citi
zens. He was a native of the
county, and one of the pioneers of
Gastonia, having erected the first
house within its boundaries, and al
ways possessing an abiding faith in its
future greatness. He lived here until
his death, and both members of the
firm were born in this city. Mr. George
R. Spencer was, before joining his
brother in purchasing the business, the
superintendent of a large cotton fact
ory at Opelika, Ala., while Mr. S. Elmer
Spencer had been for five years em
ployed in a responsible capacity by
the Page Company.
HARRY-BABER COMPANY
'^^Gastonia’s Leading Grocery and Produce Store^^^
As an example of the modern
grocery and produce store no better
example could be found anywhere than
the establishment of the Harry-Baber
Company, incorporated, on Main street.
in the center of the business section of
Gastonia. Having the prestige that
only long years of fair and square deal
ing can give, a stock that is unequalled
in quality and quantity in this section.
7- , '--.g.
udisjisap
^^iKRY-BABER COMPANY
w
SCHNEIDERS
the store is strictly one of high char
acter, both as to the goods handled and
the methods of doing business. The
building, fronting 28 feet on the prin
cipal thoroughfare of the city and ex
tending back a distance of 145 feet to
the tracks of the Southern railroad,
the establishment has over 4,000
square feet of well-lighted and ven
tilated floor space for the display of
the enormous stock of plain and fancy
groceries, canned goods, crockery and
feed stuffs carried by the company.
Nothing has been forgotten or left un
done by the enterprising proprietors
to make this a model store, and the
fact that their efforts have been appre
ciated by the discriminating people of
this city and the surrounding s^Qtion
is shown by the generous patroi^^e
which li^s been given thjem. The
store unker its present nai^ of the
Harry-Baper Company sinceMOctob^
but its origin dates ba>7*vi to Kventy
years ago'when Gastonia w^s scarcely
more than a village. It w’a.« founded
by R. C. G. Love, who afterwards took
his son into co-partnership, they were
succeeded by J. P. Thompson & Com-
I)any, and then came John F. Love, in
corporated. In the meantime the con
cern had fully kept pace with the phe-
nominal growth of the city and had be
come a full fledged modern depart
ment store. On February 1, 1909, it
was decided to divide some of the de
partments and the Love company was
incorporated for the purpose of handl
ing groceries, crockery and produce,
while the Thompson Mercantile Com
pany took over the dry goods, cloth
ing, ladies and gentlemen’s furnishing
goods, shoes, hats and millinery. Oii-
October 1, 1911, the Harry-Baber Com
pany was incorporated to succeed the
Love Company which ceased to exist.
The officers chosen were J. R. Baber,
president, J. F. Thompson, vice-presi-
dent and Z. B. Harry, secretary and
treasurer, all of whom had for various
periods been connected with the enter
prise. Mr. Baber, the president, hac
^iJSeiTVlch the predecessors'of the com
pany for over 18 years and had by his
industry and ability risen to a re
sponsible position. He is a native of
York county, S. C., and came here 25
years ago to work on the Southern
railroad then under course of construc-
INT^RIOR OF THE HARRY-BABER COMPANY STORE
ticn. He remained with the road two
years an4 then, after working for ^
time as a\carpenter, eni-J,-
■pioT of tne concern the successor of
which he was destined to become,
president. Mr. J. F. Thompson, the
vice-president of the new company was
also employed by the old concern for
15 years with the exception of about
4 years when he was in business on his
own account. Z. B. Harry, the secre
tary and treasurer, war
or cue oia company ^nd was wltn it v
number of years when he took a
similar position with the Love Trust
Company, but afterwards returned to
his old job. Mr. Harry is a native of
Cleveland county and is known as an
expert office man.
Ladies’ and Gentlemen’s Ready-to-
Wear Clothing and Furnishing Goods.
Among the leading mercantile estab
lishments that go to make up the
shopping district of Gastonia there Is
none which occupies such a unique
place as Schneider’s. For a dozen
years this has been the only house in
Gastonia devoted exclusively to the
plenish the wardrobe of men and
women in every walk of life. In the
men’s department he keeps such sterl
ing goods as those made by Hart,
Shaffner & Marx, easily classed among
the world’s most expert tailors. Stet
son hats, the “Eton” shoe, and a line
of gentlemen’s furnishing goods it
would be most difficult to duplicate.
In the ladies' department there is a
fine line of dry goods, dress goods,
ready-to-wear garments, shoes, and
people. His prices are always reason
able and his goods just as they are
represented to be. The proprietor of
this up-to-date establishment, Mr.
Harry Schneider, came here from Gib
son, N. C., about 12 years ago, and has
been actively identified with its phe-
nominal growthj
J. WHITE WARE
Insurance.
Every owner of property w’hether his
holdings are large or small, cannot
help but recognize the tremendous
value, indeed the almost absolute
necessity of insurance, for his own
protection, just as he recognizes it as
his duty to insure his life for the pro
tection of his family, if they are de
pendent upon him. Nearly every one
carries insurance to a certain extent
but there is a numerous class .who
could, and should, carry more for
better investment could possibly bo
made. Why this large class of prop
erty owners should take half-way meas
ures in such an important matter is a
mystery to the well-insured man who
rests content in the knowledge tha J'
the property he has worked so havd t>jX
accummulate is safe from the ravag(-*3
of fire, lightning or tornado, and tliat
his dear ones are well provided for
should he take the long sleep. Having
decided to insure or to increase insur
ance already held, the next important
question is the selection of the com
pany in which to place the risk. The
plan pursued by the great maj-oritv of
shrewd business men, is to leave this
matter to experienced agents, repre
senting companies of the highest
standard and character. Located in
Gastonia are the insurance offices ol
Mr. J. White Ware, in the Citizen’s
Bank building on Main street. Mr.
Ware represents some of the strongest
and most reliable companies in the
world, backed by assets aggregating
millions of dollars, and he has as his
patrons some of the most discriminat
ing property holders of this section,
who rely entirely on his judgment in
placing their insurance. There are no
better flre insurance companies in
existence than the London, Liverpool
and Globe, the Home Insurance Com
pany, Continental New Hampshire, St.
Paul Fire and Marine, German Al
liance, Hamburg Bremen, and the
Royal Exchange Assurance, all of
which are represented here by Mr.
Ware. He also represents the Greens
boro Life Insurance Co., and the Hart
ford Steam Boiler Insurance Co., be
sides writing health, liability, accident
and automobile insurance. In connec
tion with his insurance business Mr.
Ware is also one of the most extensive
dealers in real estate in this section,
and although he handles city property,
he pays special attention to the sale of
farm lands. He has a long list of some
01 the choicest farms in both North
and South Carolina, and those con
templating settling in this section will
make no mistake in communicating
with him. He has made a study of land
values in this section where he has
always lived, and no one is more
familiar with real estate conditions.
Mr. Ware is a native of King’s Moun
tain where one of the greatest battles
of the Revolution was fought and won
by the American troops. He has been
living in Gastonia off and on, for the
past 25 years, and is throughly identi
fied with its interests. Mr. Ware was
formerly in the cotton brokerage busi
ness and is one of Gastonia’s public
spirited men.
F. D. BARKLEY & COMPANY.
Flour, Grain, Hay, Cotton Seed Meal,
Fruits, Produce, and Provisions.
There is no city in this section of
North Carolina with perhaps a single
exception, that can compete with Gas
tonia as a center for the handling, by
wholesale, of flour, grain, hay, cotton
seed meal, hulls, fruits, produce, and
provisions. Surrounded as it is by a
number of smaller towns and a rich
and productive agricultural country,
together with the fact that its ship
ping facilities are of the best, have
brought this condition about. There
are a number of firms engaged in the
business, and among those having a
place in the very front rank is that
of F. D. Barkley & Company, whose
offices and warerooms are located at
the corner of Main and York streets.
Fronting on the principal thoroughfare
30 feet, the establishment of the con
cern extends back to the tracks of the
Southern railway, providing most ex
cellent shipping facilities for the handl
ing of heavy goods. Although he has
only been in business for about four
years on his own account, Mr. Barkley
has built up a large business in the
two Carolinas which is constantly in
creasing, pushed by his energy and
enterprise. He has had long exper
ience in the business, having at one
time been connected with the whole
sale grocery firm of J. K. Morrison
Grocery & Produce Company of States
ville, N. C., and later having an inter
est in the firm of J. Flem Johnson &
Company, of this city. He is a native
of Statesville, N. C., and is a self-made
man in the best sense that the term
implies. Mr. Barkley takes a great
interest in military affairs and is an
officer of the National Guard of the
state.
STORE OF H. SCHNEIDER
complete outfitting of both ladies’ and
gentlemen. Nothing else is handled
except things to wear, and devoting
himself entirely to this single line of
merchandising, Mr. Schneider has
made his establishment at 122 Main
street, the headquarters of the best
dressed men and women. He occupies
the entire floor of the building owned
by him at 122 Main street, and carries
an immense stock of ready-to-wear
garments, boots, shoes, hats, um
brellas, trunks, valises, furnishing
goods and everything needed to re-
everything needed by the most fastid
ious women, all fresh from the best
manufacturers and in the latest style.
The millinery department on the
second floor is in charge of expert
milliners, and is patronized by the
most discriminating and best dressed
women within a radius of many miles.
Mr. Schneider has certainly given
Gastonia a store that would be a
credit to any city many times its size,
and the fact that his enterprise is
appreciated is evidenced by the gener
ous patronage he receives from the
ST. MICHAEL’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
STORE OF F. D. BARKLEY & COMPANY