Found in the Bourbon News-Mirror, 29 January 1903
WHAT WE ARE DOING
Business Interests of Bourbon Placed before the People.
by Mr. Vincent P. Kirk
FURNITURE & UNDERTAKING
BORDER BROS.
Franklin Border and Arthur Border, two young men doing an extensive mercantile business, are brothers and were born three miles west of Wakarusa in St. Joseph county, Ind. Franklin is twenty-nine years of age, and Arthur is twenty-seven. They were born on a farm and were tillers of the soil as a commencement in life's avenues of labor, and reaching the age when educational advantages inspired them, Franklin left the farm and entered the Tri-State Normal school at Angola, Indiana, where he pursued a scientific course until his eyesight became so badly affected he was compelled to discontinue his studies when within only two terms of graduation. He has passed nine years of his life teaching school -- three years at "Johnson's Corners", one year at "Panama" schoolhouse and five years in St. Joseph county.
Arthur remained on the farm, but taught school one year in the winter season, and during the threshing season he was a thresher for two years.
Three years ago Franklin came to Bourbon and began business as a furniture dealer and a funeral director, and continued the sole owner and business manager up to and until one year ago, when Arthur became a partner, and today, as a firm the "Border Brothers" are fully established in the confidence of business circles abroad and at home. The business house of this firm is replete with a stock of goods in the furniture line, unusually seen in inland towns; household furnishings to meet the needs , wants and the desires of the various tastes of any household, and every detail of the furniture business is managed with a view to giving perfect satisfaction, from repairing, retouching, adjusting and ornamentation up to and including a full and complete line of furniture supplies, and prices from the nominal on up the scale according to quality. In connection with furniture for the living, these young men as undertakers are experts.
Each is a graduate and holds a diploma from the Chicago College of Embalming and each is licensed to practice embalming by the state authorities of Indiana. This firm carries a stock of pianos, organs and sewing machines, and give careful attention to each department of the extensive business, for the purpose is to suit the incoming customers and to maintain a business character well deserving the implicit trust and faith of all patrons and the public generally.
The parents of these young men now live two miles north of Bourbon and are "well to do", comfortable in means and farm life, but these young, independent, enterprising, business fellows started in business with their sole capital of financial means which they had earned by "hard knocks" -- as one of them expressed it, and with the idea of business well in his head, Franklin launched his bark on the sea, and being joined by his brother Arthur, they are now riding the waves of the business sea successfully. They are polite and courteous, attentive to business, have a well regulated trade and fully appreciated as young men of business sense.
MERCHANTS
STEINEBACH & LAWRENCE
Young men are numerous in the avenues of business, and Bourbon is particularly noted for the young business blood that courses through the business channels, and this firm is prominent for fidelity to business obligations and activity in business manipulations. The family name of these young persons is a recommendation and their lives fully sustain the recommendation for veracity and trustworthiness and in every respect that reflects due credit upon parental interests, hope and life, recommends their tact and talent and ability in business affairs and they will continue to meet environment in an upward business career. About five years ago these young men in partnership opened up a grocery store, and in connection carried a small stock of dry goods, and their beginning was based upon personal ambition and individual purpose to master conditions and become worthy merchants, and how well they have succeeded upon to this time the people know from business association and the writer knows from observation.
Mr. Steinebach was born in this county and is 36 years of age, and has always lived in Bourbon. Mr. Lawrence was born in Auglaize county, Ohio, and is 32 years old, his parents moved to Pierceton this state when he was quite young, and came to Bourbon in 1880.
Having moved their store into the building known as the "Sears Block" they have greatly enlarged the stock and now carry a full line of clothing for men and children, shoes and rubber goods, underwear and a full stock of men's furnishings from first-class hosery to shirt wear of highest grades. House furnishings, including fine grade of damask curtains and beautiful lace curtain designs, house rugs, door-mats, carpets, by sample, and window shades. In the women's department is found dress goods and patterns of every grade and texture belonging to a general store trade, with lines of gloves, handkerchiefs, under garments and footwear for women and children most suitable for present day demands, laces and ribbons of great variety of colors and quality, and the hosery offering is as various as the peculiar taste along this line require to be kept in stock, in short, both the men's and women department are replete with any useful article of wearing apparel, ranging in price strictly according to quality of goods.
The taking on of these other lines of goods, has not in the least lessened the grocery stock and activity in this staple line of living essentials, but this vital tributary to home and body is indeed a large and rapidly growing factor under the management of these popular hustlers, and the grocery division is the leading grocery supply store in Bourbon. A delivery wagon is on the go, and the homes are promptly supplied on demand by telephone or otherwise.
In the shoe department is found the "Pingree shoe" and this firm make a speciality of this, and as a comfortable shoe is a preventative and a panicea against much suffering due to ill fitting foot-wear, this shoe is noted for ease and comfort and durability, and this firm has the sole agency for its sale in Bourbon, and men, women and children can find rest for the foot by dealing with this firm in the shoe line.
This firm is successful for several good reasons among which are quality of goods, quantity of stock, womanly and manly attendants, but their own character as owners for solvency and business integrity is their potency in business circles.
BAKERY AND RESTAURANT
H. S. COLVIN & CO.
H. S. Colvin & Co. are proprietors of this establishment, with Mr. Colvin as manager. The grocery department is complete. Heinz's canned and bottled goods are kept in stock, such as pickles and sauces, mustards, catsups and all table delicacies, seeded raisins, olives, spices and maple syrup, and they tell me that the stock of canned goods was bought before the advance in price, and for this reason they are in a position to sell these solid-packed choice canned goods at the old price, and this of course means something to the customers, and their selection of canned goods exceeds in quantity and quality that carried by any other house in the county.
Blanke's coffee, as a special selection, together with a general high-grade assortment in the grocery line can be found constantly in stock, and all these goods are purchased after a careful inspection of the parity, and if you do your own baking here is the place to buy spices and extracts -- the pure and high-grade as used in their own bakery.
These gentlemen are agents for "Mandamin Meadows Dairy Co.'s" ice cream, which is sold in any form and quantity in season at reasonable prices, and this cream has been handled for four years, which is a sufficient recommendation.
The candy collection is quite a display. Bon bons, chocolates, fancy stick and fancy mixed always in stock.
In the bakery is used the Hall hard coal oven, and this under the skillful operation of John Fogle, accounts for the superior bread, pies, cakes and cookies. Mr. Fogle is a baker of 18 years experience and is indeed as expert, and for this special reason the C. & G. make especial claim to please and suit in wedding and banquet necessaries, and also to meet all private and public demands for such edibles.
The soda fountain is the Lippincott fountain, with porcelain jars, and is far superior to all others for the simple reason the syrup supply when drawn can in no way come in contact with any metalic substance whatever, and no poisonous contamination is possible when drinking form this found. The ice cream parlor is cleanly kept. The cigar department is first-class, having all grades, including the most popular brands.
Here is the lunch counter for your appetite -- abundantly supplied and prompt attention is given to all orders, and the dining-room accommodation in meal and table service suit the callers, and as is most apparent to all observers, the class of trade in all departments of this establishment tell quickly that the method of business is appreciated by the general public.
MEAT MARKET
WILLIAM C. KELLER
William C. Keller has conducted the meat market as the owner for four years in the old stand so well known by all customers. Mr. Keller is 37 years of age, born in this county and lived here all the days of his life. His parents -- his father, an old and honored good man and citizen, is one of the oldest residents of Bourbon, and one of the first in business and remained int he meat market supply for may years until succeeded by his son William. The family have all grown up here and enjoy the highest respect of the entire community, and William, as a successor to his father in carrying on the business of meat supply has kept and is keeping up the well established reputation maintained by his father as an accommodating merchant, and has on supply fresh, salt and smoked meats and every quality demanded by the trade, and he also buys milch cows for shipment, and ships dressed meats, such as sheep, to Chicago. He also handles fish and game in season.
This meat market really needs no advertising, being so well known, but whatever is here said, the reputation of the business will sustain. If there is any place where "cleanliness is next to Godliness," in a sanitary sense, it can be said that it is a meat market, and here is cleanliness, and an attractive arrangement of every detail; the room is free from noxious smells, the blocks and implements are clean, and the attendants neatly attired, and Mr. Keller sees that these conditions are kept just this way, and his trade is all one could reasonably ask, and as the "old stand" well deserves. Mr. Keller's business tact and energy keeps a watchful eye and moves the business along successfully.