St. Louis Republic, Sunday July 12, 1908 - Reprint
The evolution of St. Louis into the leading hardware center of the United States within the last half century has been contributed to by the Witte Hardware Company in its proportionate degree since the business of the company was established in 1849, the name at its founding and for many years afterwards being Schmieding and Wulfing. In 1874, the firm name became F.A. Witte and Co. the head of the partnership under that title being the brother of Otto H. Witte, the president of the Witte Hardware Company, and the father of F.A. Witte, its secretary
Incorporation under the title of the Witte Hardware Company was effected by Mr. Otto H. Witte, December 29, 1880, so that for a quarter of a century the name has been the Witte Hardware Company.
The company originally occupied No. 706 North Third street, but as the business grew and extended, it occupied in conjunction the adjoining building, No. 704 North Third Street and in 1886, the continued expansion of the business obliged it to buy for warehouse purposes Nos 705 and 707 North Second St.
These two warehouse locations from part of the site of the new big warehouse building, which was completed in December, 1905. Thisbuilding has a frontage of 175 feet on Second Street between Lucas and Morgan Street and extends back 125 feet to Collins.
A bridge over Collins street connects the building with the office and sample-room view of the buildings in another part of the building on Third Street.
The new warehouse is a six-story building of brick construction laid with cement and is said to be the strongest building of its kind in St. Louis. Being built expressly for the buisness of the Witte Company, it is equipped with all the latest improvements to facilitate the handling of hardware in the proper manner, thus assuring to their customers quick shipments.
The electric elevators, which aggregate a total of 125 horse power, are so arranged that movements of inbound freight do not conflict with outbound freight. So it is arrange throughout its entire big building. Every little detail has been looked after with a view of handling the buisness quickly and accurately.
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