J. H. M’Danell & Sons 

Our Old Reliable and Well Known Merchants 

Who Have For Years Been the Recognized Leaders in General Merchandise in This Whole Section of the State.  Merchants, Manufacturers and Men of Reliability and High Integrity

 There is no truer saying than that “a tree is known by its fruits,” and this leads us to say that men are known by the record of their business.  The members of this firm are living illustrations of what may be accomplished with merit as a foundation and enterprise and push as a developing force. 

While it is not our attention to give a detailed history of the small beginning, the many obstacles overcome, and the crowning growth and solid establishment of this, Gallatin County’s great mercantile and manufacturing headquarters, yet, in order that our readers may gain a fair idea of the magnitude and successful growth of J. H. McDanell & Sons’ diversified and mammoth business ramifications, we will give a few of the important strides that it has made on the road to success. 

Mr. J. H. McDanell was born in Cynthiana, Harrison county, Ky., in 1839; at sixteen years of age he lived and worked on a farm and married in 1846; was comparatively a poor boy and had to work his own way.  In 1849 he came to Warsaw and became a member of the firm of Ginn & McDanell, with a little stock of goods in a small way, with no trade, and comparative strangers. After fourteen months, Mr. Ginn retired and Mr. McDanell [illeg] his business alone. He was careful, conservative and industrious; a close buyer, and satisfied with a small profit, by which method he then, as now, gave his patrons the most that their money could possibly buy.  This brought to his doors an extensive trade, force him to enlarge his capacity, which in the many years of his business has been repeatedly done until at this writing we find the store because McDanel & Sons is the most commodious quarters in town.  Their main store building, an elegant brick, having a front of 60 feet and a depth of 99 feet, with two floors and containing 10,958 [?] square feet of floor space.  Added to this is their immense wareroom, 40 x 100 feet, with two floors, and containing 8,000 square feet.  This immense space is everywhere filled to overflowing with the largest stock of general merchandise in this part of the State, while from six to eight clerks are kept busy waiting upon the numerous customers who flock to this great bargain house. 

The stock of goods carried embraces almost everything coming under the comprehensive head of general merchandise.  In fact, this great store embraces under one head a number of distinct departments and one of which would make a complete and very presentable store in itself. 

Dry Goods

This important branch is under the able supervision of Mr. J. W. Abbott, assisted by Miss Annie Blackmore, both polite and well-qualified for their work.  While the house really had no competitor in this line in this section, here is kept an endless variety of everything to be found in a first-class dry goods store anywhere.   The salesroom is large, commodious and elegantly filled up.  It is filled from floor to ceiling with a stock of goods so large and so complete, that every available place is occupied and filled with magnificent, durable and fashionable goods. 

The appointments are metropolitan in character, this house having the only cash carrier system in town.  While a specialty is made of notions and small wares, which this form carries in endless qualities and sells at greatly reduced figures as compared with other houses. 

The line of dress goods exhibited is almost endless in variety, style, etc.  The silks, sateens, velvets, the latest weaves and most striking designs in woolen dress goods and trimmings; also cheaper goods in unlimited quantities.  The display really opened the eyes of the Independent reporter.  The line of laces, embroidery, hosiery, of all sizes and styles, gloves in endless varieties, ladies’ shawls, wraps and coats is thoroughly complete, with prices to astonish you. 

The exhibition of table linen, muslin and all kinds of white goods, white and colored shirts and corsets and furnishing goods and ladies’ and gents’ neckwear and underwear; everything desirable is carried, embracing the thousand and one things that go to make up a first-class dry goods store, with rock bottom prices on each and every article, men’s and boy’s clothing, hats and caps, carpets and wallpaper, Mr. C. F. Rader, manager. 

Mr. Rader is a young man, with many years experience in this work,  a courteous, honest, agreeable gentleman of more than ordinary business capacity, and under his control we find an elegant line of goods of the best makers and the most fashionable patterns.  All sizes and styles are carried so that he can fit any and everybody and the best of all is, that when you buy a suit of clothes at this house you are certain to get the best one that your money will buy anywhere.  This house is agent for and handles the famous Vital’s Brand Clothing, manufactured by Abe Kushbaum & Co. of Philadelphia, the largest clothing manufacturer in the world. 

The firm has this agency for one of the largest tailoring establishments in the country.  They take your measure, have your clothes made to order, guarantee a perfect fit as well as the quality and general excellence of the work.  They’re prompt in filling orders, while their price is but a little over half of what a tailor charges. 

Here, also, is carried an immense line of hats, caps, wallpaper, gents’ boots and shoes, of the best makes, with ease, comfort, durability, dry feet, and cheapness of price to command them. 

This department also embraces the largest line of carpets and rugs in the country; the newest designs, the most attractive patterns, both in ingrain and Brussels; the finest, the latest and the best, and sold at the cheapest prices. 

Millinery and Ladies’ Shoes 

The millinery department being in charge of Miss Eliza Blackmore, an artistic stylish trimmer, whose taste and talent are well known.  

The curious combination of head and footwear is always most essential to a ladies’ wardrobe, and McDanell & Sons carry the latest and newest in head dress, while in warm, neat fitting ladies’ handsome shoes, their stock is the finest in town. 

Furniture, Stoves, and Hardware 

In this, as in all other departments, the reporter finds this firm still in the lead, with the largest stock, the best goods, and the most extensive assortment.  In stoves, they handle the Garland, both cooking and heating, together with the largest and only complete line of grates in Gallatin county. 

Their line of shelf hardware, edge tools, table and pocket cutlery, builder’s hardware, barbed and smooth wire, etc., is all that could be desired, complete, and swell selected. 

The management of these departments, as well as the important departments of groceries and furniture, devolves upon George W. Simpson, assisted by O. P. Dellart, both popular with the people, careful and accommodating, the right men in the right place.  And if you need a nice bed to sleep on, a nice table to eat on, a cupboard to hold your dishes and food, or a place to get food, don’t fail to come in and see thee popular gentlemen, for they can supply all your wants and give you the best satisfaction. 

All these goods are carried under one roof, bought by one man, who necessarily must buy in vast quantities, and  as he pays the cash is thoroughly experienced, knows just when, where, and how to get the best bargain, takes all discounts, buys largely from the manufacturers, this saving the middleman’s profits, imports his own queensware, buys his dress goods direct from the mills; it is plain that with these advantages and with the superior management of the business as well as the fact that since January 1, 1896 [you sure?] this firm has sold for cash and cash only, thus obviating the necessity of adding to the price charged the paying customer to make good the loss sustained by bad accounts.

Thus it is that this form can sell cheaper, give you better goods, treat you more liberally and make it pay you better to deal with them than any house not possessing the many valuable advantages above referred to.

from the Warsaw Independent, January 22, 1898