LOUIS ZECKENDORF History of Arizona, 1896 Louis Zeckendorf was born in Hanover, Germany, April 6, 1838, and came to this country in 1854, where he joined, at Santa Fe, New Mexico his brother Aaron. Shortly afterward was started the firm of A & L. Zeckendorf, from which small beginnings the present vast commercial enterprise has grown. In 1866 a branch house was started at Tucson. In 1872 Aaron Zeckendorf died and the business was continued by Louis and William as Zeckendorf Brothers, until 1878 when William Zeckendorf retired and the same was continued by the present firm of L. Zeckendorf and Company. During all these years of commercial life this firm has always met all business obligations at their maturity, a condition seldom equaled in a business career of so many years. Panics and failures have struck the country at various times, business has had its ups and downs, but this concern for its forty two years of business career has withstood the tempest like the rock of ages. Louis Zeckendorf was married December 23, 1870 to Miss Mathilde Z. Leventrill of South Carolina. They have one son, Arthur Louis. Mr. Zeckendorf is a Mason and a member of Enterprise lodge No. 206 since 1865 and resides in New York City. L. ZECKENDORF & COMPANY History of Arizona, 1896 In measuring the resources of a country it is well enough to speak of its mining and agricultural interests, ect. but there is one true barometer to which we turn, and which will surely indicate the pulse of the people. No sooner does the Aeronoid barometer indicate the varying conditions of the atmosphere, than does the mercantile barometer point out of the true state of the country. In judging of the condition of a locality one naturally looks to the best instrument to be found and this would lead to the one that has been tried and proved true, to the one that has seen the longest service. In looking around for a representative mercantile concern, we are immediately referred to the well known and renowned firm of L. Zeckendorf and Company, established in Santa, New Mexico in 1854 and in Tucson since 1866. Here, from a small beginning has now grown one of the largest and most prominent commercial enterprises in the Southwest. They carry a stock of general merchandise consisting of almost any and everything required in this section of the country. They sell at both wholesale and retail and distribute their goods over Southern and Central Arizona and Sonora, Mexico. These vast sections of country are visited regularly by representatives of the concern and no city of hamlet, however large or small, exists in this district but what does more or less business with this concern. Through buying all their goods in large quantities, direct from factories and first hands, they are enabled to distribute them again not along in competition with other large jobbing centers, but in many instances it is a positive advantage for the trade, to draw their supplies from them, both on account of the prices and the time saved in delivery of same. Their business is divided off into departments, much after the fashion of the modern department store seen in our large Eastern cities and the management of each department is under a competent and trustworthy manager, who is held responsible for the result of same. The principal departments consist of shelf and heavy hardware, agricultural implements, paints and oils, tin and hollow ware, groceries an provisions, dry and fancy goods, clothing, gents' furnishing goods, boots and shoes, furniture, carpets, wall paper and shades. On entering the main store, corner Main, Pennington and Pearl Streets, one is at once surprised at the vastness and large supplies of goods carried in each department and one asks how it is possible to dispose of such quantities of goods in a town the size of Tucson. When one learns, however, the territory tributary to Tucson and takes into consideration the trade that depends on supplies from this point and this firm in particular, it is easily explained. The main store is 85x188 feet, one story and basement. The space from floor to ceiling is 20 feet about midway. A gallery with shelves encircles the entire space so that no room is lost and every available space is utilized by the various lines of goods carried. The front part of the store is designated for retailing, and the back part for wholesaling. Convenient rooms for shipping, receiving rooms and also offices are distributed in the building. On the opposite corner a building 65 x 150 contains the furniture department. This is under the separate management of Mr. E.W. Bowers. In this store is carried a large line of furniture and upholstery goods, carpets, oil, cloths, linoleum, mattings, rugs, shades, pictures, oil paintings, wall papers, all to suit the taste and purse of almost everybody. They also have an upholstery room in the back part of this building where they manufacture mattresses and do all kinds of upholstery work. Joining the depot on the Southern Pacific Railway track they have a large one story and basement warehouse 50 x 150 feet where they carry all goods in original packages and from where all wholesale orders are shipped direct to their numerous customers. The warehouse is enclosed by a large corral 150 x 200 where under large sheds are carried hay and grain, farming and mining machinery, also hides, pelts and wool. Strangers, not acquainted with the volume of business handled by this firm seldom realize the enormous business transactions consummated here. They also handle, as above stated, hides, pelts and wool and are the only concern in Southern Arizona who handle same in car load shipments to Eastern tanneries and markets. The firm consists of Louis Zeckedorf, who resides in New York and attends to the business there, and Albert Steinfeld, of Tucson who has the entire business here under his supervision. USGenWeb Project NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format for profit, nor for commercial presentation by any other organization. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain express written permission from the author, or the submitter and from the listed USGenWeb Project archivist. submitted by burns@asu.edu