William Gorder

ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin

William Gorder

1906

Watertown Daily Times, 07 06 1906

Another bold burglary was committed some time Monday night or early Tuesday morning. This time the victims were Wm. Gorder and company, whose Milwaukee Street shoe store was entered and shoes to the number of fifteen pair taken by the intruder. Entrance to the place was affected by prying open a rear door from a shed.

The fact of the theft was discovered yesterday morning upon the arrival of the shoemaker, who, upon his arrival at the store observed that everything about the place was in topsy-turvy order . . . A fortunate circumstance of the last robbery is the fact that a check owned by Henry Gorder in the amount of $94, which was lying on the office desk, was not molested and was evidently overlooked by the burglar. The check was made payable to bearer and could easily have been cashed.

The bold thief will evidently regret his stupidity when he reads the account of the robbery - that is, if the theory of the officers is correct that the robbery was committed by some amateur residing in the city. It is the belief that the theft was the work of some person residing in the city and there are suspicions as to whom the guilty party is.

1908

10 02 Gorder factory rented. Wm. Gorder has leased his factory in First Street, just vacated by the M. D. Wells Shoe Co., to the Van Camp Packing Co., receiving $600 a year rental. The Van Camp Co. intended enlarging their factory in Milford Street, but for the present will not do so, but will use the Gorder factory for storage purposes, there being no room in their factory for that purpose. WG

1909

01 22 Brandt-Dent Co. to manufacture gas fixtures and chandeliers in the William Gorder building in [416-420 S.] First Street, formerly occupied by the M. D. Wells Co. WG

1910

02 25 Coal, Coke, Wood. WE HAVE ON HAND — Buckwheat Coal, Pea Coal, Chestnut Coal, Stove Coal, Egg Coal, Hocking Valley Coal, Red Jacket Coal, Pocahontas Nut Coal, Smithing Coal, Solway Nut Coke, Solway Stove Coke, Solway Egg Coke, Watertown Gas Lump Coke, Watertown Gas Crushed Coke, Maple Wood, Oak Wood, Mixed Wood, Hardwood Slabs, Mixed Slabs, Pine Bundled Edgings, Maple Clippings, Sewer Pipe, Drain Tile. William Gorder Co., Main Office 608-610 Main St, Yards West end Milwaukee Street bridge. WG

1911

02 09 Forged Checks. Last week Wednesday a stranger called at the store of Wm. Gorder Co. and ordered a load of coal for $6.00 delivered at 906 North Second Street and also purchased a $2.00 pair of shoes, as he said, for his son, and presented a check on the Merchants Bank for $14.50 in favor of Henry Newman and signed George Nellins, receiving at the Gorder store $6.50, the balance of what the check called for after paying for the coal and shoes. When an attempt was made to deliver the coal it was found that no such man lived on North Second Street, and further investigation showed the check to be a forgery. The same afternoon the same fellow called at John W. Burn’s coal yard and ordered a $6.00 load of coal and presented a check similar to above for $14.50, receiving $8.50 in cash from Mrs. Burns. Both checks were forgeries and were written on the old check forms of the Merchants Bank, now the Merchants National Bank. WG

03 30 [advertisement] Spring 1911. Dorothy Dodd Shoes. The new Spring Styles just received are bound to meet with an enthusiastic reception. They’re in a class by themselves, so far ahead of past season’s successes as to eliminate comparison. Finished examples of the best shoemaking, correct in every detail. Stylish and comfortable to a degree. On sale today. Your inspection is most cordially invited. William Gorder Company, 606-608 Main Street, Watertown. WG

1930

William Gorder Co, wood and coal yard, 101 W Milwaukee, WHS_006_Semrich_020 1930,