O. A. HALE

DEPARTMENT STORE

This representative business man of California is a native of New York, having been born in Phoenix, of that State, in 1852. His parents, Marshall and Prudence Hale, removed to Schoolcraft, Michigan, in 1867, and here young Hale attended the usual school in that section. Coming with his parents to California in 1876, with his father and brother, he established a dry-goods business in San Jose, having previously, in New York and Michigan, been engaged in general merchandising. They opened in San Jose, at Nos. 142 and 146 South First Street, in a store 17x40 feet in dimensions, employing one clerk, and a boy to sweep and make himself generally useful. Later, four other brothers joined the firm, which now (1888) has seven stores, one each in San Jose, Stockton, Sacramento, Salinas, Petaluma, Los Angeles, and San Diego, and are doing probably the most extensive business, in their line, in the State outside of San Francisco. They deal entirely in dry and furnishing goods, some of the stores adding boots and shoes, and absolute sales in excess of a million and a quarter dollars per year are made. The firm imports goods directly from Europe through the importing agencies, one brother having an office in New York to attend to the purchasing and forwarding of goods. In their stores they have but one price, and deal on a strictly cash bases, all goods being marked in plain figures, and a child can buy at the same price as an expert. The firm is doing a large mailing business, orders being received for goods from all parts of the coast. Mr. Hale's success in business is not a phenomenon, nor a question of luck, but is simply the inevitable result of energy, foresight, and push, applied to his business upon a basis of strict honor, integrity, and square dealing. The result, from the forces in operation, is as certain as a simple problem in mathematics.

In 1880 Mr. Hale was married to Miss Mary Bassett, a native of California, whose parents were among the pioneers of Santa Clara County, having come across the plains from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, about 1855. Mrs. Hale is a graduate of the California State Normal School, and, previous to her marriage, taught in the San Jose public schools. One child has been born to this marriage, Clarissa J., born in 1883.

In 1887 Mr. Hale was elected Alderman for the city of San Jose, and having been appointed Chairman of the Finance Committee, discovered a shortage in the city's cash, thereby saving to the city about $3,500. He has brought his business experience and ability to bear on the city's financial interests with the very best results. He is still a member of the Board of Alderman. He is also a member of the A. O. U. W., and always in the front rank for improvements of all kinds.

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