From "History of Wheeling City and Ohio County, West Virginia and 
Representative Citizens," by Hon. Gibson Lamb Cranmer, 1902. 

Typed by Laurie Birks Dean

pp. 416-417

W. E. STONE, a prominent business man of the city, is at the head of 
the finest equipped department store in Wheeling, that of Stone & 
Thomas.  The store faces on Main street and is an iron-frame building 
with stone front, and is magnificently stocked throughout its six 
stories.
	The firm of Stone & Thomas was established in October, 1847, by 
E. J. Stone and J. C. Thomas, both of whom are now deceased.  It was 
originally a dry goods store, but within the past ten years the 
management has made many important changes by adopting the best 
points of the leading stores of the East, converting it into a 
department store.  The growth of business during the past few years 
has been phenomenal.  The first location of the business was on the 
west side of Main street, but in the early "fifties" was removed to 
No. 1030 Main street.  The present members of the firm, W. E Stone, 
E. L. Stone and W. E. Rownd, are a younger generation of the families 
which founded it, Mr.  Stone being the active manager.
	From 130 to 150 people are employed throughout the year, but 
during the busy season this number is increased to about 200.  The 
general arrangement of the store, its furnishings and stock, present 
a very attractive appearance.  There is a balcony overlooking the 
first floor, and it is here Mr. Stone's office is located, but the 
major portion of this balcony is fitted up as a reception room for 
customers and visitors, being supplied with magazines and other 
literature, and also stationery.  It is a very pleasant feature of 
this establishment, and has met with the hearty approval of the 
public.  A splendid view is here obtained of the first floor.  The 
south aisle of this floor shows a stock of dress goods, silks, dress 
trimmings and patterns; the south center aisle, jewelry, linings, 
ribbons, handkerchiefs and ladies neckwear; the center aisle, hosiery 
and ladies' underwear; and the aisles tributary to these show a fine 
stock in gentlemen's furnishing goods, was goods, linens, sheetings, 
laces, pocketbooks, stationery, toilet articles, small notions, 
blankets and flannels.  The second floor, containing the ladies' 
ready-made suit department, is finely furnished, the floor being 
covered with Wilton rugs.  On this floor are carried a line of 
ladies' suits, wraps, muslin underwear, wrappers and ready-to-wear 
garments, also furnishings for misses and children.  The millinery 
department is 24 feet wide, running the entire length of the 
building, and no expense has been spared to make it the finest in the 
city.  The third floor is the clothing department for boys and men, 
also the wall paper, drapery and fancy furniture departments.  The 
fourth floor is used for the sale of carpets, window-shades, 
linoleums, mattings and oil-cloths.  The fifth floor is a duplicate 
storage room, in which a surplus is carried for each of the other 
departments. The basement is also an interesting part of this store, 
it being the house-furnishing department.  They carry a complete and 
beautiful line of china, both foreign and domestic; also the newly-
copyrighted books, which they receive as soon as placed upon the 
market, and countless other articles.  In the basement is located an 
electric plant, put in at a cost of over $10,000, which is in charge 
of an engineer and his assistant.  The power is supplied by two 80-
horse-power engines, lighting and heating the building and supplying 
power to operate the two elevators.  It also co-operates with the 
Lampson cash carrier system, with which the store is equipped.  The 
outside of the building is supplied with beautifully arranged 
incandescent globes, making a pretty effect at night.  Each 
department of this store is independent, and nothing which will add 
to the convenience of the patrons has been overlooked.