It is seldom that a larger mercantile establishment is to he found in any city on the coast than that of the Oregon Forwarding Company at Ontario. Established in 1885 by Fred J. Kiesel, of Ogden, Utah, it has grown under the style of Fred J. Kiesel, Wm. Teary & Co., and Kiesel, Shilling & Danelson, and since February 23, 1890, as the Oregon Forwarding Company, being incorporated on that date with E. H. Test as manager. They carry a complete line of general merchandise and stockmen’s supplies. Agricultural implements, hardware, etc., and acting as general agents among many other lines, for the following: Studebaker Wagons, McCormick Mowers, Thomas Hay Rakes, Planet Jr. Farming Implements, Pasts Brewing Co., and Idanha Natural Mineral Water Co. Their main store, of which we present an illustration, is 65×110. Their warehouses, four in number, have a total capacity of 18,000 square feet, enabling them to buy largely in car lots, as in the mouth of May 1897 alone, they received 506.226 lbs. of merchandise. Their trade extends into Malheur, Harney and Grant counties, Oregon, and Washington and Owyhee Counties, Idaho, and their stock and prices enable any one to have the same opportunities they would have going to the largest mercantile centers. They also do a very extensive forwarding business for interior points.
E. H. Test, the general manager, has been a resident of this county since 1885. He was appointed county clerk April 1, 1887, by Governor Pennoyer, and was elected for three succeeding terms, holding the office until July 1, 1894. He is a broad and liberal minded business man, and has contributed very largely to making Ontario the leading shipping point for stock in the state.