Ray Donadio delivering milk for Warren Sanitary Milk Company in 1954.

Horses in Businesses.

At the turn of the twentieth century, horses were still the main source of pulling power whether it be wagons, carriages or people. Hotels had a livery stable for boarding guests' horses and wagons and also to rent for local transportation. Trains provided transportation between towns and cities. Some cities had urban and inter-urban trolley service.

Most businesses used horses to distribute their goods throughout Niles; grocery stores, bottling companies and moving companies to name a few.

Several milk companies used horses in delivering their products to local homes, Warren Sanitary Milk Company used horses for delivery as late as 1954 to the north side of Niles.

Other milk companies are listed below:

A badly damaged photo of a horse and wagon run by Thomas Madden at some time before the turn of the century as Excelsior Dairy before it became the Madden-Hubbard Milk Company..

H.C. Mines and the Brown-Fordyce Dairy wagon.

Wilson's Dairy delivering milk on Linden Avenue in Niles.

A badly damaged photo of a horse and wagon run by Thomas Madden at some time before the turn of the century as Excelsior Dairy.
PO1.1426

H.C. Mines and the Brown-Fordyce Dairy wagon. PO1.1931

Wilson's Dairy delivering milk on Linden Avenue in Niles.

Left: Glass bottle used by Madden-Hubbard Milk Company.

Center: The front of the Niles Lawnmower building, 532 Vienna Avenue, is being torn down and will be replaced with a new showroom. Niles Daily Times photograph.

Tony Bernard, owner and manager, made the announcement that work had begun on the building (1964).

Many old-timers will remember this building as having housed the Madden-Hubbard Milk Company many years ago.

The H.F. Rider grocery store was located near the corner of East Federal and the west side if Vienna Avene. The horse and buckboard were used to pick up and deliver goods to customers and restock the store.

Pictured: Henry F. Rider, Howard H. Rider, Jr., Myrtle, Elizabeth and Clyde Rider.

Henry F. Rider was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on May 15, 1860, the son of George and Margaret Rider.

In 1905, he started the grocery business which he conducted until the time of his death and in the same location in which it has always been located (142 Vienna Avenue).

Henry and his wife lived in the second floor above the store. His son, Howard, has been associated with his father in the store.

When Riders closed in 1957, the Macali’s bought most of the hardscape from inside the grocery store.

The building at 142 Vienna Avenue, where the Rider's Grocery Store opened in 1905, is still standing and is occupied today (2021).

1898 photo of Holloway's Livery & Undertaking which was located on East Park Avenue in Niles.

James C. Holloway (hands on hips) and Ray Holloway - by door. PO1.238

1916 - A. DeJute & Sons. L to R: Steve Ratchie, Bill Bridgens, Frank DeJute and Angeline DeJute.

The company was founded in the 1890's and operated until 1962. They paved many of the streets of the city with 2 types of bricks: Bessemer, red in color, and manufactured in Bessemer, PA, and Demster, yellow in color made in Kittanning, PA.

Underneath the blacktop on many of our streets are still the bricks put down 50 years ago by the DeJute Co. As of 1976, North Crandon. Beaver, Brown and Summit Streets. are a few of the remaining brick streets in Niles. PO1.239

Sandman's Draying service was a fore-runner of trucking companies in Niles.

Sandman's was located at 112 Maple Avenue in Niles. PO1.1722

L to R: Pete Granada, Mariona Granada and Nick Perna. PO1.246

Peddlar's wagon from Cicero's Store - 1915. The automobile is a 1915 one door Ford sedan. The door was in the middle of the passenger side of the car.

Pete Cicero came from Italy to Pittsburgh before 1900. In 1903 he returned to Italy. In 1914 he left Italy and came to Niles, Ohio. He and his huckster wagon soon became a familiar sight in Niles.

‘Mr. Pete’, as he was known, was very well liked and his fruits and vegetables were the freshest that could be found.

In 1925 he built a grocery store on East Park Avenue near the old Niles Firebrick office. He passed his knowledge of merchandizing to his grandsons.

In 1951, his grandson, Joseph Cicero took over the store when ‘Mr. Pete’ retired. In 1962 Joseph Cicero built a new and larger store on Robbins Avenue. PO1.246