UNDERTAKERS. Prior to 1900 a number of undertakers
located here for brief periods, William Neifing and William Zinkan probably
remaining the longest period. Both were here in 1869 when Neifing buried
the Count, Ludwik Chlopicki. Mr. Zinkan was here until his death in 1908
Most of these early morticians had another business; Neifing dealt in harness
and Zinkan in furniture. In 1896 Joshua J. DeMotte of Eureka began business
in the W. O. Springgate store, also operating a furniture business. John
W. Becker also acted as an undertaker upon occassion, as did Burt L. Brown
at a later date. By 1919 DeMotte had almost all the business and then sold
to J. J. Ficken who had just returned from overseas war service and decided
to locate in El Paso. At first Ficken had his funeral home on East Front
Street where Rathburn's pool hall is now located; he then purchased the
old Capt. W. M. Bullock home at Second and Grant Streets and converted
it into a modern funeral home with living apartments upstairs. DeMotte
continued in his furniture business. Mr. Ficken was killed in a tractor
accident on his farm August 6, 1942, and his widow sold the business to
R. W. Vincent and Albert Otto January 23, 1943, Mr. Vincent buying the
Otto interest on January 1, 1950. He now operates in both El Paso and Roanoke.
AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE. One of the most promising businesses ever
to originate in El Paso was the Belt Automobile Indemnity Association,
formed by C. J. Alyea and five associates on November 13, 1913. For a time
the business was conducted from his home. It was new; automobile insurance
was a thing in demand, and soon Alyea opened larger offices in the Woodford
County National Bank building. The firm soon outgrew all the space there,
and purchased the Lemon
The Belt Automobile Indemnity Association offices on East Front Street
about 1917.
Page 178
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