In 1894, Prof. Scofield of Valley City rented the upstairs rooms of the old Whidden building for a cigar factory.
By October of 1899, Thorvald Olson rented the back end of John Morris' barbershop, which he operated until moving in 1900 to the upstairs of Reier Andersons building. He manufactured "Board of Trade" and "Bugle Call" cigars. In June, barber Morris bought out the business of Thorvald Olson. He employed D. Fout and Mrs. E. N. Purtell. He continued the cigar manufacturing business until about 1903.
D. Fouts severed his connections with Morris in July of 1902, when he started his own factory, operating it until December of 190:3 when he decided to move his cigar factory to Dickinson, N.D.
Source: Cooperstown, North Dakota 1882-1982 Centennial Page 185