National Republican., 1883-10-06
THE TIME TO TRADE.
Tho Fall Business Beginning Early and Prom
ising to be Active.
The Stores OF the Capital City Filled with
Large Stocks Of the Finest Fabrics,
Glance at Some Of The Novel and Substantial Things
Calculated TO Tempt Purchasers
No Reason Why Ahybody Should Go Out
OF iho city to DO Shopping.


yet or very big, but Its features aro sufficiently
developed to indicate what il will be in its
more mature days, THE REPUBLICAN has
taken turn around it to SEQ what it looks
like, and concludes that it is very healthy
and promising infant Most Of the leading
merchants have been interviewed. and their
unanimous opinion is that Washington will
have brilliant winter, and that the mer-
Giants will reap tho benefit They are also
OF the unanimous opinion that last summer
was the dullest one the city ever saw.
Most of the merchants say that the
fall season for trade is much earlier
thisyear than last and they account for it by
the cold weather, which has driven wander
ing citizens home earlier than before. On
the other hand few tradesmen whose
customers are still absent claim that the Presi-
dent is responsible for backward season.
The President. being an arbitor of fashion, is
supposed to know the proper timo to come
back to the city, and the people are disposed
to follow his lead. Merchants who have suf-
fered from the dull summer are somewhat in
Clined TO charge the dullness to the Presidents
absence. They say also that this notion that
1T is tho proper thing to run away from tho
city for two or three mouths in the summer
IS becoming more prevalent every year.
On the whole the outlook for business is
very flattering and merchants generally have
bought large stocks Of goods. All of them
are counting upon the fact that the next ses-
sion of congress will bo q long one; that it
will be composed largely of new men who
are likely TO be more susceptible than the old
were to the attractions of the capital, and
that the house of repre- sentatives is consider
ably increased in number. Houses and apart
ments are pretty generally engaged for the
winter and this is an indication that the
city will be full of people. 1t is expected,
moreover, that the new congressman will be
followed by new set of office seekers who
will have some money to spend.
lhero are some cheerful signs about the
people who live in Washington. They are
buying moro expensive goods and buying
them at home. People who would not have
thought few years ago of buying an expen-
sive or rich article in Washington now never
think of going to New York, their former
shopping place, to buy. The merchants havo
themselves to thank for this, for they have
brought to this city the finest and most ex-
pensive goods made. There has been great
change in the character and views of the
business men of this city. Merchants are
moro enterprising, and there are now con-
tractors in Washington able to successfully
carry through any great work. 1t was not so
afew years ago.
The present disposition of Washington
people to buy of Washington merchants is
easily understood after n tour through the
principal business establishments, Almost
anything which can be bought in New York
can be bought there. The stores are full of
beautiful and costly wares, aud inquiry re-
veals the fact that merchants cannot get too
expensive goods for this market,
From the manner in which ladies are be-
ginning to flock to the dry goods stores it is
to be presumed that they are tho most in
terested in the goods found there. For those
who have not the opportunity for seeing
them 1t is proposed here to mention some of
the new things. In silks the rad2imirs are
new. They are fiat woven, corded silks, and
the popular colors are browns, greens, and
grays The same colors are popular in all
dress goods. Surah, rhadames, gros grain,
and ottoman silks are still worn.
The ottoman mako is now produced
in worsteds and is entirely new this
season. Nelvets plain and brocaded, are
used for suits and overdresses and velvet is
popular for trimmings. Much more velvet Is
sold this season than plush. Brocaded
velvet is largely used for Newmarkets and
wraps. The new wraps arO the Victoria,
which is a sort of heavy stocknet ulster
new raglans of broken plaid, and stockinet
suit, with muh, cap, and jacket, all trimmed
with plush. A new costume for street and
house IS Killed from the waist down. Chill
dren will wear Mother Hubbards and COM
blnation suits, with coat attached, in broken
plaid. Jersey Newmarkets English walking
jackets of plush Matalasse cloth dolmans with
plated backs, and ottoman silk dolmans with
quilted Innings and fur trimmed are to be
worn. Information upon these subjects as
well as upon others mentioned later, was fur
nished by L. III, Taylor, Tyler & Chewing,
Lansburgh & Bro, Seaton Perry, and Wood
ward " Lothrop. All of these firms repre-
sent the fall trade as satisfactory thus far,
and expect and have prepared for a larger
business this year than ever before. Prices
are generally little lower than last year.
Mrs Nj, j. Hunt was applied to for infor-
nation about bonnets, and responded with
an exhibition Of new ones. She said that drab
was the popular color this fall, and showed all
Others. There was cream colored velvet
close hitting oapoto, appliqued with Jet,
for young girls wear, an orange and brown
velvet Tam O'Shanter crown with bird on
one side and two long plumes, a black and
brown velvet capote, brown visor velvet cap
with heavy gold cord about the edge and
twisted into knot at the side, London
round stiff hat of bright red velvet, covered
with escurial lace and with bunch of red
feathers and two stiff red wings at the side.
A bird of paradise as big as a spring chicken
and with tail feathers three feet long WAS
shown, and it was explained that it
was intended for the side of hat.
A woman's hat this season looks much
like the nucleus for an aviary Everybody
wears bird, and some people two or three,
ana the plrds arc big. They are taking the
place of ostrich feathers. Ladies will also
wear very ugly silver apes and rabbits feet,
mounted in silvor, upon their hats and at
their throats A rabbits foot was good
luck" to southern negrOs many years ago.
Nobody can explain tho Specification OF the
uglysilver monkeys Bonnets arc not so expeu.
sive as last year. The costliest one was worth
only $40, and with the bird of paradise added.
S55. Fans are beautiful. The most expensive
are of black or white feathers, with amber
sticks. White satin ones, with carved mother
of pearl handles, and with hand painted pic.
lures of wild roses, arbutus, or Afgan pieces,
are prettier and not so costly. Button gloves
are preferred to the mousquetaire, which
have so long covered ladies' arms For street
wear the four button are the thing; but il
takes ten buttons for n reception glove. Tau
color is worn with everything, and there are
shades to match all tho new colors of dress
goods. A new glove for walking aud driving
is pique stitched embroidered black kid,
The French chamols skin of six button
length is also new. In hosiery plain black
silk best suits most ladies, but there are all
shades, styles of embroidery, open work, and
clocking There arc no more crushed fruit
colors in anything but now shade Of silk
stockings is apricot, uncrushed Silk hand
kerchieis with fancy borders China crepe, and
soft silk are much worn for tho neck.
Among the novelties for gentlemen's wear
are lavender ID pearl gloves with en-
broidered backs, made up pulf scaris in white
ana pearl satin, and the small dude bow in
plain c0lors Collars are perfectly straight
shaped like dog collar, lap at the point un-
comfortable, and hideous to look at Two