The Wilmingtonian., 1885-05-23
A HELP TO BUSINESS.
What May be Done TO Ltyen mp Mark
Street.


given by many of our citizens for their ha-
bitual custom of taking iaunt to Philadel-
phia for the ordinary purposes of store pur-
chases, when household goods or clothing
are needed, appear at first sight to the mer-
chant or storekeeper of Market street quite
Illogical and wrong.
The Wilmington storekeeper asserts that
he can sell just as cheap as the Philadelphia
merchant and can showa reasonable variety
OF stock. And this appears to be, in a great
many instances, very nearly the fact. Why
is it then that our citizens go off in swarms
these fine mornings to Philadelphia ga shop
ping" They do it. And day after day
hundreds of dollars that might be expended
in Wilmington are deposited in the tills of
Wanamaker, Yates and Cooper s. Conrad.
A pleasant time is experienced by our citi-
zens upon the Steamer Wilmington while
going up to Philadelphia, but it is tedious
journey after all and Objectionable to busin-
ess people on that account. The only re-
course is to pay for railway ticket, say a
round trip ticket costing $1.10, this with the
cost of lunch bringing up incidental ex-
penses to about $780,
Our storekeepers complain that scores of
Wilmingtonians prefer, from some reason or
other, to pay this additional tax and expend
their money in Philadelphia than enter a
Market street store where they can be served
equally we'll. The writer has even seen
cases cited where our dry goods storekeepers
happened to be selling better class OF
goods at lower price than Philadelphia
storekeepers. In one case called to mind, a
I certain article was inquired for at one of our
large Market street stores. The purchaser
happened not to be suited and went to Phil
adelphi. A selection was made there. The
following day comparison of the goods and
prices gave evidence of the assertion made
above. The article purchased in Philadel
4 phia was actually inferior in texture ant
slightly higher in price. This has happened
sufficiently often to at least point out to on
as rule be expected by going to Philadel
phia for shopping purposes. The fact ex
lists as general rule in regard to the pric
of merchandise and store goods, that tn
margin of difference in price is so slight be
tween PhiladelphIa and Wilmington tha
s ~, 4, lan1al =
WAs sbS balah is in favor Of our VII
mington storekeeper.
That is to say he can sell you tn
general line of goods at price less than th
Philadelphia storekeeper. OF course ther
are some articles that can always be obtain
ed in large city cheaper than in smal
one but at the same time, in other instar
ces, the opposite of the rule holds goot
Some of our Wilmington storekeepers wi
even take Wanamaker's own figures as gi,
en- in his daily advertisements in our loci
papers, and by undeiselling him in some {
!. the articles he refers to, will prove that the
have every right to the claims they maxi
5 If this be the case and that the people
this city are informed upon the matter, ho
b is it that they still persist in jaunting
. Philadelphia.
The love ofa change and an occasion
/ outing cannot account for the custom. III
n habit must be attributed to some 9th
l. cause, altogether away from the mont
a question,
II 1t has been seen that the difference in pl
L ces is so small between the two cities tn
II our citizens appear indifferent as to makil
1t their purchases in Wilmington. AT t
'e same time there is not the slightest dou
that that species of enterprise ought to
$ discovered and put into practice by o
ie Market street storekeepers that will captu
r. Philadelphia trade.
if Many ideas of more or less pertiner
or could be suggested. Whether practical
:, not must be left to the verdict of the bu.
and seller.
Last Christmas THE WILMINGToNIAN,
" an article upon our business prospects, ma
30 the suggestion that Wilmington follow
ay the track of what is done in large continC
~ tai cities. In Paris, for instance, after mig
fall, shopping commences. The streets
flooded with light. Electric lights,
lights, every species of illumination is Sc
no The stores are brilliant and gay with mf
" colored lights. They are made as attract
u as possible. The citizens come out
'ho shoals and thousands of people are attri
ed to the stores. The storekeepers dc
thriving business. 1t pays them well to
Illuminate. They are repaid hundreds
m cent by the investment in street illumi
nb- tion. The streets and stores are crowd
I'M 1t is the liveliest part of the tweDty-f
hours
We would ask any reasonable pei
,llv whether it is likely these results would C,
the if the merchants neglected street illum
py. ton Yet look at tue streets of our cit.
night time! Gloom and darkness perN
Market street from Front street to TIE
whereas it should be flooded with Ii
the With few exceptions our stores at II