Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-17
What the Exposition Has
Done for Pittsburg.
VIEWS OF BUSINESS MEN.
Railroads, Hotels and StorekeeperS
Greatly Benefited.
CUSTOM FROM GREAT DISTANCES.
Some Large Figures in Percentage Given
to Show the Increase.
WORTH OF THE EXHIBITION ADMITTED

Yesterday DISPATCH reporter visited
five of the principal stores in town with the
object of gauging the increase in trade oc-
casioned BY the Exposition. AT Kaufmanns' I,
Mr.. 1. Kaufman gave most roseate de-
scription of the increase. He said: "Yes,
the Exposition has been Of exceptional bene-
fit to us. There has been an increase in our
customers of from 40 TO 80 per cent, which
is rather big thing, can tell you. Dur
ing the past few weeks the increase has
more than once gone up to 70 per cent.
Our weekday crowds have become
almost as big as those on Saturdays
and national festivals. From the addresses
given us, should say that the Exposition
has brought new customers to the store from
places 800 miles away from Pittsburs. Per-
sons from Chicago Cincinnati and st. Louis,
ana also from New York and Boston have
purchased their winter clothing from us and
given orders. Many have mentioned Incl
dentally that they were Exposition visitors.
Altogether we would be very sorry if the
Exposition is not maintained.
A DIFFERENT SONG SUNG.
At Gusky's, Mr.. Charles Solomon, the
manager, said: ''For our part, may say
that GUsky's has undoubtedly benefited by
the big show, but the increase has been
nothing like 40 per cent. The first few
weeks of the Exposition disappointed us
greatly; no perceptible increase in our
patrons appearing. The last two weeks,
however, have shown a decided improve
ment, and q fair increase has been noticed.
still nothing like the Kaufman figures has
been observed"
Mr.. S. S. Marvin. when asked, replied
that his business did not give so much scope
for an increase in custom from Exposition
visitors. He, however, added: Through
the regular channels, such as agents. etc., l
learn that many have given orders In this
way consider the show has improved my
trade greatly. Shoals of old country folks
and eX-Pittsburgers come every day to look
over my factory, and many give orders.
That is all 1 can say about my trade in
crease. will tell you two classes who have
prospered over the Exposition-the hotel and
restaurant keepers. Hotel beds are at pre-
MUM, and have been since the show be-
gam"
AN INCREASE OF % PER CENT.
Mr.. S. L. Fleshman, Of Fleishman
& Co., on being visited, said: 81 think
the Kaufman figures are little too strong
We have noticed an increase of from 25 to
80 per cent in our store, and thought we
were doing extremely we'll. This increase
began subsequent to the opening of the Ex-
position, but | really could not say that it |
was owing to the Exposition. Some of it |
undoubtedly was, but how much it is impos- |
sible to say. You see 1 attribute a great
deal of it to our new store, etc., which must
have considerable influence. The country
folk, / nave noticed, poured in in crowds |
during the past few weeks, and presume it |
was the Exposition which brought them"
AT Joseph Horne & Co. s store Manager |
Harper said the exhibition had proved very
advantageous to their business. SIT is a /
pity" be continued, "that it was not started |
years ago. 1t would have whooped up busi-
ness in the soft goods line. can't give YOU
the figures OF our increase since the show
began, but there has been a very material
increase. sincerely hope, for the good of
the firm, that there will be an Exposition
every year. imagine that all the business
houses in town have profted by it-that is
all the houses selling goods which Exposi-
tion visitors are likely to buy"
HOTELS IN GREAT LUCK.
The inquiring mind of the reporter subse-
quently led him to the principal hotels and
railroad offices. At the Monongahela House,
Hotel Anderson, Hotel Hamilton, Hotel
Albemarle, Seventh Avenue Hotel and Du-
quesne the reports coincided in saying that
there has been an extraordinary influx of
guests. Mr.. Marvin's statement that beds
were at a premium was more than borne out
by the observations of the various hotel
clerks. The Offices of the PENNSYLVANIA
Railroad and Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road could quote no figures, as
to the increase in their passengers, caused
by the Exposition; but the baggage masters
at the depots on both lines stated that the
amount of baggage had increased to an un-
precedented extent since the opening of the
big show. Several of the railway employees
remarked that the trains had been full to
overfowing during the past six weeks.
The railroads centering in the city are
busy figuring up the number of people they
carried during the Exposition. Every dav
heavy excursions came in on some of the
roads. Upon the whole the general verdict
is that the Exposition has helped the bust
ness of storekeepers and increased the pas
senger traffic of the roads, as well as BOOM
ing the hotels.