Omaha daily bee., 1889-09-07
MERCHANTS WEEK

To-day brings to close the first care-
fully-planned Merchants week in
Omaha, and every merchant is asking
himself and his neigh bors whether the
result has been satisfactory. Undoubt-
edly the very general answer is in the
Affirmative. A few may not have fully
realized their expectations, but there
is reason TO believe that the large ma
jority have more than done so. On the
whole the week has been most
auspicious IN the matter OF
weather. The rain of Wednesday,
which was so generally regretted, was
really not without benefit. 1t enabled
the visiting merchants to pass the day
in the jobbiug houses, and most of these
were crowded while the rain lasted, all
OF them selling more or less goods
Thus the uuwelcome rainfall served to
greatly promote the prime purpose of
Merchants week, that OF bringing the
busin ness men of Omaha and of the
interior into social relations, while
many houses sold as largely us they
would have done had their travelling
mon been in the field. The inspection
of the business houses by the country
merchants must also have made favor
able impression as to their extent ana
facilities. which will be of great benefit
to the city. Among the merchants who
came here this week II considerable
number had not been IN Omaha for
years, and while they had heard of the
city's great progress and prosperity,
only by personal observation could they
obtain an adequate knowledge of how
extensive and important u commercial
center it is. Even those who are in the
habit of making annual visits to the city
found the evidences of continued pro-
gress and u steadily expanding pros
perity. These merchants will return to
their homes with u higher and far more
intelligent idea than they have ever
before had OF Omaha as a metropolis,
and inevitably they will hereafter feel
u larger interest in this city and will
naturally enlarge their business rela-
tions with it.
Tho magnificent trades display
was a revelation to many citizens of
Omaha, and how much greater must
have been the impression made upon
the minds of visitors. 1t was common
expression of these that they could not
have believed it posi- bic for Omaha to
present such great and varied pageant.
Whatever faults or shortcomings there
were in some of the details of the
week programme, they were lost sight
of in the splendid results of the chief
features, which were worthy OF
any city of the size of Omaha
in the country,
1t can be said without the slightest
qualification that the first properly-or-
ganized Merchants week in Omaha
was great success, warranting its rep
etition next year on an even more ex-
origin, but it has been carried out here
with far more satisfactory results than
in Boston, where it originated. That
what has been done may in some
respects be improved upon will
be admitted, and doubtless Mer-
chants week next year will
be more elaborate in it's attractions
tnah tlaG WHICH CLOSES to-uay, anu Will
draw greater number of people to the
city. The merits of the plan being
most amply demonstrated, it will un-
doubtedly become a regular annual fea-
ture, and it may in time be found expe
dient to have Merchants week twice a
year. At any rate most excellent be-
ginning mas been made, and the mer
oh 30, .Sfn Il t<>l
graduated upon the splendid result.