The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-05
PLANNING FOR MKT YEAR.

Merchants Week IN 1901 to be q
Greater Week Than That Just Ended.
Merchants week and its success have
brought forth the applause Of all Savannah
and the entire state. for that matter. The
one idea now is TO improve upon it Mer-
chants week is already settled as a perma.
nent institution. Everybody wants it. The
country merchants say that they have be-
come enough interested in the festival 70
expect one every year. Looking to this
end, some of those who had the matter in
hand this year are beginning 10 discuss the
organizing of committee to have charge
Of the festivities, and it is thought that
such a committee will be organized in a
short time. Merchants and business men gen.
orally favor the move, and the festivals will
be conducted upon larger scale in the
future.
1t is proposed to form committee known
as the Merchants week committee, which
shall secure members among the business
men, and everybody for that matter. This
committee Will secure subscriptions, the
subscrip. ions 10 be the membership fee. It
will select board to direct the festivals.
The Merchants week fund will be collected
molthly, quarterly, semi-aDnu9ly and an
Bually, and will be held for the Merchants
week festival.
The chair1sen of the various committees
have been discussing the matter with bust
ness men who were Subscribers to Mer-
chants week. The general secretary of
Merchants wee: also has been in conference
with the business men and they ar favor
ably inclined TO the idea.
In connect ion with the organization of
this committee the carnival committee is
discussing the advisability Of forming a
secret society, a mystic circle. to conduct
the carnival feature. As the carnival was
the feature of the week just closed it is be-
lieved that IN order for the week to be q
success this feature must be part of it.
Chairman A. 3. Guckenheimer, of the
carnival committee, and Chairman j. G.
Shaw, OF the trades display committee, have
discussed the matter with the other men,
bsrs of the Merchants week committee, and
also with business men. TIE mystic circle
would be conducted upon the same plan as
those in New Orleans. Nobody in the circle
will be permitted under a pledge to make
public anything pertaining to it. A regu-
lar membership Zee will be required, and
the propriety of forming stock company
70 be operated by the circle, but to be con-
trolled by merchants and whoever wishes
stock, is under advisement. Regular carni-
val balls and entertainments would be given
for the purpose of raising funds for the
carnival during Merchants week, the balls
to be upon the same scale as the charity balls
Nothing has ever been started like this
before in Savannah, said a gentleman in
speaking of the matter, and if it is properly
carried out il will be one of the best things
in the world for the city. Merchants
week is an original institution with Savan-
nah. Every other city has its exposition
or fair In the autumn or winter but none
of them have their celebration in May 1t
il time, he said, when Savannah is put
ting on her best looks. IL is a season
dividing the winter gayeties from the sum-
mer sports. Merchants week fills up VIII 1t
would be not very active season, and
ushers spring and summer in with pomp.
Savannah is one town, and the only ono in
Georgia, that Is gay alike in summer and
winter. The plan of organizing standing
committees and societies or circles to con-
duct the festivities during portion of these
seasons IS meeting with popular favo-.
gentleman abiding to the "Open
house, as one of the features of Mer-
chants week said: ut Is place-a rendez-
vous, where the visitors may assemble and
spend the time their own way. They have
the satisfaction of knowing that the house
is set apart for them. 1t is theirs for the
time, ana they may dance and sing or on
gage in military drills and sham battles if
they y choose without being dis
turbed. The Open house this year
was very successfully conducted.
The lunches were furnished by Fried &
Hicks. Capt. Kulman, who had charge of
the Open house, deserves great deal OF
credit, the gentleman said, for his untiring
efforts Jos. Lovepstein and NJ. L. Lilien-
thai, who assisted. worked diligently. and
without them the festival would have been
less entertaining.
Much Of the success of the entire festival
is due to the chairman Of the general COM
mittee. Mr.. II. w. Palmer, who devoted his
time and money to the enterprise, and Sa-
vannah owes him vote Of thanks.