Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-12-06
ONE GREAT BAZAAR
THE BRILLIANT HOLIDAY DISPLAYS MADE By
WHEELING MERCHANTS
Tia Christmas Shopping Season Fairly usheFed
in Last Evening-The Streets and Retail
Stores Thronged = Splendid
Window SpectacleS.


long been celebrated for their fine WIN
dow displays.
It's common remark, not only from
our own citizens who have gone to the
trouble to make comparisons with otner
and larger cities, but as we'll from the
lips OF strangers, that taking all the
round OF the retail trade, there are more
fine goods and better window displays TO
he seen in Wheeling than in any other
city of her size in this country, and
often towns Of thrice our population fell
TO make as handsome showing.
This reputation has been well-earned
in the past, and present indications are
that the holiday shopping season, now
being ushered in, will much more than
sustain this condition.
Two weeks ago the first indications OF
the coming Christmas were observable
in the show windows along Main, Mar
ket. and the cross streets, up town, and
this tendency become much more
marked during the past six days, until,
last evening, there was quite holiday
time effect, and it only needed q fall In
the mercury and couple of inches or
snow to make the casual observer OF the
densely-pa sked sidewalks and the blaZ-
ing windows imagine that, If it was not
really the might before Christmas"
that great Christian festival conld not
be more than few days removed.
A stroll about the retail district
showed that the displays so far made
were not only much above the average
in point of extent and general attract
iyeness, but that they embraced some
lines of trade not usually much affected.
The coming week will see this DISPOSE
ton TO attract public attention be-
come epidemic, and by next Saturday
the city from Tenth street to Sixteenth
will be virtually one great bazaar, the
stores filled with thrOngs OF purchasers,
and the sidewalks damned with spec
tators. Even last night two or three
stores were so crowded with customers
that it was fairly impossible to get Into
them, at eight o'clock, and the crowd
in front of the door of one place OF bus
mess extended, at times, clear TO the
curb-stone, those not trying to edge
their way through the door being en-
gagged in admiring the window display.
The situation at this particular place
was only little worse than at some OF
the others.
Noticeable among the fine displays in
the windows are those of furniture men,
dealers in toys aud fancy articles, dry
goods, notions, books, jewelry, confec-
TONERS, cigars and smokers goods, must
cal instruments, clothing, china and
glass, art, the drug stores, fancy
grocers, leather goods, fruits, etc, and
number Of others. The jewelry stores,
the dry goods merchants, and those
store devoted to the sale Of
novelties and fancy articles, natur-
ally make splendid showing,
but this is no reflection upon business
men in other lines, for often wonders in
the way Of fine displays have been
brought about with goods of class not
particularly well adapted to striking
combinations, and the thousands Of
promenaders and purchasers were pro-
fuse in their expressions of delight and
SdJlSldCGlOH do thVg pdsouu UlOHS WIG
streets. Hundreds of people, particu-
lsrly ladies, came from remote portions
Of the city for no other purpose than to
look at the windows, while there were
literally thousands from the various
suburban towns, on both sides OF the
rivera pretty conclusive demonstra-
tion that it pays business men TO make
attractive displays Of goods.
Those business men who have not yet
attempted to dress their windows for
the holiday season will get to work in
that direction during the coming week,
and by next Saturday evening the work
will be practically completed, and the
admiring crowds will be correspond
ingly increased, and the throng OF pur-
chasers will grow in more than the same
ratio.
From now on until the new year,
Wheeling will be in holiday attire In
this regard, and her business men, hav-
ing many things OF beauty and utility,
invite all our people, and the inhabi-
tantS Of alhthe country round about, as
well, to come, admire and purchase.