Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-10
THE CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoRERS
Their Convention inJuly Will Be Mo-
MENTORS Event.
VIII Have Substantial as Well as
Spiritual Influence for Good
ON the City.

The Christian Endeavor convention. which
will meet In this city in July, Is expected
not only to bring great and good influence
to bear upon the life of the city, but also
to quicken the pulses of business at sea-
son when, as rule. things are very dull.
The money which the delegates Will spend
Will find its way into the Golfers of every
department of legitimate business.
SAID member of the committee OF W to
a Star reporter, speaking Of this phase of
the subject: THE hotels will be filled to
overlooking; the boarding houses will be
taxed to their utmost limit, and many pri-
Vate homes will be thrown open for the
accommodation of the delegates, every one
OF whom pays for the entertainment SO re-
celved. Inc markets and stores where pro-
Visions are sold will be kept busy furnish
ing the Wherewithal to feed the multituds;
the cioening, dry goods and general mer-
chandlse houses will be literally patronized
py the Endeavorers who come from rural
SECTIONS, ana Will make this visit to the
city an occasion for much shopping. The
soda water trade at the drug stores will be
enormous, and the purses of the street car
INES VIII be swelled to OVERLOOKING These
are out q few Of the branches of business
lie which will be helped by the incoming
OF this vast number Of young people.
Other cities have found that great fl1an-
cial benefits have resulted from the hold
ing of a Christian Endeavor convention in
them, he continued, land it Is reasonable
to suppose that when 10000 people stay
week IN city, they will spend considerable
money. In New York city, after the con-
vention of 1892 was over, the merchants of
the metropolis offered to give $4,000 If the
convention could be held there again.
Inc cleveland people and newspapers
told similar story, and In Montreal ten
business men gave $500 apiece for the con-
ventlon expenses, and there were only 49,
ooo delegates registered at the convention
II oelng worlds fair year, with the convan-
lon CITY somewhat out Of the way. These
men showed due appreciation of the
value and meaning Of the great gathering
ana nave not regretted their gifts. At Bos-
toni ton the receipts at practically all of the
business houses, to say nothing of hotels
car INES, etc., We're vastly increased"
The Experience of Boston.
In August of last year, a month after the
close of the convention In Boston, some
inquiry was made among the merchants Of
that city by the chairman of the '95 COM
mittee to ascertain whether, from a bust
less standpoint, the convention was desira-
bic and whether it brought any increase Of
business to the merchants Answers from
TWO OF the leading merchants of the Hub
are quoted, and they are representative of
the Cther replies received by The commit
tee. r. II. White & Co. said: I'VE derived
great benefit from the visit of the Chris
tlan Endeavor convention. Our sales in
creased wonderfully that week. and it gives
US pleasure to say that we attribute the
same largely to the Christian Endeavor
order"
Jordan, Marsh & Co. write: During the
week when the convention was in session
our sales were twenty per cent in excess
or the corresponding week of last wear
We registered 5000 names of delegates in
Inc reception room which was set apart
!or their use and mailed 1850 letters for
Them Our store was thronged with dele
gates who no doubt have carried to their
various homes throughout the country very
pleasant memories Of their reception in
Boston,
Mr.. William Shaw, the treasurer Of tho
United Society of Christian Endeavor, who
was also chairman of the committee of
arrangements for the Boston convention. in
letter to Chairman Smith of the '96 COM
mattee, spoke Of this phase of the question
and of the benefit from a business mans
point OF view which a Christian Endeavor
convention was to city. TT is very diff
cult, he said, 'for us to estimate in anv
way the amount of money left in the city.
FIFTY thousand people spend a good deal
or money, even though 1t is spent in s,,aII
a slii! me business houses had bet
Ter trade from the Christian Endeayorers
than from the Knights Tempiar, the rea-
son being that SO many of our delegates
were ladies who took this opportunity to
Go their shopping"
washington Merchants See the Adj
vantaEes.
1Hal the w aSnlnSCOn merchants realize
the benefit to trade which will accrue from
the approaching convention is amply tes-
titled to by the interest they have taken
In the preparations for bringing together
and accommodating the thousands of dele
gates expected here in July. When the
question Of inviting the society to Wash
1ngton was first discussed a canvass of the
business men of the city was made to as
certain whether they would lend their in
huence to the project, and one thousand
merchants quickly responded and Joined
with the commit Ae in the invitation to the
trustees of the society to hold the '96 con-
vention at the nations capital. Not only
so, but when the committee of '96 began
the selection of the central and auxiliary
bodies to help with the work of prepara-
ton, twenty-five Of the prominent citizens
and business men Of the city expressed
their willingness to serve as an advisory
finance committee. In many ways have
the merchants of Washington shown their
interest in the convention and their sym-
pathy with the committee of '96 in its
work of planning and completing the nee
essa1y arrangements and little doubt is
felt by the committe IS in charge that thew
will quickly subscribe the portion of the
m he