The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-03-27
BraggadociO.
The Wilkes Barre Times is certainly
not slow on the brag, Hear this:s

The Wilkes Barre Times is certainly
not slow on the brag. Hear this:'
1t is perhaps realized by few people
and no doubt many Scrantonians VIII pe
prone to deny 1t, but it is nevertheless
fact that many people of Scranton ana
Vicinity-and some of the very best peo-
pie at that-come to this city to do their
shopping. 1t would be Il source or sur
prise to many, doubtless, II they knew
the exact amount of goods when ls
annually sold by the large firms of this
city to the people of Scranton and sur
roundings. why is this? Certainly be-
cause Scranton stores cannot compare
with those of this city, and large por-
tion of the fastidious trade of the Elec-
tric city, failing to be suited by the
quality of goods offered by scranton
firms hasten to this city where the
high-toned taste is catered to ana Whefe
everything can be found to gratify the
taste of particular shoppers The fact
cannot be denied that wilkes Barre, even
though II is much smaller city than
Scranton has far superior stores, ana
this fact is recognized by large portion
of the best people of Scranton who, un-
heSitatingly do the bulk of their trading
III this city, where their every wish can
be gratitied. one prominent dry
goods firm assures the Times represent
tative that he estimates the amount of
goods annually sold to customers from
Scranton and vicinity ut not less than
500 900. Other leading firms estimate
their annual Scranton trade at various
amounts. all extremely gratifying. Inc
aggregate amount of trade coming from
Scranton to the dozen or more merchants
of this city who We're seen by the Times
representative, is upwards of S2OOoOO
We admire that quality in citizen
or a newspaper which lmpels to spir
l1 lAfa of ins htit
our wn-the- valley contemporary
ought not to permit its zeal for Wilkes
Barre to betray it into Interpretations
concerning Scranton. 1t simply is not
true that Wilkes Barre stores or
wilkes Barre stocks are superior to the
stores and stocks OF Scranton. If any
one has this impression, it is utterly
unfounded and the best way to correct
it is for the purchasers of Luzerne
county to come to Scranton and see for
themselves. a personal tour of our
leading mercantile establishments will
speedily determine the matter and by
this fair test we are willing to abide.
In only one particular do we notice
among the business men of Wilkes
commend to the attention of local mer-
chants We are told that they are more
liberal in their expenditures for adver-
tising and use greater care and ingenI-
ity in their utilization of printers ink
than do their competitors in Scranton.
We do not know whether this is true or
not; possibly the report arises from
the fact that Wilkes Barre advertisers
as class have little to do with dodgers.
programmes, placards and the numer-
Gus fake devices common throughout
the country, but instead centralzc their
expenditures for advertising in the
daily papers, paying good rates and
requiring good service in return. We
dare say twice as much money is spent
in Scranton as in Wilkes-Barre for ad-
vertising purposes, but we fear that a
good deal of it goes into non productive
channels that do not reach the eyes of
the people ............--
1t is possible that in this matter our
merchants are some what remiss; but as
for the assertion that they don't keep
s good stocks at as moderate prices
as can be found in Wilkes Barre, that
is sheer nonsense. 1t will not bear in
vestigation.