The record-union., 1897-08-24
THEY SPEND MILLIONS.
Buyers Who Visit New York to
Lay in Stocks.

Thirty to fifty millions of dollars, it is
estimated by members of the Advisory
Committee of the Merchants Associa-
tion, will be spent in this city by the
out-of-town merchants who have been
brought to this city by means of the
low-rate excursions. John G. Juhring
of Francis II. Leggett & Co., estimates
the total purchases at $20,O0O,0O0 to
S30,OO0,0O0; George L. Putnam of
Sweetser, Pembrook & Co., estimates
that the buyers will leave here some
thing like $30,000,000 to $50, 100000
and Mr.. Sweetser puts the estimate at
81 q 100000 to $50,OOOOO0.
All of these estimates are on practi-
cally new business, or business that has
been for the most part, attracted to
this market by the work of the Mer-
chants Association. 1t will be that
much added to the usual fall trade. All
the estimates take into consideration,
also, the prospect that the trade of this
fall, outside of this extra business, will
exceed that of any autumn since 1892
From interviews with a large number
of local merchants who have sold goods
| to the visitors, and with the visiting
merchants who have bought, it is pos
sible to estimate how much of this total
has already been spent here and in
what branches of business.
According to estimates by Mr.. Juh-
ring and others, the sales to visiting
merchants during the first week of the
excursions amounted to- between So
100000 and $3,500,000. This has been
spent by about 5000 out of town mer-
chants, and by an equal, if not larger,
number of members of their families
who accompanied them to New York
and made purchases while here.
An examination of the register kept
by the Merchants Association shows
that large proportion, say 80 to 60 per
cent. Of the visitors is composed of dry
goods merchants and clothing and mil
/ linery dealers. The remaining 30 to
AZ per cent. is made up of dealers in
notions, fancy goods, drugs, general
merchandise, groceries, etc. The
clothing men are usually the first to
buy their fall stock. This accounts
for the large percentage of them on the
first excursions. The grocers, book
sellers, druggists, hardware dealers,
etc, will come later.
The local merchants who have made
careful estimates of the amount Of
purchases made up to this time in diff
ferent lines of business, say that prob
ably 81. 800, 600 to S2.000,000 has been
spent by the out-of-toWn purchasers
of dry goods, clothing and millinery.
Many of the visitors have purchased
very literally, and ordered both aut-
umn and winter stocks. One merchant,
it is said, ordered a bill of $40, 900, and
another bin amounting to $4,000.
OF other lines of business, it is es-
timated that notions and fancy goods,
laces, etc, come next in the amount
Of sales made. 1t is computed that the
visitors must have purchased at least
$500 900 in these lines and possibly as
much as 81, 100000
Very large sales have also been made
! in cloaks. jewelry, drugs, stationery,
and wagons. In the smaller lines OF
trade it is almost impossible to arrive
at estimates that are of any value It
| is thought, however, that probably
$500, 900 in these lines, and possibly az
outside of those mentioned, and that
on farm implements, wagons, etc, and
on drugs, jewelry. and stationery about
| $500 900. More has been laid out In
fall and winter stocks.-New York
Times