New-York tribune., 1897-08-18
BUYERS RECORD BROKEN.
MORE VISITING; MERCHANTS HERE THAN
ON ANY DAY IN TWELVE YEARS.

THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC coMPANYs TERRITORY
OPENED TO TIE MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION
REPORTS OF IMPROVING BUSINESS
GENERAL AMONG THE VISITORS
The membership OF the Merchants Associa-
ton continues to grow at a remarkape pace
In the first two days OF this week over seven
hundred new applications have been receNeu'
bringing the total number OF the NONRESIDENT
list 70 nearly twenty thousand. Moreover
the Glass A register which is made up OF en-
rolled firms in this city. who contribute to the
expenses Of the organization, contains above
seven hundred and fifty names, and each sue
cessivc day sees an average addition OF twenty
firms TO the list.
Hitherto the applications in the resident cate
CORY have been entirely voluntary, and without
any approach to solicitation. But in order to
bring this paying class Of members up to total
OF two thousand, result that would insure
the permanency and prosperity of the associa-
tion the Advisory Board. which includes many
Of the most prominent wholesale merchants and
business men In the city. at a meeting held yes
terday afternoon decided to form itself into sub
committees for the purpose OF institutng sys-
tematc work for the enlarging of the local
membership. These subcommittee VIII De
classified according TO trades. and each Will en-
deavor TO exert influence in the branch OF COM
merce in which it is especially interested
1t was ntimated in yesterdays Tribune that
the Southern Pacific company would undoubted-
ly agree to sell tickets at the reduced rates to
members Of the association from all points
reached by its Atlantic system Confirmation
of this intention has now been received from the
company by the officials Of the Merchants AS
sociaton. The action of the Southern Pacific
road opens up a wide section OF the country In
the Southwest where heretofore no concessions
have been granted. The Atlantic system Of this
line reaches the extreme western part OF Texas
at Ell Paso. 1t runs clear across the State. with
connections down to Southern Texas and Mexico
with direct branches to nearly all the Gulf ports
including Galveston. and with branches tapping
other branches of Texas north OF the main line
and also operates line OF steamers from New
Orleans to New-York. The concession It has
granted will be boom to several thousand mer
chants who live in the territory near the
line of that part of the Southern Pacific COM
pany's roads and who otherwise would be un-
able to reach either st. Louis Chicago to
avail themselves at those points Of the reduced
rate tickets except by paying the full fare from
their homes to those cities
The number Of buyers who wrote their names
upon the associations register yesterday more
than equalled the totals previous days. Upon
all sides ii is conceded that the influx OF mer-
chants into New-York at this time Of the year
is unprecedented. and that the Merchants Asso-
citation has caused it, According to the records
going back for period of twelve years the
largest number of out-of- town merchants regis
terng in this city on any one day was 225 On
Monday there registered throughout the city at
the various hotels and the rooms of the Mer-
chants Association $50 visiting merchants and
buyers, which beats all previous records by 10
Among the interviews obtained yesterday by
Tribune reporter with visiting merchants. upon
trade conditions and prospects, were the fol-
lowing:
S. B. Brown. of Brown & Son, drygoods mer-
chants. of Fort Valley. Ga.-All merchants
must agree that New-YOrk is the leading mar
ket in the United States. / have been buying
in it for years. Freight charges and high pas
senger rates are the causes that keep most out
of-town commercial from enjoying the
great advantages of this great market.
L. F. Hammersey. drygoods merchant. of
Washington. Ind.-The real advantage of New
York buying centre is in its unsurpassable
variety and assortment of materials For years
j relied upon samples. This year however, l
have been making personal visits to the New
York market and am materially prohted there
by. In staple goods | can do about as well in
Cincinnati. on account of freight charges. but in
high-cass goods novelties and notions there Is
no market like New-York for the secretion of
exclusive styles
s. Brill. of Brill & Brothers, clothing and dry
goods, of Georgetown. S. C.-Times fair.
Indications favorable for better business In
! view OF the glowing reports from the farmers.
Rice and wheat are abundant. The tariff VIII
work benefcially to all in this territory
D. H Clement. drygoods merchant, Of Horton
Kap.-This is my first visit In New-York.
find a tiptop market especially in millinery and
cloaks The cloak line is. | think the best
ever saw in assortments Heretofore all my pur-
chases have been made in ST. Louis Chicago
and Kansas City. but have done better in this
city with my purchases than in those cities, par
ticulary in jobbing lots.
The resident membership of the association
was increased yesterday by the addition Of the
following firms: The Goodyear Rubber Company.
rubber goods: Martin Bovine Company. toilet
brushes: Wells Fargo & Co. express and bank
ing: Klaw & Erlanger, theatrical Hoennghaus
& Curtiss commission merchants c. b. Aston
Company hats: Enos Richardson & Co. manu-
featuring jewellers; Kops Bros, corsets; Spiel,
mann & Co. drygoOds: Manhattan Beach ana
Oriental hotels; Herman Tappan perfumery;
New-York Telephone Company; Frazer Lubri-
Gator Company, grease; the G' B- harrington