Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-24
SH0PPED In THE sun.
THE BRIGHT WEATHER BROUGHT
OUT GREAT CROWDS YESTERDAY.
The BUSIEST PEOPLE IN RICHMOND.
The sn1esgirIs Claim the Distiuc-
LONESOME OF the Things Most Call
cd For-The Army Of buyers and
Sellers I'm the Markets.

Broad street. from First TO Ninth. east.
was almost impossible throughout yes
terday. The bright sun brought out every
body. The army Of shoppers was out In
overwhelming force. Men and women and
boys and girls and babies and bundles
formed a surging mass on the sidewalks.
The crowds In the stores were similarly
composed.
1T is not possible TO imagine a greater
crush than that about some OF the coun-
tiers I'm the big stores. 1t was almost an
impossibility TO force a passage. a pro-
prietor said he had seen many customers
leave without purchasing. simply because
they could not secure the attention OF a
salesman.
IDEALLY BUSY.
The ideally busy people these days are
the salespeople I'm the la~-est stores. The
post-of1ce and express company attaches
are busy, but they can keep in work up
TO their eyes all the time. and keep cool.
They have between them and the crowd
an ample barrier.
Not so in the stores. The crowds are
so great here it is utterly impossible TO
tell which Is the front and which the
410l VI Aht AVAAAAkA IL shDlltA1 49,
everywhere. 1t has been hard during the
week to tell a salesgirl from a customer;
the mixture of buyers and sellers was
complete. The only method Of distin-
gushing was by observing their heads.
The shopgirls had off their hats. This
method did not answer yesterday. The
crush was so great many Of the female
buyers removed their headgear TO prevent
its being knocked of; many did not get
their. hats off in time.
FELT LIKE \ FOOT-BALLIST.
A girl in one Of the large department
stores said yesterday afternoons: 81 feel
/ had been in a football game. Tired?
That's no name for it. / never saw night
so long coming. Maybe It's fun for the
shoppers, but it's death TO the salesla-
dies.' She was at the book counter in a
department store.
Whatever else people are buying this
year, books are not neglected. They were
never so numerous at such low prices.
Fiction, of course. is having a strong call.
History and travel are also in great de-
mand. Religious works sell better than
any other.
TIE CROWDS IN THE MARKETS.
The markets yesterday were ~thronged
until late in the afternoon. Turkeys were
in great demand for the first time during
the week. hundreds oil. ChriStmaS-trees
We're sold. Holly, mistletoe, and other
decorative evergreens were sold I'm i'm
mense quantities.
1t Is hard TO see how the crowds OF
shoppers to-day will be larger than on
yesterday, but the dealers expect It.
No PODcrackers Sunday.
The movement that originated at the
conference of Presbyterian ministers last
Monday against the explosion Of fire.
works next Sunday took definite shape
yesterday. The Mayor promised a dele
cation Of ministers that he would do
what he could to prevent it by issuing an
address, n the Chief of Police, who was
called into the conference, promised to
an order 20 the police to preserve
the peace and order Of the Sabbath, at
all hazards. The Mayor says he has
been somewhat handicapped I'm his mat
ter within the last few days by two Sc
parate decisions Of Justice Crutchheld
in which he held hat fireworks might
be exploded in backwards n on private
premises. without fear Of molestation.
The delegation that visited the Mayor
composed of Rev. DR.. j. W. Jones,
representing the Baptist denomination;
Rev. j. j. Gravatt, representing the Epis-
copalian; Rev. T.. II. Rawlings. the Meth
odist, and Rev. w. $. Campbell, the Pres.