The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-12-09
ENORMOUS CROWD
AT THE OPENING.
A Great Hit Made at Meyers Big
Store Last Night.
MANY THOUSAND WERE THERE.
One of the Greatest Triumpbs for Jul
dicious Advertising Ever known
In the Soutb-Crowd too Largo
10 Carry Cut Programme.

That was a great hit made last night
by Meyers big department store, at
Foushee and Broad. II will go down IN
the memory Of the oldest inhabitant as
piece of enterprise that would do credit
10 any emporium.
For several days there has appeared
I'm The Times Meyers advertisement, tell
ing all about the special Christmas open
ing from 5 10 10 o'clock last night. The
advertisement set forth the various at
fractions Of the great store, and told
in a general way some of the many pretty
and useful things that could be seen
there. Hundreds and thousands Of peo-
pie in Richmond and Manchester read
IN The Times about the opening, and long
before the hour named the crowd began
TO assemble on Broad and Foushee
streets, IN front Of the big store.
The hundreds Of electric lights along
the front and sides OF the store frightened
up the street for a block or two. and
gave everything n festive appearance
Then the brightly-lighted interior Of the
departments doomed uD beautifully
cases were never dressed better. The
great store made q most brilliant appear
arce and many favorable comments
were heard on all sides on the handsome
effect OF the store. Through the spacious
glass frontage could be seen hundreds
and hundreds OF Christmas articles for
men. women and children. and many
novelties spoke volumes for the enter
prise Of the proprictors.
IMMENSE CROWD.
But the crowd that assembled in re-
Spouse to the advertisements was re-
markable. BY 7:3O o'clock nearly a thou
sand people had gathered at the store
10 witness the opening
do look at that beautiful dressing
gown" and did you ever see such hand
some draperies in your lifey' and Isn't
that vase too lovely for anything were
a few OF the many expressions OF ap-
proval overheard.
Steadily the crowd increased. From the
eastern part of the city every car ar
irving at Foushee and Broad dumped its
load Of human freight there, ana then
the motormen thumped nervOusly on their
gongs TO clear the street sufficiently TO
get By. Cars arriving from the western
part Of the city were loaded down win
people bound for Meyers. The mule cars
from both directions were loaded TO their
capacity. while as many as could hang
on the platforms did so. Cars from both
the Hollywood and lakewood branches of
the Traction line brought hundreds from
those sections of the city, while the
Lakeside and Barton Heights lines contri-
buted many to swell the crowd.
ALL CLASSES THERE
BY s O'Clock there was a great multitude
of people jostling each other good-hu-
morediy and laughing merriy and COM
manting upon the many things on exhibit
ton in the big store. For a block each
way on Broad street nearly all the way
across the thoroughfare, and for nearly
n block down FOushee street, there was
one dense mass Of humanity. The thr0hS
included many of RichmOnds representa-
tive men and women, society people,
business men of means. professional men,
hundreds in the leading walks of life
merchants .salaried clerks-indeed, all
classes were present. There were serious
and dignihed matrons. old ladies with
lace on their bonnets. blushng young
naidens with aesthetic tastes. little misses
who are quick 10 see pretty things, chill
dren delighted with the fireworks and
toys and, in fact. IT looked at one time
"a II everybody in Richmond wanted TO
witness the opening. BY o'clock there
were probably 1000 people in and near
the store.
COULDN'T ACCOMMODATE THEM
As many as could be crowded into the
big building were allowed 10 enter, but
1t was soon seen that no ten stores In
Richmond could accommodate such
multitude. There was a perfect crush In
the store. and though the proprietors and
the employees did everything in their
power 10 accommodate the people ana
make their visit as pleasant as possible,
there was no chance 10 let half Of those
assembled come inside. The thrOng of
boys and young people trampled on many
OF the fireworks i'm the crush, and Knocked
down and destroyed many of the balloons
and small toys.
The band which had been engaged could
not play The performers were crowded
out of their places. and had TO retire.
Some few people lost their hats in the
crowd. but these VIII be- taken care OF
and returned TO the owners.
The Messrs. Meyer deeply regretted mat
they could not allow everybody 10 come
ia. but Il was absolutely impossible UNI
der the circumstances, and finally Il was
found necessary 10 dispense with the
carrying out of the programme as in
tended.
1t was by far the biggest crowd ever
gathered AZ an opening in Richmond
and many REGARDED 1t as a triumph for
judiclous advertising as well as reliability
and uo-to-dateness