The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-20
FALL TRADE is BRISK
RETAIL MERCHANTS ARE ENTHUsED
OVER THE OUTLOOK.
The Present Prosperous Wave Indi-
Gates a Big winters Business
Opinions Of Dealers.

Retail merchants are more than pleased
with the fall trade and with the outlook for
future business. Stores of all kinds have
been crowded with customers every day for
the last two weeks, except when the weather
was bad enough to keep the people indoors.
The large stores have crowds all the time,
even during hours that are not generally
considered business hours while the
smaller establishments, which cater to but
one class of. trade. and to a clientele that
demands but one line of goods, are having
what is, compared to that. of the past few
years, great degree Of prosperity. This
increase in business is not due to the fact
that the regular fall season of trading has
begun. The merchants expected a good
trade, but have been agreeably surprised
when their books show a very appreciate
increase over corresponding weeks for two
or three years back
A very noticeable feature Of this pros
porous wave is the fact that the mechanics
and laboring classes generally are buying
more goods and better goods than they have
for four or five years. They have more
money, the statesmen say, and they not only
buy more goods than they did last season,
or the season before. but they buy articles
of higher grade. AS one clerk expressed
st. Everybody seems to be at work now"
Employees of retail stores are in position
to notice more quickly than any one else
any change in the circumstances of their
customers. They all say that every class of
trade seems more cheerful and more con-
fident than has been noticed in years. Peo-
pie are not so much inclined to dicker over
a bargain and there is. a spirit of cheerful
ness and satisfaction on all sides which,
according to another clerk, makes both
the buying and the selling easy Several
of the leading merchants were found at
their places of business yesterday, and all
talked most confidently Of the business out
look
WHAT THE MERCHANTS SAY.
Mr.. George Bliss. of the Progress clothing
store, said: 1.-THE past week has been the
best and biggest business we have ever had.
1t shows a large increase over the same
week for last year. The people have money.
The mechanics trade is something wonder
full. They are all at work now, and are
buying better goods than they have for two
or three years. We feel greatly encouraged
over the outlook, which was never so good
as it is this fall
Manager Gay. of the New York store
Our business this season IS decidedly bet
ter than we have ever Cad. The volume of
trade is much greater, and there is a gen.
eral tendency for improvement in every
line
Mr.. Frederick Ayres, Of IT,. S. Ayres & Co.
said: This falls business is big. Last
month and this month have been much bet
ter than the same months of last year.
There may be several reasons for this, but
it seems to me that the good times we have
been talking about and looking for have
come"
J. d. Brosnan, OF Rrosnan Bros, was
much pleased over the outlook for the fall
and winter. He said: '~rhe people seem
to be hungry for buying. They buy quick
now. This has been our best week for a
long time-much bettenthAn thelcorrespond-
ing week Of the last two years. Why. last
Saturday trade was so heavy that we could
have used twice our usual Saturday force"
e. X. Chapman manager of the Saks
clothing store, said: Business is better
than it was last fall, and our sales each
week are going ahead of a year ago. We
are not selling near as many cheap things
as last year Men who would come in
year ago and buy a ten-dollar suit, and
kind of hang on to the ten now buy fif-
teen-dollar suits. Mechanics all seem to be
prosperous and are buying better goods
than they have for 'sonfe years.
Manager Jackson, Of Geo. ]. Marotts shoe
store: Business is away ahead of last
year. We feel greatly encouraged; there is
a decided boom in all lines of Shoes.
H. p. WATSON said THE fall trade shows
great improvements lover other seasons.
| am not much of a prophet, but judging
from the good prices the farmers of Indiana
are getting for their crops and the better
ment of general conditions, I should say
that the outlook for the future is bright.
Trade this week is unusually active"
z. o. Langen of Besten e. Langen: ''Our
trade is way ahead of last fall We notice
the same satisfactory state of affairs in our
Louisville store We are selling a better
class of goods than for several seasons past;
there is a demand for the good things. The
outlook hasn't been SO good for several
years. 9
Peter Bonn, manager of the When cloth
ing store: September was ahead of the
same month last year, and it's the same
way with October. We are having scarcely
any calls for cheap clothes this fall, and
that is a very enconrag ing indication"
@. A. Archibald, haberdasher: THE bust
ness outlook for fall is very hattering. My
business for September rand this half of
October shows decided gain over previous
years. l also notice a great Improvement
in the quality of the goods purchased. The
demand is for a better grade this season
than heretofore. / have had several let
ters lately from Western dealers to whom
used to sell goods when l was on the
road, and every one of them says this is
the most prosperous, season he has ever