The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-26
BUSINESS MEN PLEASED
THE X. OF p. ENCAMPMENT HAS
BEEN A BIG FINANCIAL BENEFIT.
Various Estimates as to the Amount
of Money Put i'm Circulation
Views of Merchants.

circulation in Indianapolis this week by rea-
son of the knights of Pythias encampment
and the resultant throngs of visitors. Other
calculators go as high as $4,000, while
few drop as low as 100000. In case like
this one mans guess is good as anothers.
But it stands to reason that there has been
an extremely large amount of money spent,
and that the merchants of Indianapolis are
getting the benefit of the same this week,
or that they will come in for their share of
it in a roundabout way later.
In a general way business is more than
twice as good as it usually is at this time of
the year. In almost every line of business
August is a dull month, and the last two
weeks of August are the quietest The ex-
cursions Monday and Tuesday packed the
city with visitors. and lots of them came to
buy something as well as to see the sights.
Then the thousands of knights of Pythas
are all spending money. They aren't buy
ing dry goods or clothing, or things like
these to any great extent, but they are
patronizing the restaurants, hotels, lodging
houses, barber shops, livery establishments,
and-the saloons. The saloons and restau-
rants are doing what is sometimes referred
| to as a land Office business. One brewer
said yesterday that he would be afraid to
try to guess how much beer had been sold
and drank in Indianapolis this week for
fear of being called a falsifier. But he said
that the quantity of beer consumed on the
three hottest days of the week would run
the fountains at the monument for several
hours without using the same beer twice.
The hotels have all been crowded, many of
them accommodating guests with cots in
the corridors, and at nearly all of them the
incoming guests have been refused single
rooms because of the demand for beds. With
this as basis of calculation, people who
are fond of figuring out how much money
other people make can arrive at an idea of
the wealth that big affairs like this encamp-
ment pour into the pockets of the hotel
folks
BOON TO LIvERYMEN
The liverymen are all satisfied. Some
folks think liverymen never are satisfied, but
this weeks business is making complaint
from them a rare thing. Every talyho,
coach, cab, coupe and most of the light liv-
cry in the city has been in almost constant
use. And the many transfer lines have had
more trunks than they could handle. Jewel
ers say their patronage has been excellent.
Even the little lunch stands along the side
walks have been well patronized. and the
man who leased vacant room on Illinois
street and sublet privileges for lunch stands
in 1t is said to have cleared a handsome sum
by the venture.
The music stores have been busy all week.
Possibly the large number of bands in the
city has had something to do with stimu-
lating the musical tastes of the people.
Most of the sheet music sold has been of
stores have been busy. Most of the sales
have been in fine goods, and the tobacco
p. ]. O'Meara said: "Give me year in
which every week is as good as this one and
III be ready to retire"
Quite a number of the leading business
men-all who could be found at their estab-
liShmentS-were talked with yesterday aft
ernoon on the effect the encampment has
had upon business. Not a complaint was
made The universal agreement is that
such an affair as the encampment is more
necessary to secure it. 1t is thought that
the effect of the boom in business will not
be spasmodic, but will be of benefit to trade
and will keep up until the beginning of the
regular fall season. Dealers in furniture
and house furnishing goods are already no.
ticing an improvement. They think that as
lodging and boarding houses, as well as the
restaurants, saloons, etc.. will buy new fur
niture, and thus they will get their share
of the encampment trade.
Another point brought out by merchant
| yesterday was that people would come to
Indianapolis from every part OF the state
| If they could have reasonably low excursion
rates. The merchants of this city have
sold goods this week to people who would
$3.50 ,SPNAHS SANAA -
cago, Cincinnati or some other large city.
Several merchants think 1t would be good
| plan to have several days of each month
set aside as excursion days, when visitors
could have an extremely low rate.
AMONG BIG MERCHANTS.
Mr.. H. p. WATSON said the encampment
had been a splendid thing for business. 1--WE
| are glad the knights came to this city,"
he said, August is always a dull month
and this week in August is recognized as
a very poor business week. But the encamp-
ment has given trade a great impetus In
some ways it has not quite come up to our
expectations, but like all big things of the
sort, that was to be anticipated. Such a
thing as this benefits all of us, directly or
indirectly, and 1 would be glad to see more
of them
John Brosnan, of Brosnan Brothers, says
his trm has had an unusually good bust
| it was surprise to u.s." said he Many
of the visitors who came from long dis
| tanceS carried dresses and wraps home with
them. In all departments the increase in
| trade was very noticeable. The encampment
brought hundreds of visitors from other In
| diana cities, and l think they will get into
the habit of coming here to trade
Mr.. Swain, of the Progress Clothing Store
reported a splendid business. We consider
son, which is always very dull in our line.
But the visiting Knights and the Indiana
people who came in on the excursions have
been liberal purchasers
Mr.. George Gay, superintendent of the
New York Store. says: After the disap-
pointment attendant upon the L. A. W.
meet, from which the merchants expected
great results. the K. of P. encampment
comes a pleasant surprise. Business has
been fine. 1t shows a substantial increase
over what is usually the volume of trade
at this time of the year. We appreciate the
fact, too, and would be glad to see more
affairs of the sort in this city"
Mr.. Langen, of the Besten & Langen Com
pany, said that the sale of ladies' suits and
wraps for fall wear was very good. and
that the encampment had been stimulat-
ing influence
Manager Chapman, of the Saks Clothing
Company, said that while this week was
usually the dullest one in the year, the
sales so far had been double those of the
same week of last year.
Manager Jackson, at Geo. ]. Marott's shoe
store. says: Because of the encampment
business is a great deal livelier than it is
usually at this time of the year. The ex-
cursion feature of the affair was splendid
thing. 1t brought thousands of people from
| all over the State, and they all left money
| in town."
Horace Ryan, advertising manager for L.
| s. AyreS & Co.: THE encampment has been
| boomer for umbrellas, black and colored
| dress gods. and for many other lines of
| womens attire. We felt the increase of
| parts of the State to very considerable
| degree" j. p. Bonn, manager of the When
clothing store, says that business is re-
markable for this week, and he attributes 1t
| to the encampment
AN UNF0RTUNATE'S DIARY.