Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-12-08
NO. 81.
TRADE IN NEW YORK.
Ho3 IT WAS STIMULATED EY TIE
MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION.

Sales Increased by Man, Million. Of
Loiiar. since Hoom was started.
Plan and scope Of work cad Meth
cd OF Operation.
Il Is Impossible TO estimate the In
erase OF New iOrk's business brought
about by the Merchants association.
The organization was Incorporated In
June. 1897, and Is growing Iu size,
scope and power every day. 1t was
started to boom business. or, In the
words OF Its promoters, Ito foster the
trade and commerce OF New York" IL
has succeeded admirably. Merchants
consider II was well advised move.
ment and that much good has been ac-
cOmpliSAt'l, says T. \. Haywood Ia
Printers Ink. They have made In.
creased sales amounting To many mil
lions OF dollars Ia consequence Of the
movement and expect to do more aud
more booming in every year Cf the fu-
ture.
After incorporation the promoters de-
Cided that the best way 10 foster the
trade and commerce OF New York was
to bring out CT town merchants In close
contact with New York merchants and
metropolitan markets. They saw clear
ly that by way Of an inducemcnt for
out OF town merchants 10 visit Man
haitian reduced railway fares would
have a good effect. AS soon us reduced
fares were granted by the Joint Traffic
and Trunk Lines associations the Mer-
chants association sent 10000 circu-
lars to merchants throughout the Unit
ed States announcing the reduction, re-
questng the merchant 10 name the
date when II would be convenient for
him TO visit New York and requesting
him TO become class b nonresident
member OF the organization. These
members pay no dues, have no voting
power, are not eligible to office and are
not placed on the lists unless they have
rating.
The responses TO the circulars were
Immediate. Letters were received at
the rate of several hundred per day.
celved within two weeks. The nonres-
ident list now practically numbers all
business firms in the United States, of
which there are some 10000.
While the above circulars We're being
mailed a pamphlet was prepared set.
ting forth New York's advantages as
financial. commercial and manufactur-
Ing center. II was we'll got up, and
100000 copies were mailed TO mer-
chants throughout the country. 4 year
later 10000 copies of book costing
something like 100000 were sent to ev-
cry man In America who was rated IN
Dun's or Bradstreet's books Some
5,G0O,000 pieces OF literature have been
sent out by the association.
1t is impossible to tell how many Wis
tors have been brought to New York
through the Inducements offered by the
Merchants association. Tens of thou
sands have registered at its rooms,
while many thousand merchants have
visited the city who have not register
ed Il matter entirely optional with the
visitor. The hotels and boarding houses
are always crowded at the season
when the merchants cut rate tickets
are on sale, and everybody realizes
that business Is humming. The volume
Of business at these seasons is greater
than ever registered before. Merchants
and transportation companies have
made statements testifying to the
great increase In their business brought
about directly by the efforts Of tho
Merchants association.
The Merchants association has come
to stay. 1t is taking up many other
questions designed to add to the pros
pcrity of Americas greatest city. 1t
now has some 1000 resident members,
who pay an annual membership fee OF
S25 each. The officers work without
direct remuneration, taking their pay
out Of the general benefit that comes
TO the city. The action Of this body Of
men has caused general hustling
among all boards of trade and has
been productive Of better results in the
general stimulation Of commerce than
anything else that has ever been done
In the United States.