Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-25
THOUSANDS VISIT NEW STORE
W. B. Bennett OOmpsny's Opening Draws an
Immense Crowd.
MUSIC AND SOUVENIRS MARK EVENT
Little Louise Bennett Leads ThrOng
Into the B~ewiIdering Display of
Merchandise in Large
New Building.

Like a princess or old leading a gala
pageant into the realms walled city on a
festal day, so little Louise Bennett con-
Quoted a procession Of three blue-coated
officers. a uniformed band Of twenty-five
pieces and a crowd Of thousands OF sight
seers into her fathers mammo new store
at Sixteenth and Harvey streets at 10
o'clock yesterday morning, upon the occa-
sion Of It's formal meeting.
An hour earlier Mr.. Aubrey, the adver-
tising manager, had piloted from the corner
and all about the city a parade In WHICH,
besides his carriage and the ornate band
wagon. were tweBty-eight OF the w. X
Bennett company's delivery vehicles, most
of them new ard too elegant In design ana
finish TO be cbeapened with the common
mama. wagon. When he returned ne found
that the crowd waiting about the store had
grown from hundreds to thousands, and
when the doors we're thrown open these
thousands, marching in 10 music. swarmed
over the $1,000 feet OF floor space and took
possession for the day.
Until the doors closed at night the music
did not silence nor the girls in the souvenir
registration booths have rest for their busy
fingers, for It's was visitors day and the first
duty OF the 500 regular employees Of the
place was TO make all who came feel at home.
A dozen floor walkers constitute the special
reception committee, as indicated by their
badges. but the whole force and Mr.. Ben
net himself were assisting.
Souvenir Art Heads.
The souvenirs which were distributed
are art heads. about eight inches tall and
made OF sculptor's plaster tinted the natural
colors. The visitors we're requested to give
81
tion girls and when $4,000 have done so the
lists will be gone over and any duplicates
checked of. after which the distribution OF
the heads will be made by special delivery.
There are enough OF the souvenirs to supply
the whole $4,000 in case no duplicate names
are found, and in addition ordinary cal
endars were given out at some Of the count
ers.
The arrangement Is one Of great con-
v~enience. In the basement one first en-
counters the parcels checking room and
time register for the employees. Along the
north side. extending clear out under the
glass sidewalk, is the heavy hardware;
along the east side the general office and
the private Offices of Mr.. Bennett and his
chiefs of stan; along the south side a gro
Gerry stock. and occupying ali the west or
rear of the room is the fresh meats and
DubbeE auu cBBb department. lub COOltIS
being immense and OF handsome design, with
glass doors and mirrored panels. On this.
as on every other floor, the visitor is i'm
pressed with the good light and the "room-
mess"
The immense new building Of gray brick,
measuring 176 feet on its Harvey street
side and 1872 on Sixteenth, is surmounted at
its four corners with STATS from which Old
Glory Is floating and from the 100 windows
are displayed an equal number OF flags,
large and of every national design. Within
the furnishings are all new and the trans
portation of the goods from the old store
to the new was accomplished so expedi-
tiously that the visitors found everything
in order yesterday morning and within five
minutes after the doors opened the cash
carriers trolley lines we're humming all
over thes store.
On the Main Floor.
On the main floor, back Of the window
dressings, which are elaborate. the clothing
and dry goods extend from west to east
along the north side. drugs along the south
side and shoes in the rear. Along the
front are the two soda fountains and near
them a row OF half a dozen round tables,
with four chairs each for the devotees OF
ice cream and other polite refreshments.
In the center or the moor Is a dtmtnutiVe
postofnce, with an accommodating postmis-
tresss Of ats own. and ranged about 1t are
the cabinets and showcases of the tobacco
department, the sporting goods department.
jewelry and silverware. cOnfeotions and
trunks, broad aisles separating each display
from the others.
Tho cashiers balcony is along the south
side over the drugs and the two elevators,
accommodating twenty persons each, are
also on that side. The broad balcony In
the rear Of the room is one OF the numer-
Gus resting places provided for customers,
and II contains not only chairs and divans,
but two writing desks and a waiting maid,
all three finished In mahogany. The broad
stairs connecting the various floors are all
IN the center OF the rear or west end.
On the second floor the north side is
allied with china and glassware, n half of
the east side with art pieces. the rest with
Women's fnery and a number Of places in
which TO try the fnery on. In the center
Of the front part is a music pavilion, white
Finished outside and in, and elegantly fur
nished. Only q few OF the instruments