The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-12-25
Merchants Report an Increase of
From Twenty to Forty Per
Cent Over Last December.
HIGH-GRADE GOODS ARE SOLD.
1t Is Estimated That More Than
Five Million Dollars Was Spent
for Christmas Presents in
st. Louis Stores.

Managers of business Establishments
which have handled the normou volume
of holiday trade agreed yesterday that the
sales this month have been from 20 TO 40
per cent greater than they were last De-
cember.
1t is estimated by the superintendent of
| one of the largest department stores that
more than 100000 100 has been spent in st.
Louis retail houses for Christmas goods
within the last three weeks, and that trade
was fully % per cent heavier than ever be-
fore at q corresponding period in the his
tory of the city.
Our business shows a tremendous in
crease" said Joseph Franklin of the Will
liam Barr Dry Goods Company. so much
of it is due to the large addition to our
store that l am unable to estimate exactly
what the normal increase might be"
In the same proportion the trade at other
large establishments has exceeded all rec
ords and expectations.
Dan C. Nugent of B. Nugent & Brother
Dry Goods Company stated that while he
was not prepared to state the accurate
percentage of increased business in this
the proportionate increase from one year
to another even in the most prosperous
seasons.
BUYING FINE GOODS.
1.-The store has been crowded continuous
ly." he said, and / have noticed that the
people are buying a better grade Of goods
than heretofore. There is every indication
of the presence of that good fellow, General
Prosperity"
Mr.. Gentles of Penny & Gentles. Broad
way and Washington avenue. enthusiasts
tically Endorsed MIR. Nngent's remark that
the grade of goods in demand was decid-
eddy higher than usual and that shoppers
showed no disposition to haggle over q
few cents difference in price when choosing
between the best and next best character of
1T is no exaggeration when 1 say that
our trade has been fully 30 per cent greater
than n was last December MIR. GantlpS
stated.
John Crawford of D.. Crawford & Co.
whose establishment was damned, remarked
that the increased volume of trade was
more than his highest expectations and ex-
ceeded anything in the history of the house.
Shoppers have been educated to the point
where they have not waited until the last
minute to make their purchases" he said.
while the crowd is very large to-day, the
same has been true of almost every day for
lots of money and they are spending it to
an unprecedented extent"
At the Famous store NJ. Shoenberg also
had a cheerful report to make
Trade has simply been phenomenal" he
said. 1T is tremendous to-day, and yet on
ing a lack OF cold weather to place heavier
goods in demand. the volume of trade far
exceeds anything. we have known in our
twcnty-nine years experience"
BEGAN TO BUY EARLY.
NJ. Landau of the Globe store. Seventh
street and Franklin avenue, stated that he
had been surprised by the exceptional high
tide of shopping.
month and they have kept 1t up in a steady
stream" he said. Our increase over last
ing period, has been fully Ss per cent. Think
e l. schaper of the schaper Brothers
Dry Goods Company said that on account
of the changes in their business a compar.
ison with last year is impossible.
But" said Mr.. schaper. business has