New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-22
CHRISTMAS CROWDS OUT.
NO DECREASE rs SEEN.
Managers of Big Stores Report Bet
ter Business Than Last Year.

That Christmas week began yesterday was
plain TO any unwary wayfarer who ventured
snto the shopping district yesterday. The near
,epproach of December % was clearly marked by
the multitude Of shoppers that packed the stores.
filed the sidewalks and overlooked into the
roadway Cross and worried women, undecided
whether the 80 cent article in store was
really OF better quality than the offering at 3Il3
cents Of the other establishment. led weak per
spring men, with arms overloaded with knobby
parcels through labyrinths OF aisles, and all
around children walled dscordantly because the
lovely dolls dressed in silk and lace or the gor-
eeous soldier uniforms could not be theirs Yet
all perhaps. showed some trace Of the holiday
good nature that is supposed 20 mark the merry
yuletide-
On the streets were constant reminders OF the
season in the omnipresent vender of automatic
TOYS Of childhood which walked or wriggled.
cording 10 their natures. beneath the feet of the
passersby. And these were ably supported in
their efforts TO remind the forgetful of how
the wear was progressing by the banks for the
charitable bit Of subsidiary silver and the Santa
Claus and his chimney ringing his bell on
every corner.
Even within doors the most distracted bust
ness man could rot help noticing the unusual
consideration with which his barber asked after
nis health and inquired whether he would have
bay. rum or lavender water. The bootblack, the
rewsboy on the corner. the Office boy and type
writer. the elevator man. the footman. the cook.
ohambermaid waitress-alI showed by their
.ceut5e attention the approach Of the day OF
liberal tips.
To such the day was full Of the JOY that comes
from pleasurable anticipation. To the weary
employees Of the big stores it was time Of toll
realized. The shopping district was packed
practically 10 its limit yesterday afternoon On
The east side Of Sixth-ave. the sidewalk was
hidden from sight Fourteenth TO Twenty
third ST and those who wished TO make prog
ress walked in the roadway. Fifth-ave. was in
q worse tangle than usual This eliminated at
the Flatiron Building where traffic from Twen-
ty-third St Broadway and Fifth-ave. met. and
for many minutes al a time a tumble Of cabs
trucks, cars and pedestrians blocked the way.
Inside the big department stores conditions, as
G. rule. were much the same.
AS usual surface and elevated service
1,roved utterly inadequate 20 handle the traffic
with any degree OF comfort TO the traffic handled
The new subway cars now operating on the
secondave. elevated lire and the additional old
cars consequently distributed on the other lines
have 70 some extent relieved the situation on
the elevated roads somewhat But, although
extra trains we're being operated and most of
the trains contained an extra car seats were at
q premium both up and down town trains
throughout the middle Of the day
Surface cars, too. were badly crowded in spite
Of additional cars. The changes recently made
81 the schedule. together with the new electric
lines however have bettered conditions in the
shopping district considerably. The congestion
experienced in former years at sixth-ave. and
Fourteenth-st is much relieved. and the new
rules Of the road. though not yet inbred into
The retiring mind Of the truck driver, show that
they have helped greatly in the task of bring
ing measure of order out OF the chaotic
swarrs that iii the roadways.
The shopkeepers watching these throngs Of
people adj bent spending good money,
wonder what has become Of the hard times pre-
dicted in the fall. Through the shopping dis
Trict there is little complaint Of lack of custom
Instead most of the business men declare that
the crowds Of Christmas buyers are larger than
this year. and that the business repre-
scented by the crowds is proportionateiy good.
The lower SiXth-ave. department stores have
unexpected increase of business over last season.
Charles F. Jones, superintendent Of the Smp-
son-Crawford Company. reports that the com
pany is doing 90 per cent more business than
In the last holiday season. and that IL has bust
ness enough for 300 more employees. The officials
Of the Segel-Cooper Cmpany and B. Altman &
Co beamed with satisfaction when Christmas
trade was mentioned.
From the stores of Lord & Taylor and John
Broadway. In Tiffany's there was crowd yes
serday which the manager admitted was a sur
prise even 10 him. September promised US a
dull season he said. but November picked
up and doing business unequalled
5n any previous year. This crowd doesn't look
'ss though the people who buy diamonds had
kOst everything the Exchange
The Twenty thrd-st. stores do not show quite
the prosperity indicated elsewhere, but man
ayers Of department stores that street sa
they are holding their own, with the normal in
Srease over last year.
Nowhere is the increase in the Christmas
crowd more striking than at Herald Square.
Nathan Straus says that r H. Macy & co.
has done this year q business enormously in
creased over last year. and from Saks 81 Co.
comes similar story At this point, yesterday.
where Broadway, SiXth-aVe. and Thirty fourth
st. brought together a maelstrom Of humanity
centring in the middle of Greeley Square. and
extending for a block in each direction, TO
cross from the elevated stations on foot to
Saks's or Mays without getting under the
wheels Of something. the feet OF some one,
taxed the ingenuity OF the ablest
The ferry stations and the Grand Central
station were taking their share of the burden.
Two steady streams Of rushing passengers, one
IN and one out. flowed at each OF the connec-
lions Of Manhattan Island with the world out
side from sunrise until long after sunset.
sHIPBUILDING HEARING TODAY.