The news & observer., 1905-12-28
HOLIDAY SEASON.
ENORMOUS TRADE
Far Exceeded Any Pre-
vious Year.
FARMER PROSPEROUS
Deposits in Banks Indicative of Com.
Portable Incomes Among All The
People. Success Due to InteI'i-
gent Efforts of the
Merchants.

season, just closed in Raleigh, has
thc merchants. The figures with
which to make up comparative
statement with former years, arc not
available at this time. but without ex-
men arc unanimous in the opinion
that the holiday trade this season far
exceeded any previous year One
merchant. or rather a member of
firm, too, that does not deal in goods
that are particularly. attractive. as a
rule. to the holiday shopper, said
yesterday that the trade enjoyed by
his firm was at least double what it
had ever been for q like period and
corresponding time of the year.
The two florists of Raleigh, Stein
metz and O'Quinn have had unpre-
cedentcd large sales. Orders by
the score and hundred were received
by both these establishments, not
only from the city, but from all parts
of the State.
The deposits in the local banks are
far in excess of last years. this being
due doubtless to the increase in the
price of cotton. The farmers,
Judging from their bank accounts,
are more prosperous than ever be-
fore.
Secretary r. M. Phillips, of the
Chamber Of Commerce and Industry
in speaking of the wonderful Christ
mas trade this season, said:
From all the merchants and busi-
ness firms in Raleigh l have had very
graf fysng reports. Without excep-
ton Raleigh merchants have felt the
wave of prosperity that is apparent
on all sides. High prices seem to
have stimulated people to greater
effort TO earn and save the where
with to buy Christmas things, and
everybody seems to have caught the
gift-giving spirit. or the desire to pro-
vide for themselves new articles of
comfort and luxury, homes are bright
CT and hearts are happier, and the
business community has reaped COR
responding degree CT substantial
benefit.
But it must not be understood that
this big volume of trade has "just
come" to Raleigh merchants anyhow
Much of the success is due to intelli-
gent and energetic effort on the part
Of the live and hustling firms that
know what it means to first select
their goods wisely and to make a judi
cious use of the means of advertising
at their command-mainly the news
papers. The biggest success has
been achieved by the most liberal ad-
vertisers, the men who study their
advertising department just as they
do in keeping in stock the best and
3
purchaser to select from. From OBJ
servation extending to many of the
largest cities of the South. and some
of those up North, l am prepared TO
say that in no city and in no section
of the country will the purchaser
find more progressive and intelligent
and energetic merchants than we
have right here i'll Raleigh They
deserve the success that is theirs,
and the future holds in store, for
such effort to please, still greater sue
cess.
"And while l would give due credit
for Rale;gh's growing popularity as a
shopping center to individual effort,
/ would not overlook the fine results
achieved thrugh the united merchants.
as demonstrated by the Merchants
Association. 1t required but casual
observation of the continuous stream
of holiday shoppers that poured into
the city from different parts of the
State, to prove beyond a doubt that
the efforts of that organization were
bearing good fruit. In addition 10
the increased trade of home-folks,
Raleigh has reached out and secured
good patronage from sections of the
State that in former years has gone
elsewhere. This success demon
strated the power of united effort
and there is in it a valuable lesson
that is not going to be lost. The
good work is going to be kept up,
and you are going to see Raleigh busi-
ness grow in larger degrees in the
future than it has ever done in the
past.
Thus it is that we close the year
1905, with good cheer, with feelings
Of gratitude and thankfulnesS for past
success, and assurance of still larger
results in the future. The cool, crisp
December air is bracing with energy
and push and hustle, and as a busi-
ness community we welcome the in
coming year, 1906, with bright faces,
stout hearts an abiding faith in the
future of our fair and beautiful city,
and increasing confidence in the
wisdom and loyalty and integrity of
our people"