The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-22
ON THE BOOM.
Holiday Trade Best in History
of City.
Many Stores Forced to Send in
Rush Orders.
TOYS. ARE SNAPPED UP
Even Most Expensive Ones Find
Ready Sale.
Dry Goods and Clothing Stores
All Busy.

No surer index of prosperous city
and its prosperous people exists than
the trade in the stores during the time
preceding the holiday season. And
talks with the merchants of Topeka
give orima facie evidence that this city
and its people have never been more
prosperous than they are now. and
better than that, every man in bust
ness in the city. is more than sanguine
that the prosperity of today is only
a forerunner OF a prosperity that will
continue to grow with the certain
growth of the city IN all directions.
There IS not a single store or estab-
lishment of any kind in Topeka which
does not report trade much larger,
in some instances double. than what it
was last year. The merchants say that
the people of the city seem to have
plenty of money to buy whatever they
desire and they seem to be using more
judgment in their purchases than ever
before. Except for the children. their
gifts seem to be more of the staple and
sensible sort and less of the perishable
kind than those they have purchased
in years passed. and they have bought
merchandise and material of the more
expensive character.
And the people seem to have done
their Christmas shopping earlier this
year than ever before. In years past
the shopping has been confined to a
big rush in the afternoons during the
compile. Of weeks preceding the hOli-
days. but this year it has been dis
tributed through mornings and after
Moons and the evenings since the
stores have, been open. and an impor-
tant feature OF the buying, as showing
the prosperity of the people, is the
fact that seash purchases have been
Ethe rude and requests for credit few
- IL ~
of the merchants. is the healthiest
sign Of the Furnishing condition of the
people of the city.
Weather conditions have been ideal
during the last week or ten days for
shopping and a good many of the mer-
chants are inclined to the belief that
this has had something to do with the
people getting .-out and doing their
sh opping during all the hours of the
B As for thes children of Topeka. il. is
4ujte evident that Santa Claus and his
aAa their friends will rerneInber eth EN-
VIVA more toys than ever fell to cir
lot. A good many of the shops In
town have already about sold out their
supply of toys and have rush orders in
to firms I'm other cities to send them
what they can by express to supply the
demand which will probably be made
today and Monday, the two last
buying days before Christmas. But
most of the merchants believe that the
will not be as heavy on these days as
on the similar days of other years be-
cause of the early buying and the IN
precedented business which has al
ready been transacted.
Fine" was the comment OF =. H.
Crosby of the firm of Crosby Brothers,
when he was asked about the holiday
trade I'VE have smile on our faces
that will not come off for long time.
Our trade has been simply phenom-
s'Better than last year?" he re-
dueried to q question wen, l should
say it has been, and in every depart
ment of the store. And we have en-
joyed a particularly excellent trade in
our furniture and furnishing depart
ments. In fact the trade in these de-
partments has been beyond any ex-
pectations that we had. And so has 1t
been in many of our other depart
ments. In fact this has been our pre-
mier holiday season. This trade we
have enjoyed is evidence that the peo-
pie of Topeka have reason to con-
graduate themselves on the prosperous
year that they have enjoyed in their
many walks of life. and it is my opin-
ion that there are better prospects IN
store fer this city and its people,.
TRADE in Christmas things has been
unprecedented in more ways than
one" said M H Rose. the manager of
the Jones Dry Goods store I'VE have
sold out two and three ordinary stocks
the two generally heavy days of
Christmas shopping are yet to come.
But it seems that the people have been
doing their trading earlier this year
than ever before and we DO not as
fact expect the rush during the closing
davs that has prevailed in other
wears Still we are rushing things on
here by express and in any old way we
can get them to meet the demands of
zone thing has been evident in all
our lines Of trade and that is that the
people are buying more expensive ar
ticles of all kinds this year than they
have done IN the past. This is GER
tainly the best evidence of the pros
perfty of the people. And expensive
TOYS and those of the mechanical
variety have been in great demand.
Last year we had hard work to sell
two or three toy automobiles of the
expensive variety and this year we
have been unable to supply the de-
nand for them. and so it has been for
all expensive toys. AS for dolls-why,
some people have said that the doll
eavs were on the Wane. but we have
fore in addition to selling all sorts OF
the new novelties which people
thought were going to take their place
such as teddy bears.
But expensive toys are not the only
line of expensive goods that the people
have purchased in profusion this year
Expensive furs, wraps, and goods of
this kind have been in a great demand.
In fact we have never enjoyed more
prosperous holiday season in all lines
since this store has been in existence
cts better. The trade is better this
year than it has been in years past in
many particulars was the comment
OF Warren NJ. Crosby. of the firm If
Warren NJ Crosby & Co. Some peo-
pie have expressed the opinion that the