Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-17
SPECIAL TRADE TRAIN
Great Interest in the Movement
in Southern Circles.
FINE EXHIBITION ON WHEELS
Business Men Evince a Disposition to
Get Aboard. =.
STARS ENTERPRISE COMMENDED
Letters From Merchants and Manu-
facturers Interested in the
Greater City.
TAR'S ENTERPRISE COMMENDED

lie cars tHdl Will iIidhc up lHc 1IcdlcE
Washington Special, which will be sent out
over the Southern railroad next Thursday
morning. under the auspices of The Star,
for 1900 mile trip through Maryland,
Virginia and North Carolina, to introduce
number of leading business houses of this
city to the southern trade. have arrived
here and are being put into shape to re-
ceive the various exhibits that will go to
make the train a miniature exposition on
wheels. BY Wednesday evening it is ex-
pected that all this work will have been
finished, the exhibits put in place, the cars
loaded to the guards with Greater Wash
ington literature, and the train ready to
pull out on time at o'clock Thursday
morning.
The southern trade, even at this ante
journey period, is showing every indica-
ton of interest in the coming swing around
the circle, and, 1t follows, in the Greater
Washington movement well. The advance
information sent out from Washington by
various jobbing houses to their customers
in the south, explaining the purposes of the
trip and outlining the things it is expected
to accomplish. has already brought in a
number of replies. And it will doubtless
please every interested in Greater
Washington and the Greater Washington
special in the commercial prosperity of the
city and all that it means, to know that not
one of these communications from the
south is even so much as tnged with peSsi-
mism.
1t should be borne in mind. too, in con-
sidering the purport of these communica-
tions that they were written by men dis
interested-so far as any personal motive
is .concerned-tO degree. They are In
terested, of course in the growth of Great
er Washington to the extent that they
would be benefited by the throwing wide
of the long closed portals of Greater Wash
ington, 1.-The Gateway of the South But
this isn't the kind of interest-thiS interest
entwined with dreams of golden future
for the national capital-that makes ink
blacker. or turns the pen out of it's course
And SO the communications from the south
bearing on the Greater Washington move
ment and the trip of The Stars special
optimistic, as they are-have made mighty
good reading to those interested and pro-
gressiye merchants who are willing to stake
their confidence. their business judgment
and their money on the future commercial
supremacy of the city.
Story of the Trip.
At a later date The Star will tell the
Washington public what the southern
trade-the business men, the big men, the
strong men-of the various cities and
towns covered by the 1j00-mile trip think
of The Stars special and the Greater
Washington movement. Many of the firms
represented on the Greater Washington
special, as has been previously stated, will
send representatives with the train as well
have. already arranged to cover the terri
tory traversed as thoroughly as may be
done in the limited time allowed, and with
view to following up the Introductory
visit in their own way and in their own
time.
But those houses represented on the train
by literature and exhibits, but not by rep
resentatives and those merchants who are
interested in the Greater Washington
| movement, although not represented on the
special. may secure full information from
the columns of The Star as the journey
progresses, of the business interests of the
various towns visited, and of all matters
likely to be valuable to the business COM
munity of the national capital in the long
uphill fight that is to come.
At present it is enough to say that these
letters received so far are encouraging
very encouraging. OF course. talk does not
build town, nor, OF course, talk never did
the channel through which these express
sions of opinion were received, they, at
least, furnish hopeful indication-to speak
conservatively-of the way the wind lies.
Cne merchant writes to his jobber here
Write or wire me time of arrival of the
special here dynchburg). Anything that
can deliver the goods-a man or town
makes a hit with me. Conyince me that
ington movement and I will get aboard
and stay there.
That would seem to be perfectly fair
proposition. Convince me-" he saws.
that it will help me to help the Greater
Washington movement and I'll get
aboard"
That Is just why the Greater Washing
| ton special is booked for 1.500-m mile "Trip
Through territory contiguous to WASH
ington. That-is why many of the leading
business houses of Greater Washington
are to send exhibits and representatives
| That Is why the Shippers and Jobbers'
Association has detailed its assistant sec
retary to accompany the special. That is
why other local business organizations are
to send representatives with the train.
That Is the why" Of it all.
Self-Interest Appealed To.
But it seems to be the universal sem
! timent of every one interested In the
| Greater washington moy cement that ii will