Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-30
GREATER WASHINGTON
MERCHANTS OF CAPITAL CITY
ASPIRE TO SUPREMACY.

This is what the Charlotte Observer one
Of the leading newspapers of the south, has
to say about the special:
The Greater Washington special, carry
ing representatives of twenty-five of the
leading business houses Of Washington,
came into town late yesterday afternoon
and will remain at the Southern railway
depot until noon today. The boys are ex-
tending the glad hand to southern mer-
chants. and are acquainting them with the
fact, hitherto unknown to the south, that
Washington is a commercial city.
The Washington special Is the embodi-
ment of an Idea that is unique in the COM
mercial world. Boom trains have been
going one way and another from various
cities Of the country for many years, but
they carried with them nothing but words
of good cheer and solicitation. 1t remained
for the business houses Of Washington to
get together, under the auspices of The
Washington Star, in making up a train that
would embody all the advantages Of the old
idea and at the same time give the boys a
chance to do something practical. The
Greater Washington special is made up Of
two express cars. fitted up with exhibits Of
goods either made or sold by Washington
ians, and the boys are not only extolling
the virtues Of their city as the Gateway
to the South" but they are selling to the
merchants Of the south orders based upon
the samples that they exhibit.
Mr.. Irwin c. Norwood, staff correspondent
of The Star and press agent Of the Greater
Washington special. explained the purpose
of the tour OF the exposition train.
To Get Acquainted.
'This is sort of get acquainted jour-
ney," he said Our merchants I'D in
Washington have been enjoying conserva-
tive prosperity for many years, but have
at last come to the conclusion that their
field should be larger and that the citizens
of the national capital should aspire not
onlyto city beautiful, but should support
that beauty upon the more material and
permanent foundations OF progressive COM
merce. In other words, we are not so
esthetic as of old; we are listening to the
that we have certain geographical advan-
tages over Baltimore, against which city
we must compete for the trade of the
southland. We have never had any Or
ganized effort to obtain that which we
think is rightfully ours. About three
months ago there was organized in WASH
| lngton the Jobbers and Shippers Associa-
| ton, for the express and sole purpose of
extending the commerce of our city, Being
| nearer to the south than Baltimore we
| should have better freight service and we
should have better freight rate. We
| should be more available to the southern
1
| bling houses. -.-.-
| The Trip an Experiment.
| "As to manufacturers. Washington al
| present lays no claim to pre-eminence In
| fact the. sentiment is more or less divided
as to the advisabiity of establishing, with.
| in sight of the Capitol building, factorie.
| of any considerable size. But the jobbine
trade is distinctly another proposition. II
l l.
creased; it cannot in any way detract
from Washington, the most beautiful city
| in the world
| Our journey southwark on this occa
| sion is more or less of an experiment; tina
| is. we started out with the experimental
| idea, but the practical welcome which ha!
been extended to us has been the creates
| source of encouragement since the move
| ment for Greater Washington was inaugu
| rated. We started out to acquaint our
! selves with the field, to find out wherein