Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-04
WILLING TO BUY HERE
Merchants Disposed to Get
Goods in This City.
RATES ARE IN THE WAY
Travelling Men Are Doing Business
All the Time.
RICHMOND Is A COMPETITOR
Party on the Rainbow is to Be Con-
siderably Augmented in q
Few Days.
RATES ARE IN THE WAY
RICHMOND Is A COMPETITOR

PETERSBURG. Va, October 1T has
been three long days since the sun was
last out to play. and II this wheeled home
OF ours didn't bear the cheerful name of a
RAINBOW and wasn't freighted with mis-
sionaries there would be a chonce for the
very first time for growl from Old Man
Gloom. But it's mighty hard to stir up
a crouch while rainbow riding, and be-
sides. missionary, whether he be work
ing among the Fiji Islanders or among the
commercial heather Of this section of the
southland, Is supposed to take all jolts
with a patient and resigned smile. But
patience and resignation are not long suits
with any of us on this Greater Washington
Exposition Special. So, instead Of mark
Ing time and turning the other cheek for
another swat, everybody has been hustling
around and making the best of things. But
the fact remains, distressing as 1t Is to
record. that Mr.. Southern Merchant. how
ever interested he may be in the Greater
Washington Special and its mission. isn't
excited to the point of swimming from his
place of business to railroad station with
his bank roll In waterproof case.
Good Business.
That's the proposition the travelling men
with the special have been up against for
the past three days. And the fact that
they have managed to do business, and
good business, too. right along, despite
weather and wet, speaks we'll for the In
PRODUCTION the exposition special gives them
and for the prospective permanency Of the
Greater Washington idea In this neck of
the woods. In Suffolk yesterday H. M.
Miles of the Semmes-kelly Company sold
his biggest bill of the entire "trip. The mer-
chant who placed the order never even
visited the exposition cars. The weather
was too bad. he told Mr.. Miles, and his
old enemy rheumatism. was loaa1g around
outside waiting for chance at him. But
he had heard and read of the movement
for greater commercial city at the ma
tional capital. and he heartily approved.
Would Mr.. Miles take out his pencil and
his order book? Miles did, you can wager.
and two hours later he appeared at the
train. soaking wet, but smiling. The big
gest yet" he announced, as he did the
quickest undressing act on record. His ex-
perience was the experience Of several
other members Of the party In Suffolk
There seems to be the biggest kind of an
opportunity for Washington merchants to
take and hold the Suffolk trade. Our COM
petition at that point Is practically all cen
tered In Baltimore and New York. We can
lay down our goods FOB at washington
about as cheaply as it can be done at either
of the other two points named. and we
have the best of 1t on the freight PROPOSE
ton OF course, New York and Baltimore
now snip 10 NOTIOik Dy water dlo tneIlCe 10
Suffolk. That's the way our stuff would
come and 1t doesn't take spectacles to see
the rest of the argument.
~ FRANKLIN and in that vicinity I found
the merchants willing and anxious to buy
In Washington. They. too. for it's getting
to be an old question now. wanted to know
why We hadn't thought of this idea before.
Down there l found that Baltimore was By
far the most important factor as a iobbng
point. with Richmond and Lynchburg trail
Ing far behind. OF course. there was no
such place as Greater Washington, tho COM
mercial city, so far the merchants there
were concerned. They al know of WASH
ington. the city beautiful. and, through this,
seem to be interested in the present effort
striving for success in the trade field. Again.
sweet sentiment should help us some, il we
work it right.
Didn't Mind the Wet.
John d. Abbit cashier of the Merchants
and Farmers Bank at Franklin, was one
southern business man who didn't mind the
wet He was kind enough to take me all
over the town. despite cold. pouring rain
Introducing me to the leading merchants
and discussing. as we swan along. side by
side. the various aspects Of trade condl-
tons in this section.
Franklin is an Important point and one
that in my judgment the merchants of
Washington should make every effort to
reach with their goods. The backwater
Albemarle Steam Navigation Company ope-
rates line of steamers this river and
its tributaries, covering, in pretty thorough
fashion. territory approximeting two hun
dred miles.
Freight rates. I'm told. are about the
same from Washington by way of Norfolk
from Baltimore. and have a differ
entail against Richmond and New York.
and can beat Lynehburg at any line which
she Jobs and does not manufacture.
j. y. Pretlow, general manager OF the
Albemarie Steam Navigation Company, who
knows that section around Franklin like
book. told me that Washington merchants
should naturally have better rates over the
Norfolk and Washington water route. II
this can be fixed It seems logical propo-
sition that We should have practically all
the business that Is now going to Balti-
more jobbers. If we can take care OF 1t.
But there's simply denying the fact
that Baltimore has the ready made cloth
ing market framed and hung over the man.
tel And there'il have to be some giant.
seven-.eague strides in dry goods jobbing
up our way II we are 10 make even fair
showing with competitors IN our sister city.
In every other line. However. there's a
broad field In which Washington not only