Los Angeles herald., 1906-12-23
SANTA CLAUS HAS
WELL LOADED SACK
MERCHANTS REPORT RECORD
SALES
Some Place Business at an Increase of
rs Per Cent Over Last Year
and Others Say 1t Is
Doubled

Never in the history of Los Angeles
will Santa Claus pack be so we'll
stocked-or, it might be proper to say
stockinged-as when the genial old gen.
tleman appears upon the scene tomor-
row night.
Evidently Santa Claus will give no
one the "go by" because from state
ments made by merchants in every line
of business everybody has followed an
inclination to go buy.
Not only has this inclination been
followed by every one, but each has
invested more literally than ever be-
fore. Not only that, but there are many
thousand more people to buy than were
in Los Angeles at this time last year.
AS result of the increased popula-
ton and the larger purchases of buy
ers the total amount of the Christmas
buying this year has increased over
that of last year by hundreds upon
hundreds Of thousands of dollars.
No estimate of the increase is volun-
teered by any one who is in a position
to realize the immensely of the sales
made during the season now drawing
to a close, and the only approximate
estimates made are "Great-great."
Purchasing Public Generous
Percentage of increase over last year
varies all the way from % to rs per cent
and in q number of cases merchants de-
clare that their sales have doubled.
Prosperity has come to all dealers
alike. and from the largest to the
smallest establishments comes the same
declaration of satisfaction over the
generosity of the purchasing public.
Many establishments. even with an
increase of a hundred per cent in help,
have been unable to care for intending
purchasers. 1t is reported on good au-
thority that at one of the leading shoe
houses they were compelled to "shoo"
people away, although the customers
were well heeled and said they would
give their soles for foot gear.
Dealers in smokers articles report a
great increase in sales to women and
while they say that the purchases of
"perfectos" and "cabbagerios" were, as
usual, about equal, that greater num-
Der Of male Angelenos than ever before
will find in their stockings something
to burn.
Some Expensive Presents
That wives, daughters and sweet
hearts in Los Angeles will receive pres
ents that will represent considerable
cash is certain, because jewelers. join in
the general chorus regarding increased
sales and the disposal of articles of
greater intrinsic value.
Gifts of useful articles, such as furni-
ture and wearing apparel, also show a
great increase, according to the testi-
mony of dealers in. those lines of busi-
ness.
The spirit of giving is not confined
to relatives and friends, for grocers and
provision dealers report a large in
crease in orders for the delivery of sup
plies of groceries and provisions to
homes unaccuStomed to receiving goods
of this character in large quantities.
1t might be considered strange that
real estate dealers would be called upon
to supply Christmas presents, but it is
a fact that in some stockings will be
found on Christmas morning not a
house and lot, but deed to piece of
property. These instances doubtless
will be extremely rare, but they will
occur according to information given,
without names, by dealers in real es-
tate.
Entire Country Prosperous
Figures given out by Postmaster Mot
ley II. Flint not only show that the
Christmas business of Los Angeles in
creased wonderfully over last year. but
that the same conditions prevail
throughout the country; or, If this is
not the case, then Los Angeles people
are the most favored in the country,
because registered mail Is coming In at
a rate far in excess of the same season
last year.
Postmaster Flint estimates the in
crease in Christmas mail over that OF
last year at from 25 to 80 per cent.
"There Is a perfect avalanche" said
Flint yesterday, "but thanks to a
greatly increased force and the utiliza-
tion of the basement as a registered
mail department, we are practically up
with the work OF distribution. We have
employed nearly hundred extra car
riers and nearly the same number OF
extra clerks. All these. besides the
regulars, will be ON duty all day Sun
day and thus we hope TO have the dis
tribution practically up to the receipts.
Mr. Flint led the way to the base
11aant ,4yhaYa "a pnon1 "a houf 40 hU 1E0