Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-04

will be welcomed, but to which she seems
to have a clear title supported by splendid
natural advantages.
The Rate Today.
To reach the section of,,virginia Of which
I'm speaking-Frankln and contiguous ter
ritory-we must ship by way OF Norfoik.
The rate today. as has been Indicated. u
about the same as that from Baltimore
but there are several good reasons why
Washington should be able to secure "a
voring differential. Merchants in the nard-
ware line in Franklin now buy In Pittspurg.
Richmond and Baltimore, but they thought
they should be able to get the same rate
from Pttsburg to Franklin. by way -.
Washington, as from Pittsburg to Franklin
by way of Richmond or Norfolk. They
Joined with the other merchants OF that
section. with whom 1 talked. in the state
ment that under equal conditions. they
should much prefer to buy in Washington.
Here in Petersburg our sharpest com.
petitor WILL of course, be Richmond. But
here. too, from the general sentiment tnat
appears to exist among the business COM
munity, am inclined to believe, without
trespassing to any degree upon my reserve
fund of optimism, that our chances are
good. Petersburg hasn't progressed very
rapidly, either in wholesale or In re-
tail way. of late years. and Richmond at
present gets the cream Of the business. But
II the present effort that Is being made
here by the business men to secure
as they sadly admit, they should have done
long ago. there'n be plenty of opportunity
for Greater Washington jobbers to sell
heavily in this vicinity.
Men With the Special.
The travelling men with the special seem
more impressed with the opportunities for
doing business here in Petersburg than they
have with any city we've touched for some
time. Whether or not their belief Is logical
don't propose to say. have briefly out
lined the situation as 1t is. The fact that
many. most. Of these same travelling men
did fine business during this Petersburg
visit may account in some measure for
their attitude. Certainly. our reception was
Of the most cordial, and while the number
Of visitors was not great, owing to the most
disagreeable weather conditions. every mer-
chant who did get down to the train. or
who was seen uptown, said something
pleasant and apparently sincere about the
Greater Washington movement and his be-
lief in the future of the national capital
as trade center. -t.
Mr.. Louis p Shoemaker OF the Business
Mems Association Joined the special here
last night and will stay with us until the
return to Washington. Mr.. Shoemaker Will
conduct for his association a series of in
quires such as Mr.. Clum has been making
for the Jobbers and Shippers Association.
Mr. Walter J. Osbourne of the Southern,
Printers Supply Company joined the spe-
cial this morning to take the place OF w.
Seton Kent, manager of that concern. who
accompanied the special from Washington,
but who was recalled several days ago
by important business engagements.
Mr.. Kent was so impressed with the
value of the exposition special as a COM
mercial missionary that Immediately upon
his return to Washington he took Mr.. o.
bourne off his regular route and ordered
him to Join the special at the earliest pos
sible moment.
As l mentioned yesterday, the party on
the Rainbow will be considerably augment
ed during this week. and during the run
through ''the valley" there will be a full
house, which will help some. !. c. N.