The Washington herald., 1907-09-08
GETYANKEE HARVEST
LOndOnerS Find Americans
a Good Thing"
LEAVE $7,5OO,OOO THIS YEAR
Season Just Ended Makes New
Record, G5,OOO Tourists from the
lish c. FitaI-3Iany Buy Complete
WnrdrObes from TaiIOrs.

London. Sept. This years American
season in London has been in every way
a record one. and the hotels and shop
keepers have benefited enormously by the
rush of visitors from the other side of the
Atlantic
Not so very many years ago the West
End tradesmen took next TO nothing dur
ing the months when society went out OF
town. Business was practically stagnant
until the mansions In the West End
pulled up the blinds and opened the shut
tiers and society returned.
To-day things are different. The peace
full invasion Of American pleasure seekers
has endowed London with q second sea-
son. Everybody benefits by them. from
the diamond merchant in Bond street TO
the cabman plying for hire. London is
recognized as the market place Of the
Americans, and London has been astute
enough 10 cater especially for Americans
during their season,
Everything is done to provide for them,
as it were. a home from home. The
restaurants have found out the virtue Of
ice water and soda fountains, and even
the chemist contributes his quota to their
comfort by stocking chewing gum. The
result is satisfactory to all parties.
Harvest for Hotels.
Inquiries made yesterday among the
tourist companies, hotels. and steamship
lines show that something like 60.OW
Americans have visited London this year
Some remain for a brief five days. others
dwell here for a longer period, but the
hotels, large and small, and the boarding
houses Of Bloomsbury and Bayswater
have been held by the invading Ameri-
cans since March.
Between them these 5000 Americans
have spent about $1.50000O, chiefly in Lon
don. This calculation is based on figures
supplied by one Of the largest hotels
which alone has housed 6G00 Americans
since March. and the average hotel bill
Of each has been $50. There are at least
five hotels which can give similar fig
ures, and if the average American spends
S15 IN London We reach the total stated
Some, Of course. spend next TO nothing
and live in boarding houses for 5000 a
week, but others spend hundreds. or
even thousands. Of dollars on jewelry and
dress
Go where you viii in London, at this
| period. you will hear nothing but grateful
recognition OF American custom.
Americans come to London for the spe-
cific purpose Of buying" said West
End tailor yesterday. Many Of them
come with half-empty trunks. and buy a
complete outfit OF socks, ties, collars.
shirts, suits of clothes and hats. I have
been kept busy with orders for lounge
suits and frOck coats at a time when
business IS at a standstill as far as MY
regular customers are concerned"
No Slack season.
They viii have flowers" said a florist,
I might shut up shop, for all the best
London customers are out OF town. but
the American visitors keep things going.
These roses that you see here" pointing
TO magnificent bunch of pink roses,
ARE sold to a wealthy American custom
er. Roses are their favorite flower"
The American visitors have STAYED off
disaster from the river this year. The
weather matters nothing to them. To
come to London without seeing the river
would be a wasted journey, and so, even
though the visitors equip themselves
with mackintOshes and umbrellas for
their river trip, the Thames boatmen reap
the benefit
The hotels and boarding houses get by
far the largest share Of the $3.50 900
which the American travellers leave be-
hind them in London. Next comes the
antique dealers, for America is particu-
larly keen on old china and Sheffield
plate, and VIII pay almost any price for
a fancied object. Then follow the tailors,
the haberdashers. the hatters, the jewell
eTs, and the miscellaneous traders.