The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-09-08
RICH HARVEST FROM
AMERICAN TOURISTS
Who VISIT LONDON
Season Just Ending Was Rec
ord One in British
Capital.
ABOUT s7,5oo,ooo SPENT
All Glasses Benefited by the Gold
Bearing Invasion of Pleasure
Hunting Yankees.
ABOUT s7,5oo,ooo SPENT
LONDON. Sent.

LONDON, Sept. z.
This years American season In London
has been In every way record one, and
the hotels and shopkeepers have bene-
flied enormously by the rush OF visitors
from the other side of the Atlantic.
Not 30 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.
Today things are different. The peace
full invasion OF American pleasure-seekers
has endowed London with 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 to cater especially for Americans
during their season.
Everything is done to provide for them,
as 1t were. home from home. The
restaurants have found ont 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 Go.opo
Americans have visited London this year.
Some remain for brief five days. others
dwell here for longer period. but tho
hotels, large and small, and the boarding
houses OF Bloomsbury and Bayswater
have been held by The invading Amer
icans since March.
Between them these 60,oO0 Americans
have spent about s7,5oO,00o. chiefly In Lon
don. This calculation is based on figures
supplied by ore OF the largest hotels,
which alone has housed 500 Americans
since March, and the average hotel bill
OF each has been $3.50. There are at least
Ave hotels which can give similar fig-
ures, and II the average American spends
lbs In London we reach Inc 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 whre you Will In London, at this
period you will hear nothing but grateful
recognition OF American custom.
americans come to London for the spe.
cifc purpose OF buying" said West
End tailor yesterday Many of then
come with half-empty trunks. and buy q
shirts. suits Of clothes and hats have
been kept busy with orders for lounge
suits and frock coats at time when
business IS at a standstill as far as my
regular customers are concerned.
No Slack Season.
'"They will have flowers said florist
II might shut UP shop. for all the hes,
London customers are out of town, but
the American visitors keep things going
These roses that you see here" pointing
to a magnificent bunch of pink roses
.'are sold to wealthy American custom
er. Roses are their favorite flower"
The American visitors have STAYED of
disaster from the river this year. The
weather matters nothing to them. TIC
come to London without seeing the river
would be wasted journey. and so, even
though t7e visitors equip themselves
with macklntoshes and umbrellas for their
river trip, the Thames boatmen reap the
benefit.
The hotel and boarding houses get by
far the largest share OF the s75Oo,00
which American travellers leave behind
them in London. Next come the antique
dealers. for America is particularly keen
on old china and Sheffield plate, and will
pay almost any price for fancied object
Then follow the taiors. the haberdashers
the hatters, the jewelers. and the miscel.
laneous traders.