The Washington times., 1907-12-15
Business Men Praise
Work Done by Cham
Der of Commerce
Committee.
Fourteen States Repre-
Sented in Replies to
Refund Booklet
Advertising.

HOfSA llOllISs
With the drawing to q close of the
experimental efforts Of the retail trade
committee Of the Chamber OF Com
merce. to bring out-of-town shoppers to
Washington, business men are enthusi-
astic over the results obtained
1t was stated at the committees head
quarters last night that the advertising
campaign to induce outsiders to turn
their attention toward Washington had
resulted in inquiries for refund booklets
from fourteen States and III towns and
cities This in itself, considering the
short time In which the advertising was
done. IS a matter Of satisfaction to
Washington merchants.
That WashingtOn's shopping facilities
have awakened such widespread in
terest they consider TO be one of the
most encouraging features OF the cam
paign. To quote one of the merchants
participating in the plan. this result in
itself would have justified the expense
entailed.
Opened Their Eyes.
THE people Of the three surrounding
States" said he. have been informed
that Washington is somewhat more to
them than the Capital of the country.
They have been made to know that this
is a shopping center. and the best one
available to them outside Of New York
Any considerable increase In the
trade of any city has not been built up
without continued effort, and the results
SO Jar indicate TO me that It is only
necessary TO continue the present meth
DDS of advertising Washington to the
country round about in order to gain
for Washington merchants many
thousands Of new permanent Gus
toner's"
Many Fares Refunded.
1t was stated at the committees
headquarters last night that a very
satisfactory volume of business had al
ready been transacted, and that a large
number of railroad fares had been re-
funded. 1t was also stated that most
Of these refunds were made to persons
who had been interested through the
advertising, and had come to Washing
ton to do their Christmas shopping di-
rectly as a result of the committees IN
ducements-
Some interesting incidents are related
in connection with the work OF the two
past weeks. One customer from a Vir-
ginia town. who had purchased several
hundred dollars worth OF goods, was
asked by the manager of the committee
why he had come TO Washington to
make his purchases. He said he had
been in the habit of going to Baltimore
whenever he had any Out-of-town shop
ping to do. but that the announcements
of the committee had interested him,
and he decided to ascertain what the
stores were like. He said that he was
both surprised and pleased, and tnat
hereafter he would patronize Washing
ton rather than Baltimore
Mail Order Patron
Another resident Of Virginia said that
this plan Of the Chamber Of Commerce
70 refund fares had enabled her to buy
her goods in Washington. whereas she
had been sending to the mail-order
houses Of Chicago. She said also that
many Of her neighbors would take ad-
vantage of the plan.
Several shoppers from Annapolis said
that they, like most Annapolis people,
had been in the habit Of going to Bald-
more to do their shopping, but that with
the inducement OF the railroad fare re-
funding they would prefer to buy here.
Not a single case of dissatisfaction
with the plan of the committee has been
experienced, and every visitor who came
TO headquarters for a refund went away
pleased with the plan.
To illustrate the conviction that the
natural trade zone of Washington eHc
tended as far south as Norfolk and
LynChburg. as far west a Cumberland,
as far north as Frederick and Carlisle
Pa, and as far east as Annapolis, the
manager of the committee stated that
although the bulk of shoppers had come
these places were represented on the
books Of the committee by the names Of
purchasers Of considerable amounts OF
goods.
Forget the Refund.
It has been ascertained that IN Hd-
dition to the purchasers who have claim
ed refunds at the committees head
quarters. there has been large amount
of business done by out-of-town shop
pers. who have not gone to the trouble
of asking for their refunds.
A number Of merchants report that
they have had direct results from the
committees advertising, and that in
several cases these purchasers have not
presented refund books in order to bene-
tit by the refund. but have been at
tracted to Washington simply through
the inducement of special bargains, and
by the attractions Of the city.
Yesterday was the last day Of the two
weeks during which It was advertised
that the committee would refund fares.
ID will be impossible. however. to close
the rooms for a few days, owing &c the
numerous matters that have still to be
attended TO. Il is expected that many
shoppers will be looking for the com
Uijtec's headquarters, even though the