The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1908-12-17
Business Promises to be
on Par With 1906
Early Morning Buying
Very Noticeable and
Relieves the Afternoon
Rush Hours Double
Street Oar Service.

begun. The tenor of the holiday mar
kets of Canton has proven that the
antiCipations of a business depression
were groundless. Canton shoppers are
spending money, carefully but with
out stint, and if the first week of the
season is to be taken as a criterion,
the buying of 1908 will exceed by far
that of 1907, and will parallel the
1906 holiday business period, when
the top notch In the sale of local mer
chandise was attained. Canton mer-
chants, highly elated over the aspect
of the season, are predicting for the
next nine days the greatest boom in
the history of local b.lsiness circles.
Never before In the history of the
city was the holiday shopping period
marked by such a rush in early buy
ing, the fact demonstrating that Can
ton people are learning the art Of
Christmas purchasing. Several weeks
ago, 1t was generally believed that
the business depression of the past
year, would have a telling effect upon
the holiday shopping, but the reality
has disproven all these theories.
While, generally, the buying has caus-
ed a surprise among the merchants,
~ has dI lGdSI, D6Gu dill dBIbtdDlG OllG.
Many of the merchants are highly
pleased by the methods adopted by the
buying public this year, in making
their Christmas purchases. One of the
most commendable and one of the
most noticeable features of the buying
this year, is that much of it is being
done in the morning, thus affording
great relief during the afternoon rush
al
Gated by the Canton merchants for
several years, and the fruits of their
efforts along these lines are more
noticeable this year than ever before.
The plan of morning shopping is ben
eficial not only from the standpoint of
tho merchant for the relief that it af- |
fords them and their employees, but |
to their customers themselves, or it |
insures them of better service from |
the clerks. 1t Is certain that with a |
universal adoption of this plan on |
the part of the buyers, that the after |
noon stampedes, common in the after |
Moons during the Christmas season, |
will have been a thing of the past
a forgotten evil.
The doubling of the street car SER
vice on many of the city lines during
accommodation to the shoppers. While
as yet no great OverCrowding has been
experienced it would be very cOnven-
tent for shoppers to acquire the morn
in buying habit, for in that manner
they can avoid the uncomfortable and
oyercrowded conditions of the cars .
through the afternoons and evenings.
ExtTavagant expenditures are few
fsrl sI,r b,,,, ]
ing marks the season. Substantial
and useful articles will form the great 4
majority of the presents this year.
With all this care taken in the buying,
there is a noticeable lack of any close
fistedness and the shoppers steer clear
of any cheap material, on the whole.
The sale of jewelry is an excellent
barometer OF the condition of the
times. If they have plenty of ready
cash, shoppers are quick to invest in
this line in their endeavors to pick
presents. Watches, rings, ETC., make !
preferable Christmas gifts. In the |
Canton jewelry stores, the sale is be- |
ginning to boom, not perhaps in the |
manner of past years, but in a way
indicative that there is not a total
lack of prosperity in the city. The |
gin until the latter part OF the week. |
The prevailing weather affects the |
jewelry trade, unknown to most peo-
pie. Evidences of this are afforded |
in nearly every year. If mild and |
clear weather prevails during the few |
weeks preceding Christmas, the sea-
son Is to be considered favorable to |
the purchasing of jewelry. Naturally.
season, the tendency will be to buy
warm and costly wearing apparel, in
stead of investing in expensive
watches, rings, etc. American people
are apt to forget their future wants,
before the glare of the diamond.
The weather is one of the controll-
ing factors Of the Christmas market.
Grocers are perhaps the only dealers
not affected by it's influence. While
the dry goods merchant, fur mer-
chants, and clothiers pray for brisk
wintry season, the jewelers., cutlery
merchants and novelty dealers hope
for mild and calm weather.
Christmas greenery and Christmas
trees are coming on apace. Sidewalks,
and all available space in the fronts
of the grocery stores are being lined
with crates of holly, and other ar
borial decorative material. Hundreds
of Christmas trees came into Can
ton yesterday many of the merchants
laying In their early supply of them.
The price will not run much higher
than that of last year. and there will
be practically no advance upon holly,
mistletoe, laurel nd other greenery.
The express companies are exper-
fencing very little of a rush at present.
The majority Of the Christmas pack
ages being sent now are those shipped
TO foreign countries. The Domestic
packages are few. II is probable
that the rush In the shipment of /
Christmas parcels will hardly begin be-
fore the latter part of this week, or
the early part Of next week. To the
furthest points In the United States,
IT requires but four or Ave days for
shipment, so many persons delay the
sending until the few days preceding
christmaL
This u the way q number of Can
ton merchants expressed themselves,
when interviewed yesterday. upon The
season and its outlook
}. X. Kenny said: Our trade is
much better than last year. We hope
A. Hnra a., aetan 1rraot e. &c or.r. thea