The Pensacola journal., 1909-12-19

Urgent shopping alone persuaded
hundreds Of people to brave the very
disagreeable weather for hours last
night and mingle in great crowds in
all the stores. There was no idIinT
with anyone on the streets last night
Everybody was out for business. and
were determined to close up as much
of the holiday shopping as possible
; yesterday, the last Saturday before
the Christmas tide. Such being the
case, people did not tarTy long after
purchases were finished. Trade in
all the stores, however, was very
brisk and thousands Of dollars were
turned loose BY gift buyers and by
purchasers Of necessities for the hOli-
day season. In the early part of the
evening, following the custom when
has prevailed during the past weeh,
the young people were out in large
numbers. BTight-faCed young ladies
were circulating in all the shopping
centres, while the boys were also in
evidence and did a great deal OF shop
pins. After dark, when the weather
was exceedingly disagreeable, many
gentlemen had their wives along ana
we're personally seeing to it that all
Iuecessaries were on hand for the
25th.
EARLY SHOPPING.
The early shopping feature was
foremost in the minds Of hundreds OF
people. They have come to realizs
that the early ones get che best i'm
'Stoc1y, and get the pick OF the stock.
Then, and many clerks said SO. m3UE
had followed out the suggestion Of
The Journal to do all possible shop
ping at as early a day as possible
for several reasons. The way the
DeOnIe followed out this suggestion
can best be attested by barred shelves
in many instances, some of which
were emptied early in the night and
replenished,
Prominent and observing business
men testify that more money was dis
tributed for the past few weeks than
for any similar period lately La
borers, skilled and UnsEiNed, all had
money and the strangers who mingled
by the hundreds in the holiday crowds
spent their earnings freely but jUdic-
iUusIt. One noticeable feature Of last
evenings shopping was a large NUM-
her of people who had come to the
city from many places in the north
cTn part OF this county and quite
few from Baldwin county. I'VE are
more Florida than Alabama now"
said n Baldwin county man last even
ing. "and the fair made it, TOO" The
train arriving at noon from the east
yesterday brought a good quota Of
people from distances Of one hundred
miles, and most Of them returned OF
the D. 10. train Saturday. Train No.
], from the north, and which arrived
one hour late, brought a large num-
beT of people for shopping, and some
nf these came from Alabama points.
They made no denial Of the fact tHar
they came to buy Christmas" and
said they Jared better with tradin-
here. Train No 5, from Mobile,
which arrived two hours late, also
brought in shoppers, but these cam"
principally from points between the
city and F1OmRton. As a result Of
these strangers coming iE. train No.
O. leaving IT 10 O'Clock last night
was crowded 70 the doors. And they
all carried purchases
LATE HOURS NEXT WEEK.
Late hours viii be observed by all
the stores this week. Beginning
Monday night, practically all the
stores will remain open until about
% o'clock. i was asserted h~ lead
in" business men last night. and each
night Of tine week the Into hours Will
No observed All the stores viii Ec~-
even longer hours on Friday and
possibly Thursday nights au- nC
stores viii open for trade on Saturda-
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