The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-06-02
GIVEN CLAD HAND
New Plans Being Made for Kan
sas Merchants Week.
Topeka Statesmen Will DistrlD-
ute Material All Over State.
l.5OO MEN EXPECTED.
Out.Of-TOWn Merchants Have
Shown Much Enthusiasm.
Other Items of Interest to Live
Iy Topeka Boosters.
1900 MEN EXPECTED.

In the course of very few days
the state of Kansas will be flooded
with circulars, badges, buttons. pos
ters and novelty advertising Of all
kinds. At a meeting of the badge COM
nittee of the Merchants and Jobbers'
association last night it was decided to
order 5000 posters. 5000 badges, and
thousands of sheets of other advertis-
ing material of other varieties for dis
tribution over the state. This promis-
cuous advertising is for the purpose OF
working up interest in favor of Mer-
chants Week in Topeka June %, "A
and 25.
Not long ago the association issued
1000 calendar cards which were to be
given to the merchants of the city
for use in their correspondence over
the state Last night all of these cards
.E ad been sent. The merchants who
attended the meeting stated that they
had sent every card. In other words
over 1000 cards bearing a calendar on
one side and the following quotation
on the other side went to every town
and hamlet in the state of Kansas:
Topeka Kan-Topeka VIII show
again this year at the Kansas Mer-
chants Week to be held in Topeka,
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, June
%. "A and 25. Remember the dates and
ments of attractions and entertain
ments. We w,nt to see you, and will
try to make it both pleasant and pro-
fitable. Make your plans to be with
US these three days"
The literature being sent out bv the
association this week will contain the
detailed announcements of attractions
and entertainments for the three days
of the week
In the first place all of the jobbers
and manufacturers who have travelling
men over the state will supply these
men with posters and cards. These
will be placed in every town as the
travelling men go and placed in a con-
spicuous place in order to attract at
tention for the week. Each business
man will give his travelling man from
100 to 500 of these pieces of literature
and when they run out of material
they are to telegraph for more at once.
The business men intend to carry the
advertising out in systematic style
and every nook and corner in the state
will be covered carefully. The sales
men will also be supplied with buttons
and badges. These will be pinned upon
the merchants of the towns in the
state. 1t is the intention of the job
bers and manufacturers to have every
man in every town a living advertise
ment of the big week the last of this
month.
There is another plan on foot to
ask all of the business men of the city
to turn in a certain amount of their
stationery to the printers and have
printed on the back of these envelopes
and letter heads an announcement of
the attractions, etc, of the Merchants
week in this city. 1t is thought that
thousands of envelopes will be treated
in this manner and they will help
wonderfully in the publicity of the en-
tertainment.
1t is expected that this year the
Merchants week will be the greatest
in the history of the organization.
Last year there were over 500 mer-
chants here from different parts of
the state and this year the associa-
tion is confident that there will be at
least 1000 men here for the cause.
Letters from different parts of the
state and answers to inquiries have
been full of interest and enthusiasm
over the entertainment. Some of the
business men last night spoke of the
reports sent them from their travel
ing salesman who say that they are
unable to make many sales on account
of the plans made ahead for the visit
in Topeka when the small town mer-
chants expect to purchase their SUD-
plies and necessities. This will serve
as hint to the jobbers and manu-
facturers also the merchants to clean
up their places of business and pre-
pare the stores for the occasion as
we'll as the streets.
Nothing definite on the program has
been decided since the meeting last
Monday night. These plans were dis
cussed fully in the State Journal, It
has been decided however, to decorate
Kansas avenue and the business
houses as they have never been dec
grated before. Streamers will be
hung from building to building. FLAGS
and scutcheons will decorate the troll
ley poles all along Kansas avenue
from the Rock Island depot to Tenth
avenue. Banners of welcome will be
strung across the streets and in some
places extra decorations of all kinds
will be made. The Commercial club
rooms will be open to the visitors day
and night. The new rooms will he
furnished by this time and it is
thought that the whole floor may be
taken. The Commercial club suite
now includes all but two rooms on the
fifth floor of the chamber of com
merce. Charles H. Trapp presented
an idea to the association last night
which will be Investigated in refer
ence to its expense and If the men
feel that they can afford it it will be
carried out. The plan is to have Fifth
street from the Santa Fe depot to
Kansas avenue decorated as one
mammoth American flag. Ry a series
of long red, white and blue stringers
= it is possible by angling them back
and forth across the street to make
the whole effect one of a big flag.
This idea was taken up last night with
enthusiasm and will probably be
adopted.
The badge committee through the
suggestion of Mr.. Trapp adopted a
new idea of recognizing the guests at
the weeks celebrations. AS fast as
the guests receive their regular
guest badges they will be numbered
and the names and numbers printed
IN little book. This little book
together with other circular matter
will be handed to the out of town
merchants as they come to the city
and their names and numbers will be