The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-31
EVERY BODY THERE.
Mills Opening Last Night Brilliant
Occasion.

All Topeka was there. At least that
| might have been the superstition of one
Watching the enormous crowd at the
formal opening Thursday night at the
new Mills building, corner OF Ninth
street and Kansas avenue. The Wis
ltors could almost be described as
f1ocking to the mammoth building by
the tens of thousands
The doors were opened for the house
warming event at o'clock and before
8 O'Clock the congestion was SO great
that many persons found it necessary
to wait half an hour before they could
push themselves either by the elevator
route or by the broad stairway to the
fifth floor.
In order to avoid a jam instructions
had been given through the papers to
enter the great store and office building
by the Kansas avenue entrance and
leave by the Ninth street door, but
the hint was disregarded with the re-
suit that the condition of affairs be-
came such that it was necessary to
call to the assistance the police. The
streams of humanity were then guided
in such manner as to relieve the con-
gestion.
It was not until IL O'Clock that the
crowd began to thin out, and the clerks
who had stuck to their posts all the
evening had an opportunity to put their
departments in shape so that they
could leave the building.
There were no goods sold in the
course of the evening with the excep-
ton of "eats," but upon request articles
were shown by the accommodating
clerks, who were ever ready to do the
polite
On the mezzanine floor which is the
delight of the women on account OF the
rest. writing. telephone, and other con-
veniences. Halls orchestra was sta
toned, and played continuously all the
evening This mezzanine floor, by the
way, was packed to overffoWing by
those who wished to see the kaleido-
scopic effect produced by the thousand
and one gaily attired individuals
which made up the almost solid mass
of human beings that packed the wide
aisles Ct the ground floor and was
continu lily, but slowly, shifting.
And as to attire, it seemed that ev-
eryone was dressed in his or her glad
dest. OF course the women were in
predominence and the general color eff
feet produced by the gay millinery was
interesting to note
Floral designs and large bouquets of
American Beauty roses and other flow
ers which were sent to the Mills COM
pany by friends adorned the building.
Among those who contributed flowers
were: The Topeka Commercial club;
Carson, Pirie & Scott of New York;
W. J. Halliday, of Muser Brothers,
New York, and from the William H.
Miller Furniture company of Detroit
The show windows lighted brilliantly
attracted d great zeal Oh dlleilllOL, anu
many were the expressions of praise
which we're heard on every hand
isn't that perfectly grand was 4
description that was overheard, and
dozens of EXPLANATIONS which denoted
marked approval.
Perhaps the most interesting dis
play is in the~frontf window where is
a collection of gowns Of To-day and
Yesterday" Contrasted with the styles
of 1911 is a display of the creations Oh
a half century ago. One of the gowns
on display is a grey taffeta which was
worn by Mrs. ]. P. Usher. of Lawrence,
at Lincoln's inaugural ball. There are
other gowns in the exhibit of almost
equal interest, but they are described
| in detail in the society column of this
paper. On leaving the building the
women We're given attractive souven-
| irs.
A rush business was transacted in
the new store from the time the build
| ing was opened until the closing hour
| of six. and the women find it real
pleasure to do their shopping In a
| building which might be called the
Marshall Field of Topeka. There is
every convenience that could be de-
sired.
| The transfer station on the first floor
where a customer finds every purchase
ready for him after having visited sew
eral departments is favorably COM
mented upon. The cash vacuum Sys-
| TEN which is an innovation in Topeka
| shoots the money down to the base
ment and the change back again with
marvellous dispatch. In fact the round
| trip journey from the fifth floor of the
| felt padded brass cartridges 2provided
| there is no change to be made, in the
| remarkably short space of from eight
/ to ten seconds.