The Washington times., 1913-09-12
MERCHANTS RETURN
+ FROM RIVER TRIP
Capital Boosters Confident of
Having Scored Hit With
Down Potomac Folk.

Returning from a two days outing
down the Potomac, during which the
advantages of Washington as a COM
mercial and shopping center were i'm
pressed upon the inhabitants Of the
lower Potomac and its tributary towns
and villages, the 100 Capital business
men brought with them to Washington
last night reports Of great success.
The advertising campaign was the
most elaborate thing of its kind ever
undertaken by the Washington busi-
ness men. 1t was known as the Boost
ers' Trip" and was carried on by lead
ing business men of Washington asso-
ciated with the Chamber of Commerce
and the Retail Merchants Association,
under the Joint auspices of which the
outing g-advertising campaign was given.
The steamer St Johns, OF the Po-
tomac and Chesapeake Steamboat Com
pany. which had been chartered for the
two-day excursion, reached Washing
ton shortly before midnight Each of
the 10 business men on board brought
back to Washington reports of a COM
plste success from every standpoint.
Business and Pleasure.
II has been the contention of the
Washington business men, ever since
the organization of the Chamber of
Commerce and the Retail Merchants
Association, that Washington is the
logical shopping point for the inhab-
itants Of the country of the lower Po-
tonac Snd its tributaries. 1t was with
view of bringing home to them the
advantages 20 be derived from shopping
here.that the trip was made. In max
tng the voyage the business men killed
two birds with one stone, combining
business with pleasure.
There was plenty of pleasure on the
trip. however, not only on the runs be-
tween towns. but even at the stops.
Every effort, however, was made at
each stopping place to do everything
possible to impress upon the minds of
the people Of southern Maryland and
tidewater Virginia the wonderful at
fractions Of Washington as shopping
center.
Trips Unique Features.
The Boosters Trip" was unique in
that it not only brought Washington
merchants and the proposed purchasers
of Maryland and Virginia together. but
gave the business men themselves a
better opportunity to become acquaint-
ed with each other.
Johns docked, crowds of natives gath
cred, and advertising literature was dis
tributed among them.
The main stops of the business men
were maze AT AleAduQI1d, SOlOnldl
Beach, Leonardtown, and Piney Point.
At these places, special arrangements
for receiving the advertisers had been
made.
At Leonardtown the principal cele-
bration was held. Will F. Thomas gave |
his illustrated lecture on washington, |
the City Beautiful. as Shopping |
Center" This is said to be one of |
the best advertising lectures ever given ]
by q Washington business man.
Thousands of persons in Tidewater |
Virginia and in Maryland were told of |
Washington's inducements to shoppers. |
At Piney Point, one of the hest-konwn |
down-the-river summer resorts, hun
dreds of washingtonians, there for the |
summer, extended welcoming hand |
to the Boosters"
Two stops were made between |
Leonardtown and Colonial Beach, these
being Jewisetta- on Travers Island, and |
Cowart's wharf. Landings were made
at both, and the drawing points of |
Washington preached to impressed
audiences.
The last stage of the journey yester-
day was taken up principally with |
merrymaking, although at Colonial |
Beach much advertising literature was
distributed. After the st. Johns left |
that resort for Washington, the business |
men put aside the main objects of their |
trip, and a vaudeville program was I
given, a mock trial was held, and an !
informal banquet was in progress when 4
the steamboat reached Washington.