The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-15
C|TY'S GUESTS
ENJOY OUTING
ON JAMES RIVER
Merchants Full of Praise
Tor Trade Exten-
sion Bureau.
SOME BIG SALES
ARE REPORTED
Boat Trip Proves Most Attractive
Feature Of Week-Mayor Aims
lie Accompanies Band With
Remarkable Snare Drum
Performance-Big
Plans To-Day.

Eight hundred visiting merchants
were the guests OF the Trade Exten-
sion Bureau OF tho Richmond Chamber
OF Commerce in an excursion on James
River yesterday. They were accom-
panied by many OF the wholesale mer-
chants OF Richmond and by the sales
men who travel the Southern terri
tory for Richmond houses. VINO kept
the FUN going every minute of the
trip. many OF the visitors asserting on
their return that they mad never en-
joyed- such fine days outing. Nearly
100 women accompanied the party.
which crowded the steamship Brandon
almost TO it's ca pa city The boat left
the Old Dominion wharf at II o'clock
and returned few minutes before 6.
TO And line OF waiting cars which
brought the visitors up through the
wholesale section just as big factories
and mercantil. establishments were
closing. and wh.n ,tOwded streets
pres enied thelr busies appearance.
Mayor ns Druin Artist.
Joe Kessnich had his booster band
on board. but tine band came near los
ing It's Job when Mayor Ainslie and
Alvin ". Smith stole the drums The
Mayor astonishcd even the profession
ais with some performances on the
snare drum with which he was some
Horace + Smith got the castinets 60
ing. Alvin VI. smith the big bass drum.
and when they struck into old Ala
ham" with the Mayo giving an ex-
ira flourish TO the drum rolls. and
Jetcr Jones wh!rling the drum majors
baton, George W Rogers slipped Into
the pilot house and kept time with
the steamers whistle while n merry
party applauded vigorously the efforts
az The amateur musicians
Before the boat was well away from
the wharf. j. 7 Painatary and Nathan
Simon opened up box Of tricks that
broke out In new places every minute
Nobody had q minute TO be lonesome
with such n committee at work. and
the visiting merchants Joined heartily
into the spiri; OF the occasion pulling
some good practical jokes that turned
the laugh on the jokers Everybody
went below 10 see Rogers and Or.
Frank Meade pull on "A badger fight.
Lunch was promptly served by
Caterer Guvernator. The sun. which
had been overcast during the morning.
came out just "a the steamer cleared
the wharf, and the day was clear and
beautiful on the river Many OF the
visiting merchants were Interested in
historical points which were indicated
by a meGaphonc man as the snip made
its way between Confederate forts.
sites OF Indian fortincations and his
toric Colonial mansions.
Some Big Orders Placed.
The party did not get away until IL
o'clock. leaving the morning hours free
for business purposes, many OF the
merchants coming TO the boat direct
from the sample rooms and Offices Of
the big wholesale houses with which
they deal. Some big orders were placed
with dry goods. grocery. drug, shoe
and other Wholesale houses. though
some OF the best trading has been done
by the novelty houses and in speciality
lines One South Carolina merchant.
who is moving into new store build
ing In the fall. said he had bought
practically his whole stock in Rich
mond this week, for delivery when the
now building is ready in October. He
didn't care TO have his competitors
know where he was buying, as he was
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