The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-17
RETAIL BUYERS
LEAVE FOR HOME
Better Acquaintance Week Wis
itors Loud in Praise
OF Richmond.
PLAN HAS PROVED SUCCESS
Big Sales Made and Foundation
Laid for Future
Trade.

Merchants who came here from many
states for Better Acquaintance Week
started home yesterday. Saturday is
a big trading day in most Southern
towns, and the large majority OF the
visitors left on Friday in time to take
active direction OF their stores for the
big day Of the week. The few who
were left enjoyed the Inequalities Of
the Trade Extension Bureau, attend
ing the double headcr baseball game
between Richmond and Norfolk. tick
cts TO which were issued TO all visitors
at headquarters In the Mutual Build
ing. Some OF those who are still here
Will remain in Richmond over Sunday.
or VIII spend the weekend at tho
beach or other nearby resorts before
returning TO their homes.
Cnnic and Went All Week.
me records show that visitors came
and went all during tho week. com
parativeiy few staying for all OF the
festivities. Probably the largest mum
Der together n one time was on the
river excursion on Thursday,ior at the.
academy Of Music party on Wednesday
night but after Tuesday about as
many newcomers were being registered
each day as were leaving for their
homes. The success OF the movement
surpassed even the claims OF the en-
thusias;s, however as the daily re-
ports Of big sales and new customers
demonstrates. business has been good
in Richmond through the week. and
The customers generally wore an air
OF confidence, and bought for prospc-
Fous times. satisfied that big crops
and ready money in the South would
mean business with them, whatever
the stock market might think OF the
outlook.
Foundations for Future Trndc.
but the biggest result to Richmond
lies not so much in the sales made
though there were some big ones as in
the new acquaintances and tho foun-
dation laid for future permanent trade
ilchhond statesmen Will have q better
claim on tho attention Of the merchants
OF the south when showing their sam
Pics from town 10 town after the hos
pitality Richmond has extended And
not a little Of the value lies in tho
get together spirit fostered at home
one member of the Chamber of Conn
inercc said yesterday that If there had
not been sale made or n customer
brought here, the movement would have
been worth while in bringing the
wholesale dealers OF Richmond ana
their travelling men into closer ac-
Guaintance and into team work for
Richmond. instead Of the narrower and
more selfish pulling merely for orders
FOR one particular house
w hat | want to see" said this NOR
chant, is bigger broader market and
constant invitation TO the merchants
oi the South 70 trade in Richmond. II
the business comes here, am not afraid
81 not getting my share. My people
can look out for that all right what
want is 10 bring more business q the
city. We will take our chances Of
getting our proportion Of IT,"
Some BiG Sales.
Not all OF the visiting merchants were
"a frank about their sales rs tho
7 ~.
week b. placing AN order for 1000
barrels OF -four, ana wound 1t up by
ordering eleven carloads of miscella-
ncous stock from half dozen jobbing
houses in several lines, the goods to
supply cotton mill commissarics across
Two States.
other merchants bought largely.
out they didn't care to have their COM
petitors know what size stock they
We're laying in, or where they had
found the varieties and specialties
which will decorate their windows for
some months to come.
The social side WAS 50 arranged rs
not to cncroach on business hours, but
the guests in the afternoon and even
inrs entered heartily into the spirit
Of fun which marked those occasions.
and showed in many ways their APP
probation or kichmonds efforts TO
show them a good atimc.
Will Refund Fares.
To every man whose purchases dur
ing the week amount to more than
$500. the Trade Extension Bureau
Viii refund fun railroad fare. while
10 the merchant Who purchased $3.50
worth OF goods. fare one way Will
ae refunded Full particulars Of Tins
plan Of refunding railway fares was
sent to the merchants with their in
v!tation TO attend Better Acquaintance
Week" 1t Will be a week or ten days
before the wholesale and manufac-
turing houses taking part in the
movement can set out and Dill the
orders that have been placed with
them, some Of which are for delivery
after September /. When Treasurer
Dunlop. OF the Chamber Of Commerce.
is advised OF the amount OF the pur
chases, checks for the refund OF fare
will be mailed.
Already plans are on foot for an
even bigger effort nest yea" 10 in
terest the merchants OF the South in
Richmond as buying market.