The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-08-13
Chilly Drizzle Rather Aids
Plans for Better Acquaint-
ance Week"
RICHMOND RECEIVING
MANY NEW CUSTOMERS
Expressions From Buyer and
Seller Reflect Success of Oc-
casion---Theater Party
Tonight
THE PROGRAM TODAY.

Get-togcther theater party, Acade-
eional vaudeville.
THURSDAYS PROGRAM.
Excursion to Dutch Gap. Old Do
sminion steamer leaves dock at II
O'Clock A. Nj; returns Q =. NJ. Music
and refreshments. Take eastbound
Main street cars direct To dock.
Tickets for theater party and excur-
uaon Mt headquarters.
III. j. Arlington, CIaremont, Va,
general merchant and capitalist:
Heretofore | have done my fall and
winter buying. or the greater part or II.
I'm Baltimore. Attracted by the bet
ter acquaintance week" advertising, /
came 10 Richmond this time and have
made my purchases here today. ! ind
that | can do az we'll or better here,
save on fare, and freight rates are in
Richmond's favor. Notwithstanding the
fact that l enjoy the advantage OF
water rates from Baltimore L nave
found open handed hospitality on
every hand and have enjoyed i'm
menseiy the entertainment features
provided for our benefit. | think /
can voice the same sentiment for the
several Claremons merchants who
came to Richmond with me.
j. r. Palmatary. Cottreli Saddlery
company, Richmond: IF the acuNi-
ties of better acquaintance week
had been cut cff at the end or the
first day our firm would have been
more than repaid for the energy and
expense devoted 10 the experiment
We have renewed acquaintance with
wany former customers, SOLO many
old ones and made new ones, and we
feel that we are largely the gamers
by the celebration. Incidentally
while II Is paying MS as business
proposition. IL Is great pleasure 10
ripgle with SO many fine business men
socially
President T. VI. burlington. prcsf-
dent chamber of commerce: Ni'h
good weather the rest of the week
and the Indications are that We snali
have it--~1 believe better acquain'-
ance week will prove the most nota-
HE undertaking the chamber of com
merce ever fostered. ] am grained
beyond measure with the generous re-
Spouse on the part of the merchants
to the efforts of the trade extension
bureau We are receiving visitors
who have never before been 10 Rtch-
snond ia do their trading. and from
aai1 accounts the newcomers are not
Crlv nleased with Richmond rs a mar
ket place, hut everybody ts pleased
with the hospitality shown them
The chilling drixzle that fell all day
west erday did not dampen the spirits
OF either the promoters OF the Setter
Acquaintance Week" movement, nor
prevent the Influx of visiting Ter-
chants, who poured In steady stream
into headquarters from the moment
headquarters were opened uhth e'os-
dng time last night.
As a matter OF fact the rain, while
It brought some discomfort TO the VS.
itors who did not come provided with
umbrellas. played into the hands or
the Richmond manufacturers ana JOB
hers With no entertainment features
on hand beyond the free entree or the
moving picture shows. the visitors
forced Indoors took advantage of the
opportunity to indoors where tnes
could make their fall and winter pur-
chases. and the salesmen were kept
busy all day long.
Many New Customers.
Most OF the merchants were old Gus
TONERS. but among them were many
who had been weaned away BY over
lures from Baltimore and Philadel-
phia. and quite number OF new
customers. 1t is impossible at this
time to state with any accuracy the
amount of the sales to date. but the
trade extension bureau expects to be
able to give out a statement at the
end of me week covering this impor-
tant feature.
Over one hundred merchants regis
tered yesterday. bringing the number
up To approximately 500 to date. The
Sogistration figures. however, do not
represent accurately the number OF
visiting merchants, as great many
went direct to their hotels from the
trains and left the matter Of regis
tration as an afterthought. Taking
account OF those who have not regis
tered and the wives and daughters,
the executive committee figures that
there are at least 500 visitors here in
conjunction with this particular fea-
ture. Today is expected to be the big
day so far as the visiting crowds are
expected ny regular trains. special
excursion train will be run from Co
lumbia, s. c., to Richmond. arriving
here today. which. II is believed, will
bring several hundred merchants from
the Palmetto State, and II IL expected
that by nightfall there will be at least
1000 visitors In Richmond
Headquarters Force Busy.
Chairman A. II. Felthaus, Of the
headquarters committee. and his Office
force have their hands full. After
Chairman J. T. Palmatary. of the rail-
road and hotel committee. has wei
coined the visitors at the trains and
directed or escorted them to head
quarters, falls to Chairman Fell
&hAus' forces to register the visitors
and provide tlrrm with tickets and
badges. Incidentally the cigars are
paapad. and the Visitors made "a feel |
14kHActly a home. Chairman Fell