The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-02
HUNDRED THOUSAND
INVITATIONS SENT
Southern States Flooded With
News of Better Acquaint-
ance Week.
INTEREST GAINING FORCE
Many Visitors Plan to Stay Four
Days and to Bring
Their Wives.
INTEREST GAINING FORCE
a. II. FELTHAUS.

Some indication Of the publicity
which has been given Richmond's
Better Acquaintance Week" to be
celebrated here August 11-l6, can he
gathered from the Pact that the 100. 600
invitations To retail merchants through
ont the South TO attend the great COM
mercial week have been distributed
and the Trade Extension Bureau was
forced yesterday TO turn down appli-
cations from several large Richmond
firms for additional invitations. The
invitation was in the shape Of an eight
page folio, giving a full outline OF the
object OF the celebration. the enter
tainmentS planned and the scheme to
refund railway fares
ON account Of the short time remain
ing until the date for the business
festival the Trade Extension Bureau
Will not print additional invitations 1t
Is thought. moreover. that the 100. 900
Invitations already scattered broadcast
through the South have covered the
held as closely as Is possible For the
last four weeks the largest nlanufac-
turing, wholesale and iohbinG firms in
Richmond have been irclosing an in
vitation TO attend Better Acquaintance
Week I'm every letter sent to retail
merchants n the Southern States
Answers still Come.
Replies 10 the invitations are arriv-
Ing IN the Office OF the Trade Extension
Bureau d the rate Of bout 100 a day,
which gives some idea Of the interest
aroused among the retailers by Rich
n.ond's week OF profit and pleasure OF
The approximately 1000 answers re-
ceived 10 date, fully 1900 merchants
have accepted the invitation for them
selves, and In many instances for their
Yves and children. As fast as the
favorable replies 70 the Invitations are
received the bureau sends 10 the mer-
-.
~ with the expected date OF arrival and
length OF stay
These cards arc now beginning to
reach the Office IN great numbers. They
shed an Interesting light on the ce!e-
trat!on. giving the first idea o: how
long the average visit OF the retailers
Viii be. Ii the cards returned so far
can be taken as a criterion. the lner.
chants arc coming 70 Better Acquaint-
anCe Week with the intention Of STAY
ing three or four days. although many
have expressed the purpose Of remain
ing from Monday morning until Sat
urday night" Five merchants from
Claremont VIII make the trip to Rich
nond by automobile. arriving Monday
AFTERNOON for five days visit
TO Bring Wives.
one merchant wrote
Can bring my wife If pay her
t,lls To which The con!nittee re-
p.ifH thai ne would he welcomed with
as many relatives and friends as he
could place on The train. Quite a con
siderable number Of the visitors are
planning to bring their wives with
'Aem. and the streets OF the city viii
present very much the appearance Of
state Fair week while the great COM
nerc.al festival is ia fun swing Al
l"ougn Better Acquaintance Week" is
designed primarily Tor the benent OF
the manufacturers. wholesalers and
lobb"rs of tho city. the Broad Street
retail merchants viii find themselves
handsome gamers 10y tne visit OF so
mar strangers TO Richmond