The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-05

Four hundred and tftv persons moro
than half Of whom were Southern re
,ail merchants here for Spring Trade
Week. Fat down ut a BANQUET given
last night hy Miller d Rhoads iu rho
cafe Of their big department store II
marked tn" ;!rst time I'm the United
states that retail firm has provided
such entertainment for other retail
merchants visiting a city At the invi-
tation Of tho City's wholesale and man
nfacturlng concerns. y fitting climax
10 the great trade festival, typifv;nr
the cordial relations of the Southern
business community, II was pronounced
to be
All day long the incoming trains
brought into the city other retail NOR
chants to swell the number Of those
who arrived on the opening day of the
commercial celebrations. The uew-
comers and tho carly arrivals joined in
an inspection Of the establishments OF
the Rielmond manufacturers and job
bers, ccmentiEg the existing fri.ndl,.
business relations by personal contact
Somewhat weary OF limb. but mono ,bo
icss IN the hunor for further enjoy
I mont. the eXpcctant visitors asseln bled
IN Miller & Rhoads's store at 7:i5
. CLOCK Tor what was promised would
be an unique entertainment.
ON the third floor OF one wing OF
me great establishment the guests
We're seated In srca, hall that had
. been inprovised by the erection Of
partitions or palms. flowers, bunting
and Nags. The visitors testified their
appreciation hy The vocifcrous greet
ing tacy gave the friendly words of
Mayor Ainslic. W. s. Hhoads. l.. o.
Miller. President W. T. Reed. OF the
Chamber of Commerce. and Alvin vi.
Smith. tho toastrnas,cr.
Success IL Inspiring.
No sooner were Trade Week head
! quarters opened Yesterday morning
than The weary registration officials
! ana the reception committees were
put hard at work receiving the new
arrivals, gcttin" them properly reg
istercd and sent away 10 see the city
under the care of = member oil the
Trade Extension Bureau On the
opening day oi the festival more than
$50 merchants. from Virginia. North
Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.
signed up ~ headquarters. BEFORE the
books were closed last night 100 others
had announced their arrival!
The success Of Spring Trade Week"
which l. the 'irst united effort Rich-
mond business men have eNertcd to
attract Southern buyers to this cit,-
| in ,ho spring has been astounding
That the southern retail merchants
can he brought TO Richmond in the
late snnme. was yividly dcmonstrate eti
last August when zoe came here as
the quests Of The Trade Extension
Bureau for 'Bcttcr Acquaintance
Week" but until yesterday evidence
was lacking that any considerabl
number could be drawn here in March.
Leaders OF the Trade Extension Bu-
rcau. cxuberant over the success OF the
affair, arc talking already OF the man
moth week To be undertaken In August
| The visiting retail merchants arc at
testing their pleasure In their recep-
tion hy accepting now invitations to
return for the coming summers 'Ect-
ter Acuuai intaucc Week"
To the members OF the bureau q COM
parison of Better Acquai ntance Week.
and Spring Trade Week" is full of
interest. Not the least unexpected de-
vclopIacnt is the number Of retail mer-
chants who came without giving the
bureau advance notice. In marked con-
| trast 10 "l'etter Acquaintance Week."
when twice as many merchants ac-
ccptcd the invitations as came, moro
merchants have come to Spring Trade
Week" than the bureau had reasonable
grounds to expect.
banquet Mns Unique.
To tho banquet given last night by
Miller a. Rhoads must go the crown
for the most unique entertainment
staged since the inauguration OF the
least absorbing feature OF the even
ing 70 the visitors was the talk on
modern merchandising methods by
w. :. Rhoads and the inspection OF
tho big department store. which each
guest was invited to make under the
guidance of the firms employees
AT the long table reserved for the
speakers. placed In front of IA wall of
flags and flowers, were seated the fol-
lowing persons: Mayor George Aims
lie, w. ). I;hoads. j.. .. Miller Alvin
NJ. Smith. toastmastcr; w. II. Adams,
president OF the Board of Aldermen;
w. T. Reed. president OF the Chamber
of Commerce.; w. L. Dabney, business
manager Of the Chamber Of Commences
Horace +. Smith. manager of the man
ufacturers exhibit: l.. w. Broaddus. j.
\. Palmatary. II. Is. Sydnor and y. III.
Fclthaus. OF the executive committee
OF the Trade Extension bureau
During tho dinner an orchestra
played constantly and assisted matcrI-
ally ir the efforts to break down the
barriers OF conventional restraint
Everything served I'm the elaborate