Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-26
BUSINESS NORMAL
IN RETAIL TRADE
Richmond Merchants Unite in
Pronouncing 1914 Satisfactory
Business Season.
CONDEMN CALAMITY HOWLERS
Local Stores Have No Real
Cause to Complain, Says
Secretary Clarke.

CHANGING back over the year just
drawing to 4 close. leading merchants
OF Richmond pronounce 1t in every way
satisfactory, in spite of the many un-
favorable conditions which have con-
frcnted business during the past twelve
months. All call the holiday season
remarkably good, and number Of
men connected with big stores in sew
eral lines state that the volume OF
business done by them is far above
al! expectations, and in several in
stances the sales Will exceed the total
OF last year calamity-howlers notwith-
standing.
On general conditions in every line OF
retailing no better authority can be
FOUND than w. y. Clarke. Jr.. secretary
OF the Retail Merchants Association
His duties bring him. into personal con-
tao, with the big men and small men,
and through his position he Is more
Or less familiar with all that is being
done In the city. His opinion is de-
cidedly optimistic.
NO RIGHT TO COMPLAIN,
SAYS w. A. CLARKE, JH.
81 do not think business has been
nearly as bad as one would imagine
from all Of the hard-time tales that
have been going around" said Mr..
Clarke last night. Taking the con-
d!tions into consideration, do not
think that any local stores have a
right TO complain. | am told on every
side that business has been good. and
from my own personal examinations
or books in many OF the concerns, |
know that they have done as much
II not more. business than last year
The future for next year is exceed
inSly bright. The country is going
through readJustmcnt period, and it
looks very favorable to me and to
members Of the association. We are
making preparations for the new year
now, and are planning to go right
after out-of- town business in syste-
matte manner. Certainiy no one need
Dc down IN the mouth now"
Several weil-known business men
were interviewed on the subject Their
expressions follow:
VOLUME or BUSINESS IN
EXCESS OF LAST YEAR
our business WAS satisfactory, and
We we're surprised that il held up as
we'll as it did, said !. II. Kaufman, of
hauimann " Co. with SO much talk
OF hard times and the people out OF
employment, we feared that our busi-
| ness would not equal that of last year
but we now see that the volume will
| be In excess of that period. The sum
mer ana fall has been more than salts
factory. and the holiday trade was sur
prising. do not look for great ac-
tiVlty Immediately after the new year,
but feel that the spring Will open up
very faHorably. If there was less ca :
lam!ty bowling. conditions would he
better now. Conservative people have
oeeh forced to act conScrvatiyely but
business is better than most people
would imagine. am speaking for
myself, but believe that when one live
merchant does satisfactorily, il ex-
tends down the whole line, and conse-
quen;ly base my assumptions on that
fact"
LAST TEN DAYS WE'RE
RECORD BREAKERS
w. :. Rhoads. of Miller & Rhoads.
talked in the same vein. He stated
that business with his concern had
heid up we'll all year, and since the
holiday season opened, the volume has
gone ahead OF last year. Bad weather
early this month threatened to hurt
| safes put the past ten days were rec
ord breakers.
The outlook for next year is very
favorable said Mr.. Rhoads IT see
nothing TO indicate that there will be
any trouble to interfere with il. and
! the future looks good 20 me"
Speaking of business in his line. G.
I. Norman. president OF the Retail
Merchants Association. and a member
oi the firm Of O. H. Berry & Co. said
last night that the year, up to this
+! time had kept pace with 1913, which
was the greatest year in the history
of the company. He said he felt the
OUTLOOK Tor the coming year to be en-
| couraginG. From his conversations
with men connected with other con-
Germs. he said that he had gathered the
lceh that business was normal. and
that the situation Is becoming better
week by week
SAYS BUSINESS HAS BEEN
MORE THAN SATISFACTORY
am delighted with the situation"
said w. II. SchwarZschild of Schwarz-
schild Brothers. Inc. business has
been more than satisfactory with us.
/ and we have run ahead of last year
II has been the biggest year we have
! ever had. and believe that spring will
sec readjustment. and the country
and city Will enter into a new era OF
prosperity. have spoken to heads Of
several concerns in our line and all
report excellent business. Every mer-
chant on Broad Street has been sur
prised. The calamity howl frightened
most OF us. but since December l. we
and others. too, have been perfectly
satisfied. and not a day has passed that
we haven't been forced to telegraph for
extra goods
SO goes the talk all over the city.
Business was certainly unbalanced for
while by the conditions of the past
year. but II speaks we'll of the local
houses when they report so optimsti-
caiiy on the situation. All unite i'm
saying that the calamity howler was
responsible for much of the uncasiness
and unrest. and predict that the bus-
ness rcadjustmcnt which is being
brought about by the inauguration OF
the nbT Federal banking system, the
advance I'm freight rates. and the big
orders from European nations, will
soon be felt here. and will help i'm
mensely