Evening star., 1914-08-15
Rush of Western Dealers to
New York Stirs All
Trade Circles.
UNPRECEDENTED ACTIVITY
IS ATTRIBUTED TO WAR
Representatives of Outside Mer.
chants Clamor for Goods, as For
eign Supply Is Shut Off.

NEW YORK, August 15.-Buyers rep
resenting western merchants arrived
here in such large numbers in the last
week, says the New York Times, that
the hotels where they usually stayed
were overcrowded and turning them
away last night, although it was said
the influx probably was not yet at Its
height The host exceeded by 1000 or
more the largest number ever before
assembled her.
Wholesale dealers and jobbers attr1b-
uted the rush principally to the war. In
all lines of general merchandise there
was "a sellers market" Jobbers and
wholesalers explained that the term
sellers market meant "the manufac-
turer with the goods or the way to
make them now held fortified posi-
ton with ten-inch guns sticking out Of
1t all the way around" In many lines
the buyers from the west, who have
been hurried here even for second Wis
it's by their employers, soon Will be
supplanted by the merchants them
selves.
Market Is Crowding Jobber.
A. ]. Cazelar. a resident buyer for
western concerns. exhibited few cam
pies from dozens Of kilograms which
had arrived A typical message read:
Have all my buyers assembled Fri
day morning. I will be there to meet
them and take personal charge of their
campaigns"
The meaning of the message" said
Mr. Cazelar, lis that the merchant
placed his orders comfortably some
weeks or months ago, and was expect
ing delivery through September, Octo-
ber and November The goods he or
the merchant knew that the goods
would not come without depending on
the jobber here through whom he dealt:
His only chance to cover himself ana
keep his own stock intact was to buy
substitutes for the expected importa-
tions from the New York warerooms.
1.-The merchant knows. that in this Sc
lective buying the man who stays at
influence being sacrificed to the man on
the ground. So the merchant at first
sent his buyers back. even though they
had made the usual seasons purchases.
Then as the crisis became more acute he
decided to come on himself and take per-
sonal command. Scores Of big merchants
are doing that. and it means that for the
first time within the memory or most
jobbers in this town the market IS crowd
ing the jobber and he doesn't have to
Want Domestic Goods to Fill Stocks.
Most of the lines sought by buyers
were not to be had in the domestic mar
ket, but were imported in finished form
from Germany, Switzerland and France
Laces, linens, dress goods, gloves and
toys were among them.
Not only were the buyers trying to OBJ
tain goods to carry them through the
fall and winter trade. but they were TAX
ing it for granted that the war would
block industry i'll most European coun-
tries. 1t was the opinion of the buyers
that the trade would have to be taken
care of without dependence upon the
foreign centers of supp Y.
One woman buyer was found VINO want
ed to invest $4,000 in gloves alone She
placed orders abroad for womens gloves,
counting on the shipments arriving here
in time for the Christmas rush. Some of
the gloves arrived last week. but the
bulk of the order was not filled. She
from local dealers, and in many cases Of
fered an advance of one-third over the
former rate.
A large glove dealer said that the dol
lar glove. which last year was stap.e
in the market practically would disap-
pear because the foreign manufacturers
controlled the market not only in many
fine lines. but in skins for several lines
manufactured here.
Shortage in Foreign-Made Goods.
Many of the buyers were summoned
here by resident agents for western
houses following messages regarding
the nature and extent of the shortage
in foreign made goods.
Most of the buyers here talked freely
of the necessity for American manufac-
turers to rush goods to the market, but
many obstacles unknown to the layman
were mentioned. At the lace store Of
stein & Doblin at Broadway and 22d
street it was pointed out that in al
most every line some one element of
American success was contributed from
abroad"
Jesse Straus. president of r. H. Macy
& Co. said he believed the present
market furry would disappear within
three months on account of the re-
sponse by American manufacturers. He
thought the American manufacturers
would not only rise to the needs Of the
domestic situation, but capture great
part Of the Central and South American
trade that heretofore had gone largely