Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-09-27
Blasts of Whistles and Honk-
ing of Horns Mark Opening
of Mercantile Event.
TEN THOUSAND BALLOONS
BEARING PRIZES SENT UP
Judges Of Window Displays Will
Have Difficulty in Max
ing Awards.

the fall buying season in Wash
ington was officially inaugurated
at 9 o'clock this morning.
When the hands of the big
clock i'll the post Office building
tower pointed to that hour, sig
nal was sent out from the head
quarters OF the Retail Merchants
Association in The Star building
which started the activities in
connection with the trade in
augural in all sections of the city.
At more than sixty-6ve mer-
camille establishments of various
kinds throughout the National
Capital, window displays, which
had been in the course of prepara-
ton for several days, were then
unveiled.
number of stores in the downtown sec
| t1on of the city and from the four
daily newspaper Offices. 10000 balloons
were liberated. To each balloon was
attached an order worth from SO cents
to $40 at various business establish
ments.
The engineers at several of the large
office buildings. and at lumber mills
and other industrial establishments,
| had full head of steam in their boil
ers when the hour of o'clock rolled
around. Scores of whistles and sirens
were sounded for period of five min
| utes.
Weeks had been spent in preparation
FOR the fall buying inaugural by Of
| ncers and members of the Retail Mer-
chants Association. Reports received
at the Office Of Secretary Charles J.
Columbus at noon today indicated that
everything had gone off without a
| hitch
Window Dressing Contests.
Show window displays, the like of
which never before had been seen in
this city. were putsof1 view with the
sounding of O'Clock A window
dressing competition. is one of the fea-
practically every big establishment of
the National Capital has entered the
| contest.
The judging of the windows started
thissafternoon. The judges are the ad-
vertising managers of the four Wash
| tngton daily newspapers.
| They are Leroy w Heron, advertis-
ing manager of The Star: Ralph Cold
smith. advertising manager of the Post:
| Troland Cleare, advertising manager of
the Herald. and J. r. Hamilton, adver-
| tising manager of the Times
The judges met with Secretary
Charles j. Columbus of the Retail Mer-
| chants Association at luncheon at the
Raleigh Hotel at noon and discussed
the conditions under which the compe-
tition is being staged. The various es-
! Adjustments in the contest had been
routed beforehand and as soon as the
meal was finished the judging commit
tee started out on their rounds in the
| touring car of NJ. a. Lease. vice presi-
dent of the Retail Merchants Associa-
| ton.
This afternoon the judges are making
a minute inspection of the show win
dows. Tonight they will make second
round in order to see them when illum-
mated. This procedure was decided
| upon in order to make a fair decision.
for some of the displays are designed
to look best by daylight. while in 9TH
ers lighting effects will play an i'm
| portant part.
Silver Cups for Prizes.
| Three silver cups have been provided
for the winners by the Retail Mer-
chants Association. A fourth cup has
been provided by the Washington Shoe
!
presented to the proprietor of the re-
tail shoe establishment having the
| best window display. For the dresser
Of the winning show display the Shoe
Dealers Association has provided $40
in gold.
buying inaugural has resulted in keen
competition among the window dress
ers of the city. Yesterday the majority
Of them spent the entire day in their
windows arranging things. The serv-
| ices Of several expert dressers were
needed in the big department stores
and other establishments having large
| show windows. An interesting feature
| Of the window contest is that all kinds
| Of mercantile Establishments are en-
tered in the competition. Among them
are department stores. jewelers.. haber-
dashers, shoe stores. hardware stores,
| stationers and other establishments.
The liberating of the balloons this
downtown section. The balloons were
| about eight inches in diameter. and of
various colors. Secretary Columbus
| and force of workmen were engaged
all of Sunday filing the balloons. This
was done in the basement of The Star
| building, where an air compressing ap-
paratus was available. This morning
they were transported by automo obiles
to the several points from which they
were liberated.
0d11OOu6 :" dASCo Ox4 J" 4AOos
Weather conditions were ideal for the
event, the wind being just strong
enough to carry the balloons the de-
sired distance from the points where
they were liberated. Attracted by the
announcements. which had been made
| beforehand, hundreds of persons gath
cred in the downtown section to try
their hand at capturing a balloon. Since
every balloon carried an order varying
| in value from SO cents to $40. there was
a scramble every time one Of them
dropped to the ground.
Sometimes a balloon would be kept
bouncing from hand to hand for almost
minute before some one succeeded
In getting a firm grasp on it and secur-
ing the order 1t carried Invariably
when the balloon was captured 1t COL
llapsed under the rough treatment it re-
ceived and went Off with bang"
Sometimes two or three of the bal
looms would become fouled as they
fioated through the air. the strings at
tached to them becoming entwined.
Then all would fall to the ground to-
gether. On such occasions the scram-
BILE which followed was exceedingly
lively, those participating realizing
that a threefold prize was at stake.
ThA 0r6Ara Attached to the balloons