Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-11
Ottumwa Merchants Eclipse
All Former Efforts in
Beautifying Town
STREETS AND STORES
MAKE PRETTY SIGHT
Business District Becomes
Wonderland When Trees
Are All Illuminated

Ottumwans fortunate enough to be
on business streets Thursday night
were given treat Of rare beauty that
will linger in their minds for some
time to come. Those from outside Of
the city will carry away picture Of
fairyland that win bring them back
with many Of their friends to the city
to witness the beautiful picture which
the retail section presents now that
the Christmas decorations are COM
plete, and the streets and shop win
dows are resplendent with the beau
ties OF the holiday season.
Expressions heard on every side
last night were varied. but all were
laudatory OF the beauty of the sight
and the enterprise of Ottumwa mer
chants and business houses who pro-
vided at great cost such pretty
scene for the public to view and revel
in.
Hundreds OF stately evergreen trees
clustered with colored electrics giving
forth soft crimson glow from out
! the branches, lined the curb along
Main street from Jefferson west to
Washington street; north on Market
from Main to Second and along Sec
ond from Court to the east end of the
Commercial club building.
Added to the beauty of the lighted
streets, string Of ten incandescents
stretch out toward the center OF the
street from the tops OF the trees at
intervals OF every twenty-five feet,
lighting up the thoroughfares brightly
and lending gala appearance to the
entire business district that has to
be witnessed to be fully appreciated.
The efforts OF ottumwa's enterpris-
Ing merchants as displayed In this
years decorations, eclipse any pre-
vious attempt to beautify the business
district and lends the Christmas SEN
timent born in all humans to the meth
cd of the announcing the many beau
tiful ana useful things carried in their
numerous stores for the holiday sea-
son. Many persons last night were
seen standing in the middle Of the
streets looking along the lighted tree
lined tEoroughfares and remarking
the beauty of the scene. the perspec-
tive lending enchantment to the view.
The presence OF the First Cavalry
band which marched along the deco
rated streets playing lively and inspir-
ing airs, added to the holiday spirit
of the occasion and many persons of
both sexes and varying ages followed
| 4, 0f Al ciriQ m, hot IN
line of march. Upon the retiring of
the band to its hall, the croyds ling
cred along the various store and shop
windows to gaze at the beautiful ar
ray of holiday goods and many useful
and pretty articles Of merchandise
that were tastefully displayed for
their view, Every class Of goods has
its show and the windows present
sight rivaling the beauty OF the tree
decorated and illumined streets.
ottumwa Shopping Center
The buying public are given the
best evidence Of Ottumwa's progress
i've merchandising by a view Of the
windows and interiors Of her numer.
GUS stores at present. Never have such
arrays Of attractive goods been shown
to a better advantage than now A Wis.,
it to these various emporiums fully
demonstrates the superiority Of
Ottumwa as trading and business
center especially in the retail circles.
Every class OF merchandise is shown
in the very latest and most attrac-
tive styles.
Ottumwa as a trading center Is
fast coming into Its own and is now
recognized without peer in southern
Iowa and northern Missouri and sur
passing any city of it's size in the west
No articles Of merchandise that the
most fastidious and critical can wish
for. but is obtainable here and in any
quantity. The metropolitan centers
may have bigger quantities, but the
variety and quality is to be found In
Ottumwa stores. This is true Of every
line of business for all are leaders in
their respective classes and neighbor-
ing cities and towns as well as those
who reside In the rural districts have
long since learned to make Ottumwa
their mecca for shopping. The sight
prepared for these visitors by the
merchants this year will be a treat
worth coming miles to see and should
make this city and It's stores the SUBJ
.. ject of favorabele comment for years
to come.