Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-20
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TRAD|NGCENTE
Retail Merchants Visit II
Fourteen Places Teaching
Loyalty to Community
WELCOME rs B
RECEIVED EN- ROUTEI

Wednesday when scores OF the menRsf
bers Of the Ottumwa Retail MerchantaSs
association with the inimitable Firs(E
Cavalry band and corps of speaker
literally invaded fourteen cities an64
towns throughout southeastern Iowa u
1t was friendly invasion howevefS:
and only good can come from It. ThGk
gospel OF loyalty to home, cooperaS3
ton. patronize the local stores and ES
help build up the community waf
preached at every stop. While TIT
apostles Of this creed were expoundinG
from band stands. autos or improvis0
platforms, the personal workers weryE3
mingling among the crowds that variel9
with the size Of the many place.
visited. M
Souvenir pencils wrapped in . lea1jf
let setting forth the Inducements Gil
fered by Ottumwa merchants to tn
era from a distance, chief among theIlf
being the payment Of railroad fares a
out OF town customers, were diD2I
trbuted through the crowds and ev6lS s
IN the countless school houses In the
rural districts through which the autGs'
caravan travelled. III
In each place visited newspapers X
were distributed broadcast, hundred
OF them being spread over the tral,
made by the merchants IN their wiGS
sweep Of territory through which th6S
preached community building and c.
operation. Even an occasional fArl
house, the autos and other vehicid
along the country roads wero r.
sighted in the matter of souvenirs n
newspapers. At each place visited q
people were invited to make their ho6
quarters when in Ottumwa at the C0l
mercial club. where rest room u pr@
vided for the ladies.
Have Good Dinner.
After a number OF happy and pro6
able visits made in the forenoon. StG
was made at Fairfield for dinner aa
here parade throughout the residenc9SI
and business sections was staged tha13a
lasted for forty minutes and elicits
much favorable comment. The bau<
music along the line and the auto
finally brought up at the square wheF
a speaking meeting was held beforu
crowd Of the residents.
The nearest route to mars heaS3
that Of merchants thruuG
the stomach, so someone has said o.
this was proven when the crowd CT
Ottumwans gathered in the baseme
of the NJ. e. church for dinner. An
such a dinner 1t was. Just like moths
would cook. The variety Wed witl
the quality Of the cooking and OvorS
man arose refreshed and ready for u
work before him for the afternoon a11
night. At the close of dinner . vot
of thanks was given the ladies O
pastor and the megaphone quartet
the band sang "My Mothers RooSf
receiving much we'll merited applam
Welcomed At Rlehland.
Agency. Batavia, County Line
Libertyville having been visited bofU
Fairfield was reached, the latter pI0
concluded the forenoon trip and
12:40 the caravan with sirens on
cry car shrieking farewell, m0Vl
out Of Jefferson county's capital
its way to Richland where about l:1
the party came to stop and park6
the cars around the public square.
Here huge crowd was awaiting tl
arrival Of the Ottumwans and appriaG
Of their approach by the footing horn
had gathered In hundreds around u
cars when the stop was made. We
come was whole hearted and the Viz
tors, refreshed by the MONDAY me
and feeling in the finest c0nditio
launched into the task Of preachl1
the gospel of the trip, communtt 4
building. Buy at home and what yO(
own merchants cannot supply. buy q
Ottumwa, do not develop cities our
side Iowa until you have built tho
of your own state. This was the chic
thought dwelt upon by the sewers
speakers and at every place the ped
pie were invited to come to Ottumw6a
to see the stores and varied assore
ments of mankind's necessities Of eV8
cry description. but to buy only sue
things as their own merchants coun
not supply.
At Richland the party was joinG
by ]. H. Morrell, who assisted In III
speaking there and elsewhere on IL
remainder Of the trip, Mayor Carte
H. L. Bell and George Alfred Morrol
NJ. B. Hutchison, who acted az chat
man Of the day, called upon w. 8. on
and Mr.. Morrell for talks at this plao
Band concerts were given before O.
after the speaking and the quartz
sang between the talks.
At Ollie, the next place visited, q
band and speakers again took up the
tasks while the balance of the paT(
distributed souvenirs and newspapG
among the crowd. The intermin9ll
of the visitors with the townspoo(
was productive of many forming
quaintances and left favorAble
preston to both visitors and vfs11