South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-12-25
HOLIDAY STOCK
IN ALL STORES
IS SOLD fast
Christmas Shoppers Clean
Firms in Mad Rush
For Gifts.
BIGGEST HOLIDAY SEASON YET
cleaned.

Completely cleaned
Although inelegant, the foregoing
statement adequately describes
South Bend stores In regard 10 their
Christmas holiday goods.
South Rend last night closed the
heaviest Christmas holiday season In
the history OF the city.
Begin to Shop Early.
Christmas shopping began early
and continued until the last hour.
The down town district every day
during the weeks Of tho Christmas
trade, and when the stores and shops
began 10 remain open nights just
preceding Christmas day, the crowds
began 20 thronE the streets going
from one place 20 another, buying,
buying, buying.
Nothing like * has ever before
been witnessed I'm the city. Many Of
the merchants were compelled to re-
plcnish their Christmas stock in or
der 70 meet the demand Of the thou
sands of purchasers.
It was a big season for South
Bend business men. and the result
period OF weeks is sure 10 bring JOY
TO thousands of hearts this Christ
mas morning.
Everybody Has Money.
Everybody seemed to have money.
and not only did everybody seem TO
have money, but everybody seemed
anxious and willing TO spend that
money.
II looked like il was going to be n
big season from the very start, and
all OF the city's merchants prepared
for its coming. However, some Of
the preparations were not adequate
for what really did come.
Only once did II appear that per-
haps things were not going TO go as
well as it was at first thought they
would. This was when the city was
faced with a critical fuel situation.
For a little while il looked as II
business would have 10 be curtail-
ed.
City Is Fortunate,
But South Bend was fortunate.
The St. Joseph river was response
ble for this, and merchants this
| thanking the river for much Of their
| successful business trade during the
past few weeks.
Instead OF South Bend being
forced TO close its stores during a
part OF the day in order to conserve
coal by turning off the lights for
several hours during the day, and
all night for street lighting and win
dow displays. the St. Joseph river
furnished sufficient water power to
make II possible TO do business as
usual There was not even a hesi-
fancy in the trade. No one was be-
ing injured by a continuance of
business as usual. and then the coal
strike ended and the situation be
came nearly normal again.
This condition did not prevail in
other cities There was no st. Joseph
river IN many Indiana cities, and
business there had 20 be greatly
| curtailed. South Bend was fortunate.
and merchants and citizens general
Is availed themselves of the oppor-
tunity 20 sell and buy. respectively.
Many Goods and Buyers.
or every hand and on every hand
| there were purchasers TO buy them.
/ Persons loaded down with nyster-
ious packages and bundles-myster-
I ious only on account OF their NUM-
Der and size-were a common sight
on all OF tho down town business
/ streets
Merchants say that buyers We're
not particular about the price OF
I what they wanted. The buyers want
I ed what they wanted regardless OF
/ the cost. although they did demand
I quality. And they found quality. The
I stores or the city offered the best TO
be had In the way OF holiday mer-
/ chandise.
South Bend today will celebrate
! the most prosperous Christmas in
I its history Not only is the city
/ larger and contains more citizens
! than ever before IN its history, but
the citizens apparently. from the
/ manner in which they spent their
money during the holiday shopping
days are more prosperous than
! ever before.
/ Remember the Poor.
And withal their prosperity, South
/ Bend citizens did not forget their
! poor and needy. their more unfor-
/ tunate brothers.
seven hundred poor children @,
the city were treated 20 a Christmas
/ dinner ar the chamber Of Commerce
/ CONTINUED ON PAGE FOUR