New Britain herald., 1925-11-14

| Merchants arc looking forward 10 | the greatest Christmas trade In years and buyers are scouting the wholesale markets for merchandise, Already the approach of Christmas 1 is being heralded by the appearance in store windows of seasonal suggcs- tions and desirable gifts.
 | Since the cold weather set in Itradc is reported to have been good In clothing stores for men and women. There has been Il steady demand for coats in particular. Never before have the lines and material of womens coats been more beautiful with large variety from which to choose.
 But 1t is the Christmas shopping season merchants are anticipating Industrially New Britain is prosper ous. Announcement in yesterday s Herald that factories are working at 9S per cent of normal Is certain to stimulate trade. 1t will also stimulate the stocking up of Christ llluS SOOhS itttluGS illN't''ii'o Nai' proceed with confidence that their wares will be bought.
 Because of disappointing eXper- fences in past years many residents arc doing their Christmas shopping now. Even at this early day there is a wealth of merchandise suitable for gifts. Small articles which can i be conveniently stored away are in demand.
 A flood of money will be released about December 1 when banks which have conducted Christmas clubs will send out cheeks 10 de- positors. These funds in themselves represent q tidy fortune, the great CT part being disposed of in the pur- chase of Christmas gifts.
 So far as can be predicted at this date, 1t seems that the shopping season this year will be the largest since the era immediately following 1 the war when pocketbooks were filled to bursting with high wages. It may even come up to the spend ing level established then. The population has increased consider ably in five years, merchants have become more progressive and many new stores have been opened, offer ling greater Inducements to people to come out of their homes to shop Commissioner Parker echoed the expressed opinions of many citizens at a meeting of the police commiS- sion this week when he questioned ituc advisability of another lane on Main street to be used by fire department apparatus while respond i ing to alarms.
 To automobile drivers the streets are beginning to resemble q foot ball field with lines running from curb to curb nearly every five yards. This Is an eXaggeration, of course, | but may call the attention of city officials 10 situation which is not improving. There are lines here, there and everywhere telling driv- CTS where to stop, where not to stop and where 10 take curves. There are lanes for pedestrians, which arc becoming obscured. There are curh marks near hydrants and lines eX- tending out into the roadway at in- 1 IterseCtions.
 On the west side of Central park 1 is a lane for drivers who intend tO swing around the park and head north but few use it despite the fact that it would be of advantage to all operators.
 This situation Is not peculiar tc New Britain. It is increasing in al becoming crosseyed trying to watch for lines and traffic policemen at the same time.
 Consistent with the growth of the city and the great increase in build. ing activity, is the desire expressed by members of the building com. mission to have full-time deputie; provided for the building, plumbing and electrical inspectors.
 An argument that should give support to the proponents of the augmented building department staff is that the very thing that makes . larger number of employees neces. sary, will provide a goodly part ot the revenue by which their salaries will be pald-that being the new building codes which provide high,