Evening star., 1933-12-21
BUSINESS BETTER
| THROUGHOUT i. s.
Christmas Shopping Shows
Increase of as Much as 35
Per Cent Over 1892.
Continued From First Page.)

per cent. The Baltimore chambers
informal survey indicated business was
better, some merchants describing sales
as the best in three years. Many busi-
ness houses in Philadelphia, including
the large department stores, reported
the greatest pre-ChriStmaS business in
their history, with parcel post workers
far behind in their tasks. In Washing
ton business was slow in getting started,
but was gaining momentum daily.
Pittsburgh department store sales were
Up II per cent. with an expected gross
of s8000,000, compared with S7,100,000
a year ago. New Jersey department
store increases were averaging about Is
per cent. Heavy Christmas buying was
reported at Buffalo, N. Y.
Middle WeSt-Downtown streets in
Milwaukee thronged with shoppers, and
1000 sacks of outgoing mail went out
one day this week, compared with g.
121 year ago. A survey of % Ohio
cities showed % of them we're enjoy
ing 10 to 25 per cent increases. During
the first two weeks of December, In
Gianapolis merchants reported a 20 per
cent increase, while South Bend sales
have registered 35 per cent over 1882.
A 5 to 10 per cent jump in dollar volume
over last year was estimated by Allan
Hupp, head of the Associated Retailers
Bureau in Omaha Minneapolis looked
for Christmas spending above $15,000,-
600. a material increase. Kansas City
retailers reported sales gains of IL to
40. per cent, and some said the Gus
toners were using their credit to a
iplaCed St. Louis business 10 per cent
sabove 1892 Increased business was
lnoted at Des Moines and other Iowa
lcites
New England Optimistic.
New England-Increases ranging from
Is to 33 per cent in the volume of
Christmas shopping were reported by
merchants in Connecticut. One New
Haven toy maker said shoppers were
buying higher-grade toys than last year.
Commissioner of Labor Beals of Maine
said factories and mills in his State were
running ahead of 1892, although there
had been some slackening since the first
rush under the N. r. A.
A sharp increase in the mailing of
Christmas cards and letters was noted
at Boston.
South-"A great deal better" than
last year, was the way the Atlanta Mer-
chants Association reported pre-Christ-
mas business. Other Georgia sources
said business was picking up in smaller
stallations and building permits. Men,
pnis department stores said they were
running 20 per cent ahead of a year
ago. crediting the Governments 10 per
cent cotton loans for much of the ad- |
vance. Knoxville, Chattanooga and
Nashville, Tenn, saw substantial in |
cIeases. Substantially greater" sales |
were reported by New orleans chain. re-
ta1l and department stores. and SINH |
q
Va.
christmas business is far ahead of !
last year, due to better cotton and TO-
bacco prices" S2id Willard Dowell. sec !
retary of the North Carolina Merchants |
Association.
Far West Reports Gains.
Mountain States-Ray H. Butler, sec
retary OF the Utah Retailers Associa |
tioh, at salt Lake City said business |
tnere was 25 per cent above a year ago
with some Southern Idaho cities gain |
ing as much as 80 per cent. Reno |
New, merchants enjoyed an estimated |
25 per cent jump in sales. Denver |
SJorekeepers were welcoming shoppers |
In greater numbers than for several
years and Charles NJ. Reed. general !
tlon, estimated the advance to be at
least Is per cent.
Southwest-Austin, Tex, stores re-
ported they were doing the biggest
Christmas business in years. The
c. w. A. was credited with putting
spending money in the hands of 1900
Austin families, heretofore destitute.
Oklahoma City store managers said in
creases ranged all the way from 10 10
% per cent. Houston, Fort Worth and
Dallas, Tex, merchants saw substan-
tial gains. Albuquerque. N. Mex. mer-
chants reported pickup in all lines.
Pacific Coast-The morale of the
merchants was reported soaring in San
Francisco, with 10 to II per cent Jump
on the dollar basis. The Portland.
Greg, Retail Association said sales were
somewhat in excess" of last year, with
decided squirt this week. Twenty
Sacramento, Calf, firms reported gains
ranging from 3 to 35 per cent
AT Spokane, Wash, all types of mer-
chants reported great gains" some
saying they were doing twice the busi-
ness they did in 1882 Los Angeles
sales were unreported, but the postal
business there was going ahead at a
record pace.