The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 12, 1904
Christmas Shopping Already Started
Saturday Was a Good Day With the Merchants in Fort Dodge.
Stores Crowded All Day
Purchases This Year Will Be More Along Sensable (sic) Lines Than Usual. Along Sensible Lines Will Visit Clothing, Dry Goods and Shoe Store
The Christmas shoppers are already at their work of selecting the “things” for the Christmas gifts. On Saturday there were large crowds of farmers in this city, and all of the stores were fairly well crowded the greater part of the day. In the evening the town people came in and filled the aisles left vacant by the rural trade, so that Saturday was probably one of the busiest days that has been seen in city for some months, and in consequence the faces of the merchants have brightened to a considerable extent.
There is now a prospect that the holiday trade will be very fair. While it will not be record breaking, there is enough of prosperity in the city and surrounding country to bring it up to the usual standard. Money seems to be much more free than it was expected a few weeks ago.
The farmers, in particular, are opening up wonderfully. many of the things that were really needed in the way of wearing apparel are being bought. The long deferred purchases that were put off from time to time on account of the bad crops, are being made at the present time, and many a fine top coat or cloak has replaced the time worn garment that has seen service much longer than it would have under ordinary conditions.
“Yes,” said one merchant, “I really believe there will be a first rate Christmas trade this year, but in my mind the purchases will be more along the sensible lines. The times have been too close for the past three years to encourage the people in spending their hard earned money for the fancy things and hew-gaws that are usually purchased for the Christmas gift.
“This year, I believe, there will be a good trade on the articles of dress and other useful things that are always acceptable to the sensibly inclined. Of course, there will be much of the usually light elegant but entirely useless stuff sold and the run on toys I think will be very good. Of course, the toys are the only thing for children, and they will always have them. What I mean is to convey the idea that there will be more of the really serviceable things sold this season than is usually the case. Christmas shoppers will not this year ignore the drygoods, clothing and shoe stores of the city.
