Evening journal., 1897-08-02
NOT SO VERY DULL.
Business in Wilmington Bet
ter Than a Year Ago.
SHOPS AND MILLS ARE ALL BUSY

NEARLY ONE HUNDRED MER-
CHANTS REPORT A GRADUAL IN
CREASE IN TRADE-PREsIDENT
LAWTON, OF THE BOARD OF
TRADE, AND HIS OBSERVATIONS.
Business is picking up in Whining
ton. This is the consensus of opinion of
the merchants and manufacturers Of
Of cur city. Few merchants attribute
the increase to the Dingley bin, while
many attribute it to gradual restora-
ticn Of confidence. An Evening Journal
reporter called on more than a hundred
business men of the city last week and
talked with them on the condition of
trade With the exception OF six. all
said that their books showed a steady
increase in the volume of business since
March 1st, and besides frankly admit.
ted that accounts have been easier to /
collect since that time. The six excep- |
tions did not, however, report de-
| crease in trade.
The same reporter made a canvass of
all the shops around the city. At the |
Harlan and Hollingsworh Company's |
shops he learned that nearly 1900 men |
| W0It dL WI IA NhtANs dAAA AAAtll AlAN gthh
was full of orders that will keep / 200
to I 500 men busy for several months to
say nothing of what orders will come
in during that period. The number OF
men paid off at Harlan's last night was
twice that paid off this time last year
At the Pusey and Jones shops a SINH
lar condition exists. The shops are be-
ing operated almost To their fullest ca
pacity, and nearly twice as many men
are at work as during this time in 1896
At the Jackson and Sharp works
there was a hustle and hustle which
betokened a revival of the old-time
hum Of business that was characters
tic Of that cOmpany's shops before the
depression set in. The number of men
employed in the shops is much greater
now than last year. and the work ahead
bids fair to compel another increase in
the force.
The Diamond State Iron Works paid
p off a larger number of men last night
than This time last year. It's shops
have been exceptionally busy for sew
eral weeks, and the men report that
there are indications around the shops
! of a big revival in the cOmpany's busi-
ness.
AT the Pullman shops the reporter
learned that things are getting brisker
every day, and that it will no be long
before old times set in.
u A visit to the largest morocco manu-
/, factores i'm the city gave the reporter
the additional information that a big
l improvement in the morocco trade is
noticeable, and that by Fall all the Will
mington factories will be running full
tilt.
From the morocco manufactures the
. "a . H.,
freight agents of the three railroads,
and there learned that the freight bust
= ness into Wilmington has steadily in
D creased since April. and is getting
brisker every day. A similar condition
prevails with the express companies.
d In view Of the above facts
+ communication was addressed
= 10 President William Lawton, of
2 the Board of Trade asking for
his views on the business situation in
Il Wilmington. His reply was prompt and
u emphatic. Here ii is:
+ In answer to your inquiry as to my
o views on the condition of business in
= Wilmington l have this to say: That in
my opinion business in general is much
e more brisk in our city than it was this
n time last year. July and August are al
n ways dull months with our business
IS houses. They have never been ether
wise.
?. There are twice as many men en-
e. ployed in lahe various shops about the
. city as this time last year. and OuI
5 manufacturing concerns have twice as
% much work on hand now as then.
% / have carefully watched the trend oi
% business since the first of March, and
% have noticed a gradual and steady in
% crease in our city. / am sure that the
% merchants of our city are doing very
70 little less business than in any July anC
% August before dull times set in.
~ MY observations convince me tina
% confidence is being restored in granC
" shape and that there will be little com
20 planning when Fall trade begns.
-e When the depression set in four years
ago Wilmington was the last place OF
y. the Atlantic coast to feel 1T, becausi
~ nearly all our houses and manufactm
~ ers had lots of orders in, and they wer
~ kept busy while tradesmen in othe
10 places were idle. It does not neces
sarily follow, however, that Whining
ton must be the last place in this sec
tion of the country to shake off The de
Is preston, but I think that il would onl.
Is be reasonable to assume that it will
Is Business in qhe larger cities in the Eas
L. has moved forward. and ! think the ef
feet of this movement will be clearl
e. perceptible in Wilmington by Fall.
WILLIAM LAWTON,
President Board of Trade.
Said a leading merchant: Business
lis good in Wilmington for July and Au
or gust, but our merchants are so timi
e. that when they get busy they don't lil1
nd to say so. l think you will find b
IL Fall that there will be little OF thi
complaining about dull business. Their
he will be such a decided turn by the
TO that the merchants who like to com
lr, plain now will be ashamed when peOpl
m, look on end see them rushed with OF
al ders."
he