The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-01-01
General Conditions.

the industrial development and volume
of business done in 1901 are the great
est in our history.
THE amount of money paid out in
Scranton is the largest in many years
and while the volume of business done
| has been considerably in excess of many
previous years, 1t has fallen much be-
low what the commercial conditions of
the country should warrant.
industrial development and progress
in Scranton have Jagged. Continuous
strikes have made capital timid. labor
| restless and values feverish and un-
settled. Our capitalists, instead of in
vesting money at home, have sought
other fields for investment Real es-
tate has deprecated in value, and
manufacturers seeking new locations tu
establish plants, have been frightened
| away from our city.
Il believe that Il change is near at
hand, when the professional agitator-
whose job is gone when industrial peace
and harmony prevail-wil be compelled
to retire to the background, where he
belongs
I'VE have no idlers in the Scranton
beehive of industry. and when we re-
work in harmony with the common
purpose of making the most of our
present opportunity. Scranton will again
resume it's rightful position as the most
law-abding, aggressive and progress
i've community in the east If not in the
whole country.
Il have every confidence in our peo-
pie and resources, and believe we are
tl,e
perity.'
SAMUEL SANlTER-'"rhe year 1901
was the best in the clothing bust
ness in Scranton of any of the thirty
one years of our experience in this
line of trade, and from my observa-
ton j would confidently say that all
the leading houses in this line can
make Il similar report. There never
has been such IA volume of trade, and
what is more indicative of prosperity
the demand from all classes has been
for better grade of goods than each
heretofore had been buying.
1t has been u year of remarka BILE
prosperity throughout the whole coln-
try and Scranton. despite many draw
backs, has had a very liberal share of
this prosperity.
The year just opening promises to
be q record breaker in the clothing
business. In all lines of wearables, the
winter trade opened up Il month earlier
than usual. This paved the way for a
thorough cleaning up of stock. the
prompt payment of bills and a better
inventory of bills than would have re-
suited with later opening up of will
ter trade.
The strikes, to my mind, had more
of a fanced than real i'll effect OH busi-
ness conditions. The strike of the
street car men. for instance. was more
a matter of Inconvenience to the GUS
TONER than a detriment to trade. The
customers came, although the coming
cost an extra effort. Scranton dealers
in some lines of trade, of course. lost
custom to the smaller suburban deal
ers, but this loss was far from general
and surely will not have a generally
bad effect because the most it meant
one avenue to another. Money was
plentiful and it circulated.
"Scranton's future is all right. With
the new street railway system in oper-
alton, the water rate question settled
proper inducements held out to indus
tries that knock at our gates, there will
be q prosperity here such as Scranton
never before knew. I am not worrying
about a possible continuance of the la
Dor troubles that have marked the past
year. The tendency is away from these
conflicts. The time is at hand when
labor and capital in this locality will
come together through a neutral fair
minded medium for the settlement of
any dispute they can not settle be-
tween themselves. The spirit permeat-
ing the National Civic Federation is
here and it will soon be dominant here
No one has cause to lack confidence in
the future of the Electric City
c. s. WOOLWORTH-It was the
best holiday season in my experience
Some who through lack of confidence,
did not put in their usual stock, may
not be able to report this, but it was
their own fault There was plenty of
trade for those who got out after it in
the right way.
JOHN. SIMPSON, of Cleland g.
Simpson--The fall season of 1901 was
the best we ever had. The year as a
whole showed a phenomenal increase
in business. Labor is employed full
time, money is plentiful and the valley
is in good shape. We have spending
public and the public now has money.
Our holiday season was fifty per cent
better than last year.
NJ. II. GRIFFIN, Clothier-This is the
best year l have experienced There
has been vastly more business than
last year and can say there never was
such demand for high class goods.
/ feel very confident of a very prosper
Gus new year in all lines of trade.
JONAS LONGS SONS-It was an
exceptionally good year. We did an
immense business in every department.
and our holiday trade was at times so
large we could not handle it.
C. w. SCHANK, of Schank & Spen-
cer-The year just closed was as good
a year, IL not the best, we have ever
had in the shoe business. But for Il
falling off in the holiday business II
would have far exceeded all previous
years,
JOSEPH LEVY, OF Rice & Leyy-An
the wholesalers made money The semi
monthly pays resulted in more salts
factory collections and better regulated
credits. There was big buying and
prompt paying and good prices pre-
vailed in all the markets. Ii was re-
markably successful year with the
wholesalers.