Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-07-30
WONDERFUL GAINS IN 1910
Business in Omaha Shows Increase Of
Over Eighteen Million Dollars.
OLD LINES DO VERY GREAT TRADE
Just How Each Branch of Industry
Went Ahead in the Most Pros
porous Year of the City's
Hfatory.

wonderful has been the growth OF Ofnaha
wholesale and jobbing business What
Omaha does is rapid and thorough. During
the year 1910 the business Of the wholesale
and jobbing firms Of this city was increased
S1SOO0.oOo This statement is made after
thorough investigation that was conducted
by the publicity bureau of the Commercial
club It shows that Omahas business is
on an immense increase. Think OF Sl8,0O,-
900 being added to the business of the job
bers and wholesalers of this city in one
year. 1t really is marvellous, and it-shows
that the firms of this city are gradually
and truly getting business away from
other cities; II shows that Omaha is cover
ing more territory and that It is making
stronger competition for the firms Of other
cities.
According to the publicity bureau, the
figures are absolutely authentic and there
Is not bit Of guesswork about them
The heads Of the various houses submit in
confidence a statement of the business
done, and, from the many statements
handed in TO the publicity bureau, the
total amount of business done is compiled.
1t is very probable that a few houses are
not represented, for some are inclined to
keep their facts under their own guard.
Total business Large.
The total business done in the city for
1910 by these various wholesale and job
bling firms was S13S 2Q2. 900. Nearly every line
of business shows a substantial increase
over the business for 1909. Every jobber and
wholesaler in the city declares that his
business for 1911 will better that OF
1910. Business for the first six months of
this year has been better than it was for
the corresponding period Of last year.
Omaha manufactures for 1910 were
greater than those OF the previous year by
100000. The gain was greater than might
be inferred from these figures, for the
great advances were made by a number
of increases and these had to offset them
the losses in one or two other lines. The
total business done for the year totaled
more than $500 $50.
Omaha manufactures nearly everything.
The list runs from acetylene gas to zith-
ers and from artificial limbs to yeast. The
manufacturers committee of the CONNER
cial club has compiled a list of articles
manufactured, under general heads, and
there are $50 of these general titles. They
could be subdivided until the list would be
almost endless.
More than one new industry week is
what Omaha achieved last year. Fifty-six
new manufacturing and jobbing concerns
came to Omaha during 1910.
The Commercial club, which has brought
most Of these concerns TO Omaha, keeps
an accurate record of all new industries
and finds that each Of recent years show
a better result than the year Just previous.
In 1908 fifty-three new industries came;
in 1909 fifty-five companies Joined the
grand total and in 1910, ffty-six.
Wholesale Lumber Trade.
With approximately 100000 invested in
the lumber business and with an annual
distribution OF between $5OOO,OOO and $780,
900 worth of lumber, Omaha holds lead
ing place among the lumber distributing
cities Of the world 1t is generally con-
ceded that this city has the greatest lum-
Der distributing railroad yards in the coun-
try.
The local industry gives its attention ex-
clusively TO the distribution of lumber.
Into this city is shipped the finished prod
uct of the forests in Texas. Louisiana, Ar
kansas Mississippi. Wisconsin. Michigan
and the northern coast states.
Lumber may be obtained from the mills
direct, but the small dealers find 1t con-
sideraby more convenient to buy in small
quantities as their needs arise, from the
wholesalers.
Omaha is the only city on the Missouri
river that through its wholesale lumber
concerns, maintains an unlimited supply of
lumber for all demands. The smaller towns
cannot hazard the expense OF unloading
= wholesale stock OF the commodity on
their ground and reload it to suit the de-
mand that reaches them.
In this respect Omaha transcends even
St. Joseph and Kansas City, which me-
tropolses make more of a pretense at lum-
Der greatness than this city does.
Omaha, from all sources OF information
10 he
Der industry OF the country. The order OF
the cities in relation to their Importance
as lumber concerns are, st. Louis, Kansas
City, Chicago and Omaha The lumber
trade in 1910 amounted TO $s,423,OO0.
Dry Goods Embellishments.
With eight large dry goods establishments
IN the city, Omaha is a colossus of dry
goods Importance. The city virtually
stepped into its greatness in this respect
without any remarkable effort. The loca-
ton In a territory naturally tributary to
the town for hundreds OF miles and the
natural advantage over other cities located
along the Missouri river. was always
Omaha's advantage.
OF the enormous establishments dealing in
dry goods, most OF the local concerns
handle the rug, carpet and many other in
dustries, besides the strict dry goods lines
The sales managers say that their business
Is bound to keep on growing, no matter
what efforts they make. or fail to make
because Of the rapid settling up of the
western country One big local house re-
reived an order for a $4,000 bill OF goods
from a small town in Oregon. as a sample
OF its business in that section. II is de-
clared the Omaha houses not only trade
with consumers from the Mississippi river
TO the coast, but are almost exclusively
the distributors for the coast states. The
local dry goods authorities say that a vast
territory lies close at hand and that for
this reason as large a supply is kept per-
manently on hand by their concerns as is
to be had In Chicago. The coast buyers
find II much easier TO get shipments from
Omaha than from the eastern concerns.
owing to the less cost of transportation.
and get just as prompt service. owing TO the
practice OF Omaha jobbers in keeping a
ready supply OF goods on hand
The dry goods business OF last year in
Omaha reached a volume OF $4,000 in
sales.
Ice Machinery Business.
In the manufacture OF machinery for ice
making and refrigerating Omaha stands at
the head Of the cities OF the west. Indeed.
the Baker Manufacturing company which
y the only concern IN the CITY enRaQad An