The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-07-23
MIDDLE WEST IS RALLYING UNDER PROSPERITY WAVE. MONEY IS EASY AND ALL LINES OF BUSINESS BEGIN TO
 EXPAND. FsAmRoADs READY
 FOR BUMPER CROPS ORDERS FOR CARS AND ENGINES GIVE EMPLOYMENT TO
 MANY MEN.

Chicago. July 23-Business, big and little, in the Middle West has begun to expand under an advancing tide of prosperity Money is circulating more period of ''watchful waiting are be- ing filled, and large transactions, W hich have been permitted for months to hang fire, are being closed.
 The immediate reflection Of bumper crops is shown by the railroads. Car throughout tlle country are increasing their operating forces and the work ing time of their plants
 Three thousand cars of wheat have arrived in Chicago so~ far this week, the largest receipts in a, decade.
 Another thing that is causing jTbi- 1ation in railroad circles is the belief that with the settlement of the 3 per cent advance freight rate case thls week < confidence will be restored to such a. degree t1at& transportation conditions will return to normal.
 The Inland Steel company, the H. lil1ois Steel company, the Pullman company, and other great industrial corporations of Illinois have received recently a marked increase in orders.
 Three hundred men were put to work in the freight depar artment Of the Standard Steel Car company's plant at Hammond, Ind, last week, raising
  ], 900. Prospects are said to be good for the placing Sof another large shift in the passenger car department with in two weeks. The company is build ing a large addition to it's present plant to handle the expected business increase.
 Last month d total of 16, 055 orders for new freight cars was placed by. the roads with the various car facto- Ties of the country, as. compared with 6,154 dn May. The New York Central purchased 5000 freight cans in June. while the Illinois Central placed or. ders for 5000 all steel box cars
 The Union Pacific is figuring on a purchase of about 5000 freight cars. The Illinois Central expects to re- build with steel under frames a. total of 10000 cars this year. The Chicago same program. The Rock Island ex- poets to have 5000 cars rebuilt.
 The Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul has increased the working time of 2,0o0 men employed in the reads shops at Milwaukee,, from eight to eight and one-aaalf hours
 According to R. V. Taylor pres1- dent of the Mobile and Ohio, $5,Oe0, 900 has been set aside for the construc- ton of a new bridge across the Ohio river at Cairo, III. He also announced that the Mobile and Ohio would spend $ls1Zz,OOO TOT new equipment.
 Here's what officials of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy say about con ditions:
 The wheat and oat crops are very large. This means an extra. amount of money through the Middle West Prospects never have been better in the country west of the ATdssissippi''
 From the general office of the Santa Fe came this statement:
 s@The bumper wheat crop dn our ter ritory has put things on a much bet ter basis than a. year ago. We have been putting on additional men in maint tenance work and in the shops"
 This from Erie:
 We've ordered five new passenger locomotives in the last month, and we're putting on many men, just how many 1t is hard to say, for there is still room flor more.''
 George B. Haynes, general passen- ger agent Of the St.s Paul. said:
 Our company has ordered a num- Der, of the. biggest type Of locomotive built by the American Locomotive company for freight service, in order to be ready to handle the heavy grain business from the West this fall.''