The Detroit times., 1914-12-19
DETROIT GIVEN
HIGH PRAISE BY.
BRADSTREET'S
G. +. w. Reid, Writing in Finan-
cial Journal, Says City Con-
tinues To Prosper
LITTLE HURT BY PRESENT
NATIONWIDE DEPRESSION
Automobile Industry Has Met
Test and Still Survives and
FlOurishes

High praise for industrial and bus
mess conditions in Detroit is contain
ed In an article by G. +. w. Reid,
Bradstreets manager in Detroit, in
today's issue OF Bradstreets journal,
New York. Mr.. Reid states that this
city shows very little ill-effect from
the countrywide dislocation of trade,
credit and industry, and declares that,
Detroit and its favorite industry
have had their test and both survive
and flourish. A comparative statement
showing the progress OF the city dur
ing the last IL months Is appended.
The article, In full, follows:
"A few years ago pessimists pointed
at Detroit and predicted all kinds OF
disaster for that city, because, as they
seemed to think, 1t depended upon the
automobile industry for its well-belng,
and the industry In turn was OF too
recent growth to display the stabil-
| ity needed In time of stress and
strain. Well, Detroit and its favorite
industry have had their test, and both
still survive and flourish
Business, 1t is true, has been hurt
and progress has been retarded the
country over, but Detroit shows very
little effect of the countrywide dislo-
cation of finance, of credit and OF In
dustry. The automobile factories are
still In operation, no banks have
failed, and building construction Is
active, though not so much so as
year ago. Automobile manufacturers,
while preparing for the spring cam
paign. are also operating from go to
so per cent OF factory capacity, and
the motor car industry has proven,
during the financial arrangement now
passing away, to be solid business
that can stand squeeZes and knocks
and still be solid producer.
Detroit, however, has not built Its
financial and business stability solely
on one two or even three Industries.
IL is a city of varied industries. and
with the backing OF these activities,
II is prosperous today. II Is true that
thousands of idle men walk the
streets, but comparatively few of these
are bona fide Detroit workers. Some
are from the east, some from the
west, and others from the north and
the south, and still others come from
Canada and from countries ever the
seas. The news OF Detroitis success
In automobiles, railway cars, adding
machines. drugs, perfumes and other
lines, has travelled Ito every part OF
the world, and these men have come
in seeking employment. The situa-
ton is recognized by municipal au-
thorities. and suggestion has been
made to employers of labor to give
rra 20 10 &c -
Detroit in engaging help. III this
heavy influx Of outside labor had not
occurred, 1t is declared by experts
who have investigated conditions that
comparatively few workmen would
have been idle here at this time.
Since 1900 the city has increased
in population from 2s5,704 TO about
100000. In the same period the in
dustrial employees have increased from
46,372 to 156,687. From 1899 to 1913
manufactured products increased in
value from $SS,649,653 to $4,000, 900.
Between 1909 and 1914 Give years.
automobile employees increased from
17,437 to 67.432. The number OF cars
built increased from $4,000 to more
than 100000. with an increase in value
from $69,536,000 to about $500, 900 900.
The city has 80 different classes OF
manufacturing concerns that report
an annual production of more than
81 100000 each. or these, 10 have a
production Of more than $10.O00,000
each. Forty different industrial es-
Establishments employ more than 1000
persons each and OF these eight give
work to more than 5000 each, and two
to more than $4,000 each. For so
years the city has been one OF the
leaders In the manufacture OF freight
cars. II also has the largest factory
in the country for the production OF
pharmaceutical supplies. The two
shipyards located here launch a larger
tonnage each year than any other city
on the Great Lakes
These are only few OF the many
things that Detroit does. There are
lots OF others covering every mag.
Unable field OF endeavor. The follow
ing comparative statement shows how
the city has progressed during the
last IL months ending Nov. 80, 1914: !,