The Detroit times., 1914-11-27

country the other day, on his return
from Europe, when he made the now
famous assertion: 81 look for 10
years OF unequaled prosperity in the
United States
He brought back, besides that
cheerful conviction, steel orders from
Great Britain and France amounting
approximately 10 5000 100000! The
orders Will be divided among the 9th
er steel plants OF the country, for
the Bethlehem corporation cannot
possibly handle more than minor
part of that huge quantity.
This seems TO assure the needed
stimulus TO the steel industry. which
is notoriously the slowest In picking
up after period of business depres-
sion. The signs OF this new prosper
ity have been seen In Pittsburgh, cen
ter OF the trade. The Peoples Ma
tional bank or Pittsburgh, after a
careful study OF conditions, has Just
responded as follows TO the nation.
wide prosperity survey" which is
being made
In general way II may be said
that in this great Industrial district
sentiment as regards the future Is
as optimistic as In the most favored
sections OF the country.
The reason that Pittsburgh feels
optimistic for the future despite the
trade contraction OF the present Is
that our manufacturers are close stu
dents OF history. They know that
there Is limit TO retrenchment, and
they are looking forward to increased
business based upon the necessities
or their customers"
another leading business man who
Is Jubilant over the outlook and wants
everybody to know IL, is H. Fl. Mer-
rick, head OF the credit department OF
armour Il Co., the great Chicago
packers.
The new firm-We, U. 8. & Co.
has world trade at its feet" Merrick
says. 1T comes home to US that
our present is safe. our future GER
tain.
Big business from now on is a fact
and not theory. Depression in some
lines Is more than counterbalanoed
by the boom In other lines. The Oc-
toDer export balance in favor of Amer
lean trade was over 100000, 900, as
against $16,000,O00 in September.
domestic trade is increasing In
almost all lines. Easy money-which
ls assured-plus confidence, plus tre-
mendous exports on cash basis,
make prosperity in domestic trade a
certainty. For us opportunity vio-
lates tradition and thunders at our
doors, 1t cannot be denied admis-
sion"
War orders have brought optimism
to another packing house-the Cudahy
company-which Is about to open for
the frst time In several years its big
canning plant in South Omaha, Neb..
In order to fill British order for
100000 one-pound tins of canned
beef.
Another tremendous order from
Great Britain has just been brought
back by Frederick s. Fish, president
OF the Studebaker corporation, OF
South Bend, Ind. To supply more
than $15,O00.000 worth of automobiles,
wagons, sleds, harness and other
equipment Is the prize job which he
picked up abroad. Filling it will bring
employment to thousands OF men.
Kenosha, Wis, also gets a big auto
mobile order-for 500 trucks--and an
other-for $l,0O0,o00 worth of auto
mobiles for France-has just been
received In Jackson, Mich.
Thus. many sections of the nation
are sharing In the big boom. One OF
the most interesting OF the war orders
Is that now being filed In St. Paul.
Dy a concern which has agreed to
supply the French army with 1000
sheepskin coats q week--at IS apiece!
That means $4,000 a week to 60 to
the Twin Cities for this industry
alone!
At Swanton, W., belligerent DOW
er has placed within the last few
days an order for $2,5O0,000 worth of
rife cartridges. A s4,000,000 award
Tor bullets has gone to q concern In
East st. Louis. The Pratt & Whitney
Co. OF Hartford. Conn, is engaged in
filling a s1,500.000 order from China
for gunmaking tools. Big knitting
mills at Delavan, Wis, are working
full force on an order of 100000
sweaters for European army.
At Bridgeport and New Haven,
Conn, Alton. Ill, Boston and Pitts
oht piO OthNi ldSbOlAco WIN UhNo
started work within the last few days
on huge orders for cartridges, shells,
bullets and rifles. Eighteen million
dollars worth will be made In Bos-
ton alone!
The coal fields are sharing In the
revival. the United States steel cor
poration having just ordered all its
West Virginia coal mines TO resume
fulltime operations at once.
In fields not directly affected by the
European demand many signs of bet
times are seen. Federal
authorities will soon be able to lift
completely the quarantine on live
stock. The Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa
and Minnesota banks report that
farmers In that region have an extra
quality corn crop. and will receive
record prices for It, The cotton men
of the south find that, according to
last weeks figures, cotton exports are
now practically at the weekly mark
of last year.
The American Telephone q Tele-
graph Co. says traffic has again reach
ed the average of last year, showing
normal business conditions. From