The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1915-03-26
ming. Tho French war authorities
figure the average life Of an auto
track Is only seven days.

truck Is only seven days.
Thousands Of Buyers.
There are thousands Of buying
agents for the foreign governments
all over the country, but the two
largest blocks Of contracts are com
ing through Charles Sohwab OF the
Bethlehem Steel company and J. Pier
pont Morgan, head OF the great bank
ing Arm.
Schwab has made two visits to Eu-
rope since the war began and has OBJ
tanned contracts amounting TO more
than $4,000. 1000. His Bethlehem
works are making even l2.inoh guns
for the allies, but In addition to what
Is turned out here he has sublet or
ders in a dozen different cities Nor
gan is now the general purchasing
agent OF the Brltish government and
all orders go through his firm.
Every section OF the country where
manufacturing Ia a large feature Of
business is %beneiting from war or
ders, although these orders in many
cases are not large enough TO Offset
the depression in domestic trade.
Many orders are from governments
which neve before bought in the
American market and American bust
ness men believe they can hold this
trade after the war is over. They
argue that much OF the work nov
being done here for Great Britain, to
take an instance. has previously been
done in Germany. and that the bitter
feeling after tho war will preclude
It's being done there again.
A Philadelphia factory is making
swords for the British army. Such
a contract had never before been re-
ceived in this country. In the past
British swords have been made In
Germany.
In the Pittsburgh district. which
includes Bethlehem. many Germans
who formerly worked for the Krupps
are employed. They are now making
war material for the allies, although,
Of course. they do not know this
definitely. The men In the factory
are not informed for whom a particu.
lar six.inch shrapnel shell is being
made.
Some odd items are reported. The
French government has paid New
England manufacturers 100000 for
snowshoes. One concern in Phiia
delphia is turning out "a folding saw
with wooden handles for cutting wire
entanglements. When the war started
the armies used steel pliers for thii
work. with the result that many mel
were shocked to death by high volt
age electricity.
Factories turned TO New Uses.
All sorts Of factories have beer
pressed into commission to max
things useful in war. A company II
. Bridgeport, Conn, which USUALLY
makes cemetery monuments o
: bronze. is now turning out forging
J for an auto truck concern which hal
a large order from the allied coun
tries. Bridgeport. by the way, is en-
ioying huge prosperity because mos
OF Its industrial concerns are working
ON war orders.
T. All through Massachusetts an
{ Connecticut war orders are helping /
I overcome the depression OF the frs
I few months OF the war. The For
River Shipbuilding company Is YER
busy. Il Is generally reported II
making ten submarines for the Bri
ish navy, these TO be delivered at tn
end OF the war. In addition. Il
r making about 25 other submarines.
e Demand for many particular a
/ tieles has been so great that the a
4 lied governments have signed col
tracts at prices most attractive "a
the manufacturers. In addition, II
I pretty well established that mlddl.
q men. brokers and agents are gathe
ing in millions in commissions. som
n OF which are exhorbitant.
A Il Is said by a Chicago merchan
for instance. that there Is a well.o
= ganized band Of extortionists, wit
= agents IN all the big cities on bot
o sides OF the Atlantic and %headquartel
In New York, which is ~exacting a to
n of from rs to 90 per cent on practice
4. ly every shipment OF war supple
" that leaves the country
In general the agents Of each go
eminent maintain that their natiu
:. is buying right while stating a belt
n that other nations are being fleece
A well-known Russian exporter
% New York city says the Russian go
eminent is suffering the most heavi
Of all lie has sent over a report 4
a wide publication In Russia In whiS
10 he says that already $4,000, 900 hi
d. been lost through the exploitation
American commissioners aud broker
IT "
n. Fatally ,niursa Nv Too, 4, po,s.,