South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-05-18
Prosperity Signs


perity are seen in statements made
Monday by officers of several of st.
Louis big stove companies that bust
ness IS on the increase, and that they
find a general feeling of confidence
among the men with whom they deal.
st. Louis is one of the largest stove
manufacturing communities in the
country, and the manufacture of
Stoves likewise is one of the largest
of St. Louis industries.
The return of prosperity is felt de-
spite the fact that the first half of
the year is an of season in the sale of
stoves, and all Of the manufacturers
who gave opinions believe that the
later months will show a much more
decided brace i'm business.
Rural Collections Easier.
Stove manufacturers deal largely
with rural and small town merchants.
who deal directly with farmers, and
for this reason, in the opinion of the
head of one st. Louis eCmpanl, stove
manufacturers are in intimate touch
with the people themselves, and feel
Immediately the effects of prosperity
or lack of prosperity. The fact that
collections are showing a decided inn
prOVement is considered by business
men as one of the ultimate tests of a
return 10 normal times, and stove
manufacturers say they find this fea-
ture of their business improving.
sales for the first four months of
1915 by the Buck Stove and Range
Co, at $500 y. Second St, show an
increase of y per cent over the sales
for the same period i'm 1914. accord
ing TO Lee w. Van CleaVe, president
and general manager of the company,
and are larger than sales for any sim
liar period in the past few years.
Confidence i'm Prosperity.
Il, 10,
people with whom we do business is
constantly growing better, and that
there is general confidence in return
ing good times" Mr.. Van CleaVe told
a reporter for the St. Louis Times.
"Our collections are coming in much
better than they recently have been,
and that / consider a sure sign of
returning prosperity"
Mr.. Van CleaVe is serving his first
year as president of the Buck COM
pany, a position his father, the late
]. w Van Cleave held for a number
of years. He was elected at the an
nual meeting in January, to succeed
Frederic W. Gardner, who has been
president of the company since the
death of the elder Van CleaVe. l. w.
Van Cleave formerly was second
vice president and general manager.
Mr.. Gardner resigned because of
advanced age ana i'll health. lie still
retains his holdings of a majority or
the stock in the company and re-
mains chairman of the board. lie now
is living in Chicago, his former home
Jones r Templeton. secretary, was
elected TO fill the office of seVond vice
president TO succeed Mr.. Van CleaVe.
other officers were reelected.
L. II. Booch, vic president and gen
eral manager of the Bridge x Beach
Manufacturing Co. First and Nalen-
tine SITS, also reports a promising
outlook for his company's business.
He finds a general Improvement In
cheerfulness and confidence among
business men with whom his COM
pany deals, he said, and also inds
decided Improvement in the prompt
mes of collections.
Is. b. Culver, president of the
Wrought Iron Range Co, at 1861 Nat
ural Bridge road said that while bust
ness is not quite so good as II was
this time last year he is expecting an
Improvement soon. He said there is
a general feeling of increasing con-
tidence among merchants with whom
his company deals. The Wrought Iron
company now is working five days a
week. almost is normal working time,
i'm most partments-Tlmes, 81.
Louis. Mo, May ., 1915.
Kansas City is planning a pros
perity parade" 1t is in celebration
of the return of prosperous cOndi-
tons to the city. Two hundred
thousand are expected TO participate
according to the advance notices
Business conditions. depressed for
several months. are getting better.
To say that prosperity rampant has
returned is stretching the truth
somewhat. but confidence is being re-
stored The people are buying again
i ssrrr no.
parade viii have good effect. IL
Will hasten the complete restoration
OF confidence
4 mere parade cannot, of course,
bring prosperity. Prosperous condl-
tons are not built upon sucn flmsy
foundation. but IL can have psycho-
logical effect that Will be beneficial.
Kansas has nothing TO fear from
the nrespnt war The wheat crOD
will he immense and the price high.
4 repetition of 1914 is promised
with the farmer getting the prohts
rather than the middle man. Work
is being resumed I'm the Industrial
cities of the east The enormous de-
mands made upon this country by the
non producing countries of Europe Is
bolstering up business pending great
er demand from home.
Things are becoming more satlstac-
tory daily and prosperity parades
are not amiss at this time.-Cham-
piou. Atchison kan. May :. 1918
The financial and trade papers still
give Omaha a leading place in the re-
newed prosperity of the nation. Brad
streets SAYS of Omaha that. Dry
goods iobbers continue TO report that
sales equal those of last year. Whole
sale sales i'm hats and shoes are good.
and hardware has opened we'll. In
groceries and drugs business is fair.
Retail trade shows up we'll, and deal
ers are optimistic as 10 the future.
crop conditions are favorable"
While many places report on build
ing. nothing Is said in Bradstreets on
that subject concerning Omaha, while