Evening journal., 1916-02-11
CO. s HAVE
PROSPEROUS YEAR
Hercules Made 63 Per Cent.
and Atlas 35 Per Cent.
Past Twelve Months
BOTH NOW OPERATING
AT FULL CAPACITY

The annual reports of the Hercules
Powder Company and The Atlas Pow
der Company Tor the calendar year
of 1915 were issued today. The DUPONT
company has not issued a statment
for 1915. The Hercules COnpany's re-
port shows an amount available for
dividends equal to an annual rate of
63.1S per cent on the common stock,
at the end Of 1915. while the Atlas
Company's earnings during the year
were at the rate of $3.50 per cent on
the common stock.
Russell II. Durham. president of the
Hercules Company. in his report. says
in part
"The company entered the year 1918
with manufacturing facilities eXcep-
tionally well suited to economical pro-
duction and distribution. but with the
/ demand for blasting explosives greatly
curtailed because Of the depression in
/ industries requiring explosives of this
! type, the year has brought a wonderful
recovery in some of these industries
with consequent increase IN the de-
mand for blasting explosives.
Every effort has been made TO ex-
tend your cOmpany's facilities to keep
pace with the present extraordinary
demand for military explosives. and
substantial orders have been secured.
which. if satisfactorily hllcC. should
result in earnings i'm 1916, at a rate
more than double that of the last
quarter of 1915. as the full productive
capacity of the plant extensions Is
just becoming available.
"n addition to the several plans
inaugurated by your company al the
time of its organization for establish
ing close relations with its employees
providing for the recognition of un'
usual merit and loyalty. for pension.
ing employees who have been long ir
the service and can no longer per
form the duties required Of them II
an efficient manner and the plan o.
selling stock TO employees on sub
scription TO be paid in instalments.
bonus Of 20 per cent, was. during
the year. established and made ap
plicable to the salaries and wages o
every omplOye who had been in thu
service OF the company for ftteeI
DAYS. II is intended that this bonus
shall continue while increased earn
ings from special business continue.
"In November the company pur
chased the entire capital stock OF tn
Union Powder Corporation Of Vir
ginia. and It is believed that thi
property will contribute materially Z
the company's profits during the com
5 ing year.
S AT this time your company has
+ total of l,643 stockholders, of whoI
= 800 or 10 per cent. are employees"
/. The financial statement sets forth
e Gross receipts. S15,715.S60.1S; m
+ earnings from all sources after q
ducting all expenses incident
e manufacture and sale. ordinary an
r extraordinary repairs. maintenance
y plants. accidents. depreciations. etc
J. S4.922. .4O1 So: paid or set aside ft
4 bond interest. s36,300: paid or 81
G aside for preferred dividend, S36S
d 3O7.61: available for improvements
II for dividends on common stool
= SASH. 1895; amount available fc
dividends equivalent to annual RAT
$ on common stock Of 63.1S per cent
e dividends paid during period on con
i mon stock, 16 per cent
William J. Webster. president OF th
Atlas Company, in his annual repoi
. says in part.
while the increase in gross bus
= ness is over so per cent, a consider
=, able proportion Of same is due
= sales in the latter part Of the year,
: various chemical products, which q
:, not ordinarily form large factor
/, our business, but allowing for sue
.
:. terial increase in our regular con
mercial lines Of explosives. and s
- far as conditions can be forecaste
|, this increase gives every promise
= continuing During the last six montl
Of the year it has been necessary
:. operate all high explosive plants
: capacity. and We have been confron
ed with the necessity OF starting az