Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-19
Reoiew of Weeks
rade in Richmond
Manufacturers, Jobbcrs and Re-
taiicrs Rushed Will Orders.
Many Government Orders.
Richmond has about .s7.ooo.ooo in

Richmond has about S37.00O.0OO In
vested I'm Misunderstanding enterprises
from which goods are sold TO the
amount OF something more than $780,
100000 4 year. In these plants every
thing is made from toothpicks and
baseball bats up to automobiles and To-
connective engines. All of these estab-
lishments send out travelling men who
go all over the country selling the
goods that might be marked Made in
Richmond"
This city also has S15.000,000 invested
in the jobbing trade and from these
houses there go out TOO travelling sales
men who dispOse OF something over
SS0.000,0G0 worth of all kinds of goods
each year. The majority of these
statesmen travel through the Southern
States. although quite number OF
them work Northern and Middle West
tcrritorics. Thus 1t may be seen that
little. old. solid old Richmond is pretty
well known commercially. as we'll as
otherwise. all over the country. GER
tainiy in every Gouthern hamlet.
Richmond's retail business, which Ia
something immense. is not altogether
city trade. With six steam railway
lines. three electric lines and three
teamboat lines to bring shoppers here
from every direction the retailers draw
trade from all parts Of Virginia and
from several sections of North Caro-
lima.
Every factory in Richmond is just a
little buster right now than ii has been
at any time in the last three years or
more, and, barring the trouble in get
ting the labor needed. every one OF
them is working with smoothness
that is cheering to a degree. Some Of
The manufacturing establishments. a
good many Of them. have government
contracts all of which are marked
hurry" These contracts, of course,
call for goods required b: the emer-
gcncies Of war and the managers OF
such plants are combining patriotism
with business and filling the govern
nents orders in frst-clas3 shape. and
with just as little delay as possible.
Some OF the factories have no govern
nent contracts because they are en-
contracting for: Others are SO crowd
ed with work for their regular trade
they have not been able to bid for any
OF the government work.
Besides the labor scarcity, freight
congestion is proving something of a
drawback TO Richmond business All
Iines suffer from this trouble. This
city is on the railway lines that are
just now doing immense business for
the government. the trunk lines that
center here being the main roads over
which supplies for nearly all OF the
environments in the South are carried.
1t ia denominated in the bond that
Uncle Sans freight must have the
right Of way. and so Eichmonds geo
graphical position. which in any but
war times gives IT great advantage
over competing trade centers, is now
causing IL 4 little more trouble than
falls 10 the lot Of some other towns
not SO well situated SIS to transporta-
ton facilities
The manufacturers. the wholesale
merchants. the retailers and. in fact,
all classes OF business suffer from this
freight congestion. The manufacturers
have to accept all contracts subject TO
delay in the shipment OF the raw ma
terials to the factories as well as the
shipment out Of the finished product
TO the buyer The wholesalers en-
pericnce the same troubles going and
coming" while the retailers lose good
many hurry orders because OF the slow
ness OF the railways in getting their
goods TO Richmond in the time that
used to be known as the usual
Notwithstanding all of the draw
backs. Richmond is a busy Old town.
and everybody is at work. 30 able
bodied man. boy, woman or girl VINO
wants job need be without i, Two
hours.