Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-31

| 3sS7.:el.ss&. as juat stated. for 1915.
showing = tremendous gain. Mean.
time, peace talk continued at frequent
intervals. but tho war orders In this
country had reached vast proportions.
and were of such size as to guarantee
the operation OF the munitton plants
for months TO come. oven though peace
was declared at any near date. For
this reason the peace rumors caused
little or no worry In tho United States.
and business doomed as IL has never
before In the history Of America. Rich
mond, with halt a doxen plants manu-
featuring munitions. felt every tremor
in tho business world from war orders,
country was unusually sound, and
caused little or no concern.
| THIS YEARS FIGURES
BREAK ALL PREVIOUS RECORDS
Opening auspiciously. with the near
approach OF this couRtry's entry into
the world conflict, tho year 1917 start
ed OF with heavy cleartnSs In Rich
slol,ooo.ooo in January. was slightly
less than December. The clearinga in
January aggregated 3l01,75a.653. as
compared with s67,9S1,0 GOT for the cor
responding month OF last year. show
ing a tremendous increase. Since tina
time the clearings have continued to
show increase.
February clearinss totaled SS7. 00o.-
600. AS against $4,000. 900 in 1916 and
$4,000. 900 in 1915. In March of this
year the clearings increased to more
Il a s9S.o00. 900. as against s6S. Ooo, 900
a year ago and i4o.O 900. 900 two years
ago. The record. however, was estab-
lished in April. with the transactions
OF the local banking institutions ag-
gregatins $loS.93s.3S1. as against $65,-
5oS,Is3 in 1916. and St0,3s4.979 In 1915.
With the United States now at war
with Germany and It's being
conserved In every possible way for
the tremendous strain that will be
placed on this country there has been
no appreciate let-up in the clcarinEs.
For that matter. though, no such de-
velopment is anticipated. with tho
government. bankers and business men
making every effort to conserve its
financial both during the war
and at Its conclusion. 1t is then that
this country will probably go hroueh
its greatest strain in financing the r.
construction work in Europe since II
mas become the fina center OF he
world, and Richmond will he expected
10 do its proportionate part Of the
work. -"
WHAT THREE MONTHS.
COMPARISON SHOWS
Figures have just been compiled nv
the clearing house section OF the Amer.
lean Bankers Association, howin
mat during three months OF April. Nav
and June total transactions Of Rich.
mond banks exceeded those of manv
largo cities.
II will be noted that the bank trans
actions IN Richmond for the three
months exceeded the enormous rrures
OF Sl.I5o.o00 600. They were more than
FOUR times as large as Atlanta, twice
those OF New Orleans. and two ana
one-half times those Of Louisville:
*o5,o0o,ooo more than Cincinnati. Sla4,.
100000 greater than Detroit, $500 300.
600 more than Omaha. and ss4. 900. 900
larger than Minneapolis.
With the approach of tho summer
months. however. there has been no
appreciates let-up In the clearings Of
Richmond. as man had feared. The
weekly report OF the Richmond Clear
ing House Association for a number Of
weeks past has shown \ correspond
Ing increase over the same periods of
last year. Week after week the clear
ings have lowered around $26.0 900, 900,
showing an increase OF from 10000
coo TO $1,000 900 over last year,
which also increased correspondingiy
over 1915.
Bank clearinss for April. May and
June. in a number of leading cities
make the following showing:
Va. .........$l.756 o3I 900
Atlanta, Ga, ............ 429.o9G,0oo
Cedar Rapids. Iowa.. 1885, 900
Cincinnati. Ohio ......... 1.To1. 465, 900
Des Moines. Iowa ....... ao5.4l0,000
Detroit, Mich. .......,... 1922. $4,000
Fort Wayne. Ind.-...... 1l7,2e&.o0o