Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1918-08-31

| breWeries making an average pront or
~ 10 so per cent in 1916. and an ex-
! cess profit of 10 per cent in 1917.
The distillers Of Whistles and spir-
# mad profits IN 1916 that ranged
from 8 TO S23 per cent, while their ex-
cess profits last year were from u to
400 per cent.
Coal Men Pile Up Wealth.
The Pennsylvania and West Vir-
! gina soft coal mining companies made
enormous excess profits in 1917, ac-
cording TO the report. The large com
panes all made profits in 1916 ranging
from % to $50 per cent.
In 1917 all of the large bituminous
! operators, the report shows, made I'M
usual profits. One mine made 1926
per cent on its capital in 1916 and 4,337
per cent In 1917 Another made 1872
per cent In 1916 and 5.983 per cent in
1917.
Profits of the midcontinent bitumi-
nous operators were smaller, averag
ing 80 per cent.
The big oil producing companies 0f
Illinois, Indiana, New York, Pennsyl-
vania, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, and
West Virginia made from 2S to 300
per cent in 1916 and enormous excess
profits in 1917. The Texas. Oklahoma
and Kansas oil companies showed
similar profits for both years.
All of the garment manufacturers
made gigantic profits In 1916, those for
the larger companies ranging from %
to Is per cent that year They showed
excess profits In 1917 of from 3 to 90
per cent
Small dealers in -four and grain,
with capital stock Of from $1,000 to
$4,000, made excess profits that ranged
as high as $40 per cent.
The report also shows that the small
dealers in furniture and other house
hold goods made enormous profits last
year, with excess profits as high as $50
per cent.
Retail dealers In tobacco made enor-
nous profits Off the smokers Of the
country, the highest being 3,176 per
cent, and the average approximately
50 per cent in 1916. These profits
were doubled during 1917.
Auto Builders Wax Fat.
Most of the automobile companies
hit high marks in earnings In 1916. but
they went still higher in 1917. The
largest listed, however, did not Show
any extraordinary increase in profits
over those of 1916. One company with
S3I 10000 capital in 1916 earned ST.
100000, then boosted its capital stock
to $96,000.000 and then earned $23,-
100000. Sl9,000,0O0 concern which
earned $460S, 900 in 1916 made S5,258,-
900 in 1917 A $lG,0JO,0O0 company
made S4,713,O00 in 1917, against ST..
10000 in 1916.
A tin plate mill with $49,000,000 cap
ital made SOD, 900. 600 net profit in 1917,
against $l9OO0,0OO in 1916, or an in
crease of - per cent on its capital
stock
transportation, public utilities, and
light and power companies, with very
few exceptions, Jared exceedingly well
during 1916 and 1917. Their profits
in 1916 generally ranged from 6 to so
per cent on their capital stock, while
they nearly all made excess profits in
1917 of from to 30 per cent. Profits
Of the large public utilities companies
in 1916 and 1917 ranged from II to -
per cent.
Steam and electric railroads in 1915
made from II to "07 per cent profits,
while in 1917 they made profits in
excess of 1916 that ranged between Is
and 20 per cent, according to the re-
port
Marine, fire. and life insurance con
Germs enjoyed unusually large in
creascs in profits. one company
earned 1913 per cent more on its cap
tal stock In 1917 than in 1916 An
other capitalized at 100000 increased
its income from SS24O00 in 1916 to
$3,77S,00O in 1917.
How Dry Goods Men Fsred.
a list of 2092 clothing and dry
goods merchants, including department
stores, showed profits for 1917 in ex-
cess of those over 1916. as high as
1913 per cent on the capital stock.
The concerns making the enormous
profits, however. were the smaller
| firms
Retail grocers and provision brokers
made their enormous "war profits"
in 1916. the report shows. The gro
GERS made only a small profit in 1917
in excess of their 1916 profits. OF the
/ 1858 concerns listed in the report.
however, only dozen show profits OF
less than 20 per cent on their capital
stock in 1915. the year before the Unit.
ed States entered the war. and the
/ profits of some concerns that year
were as high rs 1913 per cent. Most
! of the grocerS, both large ard small
concerns, the report shows. made av-
evaSc profits In 1916 Of from so to 200
! pprt