The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-01-15
STANDARD FOUR IS
| GROWING KAP|DLY
This Fact Was Manifest at the Annual
Meeting Which Was Held
Today and Largely
Attended.
FINANCIAL RECORD BEST
No Other Company in the United
States, Organized as Short Time
as This One, Has Done
as Well.
FINANCIAL RECORD BEST

The annual meeting or the sloch'
holders Of the Standard -Four ire
company was held this afternoon IN
the Y. M G. A. auditorium ana
proved no less enthusiastic IMAM
previous meetings of this rapldly
growing company. Despite the
weather conditions there were z
large number of stockholders pres.
emit, many coming from Illinois, MIS-
souri, and northern Iowa. Never were
a more enthusiastic crowd OF people
together than those assembled lot
the annual meeting today. Inc
Standard Four Tire company had far
exceeded the fondest hopes of those
present when they first became IN
terested in the organization and the
prospects for the future were 1ndeea
so bright that everyone present radl-
ated the enthusiastic spirit
The meeting was called TO order
by President C. ]. Kirch. Mr.. klrcn
gave a report of the past year S
business. In his report he told OF
the growth during the past year from
about 100 tires a day TO upwards OF
500 which are now being built. MI.
Kirch also stated to the stockholoers
that several hundred new dealers
had been added during the past year
and several factory branches estao-
lished in the larger cities. he re-
cited the fact that although the fac
tory was running day and nght even
at this time of year it was impos-
sib,e to keep up with the orders that
were constantly pouring into the fac
tory office. He told OF the plans to
enlarge the present factory and ar
range for a capacity of 5000 pneui
matte castings and 1000 tubes daily
besides the building of truck tires.
Mr.. Kirch stated that the company
expected to get into the manufac-
ture of truck tires at an early date
as the truck tire business was des-
tined to become a great part OF the
| tire business of this country. Mr..
! Kirch reported that already the com
pany was and had furnished Stand
ard Four tires to the government at
| some of the environments. The report
of the president was received with
enthusiasm.
Dividends are Paid.
| The treasurer, E. A. French, made
his annual report. The report Of
the treasurer of the company is al
ways the one in which stockholders
are interested. The report this year
shows that the company besides de
Quoting a sufficient allowance fol
depreciation on machinery and equip
ment, buildings, etc, after having
set aside the war tax on excess
profits and the income tax and carry
| ing a substantial amount to surplus
that s39,45147 had been paid as
| dividends on the preferred stock o.
| the company which pays the prefer
red stock up to October /, 1918, anc
$4,000 on common stock which l:
equivalent to an earning and pay
ment of twenty percent DIVIDEND
on common stock. This is indeed ;
wonderful showing. No tire compan!
in the history of the United States
has done SO well in the same Length
of time and it is confidently believed
that the Standard Four Tire com
pany's growth will continue just al
rapidly in the future and that thi
Keokuk company will within few
years have in operation one of TIN
largest tire manufacturing plants Il
the world. From an investmen
standpoint, the enthusiastic name
of the stockholders who have re
ceived such fine returns on their in
vestment was proof conclusive of thu
satisfaction of the investors.
The new board of directors wa
elected as follows: c. ]. Kirch,
G. Mandt, c. F. Mcfarland, E. A
French, A. L. Higbee, e. S. Phillips
and H. S. Charles. This is an ex
ceptionally strong board composed o
conservative yet successful bushes
men and the success of the compan.
for the coming year is without doub
safe in their hands. The director
will elect officers at a meeting tc
morrow.