The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-05-18

business IL picking up. mere j.
veory indication that the public is be
corning accustomed TO the new price
levet. II food products have ad-
Hanced. wages have also advanced. In
most parts Of the country there is a
surplus of labor which of course tends
10 lower wages for the time being. Ii
is the law of supply and demand But
in the south, particularly In the farm
ing districts there is a shortage OF
labor. aud it Is predicted that before
tho end OF ire yEar, there will be a
shortage OF labor in manufacturing
and mercantile lines everywhere In
the United states.
! ~ From all quarters Of The country the
x71ost optimistic reports regarding
business conditions are coming in. To
sense conditions in Richmond rep
srvsentative Of the Richmond Nir-
glnian has interviewed leading men
in manufacturing and mercantile
lines What these men say Of CON
siftses's fFaTa &laEesalI In. with state
aents being published elsewhere, that
we are IN the eve of an immense
business revival Unprecedented in the
history Of the country The South in
particular is coming into its own.
- 1t 47EEa+z4-4f tsf.a.te=z@ men asYe made
money ia the past two years. and they
st3a havt millions tied UP in unsold
pr. Ducts There is a scarcity OF
houses everywhere and there will be
hliiians spent ia construction work in
the next few years
There is no difficulty IN financing
proper improvements and an ever
soadinE market for bond issues re-
as he temper al the times. Enor~
s5ous good road construction is in
band aud Is being planned. work with
the ent}re country appears to be
deeply concerned.
- z AA---attl-- af- L-iehmnne L. midway
on the Atlantic seahoaTd This city
is the gateway of the South our
business men are wide awake aud
active They are going 10 have part
IN the business revival AT hand Here
is what & few OF the leaders in the
various lines have 10 say on general
conditions.
building Activities,
II. II. Burroughs, assistant manager
Of the Building supply corporation.
!4 In a position to Judge OF building
activities. as MS firm carries the
principal materials used in the con-
struetton OF building. lie says.
We are doing an unusual amount
81 ESTIMATING just now, WITHIN would
indicate that people are thinking Of
huidIng and getting ready TO begin
at the opportune time. Our April
safes were as good as last year in
The corresponding month, which we
then considered very good The pros
t-+ess feH MAY equally good
There is no chance OF drop in
pieces on building materials. and we
believe the public IL gradually be-
coming educated to the fact that we
have a new price level There will
hc moro building Just as soon as poo
pie know that prices will not drop to
rre-War figures. Collections are
unusually good"
James r. Fox. vice president OF the
Sndth~coaftnts eetn pa ny, was inter
viewed On the conditions as he found
them His company deals ir mining
and mAl supplies. engines, IhoIiers.
machinery etc.
Business Is improving right along"
he says. People have more eena--
dence. and our statesmen report that
there is an abundance Of moaey in the
territory covered by them. Business
in-the South of course depends largely
on cotton. Our territory covers Vir-
ginia, North and South Carolina, We
find the numbering business rather
quiet Houses are needed and we be-
lteve that as cotton in the South is
turned into money that the money will
he put into houses. because the
houses are needed. This will stiinu-
late the lumber business, and the
trades allied with building When the
railroads are doing construction work
we come in for our share. We be-
iieve the railroad administration is
hampering progress by Its stand on
the Steel situation. We believe the
steel producers will stand pat on
rrices and that the railroad admins
tFation will have to come to them
We have reached a new price level in
everything and the sooner we realize
1t the better for business"
Barber Supplies
Albert Reeves OF Reeves Barber
Supply company. is one Of the few
men interviewed who complained OF
had business, but he Is optimistic that
everything will be all right when
1.-The boys" get home. He says that
everything in the barber supply line
has advanced in price during the war
including tonics, which the govern
ment has now imposed A tax upon as
an article of luxury This tax is not
passed along to the consumer but the
barber himself pays it. During the
war it has been hard to get BARRIERS,
and then again so many men being
taken out OF the community for. the
army cut down the number CT patrons
of the barber shops When the boys
get back into ''cits" Mr.. Reeves thinks
there will be an Improvement.
The Jcwelry Business.
Gus M. Schwarzschild Of the
3eweiry firm of Schwarzschild Bros.
had this to say regarding business
conditions In the jewelry line:
The 1ewelry trade along with
others enjoyed general prosperity
jewelry business was stimulated by the
ravch0loRical fact that war stira tia