Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1920-05-30


full than the swift recovery OF Bel
gian Industries. which fer five years
were In the hands OF the Germans
who were bent on their destruction.
Reports OF progress during the early
months OF 1920 are even more as
tonlshing than the figures for 1919.
Take particularly certain metal
lurgieal industries. These plants
were systematically wrecked or the
machinery transported to Austria
and Germany. Here are n few strik-
ing figures showing the percentage
OF restoration TO normal pre-war
production In these lines: Locom0.
tiyes and steam engines. 1905 roll
ing stock and railway material. sec
boiler making and copper-smithing.
75Go: foundries. 500: bolt-making.
wire-darwing and nail-manufactur-
ing. 900: manufacture OF bicycles
and automobiles. $50: machine
tools. 90eS: general mechanical pro-
duction. 7OT: electrical construc-
tion. 1905; iron bars. i02 60; cast
dron. 6295; steel, 40%.
The extent OF industrial recovery
Is indicated also by the number OF
people employed. In a group OF en-.
terprlses representing mining. metal
and quarries. sol .efS workmen were
employed In December. 1919. as COM
pared with 230.53S In December
1918. A list Of $3.50 other enter
prises showed 2S9.127 workmen
......to,,aa A.. nonau,hat. 1910 ma eafa.
pared with 4i2,462 In December.
1913. Il Is estimated that 1885 as
many people were employed In De-
GENDER. 1919, as In December. 1918.
Out of about 10000 pieces OF mot
allurglcal machinery carried away.
more than 5000 pieces have been re-
covered according TO the latest avail
able statistics. The elgian zinc In
dustries we're almost completely
wipe dout. Before the war. Belgium
produced onefifth OF the worlds
output Ct manufactured zinc. ap-
proximately 100000 tons per an
mum. of which 10000 tons were ex-
ported. Official statistics for March,
1890. indicate that the production
had been restored to 66 per cent OF
normal. The restoration OF the zinc
industry has been retarded by lack oi
raw material. More rapid improve
ment may now be expected. as a con
tract had Just been placed for 240,'
600 tons OF Australian zinc ore.
Belgian glass Is well-knowf
throughout the world for lie BRILL
ancy and high quality. or the eigh
large plate glass factories, sever
were In operation again in November
1919. All OF the window-glass fac
tories are in full or partial operation
In value. the production Is nue.
above normal. as Wholesale price
are five or ri xtimes prc-war quota
lions. In the manufacture OF COL
lets and fine glassware % out
about 30 factories have resumed oT
erations. The manufacturers
Mate and window. glass have NOR
orders than they can ill. the deman
both at home and abroad being yer
heavy.
Coal mining Is one OF the basic IL
dustries OF Belgium, and II Is on
that suffered the least during Oh
German occupation. The German
needed the mines. and did not ha'
an opportunity to destroy many
them before retreating. The min'
have, however. generally suffere
somewhat from improper operation
and their restoration to normal pr
ductiyity was also hampered by lac
OF transportation facilities and labo
In 1918, Belgium produced 22.Ssl
$40 tons OF coal. For the first thru
months OF 1890 production was II
per cent OF that OF 1918.
In 1914. there we're rs flax mil
in Belgium. Four OF them were d
stroyed during the war. Three
these are being rebuilt. by Angus
1919, all Of these mills except tho
that had been destroyed. had par
ally resumed operations. Rcsumpti'
has been retarded by scarcity oil "a
material. Prior TO the war ov
$4,000 acres. chiefly In West Fla
dcrs, were devoted 10 the cultivate
of flax. In 1919. Il Is estimated IN
about $4,000 acres remained und
cultivation. Before the war the III
Eian flax spinning industry had 32'
$50 spindles: OF these. 3ll.0OO n
again utinzable. and 1O3.iS6 are
actual operation. The number
persons employed In this industI
before the war. was about 1900
the number employed Februal
1890. il estimate dat $500.
The textile industry Is very u
portant In Belgium. This indusi
suffered less than the metallurgiC
industries. hut full resumption
business has been retarded by !
fact that the Germans systematical
removed the copper and brass par
rs well as betting. wool carders al
electrical equipment. Satisfacto
progress is being made in recover
however and an average OF so .
cent OF pre-war production has be
attained.
The resumption OF production
the wooden mills has been delay
longer than that Of the cotton mi
because OF the greater difficulty
obtaining raw material. ana !
worldwide shortage of wool. 7
cotton industry OF Belgium, prior
the war, occupied i.5sO,OOO ~
dies: So per cent OF them had be
restored TO operation by January
1920.
Belgium has a larger percenta
of railway per square mile Than a
-. ..uosrw In the world. Nj