Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-10-05
TACOMA SEES
LITTLE SLACK
IN BUSINESS
CONTINUED From Page one.)

low type, are everywhere. Few cities Of
10000 inhabitants give a more plea ling
impression to a visitor
The -four mills are Of great size. In
this line Tacoma ranks fifth in America.
All these mills are on the water front
and are equipped with the latest i'm
proved machinery for the expeditions
handling of their products for export.
Unemployment today in Tacoma totals
$500. Mayor C. NJ. RiddelI says every
effort is being made to reduce it. If the
lumber business broadens az appears
likely he does not expect any difficulty.
J. s. Menefee Of W. P. Fuller & Co,
with branches all over the Pacific coast,
says the paint and oil business is very
active. The Tacoma plant is being dou-
bled in size. He finds it difficult to get
all the sheet glass required and has been
compelled to import from Belgium. He
looks for very active business. Collec-
tons are getting better all the time.
George L. Dixon of Dixon Brothers,
clothing, thought heavy taxation was de-
laying readjustment. What was neces-
sary for complete recovery was more
hard work, cheaper transportation and
revision of taxation. without them it
would be hard Shedding for a year to
come.
q. B. Howe of the Pioneer Bindery ano
Printing Company, who just returned
from the East, found conditions here bet
ter than on the Atlantic seaboard. There
was more optimism. Locally, his bust
ness had improved in the last thirty days.
In fact, he had done more in the lasr
thirty days than the previous six months.
Building Of homes, he observed, had
been remarkable in Tacoma this year
S. NJ. Jackson, president of the Ma
tional Bank OF Tacoma, said the -four
mills were running night and day the
wheat crop was bigger than the average,
fruit crops were bounteous and prices were
good, savings deposits showed a sub
etantlal increase.
MAJ. Everett G. Griggs, president Of
the st. Paul and Tacoma Lumber Com
pany, said IL the railroads began buy
ink there might be a runaway market in
lumber, prices having already begun to
advance.
James r. Pleasant, president Of the
Henry Mohr Hardware Company, said
heavy hardware was slow and light hard
ware very brisk.
Garrett Fisher Of Stone Fisher Com
pany's department store, declared his
business was surprising good. This
promised to be the banner year in vol
ume and thus far 1t was within Sh per
cent Of 1920 in dollars
Only one gentleman among those Mt
the Chamber of Commerce meeting did
not see promise of better business. This
one said the liquidation had not been
complete and we could not expect to see
a return to real prosperity in this coun-
try until the whole process was completed
To his mind, 1t would take years to cor
rect the wastes and extravagances ana
colossal losses of the war period and
that Immediately following, and 1t was
idle to expect readjustment on a sound
basis until this was done. He pointed
to the long time it took to absorb the
costs of the Chill War and said the coun-
airy was in for a continuation of the pain
full experiences Of recent times
VIII her he is right or wrong remains
to be seen. One thing certain is that his
views were not shared by the others
present.
One industry in the Northwest that wa
hard hit is canning. The improvement
in conditions in the cotton belt has given
cheer to many men who are loaded up
with stocks of canned fish. The South
at least a portion Of it-eats out Of a
can to a larger degree than any other
section Of the country. The dumping by
the Government Of its surplus stock Of
canned goods after the war together with
the decline in cotton demoralized the
southern market The surplus now has
been absorbed to a large degree, the
South, through the sudden rise in tie
price of cotton, has attained a large pur-
chasing power and at the same time there
has been improvement in the price Of
canned goods, so that the outlook for the
fish people, the fruit people, the Gamers
and the bankers who have overdue loans
on canned stuff is better.
The salmon industry is huge, amount
ing in these northwestern States to $50
100000 a year or more. So is the fruit
canning end of the business very large.
Vegetable oil bulks big also. Two
large concerns in this line operate at
Tacoma, one is the Philippine Vegetable
Oil Company, the other the A. NJ. Gill
lespie Company
Few ports of the West coast have bet
ter warehouse facilities than are found
along the waterfront here.
Both the railroads and the private con
Germs have introduced the best of mod
ern systems with plenty of mechanical
equipment for the expeditions handling
Of freight. Warehouse and wharfage
rates are moderate and ships are handled
with dispatch. 1t would be well for some
Of the ports of the Atlantic seabOard if