The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-05-01
AMAZING GROWTH
IN RADIO MAKING
Thousands of Shops Manu-
featuring Equipment In
This Country
BOYS ENGAGED AS
MANUFACTURERS

Three Chicago Lads Incorporate and Do
Large Business - Factories Months
Behind on Orders-Said Radio Boot
Lasgers Get Excessive Prices
CHICAGO, May l. Associated Press
4 new infant industry, the manufac-
ture of radio equipment, has sprung up
with an amazing growth within a year
and much of it within few recent
weeks. From a few manufacturing shops
= year ago to thousands now, an Increase
of 10000 per cent in demand in two
years; a business in which both boys
and great manufacturers are taking pro-
fits; all this is the romance of the new
industry.
The demand which called it into exist
cHcc is at present a. tremendous as it
has been sudden. The new small con-
Germs manufacturing radio supplies are
estimated by the Radio Corporation of
america as numbering thousands. Fig
ureS of the same corporation show that
whereas two years ago 1000 tubes
wear were in demand. this year probably
! zoo 900 tubes month will be called for.
| Reports gathered from q number of
/ >tates by che Associated Press show
/ that many boys and other amateurs are
| constructing and selling outfits.
Three years ago three boys in Chicago
! Is and Il years old. began to make radio
| outfits. They are now incorporated and
! carrying on 4 large business. Their sue
cess indicates the alluring possibilities in
! this new industry of adventure. Its al
/ legged hazards were pointed out in the
! prediction of an official Of one Of the
Older and larger electrical supply houses
/ that if all the concerns now engaged in
making radio equipment should remain
! in the enterprise. before long parts would
become drug on the market and that
by October / the makers of complete sets
would actively be soliciting business.
That such n situation would be a re
| ycrsal of present conditions is Indicated
| in the report of another large supply
house that IL Is two months behind in Ill
ing it's orders and word from all parts
Of the country of a great shortage in ap-
TaratuS. The huge demand is aScribed
To the pra ctice of free broadcasting.
There are now 100000 receiving sets
in the United States according to the
aatimates Of several companies. Ofsthese
100000 were said To be in the Middle
West. and 5000 to 25G00, according To
varying estimates, in Chicago.
There are more bootleggers i'm the ra-
lido business than in the whiSkey bust
ness one dealer asserted. People get
hold of parts and sell them for exorbit-
aet prices: | have known a single tube
which il regularly ssld for 81 TO bring
ISIS. SEINE of these spurious dealers
come in and try TO bride our clerks to
get them parts
An electrical supply house at Toledo.
O.. has begun to install what it has an
nouncetl viii be one of the most com
rlete radio manufacturing plants in the
world 1t proposes to employ 100 work
cgs ut the outset and more as the de
q 8aumCut is enlarged, and plans for a
ca;ving and transmitting sets. In Toll
edo and Lucas county. it was estimated
| several thousand sets are receiving daily
weather. market and other reports broad
/ cast from various cities throughout the
! country. Six concerns are manufacture
my radio equipment in Cincinnati. O.