South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-04-08
OPTIMISTIC SPIRIT
PERVADES CITY AS
INDUSTRIES BOOM
Studebaker Corp. Employs
$500 Men, Setting Record
Others Speed Production.

South Bend to-day is on "A sound
Industrial basis. more so than az any
time since the nationwide price
defauon and business depression,
judging from employment reports
available Friday.
The city's industries with the
return OF business are operating IN
some instances AT capacity others
are showing a decided uptUrn for
the better
The Studebaker corporation with
approximately $3.50 men employed
is producing 200 cars per day. The
number employed and the number
Of cars produced are each records
in themselves. representing the top
notch in activity 10 date in plants
one and two at the South Bend
factory.
Daily Average 200 Here.
Although the Studebaker plant
when constructed was rated at $50
cars per day that figure has long
been exceeded. A maximum Of $50
cars was reported about a month
ago, but sales demands spurred up
production until the daily average
Is 200. The Detroit branch Is pro
ducing 240 cars daily.
In addition to the light six, the
Studebaker plant here is building all
I touring car bodies for al styles Of
cars. both the Big and Special Six.
and closed car bodies on all but
/ the special skies. The old wagon
| factory now is being rapidly trans
/ formed into a body building plant
nd then big six closed car bodies
will be manufactured at the South
Bend branch.
Not alone is activity confined 10
| Studebakcrs The Oliver Chilled
Pillow works business is being grad
ually restored 20 normal after a duh
| season. This slump, caused by de-
cline in price of farm products.
struck manufacturing Of agricult-
\ ural implements hard. but since
\ buying has been resumed. The
oliver plant is now using Its new
/ building and manufacturing plOws
I'm the large new structure.
From washington comes the in
\ formation that the department OF
/ labor conducted a survey of South
( Bend employment conditions These
reports. always ultra conservative,
Indicate that the "citys largest mo-
/ tor company is working at capacity,
lend other manufacturing plants op-
Grating from 40 to 60 percent"
The report further adds that con
/ ditiOns among all industrial plants
seem 10 be on the upgrade while
building operations are active. Buy
ing in retail stores continues ac-
tive"
As an illustration Of the manner
in which business is at the peak
here. IL is reported authenticity
that an out-of-town business man
came 10 the city to purchase a new
automobile He visited five dealers
who handle medium priced cars and
found but ore which he could drive
away. The dealers stock had been
| exhausted.
Reports Optimistic.
The S.udebaker corporation, il is
well known. is far behind on pro-
duction. and while authentic reports
were not disclosed, it is said that
/ the sales force could use two 10
/ three thousand cars OF each model
/ 20 advantage. One of the reasons
/ for the shortage not only I'm Stude-
! baker but other cars Is the early
/ season in which the rush began.
Optimistic reports Of retail sales
/ continue 10 be made b. business eN-
pe1ts, and fin spring trade there has
been no slackening of business.