The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-05-03
Infant Industry Has
Amazing Growth

Chicago, May IA new infant in
dustly, the manufacture of radio
equipment, has sprung up with an
amazing growth within year and
much of it within few recent weeks.
From few manufacturing shops a
year ago to thousands now, an in
crease Of 10000 per cent in demand
in two years; business in which
both boys and great manufacturers
are taking profits; all this is the
cmancc of the new industry.
The demand which called it into ex-
istence is at present as tremendous as
it has been sudden. The new, small
concerns manufacturing radio sup
plies are estimated by the Radio Cor
roration of America as numbering
thousands. Figures of the same cor
roration show that whereas two years
ago 1000 tubes a year were in de-
mand, this year probably 100000
tubes month will be called for.
Reports gathered from number of
states by The Associated Press show
that many boys and other amateurs
are constructing and selling outfits.
Three years ago three boys in Chi
caGo 16 and II years old, began to
make radio outfits. They are now in
corporated and carrying on large
business. Their success indicates the
alluring possibilities in this new in
distry of adventure. Its alleged haz-
ards were pointed out in the predic-
ton 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 re-
main in the enterprise, before long
parts would become drug on the
market and that by October the
makers Of complete sets would active
y be soliciting business.
That such a situation would be Il
reversal of present conditions is indi-
Gated in the report of another large
supply house that it is two months be
hind in filling its orders and woru
from all parts of the country of a
great shortage in apparatus. The huge
demand is aScribcd to the practice of
free broadcaSting.
There are now 100000 receiving
sets in the United States, according
to the estimates of several companies.
Of these 100000 were said to be in
the Middle West and IL 0C0 to $4,000.
according to varying estimates, in
Chicago.
Dealers declared that suddenncss
of growth of this infant industry and
the fact that the number of plants Va
rles from day to day made it impos-
sible accurately to guage its proper
tions. One dealer said that it was i'm
possible to estimate with any certain
ty the extent of the demand inas!nuch
as buyers in their eagerness to get
equipment as soon as possible are
placing orders with dozens of dealers
at once, and purchasing from the first
dealer who is ready to deliver. For
that reason, it was stated, what might
seem to be a demand involving $780,
600, 900 might resolve itself into de-
mand involving $2,000,0O0.
There are more bootlcggcrS in the
radio business than in the whisky bus
iness,' one dealer asserted. "Peoplc
get hold Of parts and sell them for
cXorbitant prices. | have known a
single tube which is regularly sold for
50 to bring $l5. Some Of these spuri-
Gus dealers come in and try to bribe
our clcrl.s to get them parts"
An electrical supply house at To-
ledo, O., has begun to install what il
has announced will be one of the most
complete radio manufacturing plants
in the world. 1t proposes to employ
100 workers at the outset and more
as the department is enlarged, and
plans for daily capacity of 500 COM
plcte radio receiving and transmitting
sets. In Toledo and Lucas county,
It was estimated several th0usan !
sets are receiving daily weather, mar
kct and other reports broadcast from
various cities throughout the county.
Six concerns are manufacturing radio
equipment III Cincinnati, O.
Thee are is regularly established
concerns in Chicago manufacturing
radio supplies. Of these II are in st.
Louis. In st, Louis l2-ycar-old boy :,
20 business men, several automobile
mechanics, one plumber, one butcher,
and several high school pupils, are