The Bismarck tribune., 1922-05-02
MANUFACT'UR|;l.E|!'0)F ! R ! !. { ] !
RADIO EQUIPMENT, . !.
A new INDUSTRY. I.
Increases Sixty Thousand Per
Cent In Demand In Two !
Years
100000 TUBES A MONTH

Chicago, May 2.-QBy the A. P. IA
new infant lnuustry, the llanulactule
OF radio equipment, mas sprung up
with an amazing growth W.tnln d year
and much OF it within q few recent
weeks. From d faW manufacturing
shops year ago to thousands now,
an Incl ease OF sixty thousand per cent
III demand in two years; business
in which Dotn boys and great manu-
facturers are taking profits; all this is
the romance OF the new industry.
The demand which called it into
existence is at present as tremendous
as it has been sudden. The. new, small
concerns manufacturing radio supplies
are estimated by the ttadiO Corpora
ton OF America as numbering thou
sands. Figures OF the same corpor-
alton show that whereas two years
ago 4OO0 tubes a year Were in de.
nland 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 oulIlts.
Three years ago three boys in Chi
cagO sixteen and seventeen Years old,
began to make radio outfits. They
are now incorporated and carrying on
a large business. / Their success indl-
Gates 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
would remain in the enterprise, be-
fore long parts would become drug
on the market and that by October
the makers Of complete sets would
actively be soliciting business.
Behind in Filling Orders.
That such a situation would be a
reversal of present conditions is In
dicated in the report OF another large
supply house that it is two months
behind in filling its orders. and word
from all parts of the country OF a
great shortage in apparatus The huge
demand is ascribed to the practice OF
free broadcasting.
There are now 100000 receiving
sets in theNUnited States, according to
Lu0 cSIlIIldLcS VI oCfCl dI Co4ApoAAOo' ~
these 100000 were said to be in the
middle west, and 10000 to $4,000, ac-
cording to varying estimates, in Chi
cago.
Dealers declared that the sudden
ness of growth Of this infant industry
and the fact that the number of plants
varies from day to day make it i'm
possible accurately to guage it's pro-
portions One dealer said that it was
impossible to estimate with any GER
tainty the extent Of the demand, in
asmuch as buyers in their eagerness
ITO 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 deliv-
er. For that reason, 1t was stated,
what might seem to be demand in.
volving $3O,0OO,OOO might resolve it.
self into a demand involving $4,000
600. @
"There are more bootleggers In the
radio. business than in the whiskey
business" one dealer asserted. 'Peo-
pie get hold of parts and sell them for
exorbitant prices; have known sin
gle tube which is regularly sold for
IS to bring SIS. Some of these spuri-
Gus dealers come in and try to bribe
our clerks to get them parts"