The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-12-31
BETTER YEAR !.
THAN 1923, Is
SHOWING MADE
Investigation Into Compare
tive Business Figures
Shows Steady Gains
SEE BIG YEAR AHEAD
Business Leaders Expect
Steady Progress To Be
Made in Coming Year
SEE BIG YEAR AHEAD

Inc year IVA, Closing WlLH
a bang with reviewed busi-
ness in the latter months, set
a new business volume record
for Bismarck, Investigations
made by A. F. Bradley, secre-
tary of the Association of
Commerce, showed today.
Few lines of business, as q
whole, showed decreases over
the year 1923, while the ma
jority of them did more busi-
ness than in the previous
year. New million dollar
concerns" were added to the
lists in Bismarck.
The year 1925, the concen-
sus of business opinion shows,
should send Bismarck for
ward by leaps and bounds.
The city's reputation as the dis
tributing center for large territory
in western North Dakota will be
hoisted as a result of the 1924 bus
mess record, in a year that was re-
garded as dubious when it opened.
p. o. Receipts Up
Postoffice receipts, good baroms-
ter of trade, will show practically the
same in Bismarck as the previous
year, in spite of the fact that heavy
legislative business of 1928 was not
to be had during the year closing to-
day. Only by an increase in general
business is the postoffice able to re-
main in its high position in the state,
the second postoffice in North Dako-
ia.
A comparison of some items of bus.
mess in the two years follows:
1924 1923
Postoffice Re-
ceipts ..... $ 10000 $ 10000
Wholesale gro
ceries ....... 2.7s2,ooO 2,a22,oOo
Farm machin-
cry ....... 1,e50,OO0 1,35O,0O0
Auto sales dis
tributing and
retaiD ...... 1,25s,OOO 1,l3o,5oO
Lumber sales =. 215,000 100000
The figures obtained in the inves-
legations revealed Bismarck as sur
prisingly large center of farm ma
chinery distribution. Several thou
sand automobiles are included in the
total sales made through Bismarck
distributors over large territory in
southwestern North Dakota and east
ern Montana, the total amount during
the year being $1,25S,OOO. That 1925
, will be big automobile year is in
dicated by the fact that one large dis
tributor had practically doubled his
order for the coming year. Investi-
cation also discloses that during the
last three months Bismarck has
made more sales proportionately than
any other distributing center in the
| state.
Rail Business Jumps
The railroads operating in Bis
marck handled big volume of busi-
ness during the year 1924. The tic
ket sales of the Northern Pacific
railroad alone are estimated at $780,
600.
) The inbound freight receipts of the
railroads is placed at $645, 900, giving
an idea of the tremendous amount
of purchases made by Bismarck dis
tributing houses, retail establish
ments and individuals. The outbound
freight receipts totalled $18O,00O.
The figures represent an increase
over 1923, one railroads increase in
business being about five percent.
Hospitals Have More Patients
The year 1924 may not have been
more healthy year in western
North Dakota than the year 1923. Al
least the figures of the Bismarck
hospitals might be taken to mean
that, for the local hospitals handled
Alto patients in 1924 as compared
to 1850 patients in 1923.
The figures are taken, however, tt
indicate the growth of Bismarck a.
hospital and medical center, q
each year the number of patients il
the local hospitals has been steadily
increasing and they come from Ions
distances greater than formerly.
Both the local hospitals this veal
received the highest rating accorded
hospitals in the nation by the Amer,
lean Medical Association ratinf
board.
Building Lively
Building started slowly in Bis
marck during the year 1924. Th,
; agricultural depression and the nm
(Centinusd On pags .
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