Evening star., 1934-03-11
BUSINESS SUPSW|NG
SEEN IN ARKANSAS
Survey Of 425 Industrial
Plants Shows 5.4 Per Cent
Increase in Jobs.
BY THOMAS J. BRANSFORD.

1HOIAho Js DHthANSA OASDs
Special Dispatch to The Star.
LITTLE ROCK. Ark, March 10
The upswing in industry in Arkansas
again has become evident The move
upward started last May, but was
halted temporarily in November, De-
cember and January. report Of the
State Bureau of Labor and Statistics
shows.
A survey from 425 industrial estab-
lishments for a typical week in Feb
ruary showed an increase of 54 per
cent in employment over a similar
week in January and an increase Of
IL per cent in pay rolls. Employment
increased 361 per cent and pay roll
3l.6 per cent over February, 1888.
Farmers to Get S35, 5000, 900.
Along with this, it was announced
that approximately $35 100000 will be
paid to Arkansas farmers during the
next six months by Government
agencies. Approximately $ll.50o 900
will be derived in rentals from the
cotton reduction program. nearly
$4,000. 0G0 from cotton options and
l0-cent cotton loans, approximately
sl.500.000 from the corn-hog reduc-
lion program, approximately So 900 600
from the rice program and between
10000, 900 and 100000 from other
crop loans.
The State Highway Commission Is
doing its bit in furnishing employ
ment. Contracts were awarded last
week on II road and bridge coEstruc-
ton jobs calling for an expenditure
Of approximately s7o7, 900 of N. R. H.
funds.
A plan has been outlined and will
be sent to the Arkansas delegation in
Congress for a s884842 county
mapping project which would furnish
employment for II months to 420 en-
gineers and assistants who have been
engaged in mapping the State as a
c. w. A. project under the direction
Of the United States Coast and Geo.
detic Survey. These men will be dis
missed March 80. The plan calls for
the mapping of 70 counties. three
counties already having accurate
maps.
The general revenue fund Of the
State, from which five constitutional
offices and several other agencies and
institutions are supported, is past the
crisis as far as this fiscal year is con-
cerned and all obligations against the
fund will be paid in cash. There will
be good balance left to start the
next fiscal year, the State controllers
office reported 1t is believed the
revenue now coming in will be suffi-
cient to keep the fund on a cash
basis during 1884. OF the revenue
received by the Office 20 per cent is
set aside as a sinking fund to retire
outstanding revenue warrants over q
period of five years.
Motorists Doing Part.
Arkansas motorists also are doing
their share to put the State on a
firm financial basis. Gasoline tax
collections during February exceeded
collections during February, 1888, by
98,346.88. They also exceeded COL
lections during January, 1894. Col
lections during last month totaled
S585 ,274.46. Heavy purchases of mo-
tor vehicle licenses during February
increased total special tax collections
Tor the month to $l,498,992, COM
pared with $936,699 in January.
Toll bridge collections during 1893
were $327,991.02, report of the
State Revenue Department disclosed.
Actual refunding of the States
sl55 ,0o0,o 900 highway bond debt will
begin March Is, j. Frank Beasley,
superintendent of the Refunding De-
partment, announced. All classes of
bonds are being surrendered daily.
The board expects to start issuance
OF bonds for half of claims held by
contractors, the other half to be PAID
in cash when the refunding notes are
Issued. The next class of indebted
ness to receive the boards attention
will be the certificates Of Indebtedness
issued to street paving districts.