The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-01-25
STATE BUSINESS
SHOWS MARKED
ADVANCE IN '35
|. u. Monthly Review Lists
Gains in HooSier
Industries.
Times Special

BLOOMINGTON, Ind, Jan. 25.-
General business in Indiana during
1885 was we'll above that Of the
last three years and slightly above
1881, the current issue of the Indi-
ana Business Review, published by
the Indiana University bureau OF
business research, said today.
THE attempt of the automobile
industry to smooth out production
schedules by introducing new mod
els two months earlier .han usual
has been an important stimulant to
business during the last two
months" the Review comments.
New car sales during November
and December set new records for
the last two months of the year.
Used car sales were higher than
during any previous November and
December but most Indiana dealers
ended the year with relatively large
stocks of used cars"
Steel Activity Stimulated
The report points out that most
manufacturers of auto parts and &C
cessories were buster than at any
other time in 1885 and reported their
output higher than during any pre-
vious December. Automobile pro-
duction was higher than during any
other month in 1885. The Indiana
total was higher than during any
other December since 1927.
Activity in the automobile in
dustry stimulated activity in plants
producing steel and other materials
used in the production of auto
mobiles. The steel industry was
buster than during any other De-
cember since 1929.
Regarding employment, the Re-
view explains that industrial en-
ployment in Indiana averaged little
higher than during November. Re-
tail concerns reported a substantial
seasonal gain in the number of
names on their pay rolls.
Heavy Christmas Trade
Electricity production made less
than the usual seasonal gain but
was higher than during any pre-
vious December. Building activity
compared favorably with each of
the four preceding years. Meat
packing plants were buster than
during November. Glass plants
operated on schedules about equal
to month ago.
Consumers purchasing power
compared favorably with recent
years. Most merchants waged
aggressive sales campaigns and
enjoyed the best pre-C Christmas
trade they have had since 1890 De-
partment store sales in the state as
a whole were we'll above month
ago and about 10 per cent above
a year ago.
The Reviews report on Indian
apolis is as follows:
Most merchants waged aggressive
sales campaigns. Newspaper adj
vertising was higher than during
any other month since May, 1920.
Department store sales made a big
seasonal gain and were little above
December, 1880. Total depart
ment store sales in 1885 were 10
per cent above the 1884 total. Drug
store sales made a big seasonal gain.
Metal Trades Up
Bank debts were we'll above the
like periods in the last four years
and only slightly under December,
1890. Postoffice receipts made
less than the usual seasonal gain,
but compared favorably with the
corresponding periods in the last
four years.
The number OF new cars sold in
1885 was far above each of the
other annual totals since 1929.
Freight car loadings we're a little
above the December totals in each
of the last four years, but we'll I'M
der normal. Total employment of
372 representative firms reporting to
the Indiana State Employment Serv-
ice was SIS per cent higher during
the second week of December than
during the like period month
earlier.
Retail concerns reported their
employment and pay rolls we'll above
a month ago. Firms selling at
wholesale indicated that their en-
ployment was about equal to a
month ago. The meta! trades in
dustries had a larger number of
employees than during any other
December since 1928.