year.

Post office receipts for April, 1919, were $3,934, against $3,640 last

There is very little that is new to report in connection with the general business situation.

The cigar makers' strike has not yet been definitely settled.

Reno, Nevada, May 26th:

Bank clearings for April, 1919, were $3,283,868, against $2,416,791 last year.

During April, 1919, 9 building permits were issued, valued at $12,100, against 9 last year, valued at $12,175.

year.

Post office receipts for April, 1919, were $11,140, against $8,717 last

Practically no precipitation occurred during the last month. The heavy snows of last season have, however, assured sufficient water for the next year, and all crops are in good condition.

The plaster mill at Moundhouse is now operating two shifts instead of one.

The Como Consolidated Mines Company has completed the remodelling and enlarging of its mill and is now prepared to resume operations for the year on an increased scale. Nothing further has developed as to the future of the copper district or as to the probability of reopening operations of the smelter and copper mines.

Savannah, Ga., May 7th:

Bank clearings for April, 1919, were $25,689,182, against $28,041,535 last year.

year.

During April, 1919, 50 building permits were issued, against 23 last

Post office receipts for April, 1919, were $39,422, against $32,515 last year.

Cotton receipts for April, 1919, were 52,315 bales, against 181,016 bales last year.

Turpentine receipts for April, 1919, were 2,741 barrels, against 1,760 barrels last year.

Rosin receipts for April, 1919, were 3,955 bales, against 7,217 bales

last year.

During the month of April general business conditions practically returned to normal.

Seattle, Wash., May 12th:

Bank clearings for April, 1919, were $155,098,793, against $145,751,059 last year and $89,810,039 in 1917.

Building permits for April, 1919, were valued at $1,341,415, against $898,455 last year.

Real estate transfers for April, 1919, were $1,908,847, against $1,495,510 last year.

Indications as regards general business seem to point to a very busy spring and summer. The city is planning many new street improvements, and the School Board expects to build between $2,000,000 and $3,000,000

of new buildings. The lumber business is improving, local shipyard men are more cheerful, and with the exception of uncertainty regarding the Government shipping rates everything is favorable for a busy year.

In real estate two deals stand out as worthy of mention. In the University District a $360,000 improvement project was started the latter part of the month. The scheme covers the building of sixty houses during the summer at a cost of about $5,000 each. The other deal involves a $100,000 acreage purchase on Beacon Hill, which will be platted and sold at once.

Sydney, Nova Scotia, May 22nd:

During April, 1919, 40 building permits were issued, valued at $55,100, against 23 last year, valued at $35,543.

Customs receipts for April, 1919, were $42,414, against $21,253 last year.

The output of the Dominion Coal Company for April, 1919, was 258,196 tons, against 291,765 tons last year.

Shipments for April, 1919, were 224,823 tons, against 216,349 tons last year.

Most of the collieries of the Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Company have resumed work, although they have not been operating steadily. The outlook is uncertain. The Dominion Iron & Steel Company has only recently closed down its Bessemer plant and one of the blast furnaces, due to lack of new orders. The company has for some time been rolling rails on Government contract, and this work will keep it busy a few months, but after that the outlook is uncertain. The large new plate mill which the Steel Company has been constructing may not be completed; work has already been suspended for the time being, as the Government is considering the possibility of cancelling its contract with the Steel Company for the output of plates from the new mill.

The second battery of 60 ovens of the new by-product coke plant which was started for the Steel Company in May, 1917, was placed in operation May 26, 1919, the first half having been put in operation in October, 1918.

On April 28th, the Sydney Hotel was burned to the ground, and the manager lost his life while attempting to get guests safely out. The owners have announced that they will not build a new hotel. Hotel accommodations in Sydney were none too good before the fire. The shortage of houses for residential purposes continues.

Tampa, Fla., May 10th:

.

Bank clearings for April, 1919, were $9,110,271, against $6,876,454 last year.

Building permits for April, 1919, were valued at $127,340, against $41,930 last year.

Post office receipts for April, 1919, were valued at $40,513, against $23,243 last year.

Customs receipts for April, 1919, were $114,379, against $152,900 last year.

Internal revenue receipts for April, 1919, were $246,669, against $164,099 last year.

Cigar manufactures for April, 1919, were 30,693,400 cigars, against 30,997,100 cigars last year.

With the exception of the years 1892 and 1898, last month was the driest April in thirty years, according to the local weather bureau.

It is believed that the shipyards will continue on present contracts for at least eighteen months, and the movement is taking shape to continue the yard on a commercial basis after government contracts are completed.

The railway receipts of the Tampa Electric Company for April, 1919, showed an increase of 16.4% over last year, and the light and power receipts an increase of 16.3%.

Woonsocket, R. I., May 15th:

During April, 1919, 55 building permits were issued, valued at $102,879, against none last year.

Business conditions are running about normal; merchants had expected to increase their sales, but the cold weather prevented them from doing this to the extent they hoped. It is expected, however, that as soon as the warm weather comes trade will gradually increase.

The mills are operating normally, with the woolen and worsted industry enjoying an exceptionally brisk trade.

Four spinning plants are either under construction, or will be shortly. The lighting receipts of this company for April, 1919, show a gain of 16% over last year, and power receipts a gain of 6%.

News from the Companies

Boston Office

Mr. George H. Wygant has been appointed local manager of Baton Rouge Electric Company, Friday, June 6, 1919.

C. L. Howe of the Tampa Electric Company was here recently. J. L. Alexander of the El Paso Electric Company made a brief visit to the Boston office.

W. I. Sturtevant of Beaumont was also at the Boston office recently. Joseph Bowes of Port Arthur, Texas, was here for a brief interval. Mrs. Margaret B. Porter of Boston has announced the marriage of her daughter, Evelyn Marie, to Mr. Edwin E. S. Birtwell, on May 22,

1919.

Baton Rouge, La.

Mr. A. H. Sweetnam of the engineering division spent several days in Baton Rouge during May.

Mr. C. B. Roberts of the betterment division, accompanied by Mrs. Roberts, recently visited in Baton Rouge.

W. R. Bell, commercial agent, attended the N. E. L. A. Convention at Atlantic City, and visited in Pittsburg and Paducah before returning. E. P. Williams, assistant treasurer, spent two days in Beaumont during the latter part of May.

Capt. O. B. Steele, formerly president of the local electric company and one of its organizers, died May 23rd.

Mr. I. M. Stover, manager, and E. P. Williams, assistant treasurer, were in New Orleans on business during the second week of May.

L. W. Braud has received his discharge from the army and has returned to work in the railway department.

M. B. Marshall has returned from overseas and will soon resume his work at the Power Station.

Beaumont and Port Arthur, Texas

Mr. A. F. Townsend attended the Southwestern Electrical and Gas Association, which convened at Galveston, Texas, May 18-21, inclusive. Mr. Townsend reports a good attendance, with plenty of enthusiasm.

Mr. W. I. Sturtevant, superintendent of lighting, Beaumont Division, and Mr. Jos. Bowes, Jr., superintendent of lighting, Port Arthur Division, left Beaumont May 15th to attend the National Electric Light Association at Atlantic City. Mrs. Bowes accompanied them as far as Baltimore, where she visited for some time.

Captain James F. McLaughlin of Air Service, U. S. Army, has returned to Beaumont after fourteen months' service in the A. E. F., and is at present assisting Mr. A. F. Townsend, manager. Captain McLaughlin was with the Beaumont organization at the time of his enlistment.

Mr. C. B. Roberts and Mr. A. H. Sweetnam of the betterment division were in Beaumont and Port Arthur during the month.

Corporal H. C. Morrow, recently of the U. S. Army, has entered the accounting department of Beaumont. Before enlistment in the Army, Corporal Morrow was connected with the Port Arthur Division of the Eastern Texas Electric Company.

Mr. L. R. Williams, assistant treasurer of the Baton Rouge Electric Company, paid Beaumont a visit May 21st.

Mr. R. O. Himel, formerly assistant treasurer of the Beaumont and Port Arthur organizations, but now assistant treasurer of the Galveston Electric Company, visited us for several days in May.

During the month of May the Beaumont Chamber of Commerce and Young Men's Business League launched a campaign to raise by popular subscription funds for the building of a 350-room hotel in Beaumont. The campaign was a success and it is expected that the building will be started in the very near future. The need of this building has been felt for a long time.

A room for the holding of meetings with employees has just about been completed at the Beaumont car barn. It is expected that this will be a means of bringing about effective co-operation between the company and employees, as some very enthusiastic meetings have been held recently.

Bellingham, Wash.

A number of the employees connected with the operating department of our company were among the guests of the Clear Lake Lumber Company at the recent opening of its new mill at Clear Lake.

In June last year the mill, which was then in operation, was burned, and seven months later an entire new mill had been constructed and all new machinery installed. This mill has been laid out with the idea primarily of reducing man power, and is one of the most efficient mills in the country. All machines are driven by individual motors and the power is furnished by two Allis-Chalmers turbines of 750 and 1,000 K. W. capacity. The Clear Lake Lumber Company is located about fifteen miles from our interurban line and makes connection at Mt. Vernon; a great deal of freight in carload lots passes over the transfer at this point.

Mr. H. J. Gille, sales manager, and Mr. G. E. Quinan, chief electrical engineer, from Seattle, were visitors during the month.

Mr. E. F. Barnum, agent at Mount Vernon, has been confined to his home with the "Flu" for a number of weeks, but is improving and expects to be back at work in a few days.

Mr. Ira Marchant, agent at Burlington, has been transferred to Mount Vernon and will have exclusive charge of the lighting department. Miss Bernice Childs, formerly assistant agent at Burlington, has taken the place of Mr. Marchant.

Mr. R. B. Osborne, trainman, who was in the radio service, is again connected with the organization.

Following are extracts from a recent letter to our dispatcher, Mr. Richardson, from Corporal R. W. Richards, formerly assistant dispatcher:

"Yes, that was my cousin, Willie Corcoran, who was more like my brother than a cousin, as he was raised with me from the time we were