Building permits for August, 1920, were valued at $294,816, or $63,761 less than for the preceding month. One hundred and eighty ships arrived and departed at this port during August, 1920; among them were 10 tank steamers and 3 barges, bringing cargoes of refined oil and setting a new record for August shipments of oil for Jacksonville. The oil imports were 460,000 barrels. Lumber shipments for August amounted to 20,000,000 feet. In addition to a large number of schooners of foreign registry, an unusually interesting arrival during August was the former German steamer General O. H. Ernst, now owned by the Pan-American Railroad Company, which brought a cargo of nitrate from Chili. Another unusual import was a cargo of fertilizer material from Hull, England. Key West, Fla., September 4th: Customs receipts for August, 1920, were $139,381, against $53,235 last year. Cigar manufactures for August, 1920, were 9,093,850 cigars, against 7,074,856 cigars last year. The cigar factories worked up to their capacity throughout the month. Merchants are optimistic and predict the best fall and winter business they have ever had. Ponce, P. R., September 17th: Exports for August, 1920, were $1,083,047, of which $598,059 went to the United States and $484,688 to foreign countries. The railway receipts of the Ponce Electric Company for August, 1920, increased 31.1 per cent over last year and the lighting receipts 48.9 per cent. There is constant demand for more power, both for small meters for industrial purposes and for larger ones for irrigation purposes. Seattle, Wash., September 16th: Bank clearings for August, 1920, were $160,954,630, against $161,276,082 last year. Building permits for August, 1920, were valued at $1,072,065, against $1,858,205 last year. Real estate transfers for August, 1920, were $1,490,919, against $2,312,039 last year. Based on business statistics general business for the month, as a whole, was not good. Bank clearings and building permits were less than for the same period last year, and, though shipyard payrolls undoubtedly affected the total bank clearings, there was a very pronounced slowing up of business during the month. Building has been fairly active, but has unquestionably been reduced by the tight money market. Based on the results of an investigation carried on by the Seattle Times, the industrial situation in this city is improving; forty plants selected at random and representative of industries of all sizes and kinds are employing 4,600 workers today, as compared with 4,050 workers on the first of June, a net gain of 550 men for the plants canvassed. In virtually all of the forty plants the payrolls slumped from December 1 until the fore part of June. Not all of the plants recorded gains, but as a whole, the improvement began about the first of June, none showing decrease since June. Drought and hot weather have lowered the early estimate of wheat production in the State of Washington by more than 3,000,000 bushels. The Washington crop is now placed at 39,000,240 bushels against a yield last year of 40,100,000 bushels. The lumber situation is not good at present, owing to the new freight rates established for the Northwest. It is estimated that the new rates will cost this district $15,000,000 more annually if they are retained. Tampa, Fla., September 15th: Bank clearings for August, 1920, were $8,100,572, against $6,464,150 last year. Building permits for August, 1920, were valued at $150,785, against $63,915 last year. Post office receipts for August, 1920, were $41,833, against $32,150 last year. Customs receipts for August, 1920, were $35,793, against $97,499 last year. Internal revenue receipts for August, 1920, were $62,068, against $134,000 last year. Cigar manufactures for August, 1920, were 7,931,700 cigars, against 16,709,000 cigars last year. Phosphate shipments continue to show the greatest gain of any local activity. During August, this year, 156,671 tons were transported by water, the largest monthly figure ever recorded for this port. From January 1, 1920, to August 31, 1920, shipments of phosphate through Tampa and Port Tampa amounted to 894,096 tons, against 127,101 tons for the similar period last year. The citrus fruit crop for this year is estimated by the Citrus Exchange to be about 12,000,000 boxes. General business conditions in Tampa are excellent. News from the Companies General Notes Mr. Charles A. Stone is a member of the Advisory Council of the Water Power League of America, Inc. The purpose of the league is to promote the conservation of all exhaustible natural resources of land and water by the beneficial utilization of our inexhaustible ones in the interest of productivity that awaits power. The following members of the Stone & Webster organization are members of the league: Frederick S. Pratt Col. P. Junkersfeld Edward T. Steel Harry T. Edgar Charles W. Kellogg Alton W. Leonard William H. McGrath Charles F. W. Wetterer James H. Manning Col. P. Junkersfeld, Mr. F. N. Bushnell, Mr. W. L. Locke, Mr. W. B. Hopkins, Mr. Frank Clarke, Mr. E. B. Powell, and Mr. H. R. Woodrow attended the convention of The Association of Edison Illuminating Companies, at New London, September 13, 14, 15 and 16. The Commercial Agents of the Stone & Webster Companies were brought together in convention at Boston for the first time, on Tuesday, October 5. The fifty delegates in attendance represented all but two companies. Division Manager H. T. Edgar presided over a two-day session which was attended by a number of managers of operating companies, as well as by officers of Stone & Webster, Inc., and other headquarters office officials. On both days luncheon was at the Exchange Club. The following officers made brief and effective talks covering special phases of the utility business: Edwin S. Webster, President; Russell Robb, Senior Vice-President and Treasurer; Henry G. Bradlee, Senior Vice-President and Secretary; Frederick P. Royce, Vice-President; Henry B. Sawyer, Vice-President; Henry H. Hunt, Vice-President; Howard L. Rogers, Vice-President. Mr. C. W. Kellogg read a paper on the sale of securities by the local company; Mr. H. A. Lemmon talked on newspaper advertising; Mr. H. J. Pettengill, Jr., on the general principles of merchandising; Mr. G. E. Quinan, on the cost of supplying service; a paper from Mr. A. S. Nichols relating to store and shop display, and the underlying principles, was read, together with a letter from Mr. N. H. Wilcox, who found it impossible to attend in person; Mr. Gille and others discussed the matter of giving greater cooperation to the electric contractor, and other vital questions of particular interest to members of the commercial department. The third day was spent at the Brockton Fair. The committee from Boston office having the affair in charge, i. e., Messrs. H. T. Edgar, H. Vittinghoff and H. A. Lemmon, are enthusiastic over the general results, and feel that the meeting was successful. The Convention made several recommendations, having for their purpose greater cooperation among the various commercial departments, and greater unity in method. Perhaps the outstanding feature of the meeting was the spirit of fraternity which developed very early in the proceedings, and which gained in intensity to the end. The delegates present were as follows: Baton Rouge Electric Company, J. C. Lamb; Blackstone Valley Gas and Electric Company, Woonsocket, E. L. Milliken, S. E. Choquette; Blackstone Valley Gas and Electric Company, Pawtucket, Gardner Rogers, H. J. Pettengill, Jr., R. H. Perley; Cape Breton Electric Company, Ltd., Gordon M. Totten; Columbus Railroad Company, Wayne Patterson; The Connecticut Power Company, Middletown, Conn., Lewis A. Keen, W. F. Walsh; The Connecticut Power Company, New London, Conn., V. E. Bird, F. B. Flahive, A. L. Kebbe; Eastern Texas Electric Company, P. E. McChesney; The Electric Light and Power Company of Abington and Rockland, F. N. Sanderson, Roland T. Phillips, F. Parker Allen, R. S. Mullin; El Paso Electric Railway Company, David Moore; Fall River Gas Works Company, T. Murphy, W. K. Eavanson; Haverhill Gas Light Company, J. P. Ingle, W. R. Bell; Houghton County Electric Light Company, R. A. Gordon; Keokuk Electric Company, I. R. Carlson; The Key West Electric Company, Joseph H. Montecino; The Lowell Electric Light Corporation, John A. Hunnewell, P. J. Wilson, L. E. Seekins, C. W. Halstead, H. C. Eldredge, Frank Jones, A. J. Bernier, R. G. Custer; Paducah Electric Company, W. A. Melton; The Pawtucket Gas Company, Rollin Buckminster, Charles S. Hilton; Pensacola Electric Company, A. A. Hoffman; Puget Sound Power & Light Company, Seattle, Wash., H. J. Gille, R. W. Lindley, L. R. Grant, Geo. E. Quinan, W. H. McGrath; Savannah Electric Company, E. S. Roberts; Sierra Pacific Companies (Reno Power, Light and Water Company), Geo. A. Campbell, W. H. McInnis; Tampa Electric Company, John H. Fuller. Mr. A. S. Pratt recently returned from a trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Mr. Hans Vittinghoff has returned from a month's trip in the Central West. Mr. Luke C. Bradley was in Boston two days. Paul R. Fleming, assistant treasurer of the Eastern Texas Electric Company also made a brief visit to the Boston office. Mr. C. W. Kellogg has returned from his vacation. Mr. L. R. Nash returned recently from a trip, but left shortly afterward for the Southeast, in connection with rate cases. Mr. C. A. Hahn of the engineering department, has been in Atlanta, Georgia, with Mr. Wallace and Mr. Nash, in connection with the Columbus Power Company's rate case. Mr. Morrow, Mr. H. B. Wood, Mr. Shuit, Mr. MacLean and Mr. Chapman of the engineering department, who have been located in Allentown, Pa., for several weeks in connection with the appraisal for the Pennsylvania Power & Light Company, have returned to this office. Mr. Strobel and Mr. Vander Veer of the engineering department, were in New York City for several days in connection with the appraisal work recently completed for the New York Railways. Mr. J. C. Hays, of the engineering department, was in Youngstown, Ohio, for several days, bringing up to date the appraisal made in 1915, by the Mahoning & Shenango Railway & Light Company. Stone & Webster, Inc., have been authorized to construct an extén |