Life, 1922-09-07 · page 20 of 44
Life — September 7, 1922 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a financial page mixing genuine business news with pointed satire. **J.L. Gonnick**, a bridge magnate, returns from Europe declaring "good times coming"—a declaration the magazine treats skeptically through juxtaposition. The **stock chart** labeled "Stock Fluctuations in 1911" is entirely fake. Items labeled A-H include "California Redwood," "Leaning Tower of Pisa (straightened)," and "Packard Twin Six" rather than actual stocks—mocking the arbitrary nature of market movements and investors' willingness to chase any commodity. The **"Stock Quotations"** section continues the joke with absurd ticker symbols like "Ap'lej'ck pf" (applejack), "Bac'rdi Air Line," and "Scotch c"—all alcoholic beverages disguised as securities, likely satirizing Prohibition-era speculation and frivolous investing. The **"Hints to Investors"** column features get-rich-quick schemes (Hot Baby Oil stock), mocking naive investors' desperation. The sardonic kicker: "John D. Rockefeller did not get up until 9:30 yesterday. The market recovered within an hour"—suggesting even industrial titans' trivial actions move markets.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE— SUNDAY EDITION GOOD TIMES COMING SAYS J. L. GONNICK Bridge Magnate Returns From Europe | Optimistic and “Feeling Great” Declaring that “good times are coming” and ex- tremely optimistic in regard to Ameri- can business during the coming year, Joseph L. Gonnick, president of the Joseph L. Gonnick Cantilever Bridge Company, returned from a three months’ inspection 4 tour of Europe yearly on the Boenrers Mr. Gonnick, whose bridges are known everywhere, has been in Europe for over three months, and expressed himself as satisfied with the trend of business conditions there. “Europe is getting along fine, everything considered,” said Mr. Gonnick in a state- ment given the press. “I was more than satisfied at the attempts everyone was mak- ing to repair the damage caused by the war. I was particularly impressed by the general spirit of ‘cheer-up,’ as the phrase goes, which I noticed on all the faces around me. Smiles greeted me almost everywhere. I found the business men of France and England and Germany more than willing to meet our bankers to talk over future loans. I heard nothing but the friendliest feeling expressed for us when I sounded the business men abroad. “I must raise a finger of warning, how- ever, against overconfidence. The business men of America must get together and talk things over and do whatever they can. If we all co-operate I think everything will come out fine.” Mr. Gonnick was accompanied by Mrs. Gonnick and his daughter Barbara, who were presented at court. When asked by reporters at the dock for an opinion on the Will Hays appointment he said he thought it was “all right.” Mr. Gonnick’s European tour extended over a period of three months. P| ae John D. Rockefeller did not get up until 9:30 yesterday. The market recovered with- in an hour. STOCK FLUCTUATIONS IN 1911 JANUARY to APRIL MARCH SATURDAY AUGUST to to MONDAY SEPTEMBER roseeemeseeeemeemneeecsssentett” A Cc FG H (A) California Redwood. (C) fiscal year. (E) (G) Copies of Saturday Evening Post piled up. (B) Leaning Tower of Pisa, and_as it would look if straightened up. U. S, Signal Corps at time of Spanish War (1898). S. S. Berengaria (Cunard Line) (D) Kansas corn crop at end of last Woolworth Tower, New York City The dotted line at the (F) 1 (H) Packard Twin Six, top indicates the Fall and Rise of Susan Lennox. STOCK QUOTATIONS Saturday’s market was firm and _ sales brisk. Third rails proved strongest as was expected and there was a general downward tendency, which did not cause alarm except in B’tl’g c and one or two other issues that have been active of late. The table shows Saturday’s close, highest and lowest bid: Qts. Pts. Dr’ks. Ap'lej’ck pf ... 13 12 1% Apr’c’t Br’ndy . 14 8 1% Bac’rdi Air Line. 15 8% 1% Btlg c .. 7 4 Y Btl’g pf . 10 6 1 Br’ndy c ... 12 7 1% Br'mo Siltz’r . - — w0 Eth'l Ale .. 4 2 % Gordon ’22s . Zi 4— H'nn’sy xxx... 36 9 2 Rye pr. ..... we oy LZ: 6 1 Scotch c . 12 6% 1 Sp’r’ts Am’nia - - 1/10 Harold Whinny, the messenger of Squam, Dinge and Co., de- livered $3,000,000 in Liberty bonds to the Sub-Treasury yesterday just as he had been asked to do. thirteen-year-old HINTS TO INVESTORS What to Do With $300,000 Financial Editor Lrre:—I have been given the portunity to acquire some Hot Baby Oil at 10 cen! @ on a partial payment system which will giv re and complete ownership of my stock (10,000 shares A Mr. ‘Thompson is the agent and he says i WIIL soon be on the market and bringing anywhere. fron $10 to $600 a share, Now what I want to know is ¢ if everything comes out as we expect would it be better to invest the $300,000 T will make in railroad or real estate bonds? Harold Ross, We do not think very much of railroad bonds at the present minute. Why not put it all back into the Oil company, which seems to be a splendid proposition? The Market for Marks Financial Editor L I have recently bought 2 lot of German marks. F Both men look good and it only waits for the referee’s decision to determine who wins. A Bond Buyer Financial Editor Lare:—I wish to buy a bond for my Uttle srl for her birthday present. What issue do soa suggest? B. & 0. are rather pretty, though the printing is better on some of the Wes! roads. Municipal bonds would be interesting for a child of three if only for the pictures. Melville N. Rope, former president of the Merchants’ and Bee Keepers’ Nat'l Bank, returned from a pleasant three month’s stay in Canada yesterday, the indictment having been quashed. comicbooks.com