While most cities during the past year were busy trying to hold their own and keep going, Williamsport, a survey shows, not only maintained its regular industries, but added several more to its already diversified list. Industries that have been established in the city continued to grow and, in several instance, made extensive improvements in their plants by the addition of new buildings.

The movement of new manufacturing plants to Williamsport created jobs for about 100 men. Included in the list of new concerns are the J.H. McCormick and Company, builders of a ventilation system known as the “Airtrol, the Herz and Kory Company, manufacturers of pocketbooks, the Sharon Silk Mill, and just recently, a composite flooring company started by George Kiess.

In addition to these new plants two other large manufacturing companies have expended a large amount of money in improving their structures. The Lycoming Manufacturing Company has spent about $1.5 million in renovating the present buildings and constructing new shops and the Keystone Glue Company, earlier this fall, expended over $100,000 in new buildings to take care of the increased business. Several other of the city’s established industries have made improvements during the past year.

The year 1931 has also seen the innovation of natural gas in Williamsport and the vicinity. The installation of this service provided work for several hundred men and meant the expenditure of a large amount of money.