Yes, it means "ever upward" and is the motto of New York State. It is also the name of all the "wood wool" or wood shavings which were used before little vinyl airbags and styrofoam were the choices for packing material. Not only was it a fire hazard, but heavier and more costly than today's packing filler. They still do use it though not too often and most people recycled it, as they did with the baskets instead of cardboard boxes. Very industrious people pictured here but inventory control must have been a mess.