The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-08-18
THE INDUSTRIES OF NEW YORK
Figures which Show the Immense Amount
of Business Done by the Metropolis.

Figures which show the Immense Amount
of Business Done by the Metropolis.
That New York is an important manu-
featuring center, as we'll as the COM
mercial metropolis of the country, is
generally little thought of, yet it is this
productive industry which has princi-
pally caused it's astonishing growth in
population, and by which the most of
those who live here find their support.
Its vast commerce requires many work
ers, and supports a large class who do
little or no work, simply living on the
interest OF former accumulations; but
the productive industry here, aside from
he mere handling of the products of
the industry of others, distributes,
through the countless channels which
reach the family and the individual,
the means of living, which have caused
our thoroughfares to be so crowded, and
which have necessitated so many miles
of street railways, elevated railroads,
ferries and bridges. The total of i'm
ports and exports of New York city for
the last calendar year was 1896, 1S9, ,814
"A little more than half of that of the
whole United States-but the produc-
tions of the workshops and factories of
the city, whereby. the raw or half-fn-
ished materials were brought into shape
for practical use, amount to more than
one half the value of the exports and
imports.
The statistics showing the extent of
these manufacturing industries have re-
Gently been forwarded to the census
bureau at Washington, by Charles E.
Hill, who has been the chief special
agent here supervising their collection.
They include the business of the year
from June, 1879, to June, 1880, and do
not cover few special lines of industry,
which have only been made subjects of
Investigation by general agents for the
whole United States. For lS9 d1nereut
branches of business, as specified, the
capital employed was S157, ,5S1, ,749, in
HOGS establishments, employing 262,-
459 hands, using 1872 boilers, and ], ,124
engines of Al, 951 horse power, and pro-
ducing goods valued at S435, 400, 102.
OF these hands 1873, 99S were males above
sixteen, 63,4 females above tifteer,
and 1898 children and youth, and this
enumeration of help does not include
proprietors or firm members, superin-
tendents, bookkeepers or salesmen-
none, in short, connected with the mer-
camille department, but only those work
ing for wages as producers. 1t will be
ut once observed that, adding these ex-
ceptions, we would greatly swell the
number of those who find employment
in the several branches of business,
although the latter would largely be
paid according to the profits of the
business. Taking the materials used
1867, ,043, 236-plus the wages paid, from
the value of the products, we have
SIS, ,S64, ,S32, for the payment of these
others engaged and the interest on
capital.
Among the important items not in
cluded in this list is the manufacture of
silk goods (which was $7,S42, ,515), gas
(S5,199, ,979), shipbuilding, and brewing
and distilling, with several minor in
dustries, for which the statistics have
not yet been completed. The whole, it
is estimated, will bring the total very
nearly up to $500, 100000.
The most important industry in the
list is the manufacture of mems cloth
ing, branch of business which has
grown wonderfully since the introduc-
ton of power for cutting as we'll rs
sewing. The production in this line is
valued Mt $50, ,79S, G97, employing 64,
O56 hands, while women's clothing fig
ures for SIS, S,599, ,4S7, employing II, ,267
hands. In boots and shoes, 1913 facto-
ries make goods to the value of S4, 100,
81, and ZIG custom shoemaking shops
produce 81, 1868, 620 worth. The products
| Of
valued ut $40, 297 ,527, including 2Ii,275
beeyes, l22, 800 calves, and 662, 900
sheep. In machinery the product was
S5,077, ,Oi6; and in engines and boilers,
S3,2l3,37l; car building and repairing,
$547 ,037; metal goods and metal spin
ming, $I45, ,473; steam fitting and steam
heating, 81 ,2S9, 259; iron casting and
finishing, $5, ,4S9, ,251; tin, copper, and
sheet iron ware, $2,347, 1872; furniture,
S9,605, 779: wood brackets, molding
turning, etc, Sl,371, ,0S3; and drugs
and chemicals, SO, 1873, 17S.
But any notice of the business and
manufacturing industry of New York
city would be incomplete without taking
into account the circumstances of its
location, whereby population of some
800, 900, Just across the East and North
rivers, whose shores are fringed with
the factories and warehouses of city
firms, all contribute to swell the pro
duction of this common center. The
industries thus carried on are not at all
considered in these statistics, which
cover only the establishments within the
city lines; when, however, the work o.
the census bureau shall be so far com
pleted that it will be possible to collatt
the figures touching the productive in
dustry of these intimately related sec
tions, the grand total will show an ag
gregate of exchangeable commoditiel
which will, in money value, bear NJ
mean proportion to the total exports ant
imports of the port of New York.
Scientific american.