The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-11-07
SEATTLE. sArURDAY, SoT. z.
OUR BUSINESS PROSPECTS.

The president of the New York Chamber
of Commerce in the current number Of the
MOTH american Review recites number of
interesting facts concerning the business
situation and its present prospects. We
have fifteen and a half millions Of cotton
spindles, representing a capital of $685.
10000, while the invested capital of the
wooden, silk, and other mixed textile man.
ufactures including bleacheries, dye
works. etc, is at present S225,000,000 in
addition. The capital represented in the
various commission, wholesale and retail
agencies for the sale of textile fabrics
would at least equal the amount engaged
In manufacturing, making total of more
than 5000 100000 engaged in this industry
and its attendant traffic.
In carpets we are the largest producers
In the world, and our goods are equal to
anything made in Europe of competing
grades. In silk we exceed the produce of
Germany and England and are second
only TO France, and in plain silks we
equal the product of Lyons. The New
England cotton mills, measured by their
las: haifyearly dividends, have had
average success: the stocks of the leading
mills are above par, and in many cases at
. large premium.
Although an English cotton mill costs
TO build and equip fully 3sI5 per cent. less
than ours, and while labor in such mills
IL 20 per cent. less in Eng
land than here Tin some industries
the difference Is much greater) one
may buy the low and medium grades of
cotton goods of the class used by the
masses. or ready-made garment of the
same, say of shirtings, calico, bingham,
Canton flannel and the like, in the retail
stores of New York and Chicago, quite as
low as similar article can be bought in
London, Paris or Berlin. American stand
ard sheetings and drills have the prefer
snce in the Chinese market. and are sold
in competition with English and German
made goods, and always at better prices,
because Of their superior quality The
product of favorite brands of American
standard sheetings and drills adapted to
the China markets have been sold in adj
vance Of production for more than six
months past, and prominent mill has
now 10000 packages engaged for the
African market.
We can successfully compete with
Europe in the Oriental markets in the
manufacture and sale of plain cotton
goods when the cost of labor in producing
q piece OF goods does not exceed % per
Mani f.f hn 41fa
material for a stylish and appropriate
simmer morning dress made from a
colored American cotton dress fabric
does not exceed one dollar and a quarter
4 ready-made suit of clothes for man.
Of common American cashmere. will not
cost in New York today Is per cent. more
than similar suit bought in London; in
spite of the fact that the percentage of
labor-cost upon the cashmere is relatively
six times as much as OH the cotton fabrics
above referred to. The capital invested
In the iron and steel industries, according
10 the census Of 1880, was $3.50, OF ,SSi
It is estimated by that eminent Demo-
cratic manufacturer. Abram T. Hewitt
today at $t5o,0o0.000. The production of
pig iron in the United States has increased
from 2,S54.55s tons in 1872 to 10,3 OBS in
1890. The increase of production from
1885 to 1850 was IL per cent; from 1889 to
1890 it was 81 per cent. The product of
1890 was about 10000 gross tons larger
than that of Great Britain for the same
year, and 100000 gross tons larger than
The, largest year that Great Britain
ever had. Our total production of
Bessemer steel ingots in 1880 was
S.6sS, ST. gross tons, an increase of nearly
Is per cent over that of 1889. Great
Britain's largest production of steel ineots
was in 1889, when it amounted to 2.It0, 7as
tons. Our production of steel rails in 1850
was 1901, IA net tons: in 1870. 209I,a7S
net tons. The largest annual production
of Great Britain was in lSS2, when il
amounted TO i,2S5. 7S5 gross tons.
The increase of our coal production has
hept pace with that of iron, as the follow
ing figures show:
ls-p-Coal mined, tons. ..,,,..... qs s1a SCI
1kNa-Coal mined, tons ..,..,... \. SS2n.1
AN NNasA So