The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-01
AS A BICYCLE STATE
SOME INTERESTING FIGURES FROM
CHIEF THoMPsoN's BUREAU.
Amount Invested I'm Indiana I'm Manu-
featuring Wheels-Woo1en and
Cotton Industries.

|
Simeon J. Thompson, chief of the Bureau
Of Statistics. has issued another interest
ing bulletin on the manufacturing indus
tries of the State, this time on the indus
tries of furniture, bicycles, wooden mills,
cotton mills, wearing apparel. to which is
added some valuable figures concerning
women wage earners. The statistics COM
piled on the bicycle industries are especially
interesting, because the condition Of this
industry is for the first time set forth.
The bulletin shows that there are nine
cities in the State which have bicycle fac
tories In them Nine plants are located in
Indianapolis. The entire investment is
placed at $40. 107, with the cost of material
for the year at s1.O72,275. The gross value
OF product Is placed at s3,05.S7. with
wages paid amounting to S636,094
The average time the factories were
in operation was 1913 months and
the number of people employed 2.4ls.
as follows: 1,S49 men, 2OS boys and 262
women and girls. The average highest
price paid for skilled labor in this industry
is shown to be 1857, the average lowest for
skilled s1.1, or an average CT s2.64 for
skilled labor Of all grades.
Judging by the statement obtained from
465 of the 1,949 men employed, 4S.8 per cent.
are single; 1871 per cent. saved money, of
which So per cent. were single and As per.
cent. married Further the bulletin says:
''Sixty-eight, or 14.6 per cent, Of the 465
who reported say their wages were in
creased 1921 cents per day, indicating that
ployed were increased. The aggregate in
crease for the 23S days worked by each
amounts to 81, 1C06S. while 90 per cent,
e 49, a.
average daily reduction being 1873 cents.
showing an aggregate reduction for the 238
days worked of $9.a0.S4.
While the population dependent upon
this industry is not so great as some others,
yet 1t makes a fairly good showing. The
ssS married men, whose families average
SO persons. make 1892, with 951 single men,
2OS boys and 262 girls and women, show a
popula ton of Sob who derive support from
the manufacture Of bicycles"
FURNITURE MANUFACTURERS.
The bulletin shows that there are 116 fac
tories in the State for the manufacture Of
the various kinds Of furniture. The tables
furnished show the following:
''The value of grounds. buildings and ma
chinery is s2.734,9s5; the value of material
used the past year was s3,243,3S3 and the
| gross value of the manufactured product
was $500, SIS The amount paid in wages
was ~ O33. 300. Number of people employed,
$500. of whom 5,O44 were men, LOGS boys and
| 3S1 girls and women. The plants were in
| operation an average of 9.s months The
| average highest wages paid skilled labor
was SOL per day, the average lowest paid
skilled labor, $1.45, making average for
| skilled labor of $19S. The average paid un-
sK ski LABOR was sllS; the average skilled
paid boys was So cents per day. and girls
and women " cents Hours constituting a
| days work, ten. Twelve plants report an
| increase of IA per cent. in wages and nine
| report reduction of ~ per cent. strike
occurred in but one of the 116 factories
| Statements were obtained from 1,101 of the
5,O44 men employed in the busiess, which in
dictate that rs per cent are natives: 3O6
per cent. are married. 47.9 per cent. own
money OF those who save money, rs per
| cent. are married. The following extracts
show the wages of those who save money
| and the population of furniture workers:
Carrying the analysis of the reports
further we find the wages of the 1,134 who
saved money to be as follows; 76.4 per cent,
S27. S. to 81; 81. or rs per cent, s. to 81. and
''of the 5.o4 furniture workers s,5o1 are
| married. with families averaging 3.9 per-
sons, aggregating 1868; with 1.54S single
men. loss boys and 391 girls and women
added make total population of 1850 de-
| pendent upon the furniture industry
THE WOODEN INDUSTRIES.
The following relates to the wooden in
dustries of the State:
1.-THE bureau has reports from fourteen
wooden mills, representing thirteen locali-
ties in the State 1t will be seen that there
is invested In buildings. grounds and ma
| chinery S935,1S2; cost of material used past
year, 1891 ls7: gross value of manufactured
| product 81, 49, 9S; amount paid in wages
s29S DAG. There were employed in this indus
| try, the past year, 35S men, 142 boys and 72(
| girls and women. The average time the
mills were In operation was ten months One
mill reports an increase of per cent. in
| wages. AS in all other industries, propre.
tors reports show four grades of wages TO,
| men, being highest and lowest average fol
skilled and the. same for unskilled labor
The average highest wages for skilled labor
is shown to be So. average lowest, $1.56, OF
an average for skilled of 1928, and the aver.
| age for unskilled SO cents or an average fol
skilled and unskilled of $163: wages fol
boys. go cents, and women and girls. s.
| cents"
THE COTTON MILLS
The bulletin indicates that the cotton In
dustry is of more Importance than generally
supposed, the following being said of it:
among the Indiana industries are six
| cotton mills located in five cities, in which
are manufactured yarn, warp, sheeting anc
batting. There is invested in these six plants
| IN buildings. grounds and machinery, 81 1885,
was ssss,sl0; the gross value of the man.
ufactured goods was $1,392,9 the amount
paid in wages was $S2S. 40. The mills were In
were employed in them ], 413 people, of whom
III men were men, 900 boys and 916 girls and
women. Proprietors' statements show tina
labor was 1924; the average lowest, $50
and the average highest and lowest paic
unskilled was SLOT and IL cents; average
paid boys, So cents, and girls and women
IS cents"
The investment in the wearing -appare
manufactures shows the amount invested
in buildings and grounds by this industry
Is $751; $50; the amount paid for raw ma
terial used during past year was s., 222 500
gross value of manufactured product, So, $50,
S4, and 1915, $50 paid in wages. The number
employed was 4,S24. of whom 601 were men
161 boys and 4,052 women and girls.
The statistics on women wage earner
shows that in the State. of the 1882 EN-
ployed in the ;9S3 manufacturing establish
ments, 1885, or 20 per cent, received so cent
or less per day in wages; that 1886. or 4
per cent, received from so to 70 cents; tina
1853. or 81 per cent, received from 70 cent
to 81, and that $50. or per cent, receive,
| more than 81 per day.
OF the women wage earners the statistic
indicate THAT but Sc per cent. save money
OF the number examined 1851 are single, in
Guiding a.; widows while 491 are married
The average number in the families of thos
| married is % persons