The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-09-28

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Virginia Manufacturer and Industrial
Plants.
The first annual report Of Labor
Commissioner Montague mas been
completed, to be submitted 10 the
Governor, to be by him sent to The
General Assembly when II assemblies
in Richmond on the first Wednesday
in December. The Office OF Labor
Commissioner was created at the last
session Of the Legislature, and Mr
Montague's initial report wall be the
first attempt made III Virginia to
gather and present to the l. glslsture
the statistics of the various manu
facturers and industrial plants IN this
State.
The report N axes a book Of over
100 pages, and not only attempts to
cover the reports from all of the va
rious manufacturing establishments
but devotes space to each county IN
the State, showing the number OF
farms, the products and the net profit
on each crop raised. Besides this ia
formation, it gives other. which has
heretofore been embraced IN the re-
ports Of the Agricultural Department
of the State.
MANUFACTURlNG PLANTS.
"Of the / ,lS3 blank forms sen, to
the operators of manufacturing
plants" says the report. $3.50 were
returned. OF these 39l WAS tsbu-
lated, and the remaining 296 found
to be insufficient, either IN couse-
quence Of the mesger data contained
therein or the fact that certain Of the
establishments were not ID operation
during the period covered.
"Of the 394 tabulsted reports lO9
we're from incorporated county com
psnles and 2Sj from private firms.
The aggregate capital invested 10
business amounted to S22 G9l 709 10,
and the total value OF all goods man
ufactured during the year 1897 was
SO. So .Gj9 90 Toe total number OF
days worked IN 1896 and 1897 w-re
So j0l aud o. 2G2 respectively. The
total amount paid 10 wages IN the
mechanical department for 1896 was
s.. .039. .G73 81. la 1897 It WAS 80 40G,-
52S u, or an increase of ! 1866 500,
IL. The total amount paid for rent
WAS Sill $40 81, for taxes Sl49 Ola
Sc. and for insurance $l43 072 p, a
total of $404, lG3 II The average
amount paid for Office help per month
was SIS, ,379 g..
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
The agricultural manufacturers
reported were only 4 out of 10 Those
reporting had an aggregate capital
invested of $l42 ,70S 81, and the total
value of all goods manufactured dur
ing the year OF 1897 amounted to
5000. 920.05. They report present
conditions very good and prospects
very bright and business never bet
ter.
Five breweries out of II reported
show an aggregate capital of $780,
600 and goods manufactured valued
at $540, ,87l 0S. Business reported
prospects for future not considered
so favorable.
"Of % manufacturers of canned
goods throughout the State only 10
made returns, of which were sufii-
ciently complete for tabulatlon.
Among the suggestions for the bet
terment of business was that for the
appointment of an inspector of can
neries, whose duty shall be to enforce
proper sanitary conditions and pre-
vent filthy and impure fruit being
canned.
"Of the y cigar, cigarette and
cheroot factories reported 10 were
sufficiently complete for tsbulatlon.
The aggregate capital invested by the
10 concerns amounted to $40, AZ.
The two largest establishments in
Virginia failed to give the value of
goods manufactured during the year
Of 1897, but the total stock and mate.
rial used during the year by the 10
factories amounted to 81 3S2 PIG 30
The total number of days in opera
ton in 1896 was 1873 less than the pre-
ceding year, and the amount paid iu
wages during 1896 was $207 942 n,
or $3S, ,722 80 less than in 1897. The
average daily wages paid cigar
makers was 81 Ga for an average OF
eight and two-fftbs hours cigarette
makers, males, 81 for 10 hours, and
females 81 10 for hours.
COTTON MILLS
"Of the reports received from cot
ton mills only 3 contained such data
as could be tabulated. Returns from
several others, however, showed that
they had recently resumed operations,
having been idle during the period
covered by this report. Business was
reported as little more encouraging,
but one mill complained of the 10
hour law working to the disadvantage
OF Virginia mills as compared 10
those Of other States, where longer