The Washington times., 1901-09-13
STATISTICS OF RHODE ISLAND.
Census Bulletin Tells of the states
Great Inc ustPiex

terlay by the Census Bureau.
The reports show a capital of $lS3. .1s4 5s7
invested in manufactures and mechanical
industries in the ilSs establishments re-
ported for the State. This sum represents
the value of land. buildings. materials.
tools. and live capital utilized. but does
not include the capital stock of any of the
corporations The value OF the products
was returned at sisi.o7i.3S. to produce
which involved an outlay of $3.50 1Ss for
salaries of officials, clerks, etc.: A.114.oS4
for wages, 81. .l99, ,2S3 for miscellaneous ex-
penses, including rent, taxes, etc, and
500 .:32, 720 for materials used. mill sup
plies. freight. and fuel. 1t is not to be as
sumed. however. that the difference be-
tween the aggregate of these sums and
the value Of the products is in any sense
indicative of the profits in the manufac-
ture of the products during the census
year, as the schedule takes no cogni2ance
of the cost of selling manufactured aIti-
cles, or of interest on capital invested. or
of mercantile losses incurred in business.
or of depreciation in plant. The gross
value of products being SlSi. .074S7S and the
value of materials purchased in a partly
manufactured form s64,9F.S95, the differ
ence, Sli9. .l26. iS6. is the net or true value
of products and represents the increase in
the value of raw material resulting from
the various processes of manufacture.
The bulletin calls attention to some
striking features of Rhode Island statis-
tics. While the amount of capital en-
pioyed in the manufacture of the State
has increased 1873 per cent since 1890. the
increase in the value of manufactured
goods produced through the agency of
,k.f. 20 o .aNf
The comparatively small increase in the
value of products as contrasted with the
capital required to produce it is indica
tive apparently of lower prices of the
finished goods. rather than correspond
ing small increase in the volume of these
goods. 1t is not possible to measure the
quantities of goods produced by a COM
mon standard when dealing with the
statistics of variety of industries. but
the details of specified industries, here
after to be publ. he'd, will show the
quantities of goods PRODUCED to have in
creased in proportion more nearly equal
to the amount of capital employed Thus
in wooden and worsted goods manufac-
tured in Rhode Island, there is an in
crease of 6S7 per cent IN capital and an
increase of 3i.1 per cent in the quantity
of woven fabrics produced, while the in
crease in the value of these products is
only POI per cent, the average value per
square yard having fallen from 50 cents
in 1880 to 561 cents in 1900. In cotton
goods there was an increase of 1855, 100
yards in the production of plain cloths.
sheetings. shirtings, twills and fancy
woven fabrics, and a DECREASE of sl.2Xl.-
514 in their total value. The average
price per yard of these cotton goods was
6V7 cents in 1899 and SIS cents in i9p).
Rhode Island occupies a unique place,
h1rl1 = a ms n M n
State. Smallest in area, the State stood
fourth at the census of 1880 in the value
of its textile products and fifteenth in
general manufacturing, and its rank is
not likely to be altered at the present
census. In the percentage of the total
population employed in manufactures. the
variety and Importance of products, and
the generally healthy and progressive
character of manufacturing methods.
Rhode Island is not surpassed.
There has been steady growth of the
manufacturing industries of Rhode Island
during the last half century, the bulle-
tin says. which demonstrates the pre-
eminent position OF the State as a centre
of productive industry The percentage
of increase in the number of manufactu-
ring establishments has been double the
percentage of increase in population.
Equally striking has been the increase in
the amount of capital invested, in the
value of manufactured products, in the
average number of wage earners, and in
the amount of wages paid. The total
population of the State in 1850 was 147, ,545,
and in 1870 42S.o56. an increase in the fifty
years of Isl. OIL, or 1905 per cent, while the
average number of wage earners employ
ed in manufacturing establishments has
increased from 2096l in 1850 to 96.52s in
1870, an increase of 1904 per cent in the
fifty years, and embraced in the latter
year 22.5 per cent of the total population.
The factors which have contributed To
this growth are but few-the early and
successful establishment of the factory
system, particularly in cotton manufac-
ture. to the natural tendency of one indus
try to stimulate the introduction of other
induStrieS.t to the abundance of capital, and
to the enterprise and skill of its citizens
Rhode Island possesses no natural re-
sources which have contributed material
ly to it's development
While the manufactures of Rhode ISL
and are widely diversified, says the bull
letin, there are particular branches in
which the State has won a worldwide
reputation. The fineness of its textiles
the wealth and beauty of its manufac-
lures of gold and silver, the products of
it's foundries and machine shops. the
accuracy of its fine tools. in use in every
quarter of the globe, the reputation
its steam engines have acquired in manu-
featuring circles, and its enormous output
of rubber boots and shoes all combine to
preserve and extend this reputation"
The first calico printed in the United
States was produced about 1884 in East
Greenwich, and large variety of the
finer fabrics of cotton are now manufac-
turcd in the State. Ranked according to
the number of SpindleS employed, Rhode
Island has held the second place in the
cotton manufacture from the beginning of
the industry in this country, MasSac chu-
settS standing first.
The first attempt in Rhode Island to
manufacture wool by the factory system
was made in 1894 at Peacedale, South
Kingstown. In 1910 the number of mills
was twelve. The first power loom to be
employed in the United States in the pro-
duction of wooden goods was installed at
Peacedale in 1874 The industry has
steadily developed and several OF the
worsted mills in the country are located
within its borders.
Rhode Island, and especially the city of
Providence, has long been prominent in
the manufacture of jewelry, which next
to the textiles is the most important in
dustry in the State. All varieties and
grades of jewelry are produced. The in
dustry dates bacl, to the Revolution. but
1t was the ingenuity of n Providence
goldsmith in 1874 which firmly established
it in that city While manufacturers in
ing out products of pure gold and silver
wrought by hand. Nehemiah Dodge in
vented a process for filling" the gold
with cheaper materials, and at about the
manufacture. The process by which this
cheaper product was obtained soon be-
came known to other manufacturers in
the city. and was carried across the
which now rivals Providence in this in
dustry. The reputation of Providence in
this branch of manufactures attracted
Thomas II. Lowe a skilled workman
from Birmingham. England, in 1916. who
improved the filling process. thus further
reducing the cost of manufacture.
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