Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1902-04-23
KANSAS FACTORIES.
Our Industrial Progress as Shown
by the Census Figures.
Manufactures Contribute No small
Part to the Prosperity of the PeO-
PIE of the State-InteresfinE
Statistics.
(special statigtieal Letter.l

census bureau here places one in the
possession of a great many valuable
and interesting facts, and the figures
the enumerators gathered during the
last census taking place some of the
states in a new light before US. For in
stance, Kansas is thought of as the
great corn state, and this agricultural
supremacy is allowed to obscure the
! growing Importance of the state in
other directions. When talking of
manufacturing states one would not
| consider that Kansas cut much of fig
ure, and perhaps in comparison with
some of the almost exclusively manu-
featuring states she would not make
much of a showing, but when the cen
sus returns show that she has 1880
manufacturing establishments in
which $66, S27 1862 is invested; that 35,
| 1913 wage earners find employment in
them and earn total wage of $780,
317,6S9, and turn out product valued
at $172, 1923 ,39S, one is forced to admit
that manufactures contribute no small
part to the prosperity of the people of
the state.
The chief statistician for manufac-
lures, Mr.. S. n. D. North, at the pres
ent time has his large force of clerks
at work tabulating the manufactur-
ing statistics of the different states
| and territories, and has kindly fur
nished US with the facts set forth in
this letter. In regard to Kansas Mr..
North said: although agriculture and
stock raising are the leading pursuits
of Kansas, manufacturing and me-
chanical industries have had consid-
cradle growth during the last 4Oyears.
The total population of the state in
| 1860, six years after it was admitted
| into the union, was 10Y ,206, and in 1900
| LAOS, 469, an increase in the 40 years of
1851, 1868, or 1868 per cent. The av-
erage number of wage earners en-
| ployed in manufacturing establish
ments has increased from 1,735 in 1860
to 49, in 1900, an increase of 1, 1884
per cent, in the 40 years, and en-
braced, in the latter year, "a per cent.
of the entire population, as compared
| with 10 per cent. in 1860. Probably
the best indication of the Importance
of the wage earning class is afforded
| by the greatest number employed at
any one time during the year. In 1900
this was 46,306, or 3.3 per cent. of the
total population of the state. The
| greatest increase in the value of the
products of the state-257.3 per cent
was for the decade ending with 1902
But study of the statistics of Kan
sas manufactures clearly shows that
the great agricultural interests of the
state form the basis of the principal
manufactures to be found within it's
borders. Taking the seven leading in
dustries of the state, we find that four
| of them are directly dependent upon
the farmer for the materials to be
worked up into the finished product,
namely, Strengthening and meat pack
ing, with the allied industry of soap
and candle manufacture, flour and
grist mills, and cheese and butter and
condens ed~milk manufacture
There are SGT establishments en-
braced in these seven leading indus
tries, or Ill per cent. of the total
number in the state. In these SGT es-
Establishments a capital of $37 ,54O,472
was invested, or 56.2 per cent. of the
total; there were 1896 wage earners
employed, or 52.5 per cent. of the total
number, and $9,459,963 or So per
cent, was paid in wages. The value of
their products was $119, 485, 746, or 1914
per cent. of the total. Let us look at
these seven leading industries which
furnish such splendid totals and study
them more in detail.
The seattle on a thousand hills"
which Biblical history presents as
picture of Palestine under great pros
perity of the Jewish nation might not
find its counterpart in Kansas, because
that level state would have hard work
to roll up half that many hills, but the
cattle it has, and thousands of them.
| And when part of the great harvest of
corn is transformed into juicy beef
and fat pork, the IA slaughtering plants
of the state receive a large part of
them and turn out product valued in
1900 a $77, All, SS3, or As per cent. of the
total value of the manufacturing prod
ucts of the state. There are 8 III wage
earners employed in these IA establish
ments, or 23.1 pei cent. of the total
wage earners in the state In 1890
there were IS blishments, 5.O1s
wage earners and products valued at
S44, COG, or, the increase in value of
products during the decade being 1872
per cent. Kansas City, Kan, is next
~ III 1i4Co CITY IN Cne
world, and has within its limits the
largest single packing house in exist
enee, covering 80 acres of floor space.
There is scarcely a nation in the world
to which these Kansas establishments
do not send their products.
The manufacture of soap and can
dies is an industry which is closely al
lied to the packing interests, and it
makes use of the oils, fatty matter.
offal and other waste products of
the slaughtering and meat-packing
houses. There were in 1900 seven of !
these establishments, with TT wage
earners and products valued at ST.
OS3, 337. In 1900 there were nine es-
adjustments, SO wage earners and
products valued at $3.50, 219, an increase
III the value of the product of 327. 8 per
cent.
The industry ranking second in i'm
portance in the state is that compris- |
ing the Touring and grist mills, which |
numbered in 1900 533 establishments.
employing 1,454 wage earners, and |
yielding products valued at $21, $780,