Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1902-04-26
Special Statistical Letter.

Bn6 luQuSbIldl COuNltlOhS VI ohS -
rious states of the union, the one con-
tanning statistics of manufacture and
mechanical industries of the state OF
Mississippi contains much interesting
information, not only for the people
of that state, but throughout the en-
tire south.
When we glance through the tables
and notice the wonderful increase that
has taken place in this state during
the last ten years in the number OF
manufacturing establishments, in the
amount of capital invested in the va
rious industries and in the number OF
wage earners, the fact at once makes
itself apparent that at least this state
has awakened from the lethargy in
which its business body had practical
ly lain since the beginning of the re-
bellion. The revival shows every sign
of being genuine and at the present
rate of increase before another census
shall roll around, Mississippi bids fair
to be among the foremost of produc-
ing states of the south,
We must remember in this connec-
tion that Mississippi is properly an
agricultural state and possesses few
of the natural advantages which fos-
ter manufacture. 1t possesses no i'm
portant harbor, little waterpower and
few mineral resources, although haV-
ing cotton lands of inexhaustible fer
tility and extensive forests of pine and
hard wood.
Mississippi's industrial history dates
back to the early years of the century
Among the manufacturing establish
ments reported at the census of 1910
were % cotton factories, ten tanneries
and six distilleries There was a
steady increase until the opening OF
the Chickasaw cession to settlement
in 1882, when period of gigantic spec
ulation terminated in the financial
panic of 1887. But this is straying
from the subject; it may be stated
though, that it was not until 1860 that
the state had entirely recovered from
these speculative influences. The in
dustrial stagnation throughout the
south during the next 20 years is wei
known. This brings us to the yeal
1880, and during the following decade
the Industrial development of th'
state may properly be said to have be
gun, and the last census shows witt
what energy the people have contin
ued the work.
In the year--fs9o, there were 1859
manufacturing establishments in tn,
state, with an invested capital of $14,
s96,Ss4, employing on an average IA,
465 wage earners, being IL per cent
of the total population of the stat
at that time. The statistics for tn
year 1900 show that the number of es
tablishments had increased to ATE
an increase of 1.S1 per cent, with al
invested capital of $35,sO7,4 ,419, an in
crease of 1904 per cent, and employ
ing wage earners to the number o
26.41S, an increase of S2.6 per cent
II per cent. of the population L
comparing these figures the reade
1890 show a substantial improvement
over those of 1880; by doing so bette
idea of the development that has take
place may be had. The figures of il
vested capital does not include th
capital stock of any of the corpora
tions of the state.
An interesting fact that these fE
ures bring out is the evident genera
introduction of labor saving maehiI
ery in the various factories, for Will
the number of establishments had il
creased but 14.S per cent. between tn
years 1880 and 1890, the number {
wage earners had increased 1882 pc
cent. The figures of the last censr
show material change, the increas
in, establishments being over $50 pc
cent, almost trebled, while the nun
ber of employees had less than double
The value of the products turne
out by the shops and factories of til
state in 1900 is returned at $4O,431
3s6. to produce which involved an ou
Law of $1O,115,761 for salaries, wage
and miscellaneous expenses; the CO..
of materials was $21, ,692, ,092. 1t mu
not be assumed, however, that the di
ference between the aggregate I
these sums and the value of the pro
ucts is indicative of the profits to Il
manufacturer during the census yea
as the census schedule takes no co
nizance of the cost of selling manufa
tured articles and other expenses al
natural losses, and is simply the gro
value fixed at the factory, and not Il
net or true value.
In the foregoing figures, 4,660 sma
establishments with product OF le
than $500 year were not include
The value of their products amour
ed to only $3,4ss,122 or only S.4 p
cent. of the total, and consisted pri
cipally Of the sums received for Gu
tom work and repairing.
we will now go little further in
the subject and see how some of Il
various industries have grown. II
state may properly be said to ha
eiebt leading industries, ranking
the following order according to Il
value of their products: Lumber al
timber products; oil, cottonseed a.
cake; cotton ginning; turpentine al
rosin; cotton goods; cars and gener
shop construction; lumber, planil
mill products and Touring and gri
mill products The eight industri
embraced, in 1900, s,2o5 estabhs
ments, or 67.e per cent. Of the tot
number Of the state; used capital
ego.e1O,os4, OF SIG per cent. of t