Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-16
the government. including works Of re-

the government including works Of re-
pair. etc, and also the products OF educa-
tional, penal and eleemosynary institutions
This total has been largely exceeded dur
ing the past two years, as may be judged
from the later reports of the government
warehouses;.
There are in the District about 3,173 in
dustrial establishments of all classes. These
represent total invested capital of Si2.-
oS1- O65, employ 2i,s42 people, earning an
nually in wages the sum of S14,692. sos. The
civil manufacturing and industrial estab-
lishrnents number 3,04s, the value of the
products being s37,SS1,57s. OF these, 2.o62,
OF Co per cent of the total In the District.
are small shops included in the groups of
hand trades, such as dressmaking. repair
ing Of all kinds. shoemaking, tailoring,
etc, and varied industry establishments
with a product of less than $500 The
value of the products of these small shops,
consisting principally Of the sums received
for custom work and repairing. amounted
in 1900 to S161S2. 07O, or 1871 per cent of
the total products of the District. The
output of the forty educational, eleemosy-
nary and penal institutions amounted TO
$133, 176 in 1900.
Government Establishments.
The output of the eighty-five industrial
establishments of the government located
in Washington was valued during the year
1900 at s9.sS7. 355. This was 2o.6 per cent Of
the total value of the manufacturing and
mechanical INDUSTRY pEoouCtS VI Tic LIS
trict for that year. The government indus
trial establishments, according to these
latest figures, employ Ais salaried officials
ard clerks. at $4,000 year, and S.o96 en-
ployes whose annual wages amount to
Sc, 257 377. The principal output is from
the government printing Office. The value
Of the products of this establishment was
81 $3.50 The value of the work done at
the bureau Of engraving and printing was
So 273,s59 The value of the ordnance
turned out by the naval gun factory at the
navy yard during the fiscal year ended
June 60 1902, was 50 SGD 210.2o. The leather
goods Industry OF the government, the max
ing of mail pouches, amounts to about
$50 600 year. The other industrial works
of the government carried on here are such
as masonry, carpenterinS book binding.
box-maklng, coffin manufacture, furniture
and cabinet making, lock and gunsmithing,
house and sign painting, photography,
plumbing, taXiderny, tinsmithing and varf-
Gus other of the hand trades. The promi-
nent place photography has taken in the in
dustries of the day is evidenced by the fact
that the government spends about $4,000
a year in this way.
The Naval Gun Factory.
AS a featuring establishment the
naval qua factory takes first place among
the civil and governmental enterprises.
Every gun borne by the ships Of the modern
navy was manufactured In Washington.
Gus caliber are completed at the gun factory
during the course Of year, and many
other important ordnance works, such as
gun mounts and carriages, are turned out
IN proportionate quantities. The establish
ment is one of the very finest in the world,
the average number Of yearly employees be-
ing 2,115. mostly skilled mechanics. AS an
Indication of the volume Of work carried
on at the foundry and how 1t has increased
it may be stated that last year the sum
paid in wages was 81, 146. 1881, as against
$210, .73 in 1856, when the naval gun fac
tory was formally established here.
The establishment of the naval gun fac
tory at the Washington navy yard came
about through a general order of the Navy
Department, dated August IA, 1886. pro-
mulgated by Mr.. w. c. Whitney, then Sec
rotary of the Navy, upon recommendation
of Commodore Montgomery Sicard, who
was chief of the naval bureau Of ordnance.
Prior to this time the bureau of ordnance
had with such facilities as the existing
shops at the Washington navy yard afford
ed, begun the manufacture of high-poW-
der, breech-loading, steel rifles. and the first
six 6-inch guns for the new navy were con-
structed there, the first one. which was test
ed at the Annapolis proving grounds, being
completed in February. 1854 and the others
in 1885. Nc 7aar buildings were at first
erected for the gun factory, but the existing
shops, formerly used for making anchors
and chains and for building steam ma
chnery, were remodeed to adapt them for
new ccnulLlDES, Dei1S supplied WITH new ana
suitable machinery, travelling cranes, etc,
and the present shrinkage pit was con-
structed in the year 1888, much difficulty
having been experienced on account of a
quicksand which was disclosed during the
progress of the work.
Modern Improvements.
From the date of It's inception up to the
present time Improvements have been made
nearly every year; new shops have been
! built; the old ones enlarged and improved:
new and improved machinery has been In
stalled; the power plant has been increased
from time to time necessary; electric
power has largely superseded the use of
steam; new branches of industry have been
successfully introduced, and the establish
ment has now become one of large propor-
tions, second to none in this country and
to few abroad in its capacity for turning
out eXpeditously and economically all
classes of work for which 1t is adapted. The
employees in general efficient and indus
trious, and loaffng, which is the plague of
many large establishments, is a rare thing
at the gun factory.
Since the manufacture of modern guns