Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-04-25
KANSAS FACTORIES.
Dur Industrial Progress as Shown
by the Census Figures.
manufactures Contribute No Small
Part to the Prosperity OF the Peo-
PIE OF the State-Interesfing
Statistics.
Especial Statistical Letter.


possession of 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
mre, and perhaps in comparison with
. some of the almost exclusively manu-
featuring states she would not make
much of showing, but when the CEN
sus returns show that she has 1880
manufacturing establishments in
which SOC, 1927 1862 is invested; that 49,
1913 wage earners find employment in
them and earn total wage of $780,
317,6S9, and turn out a product valued
at $172, 129 1893, 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 manufacture
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 40 years.
The total population of the state in
1860, six years after it was admitted
into the union, was 1O7, 2O6, and in 1900
1,46S, 400, an increase in the 40 years of
1861 1868, or 1,269.S per cent The av-
erage number of wage earners en-
ployed in manufacturing establish
ments has increased from 1,735 in 1860
to 35, 1913 in 1900, an increase of 1884
per cent, in the 40 years, and en-
braced, in the latter year, "a per cent.
Of the entire population, as compared
with 1.6 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 4s,3o6, 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 1907
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
grlst mills, and cheese and butter and
condensed milk manufacture.
o q There are SCI 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 5s per
cent, was paid in wages. The value of
their products was $119, 485, TAG, or 69.4
per cent. of the total.
The "cattle on a thousand hills"
which Biblical history presents as
picture of Palestine under great pros
rerity 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 fiat pork, the Il Strengthening plants
of the state receive large part of
them and turn out product valued in
1900 at ST, All s3, or 45 per cent. of the
total value of the manufacturing prod
ucts of the state. There are s,117 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 establishments, 5,O1s
wage earners and products valued at
/ S44,696,077, the increase in value of
products during the decade being 1872
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 1T wage
earners and products valued at ST.
Os3, 1877. In 1900 there were nine es-
adjustments, 80 wage earners and
products valued at $253, 21s, an increase
in the value of the product of 327.s 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 1,451 wage earners, and
yielding products valued at $21, 1885,