Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-04-29
Census Facts Regarding
the Manufactures of Iowa
We Make a Good Showing in Many Important Industries
Some Interesting Statistics.

l II
paying the sum of s526.47 to 1,2S5 wage
searners. The total product of these mills
In 1900 was worth SIS, 1928 0s3. The capital
invested In flour and grist mills is nearly
100000 less than ten years ago. but the
value Of the product is nearly 100000
greater.
4. In the early days lumber used to head
the list of the states important industries;
II now comes fourth. There are 264 estnb-
lishments engaged in the manufacture of
lumber and timber, products, with cap
ital of $s.762. 219. paying 2,79s hands the sum
OF N.046.1S1, and turning out material VAL
ued at $s,677.O5S.
s. There are 5S concerns, with total cap
ital OF $3,277,617. engaged in car construc-
ton and repairs by steam railroad COM
panies. They employed s. 497 wage-earneVs,
paying them for their services the sum Of
S2.94S.947 The production of this class OF
establishments for 1900 was valued at 3d.
22l,S7S. In number of wage-earners and
amount paid in wages. this industry takes
first rank among the manufacturing in
dustrles of the state
6. There are 1,05 establishments in the
ktate engaged in printing and publishing
They are capitalized at s5679,S90 and em-
ploy 4'&s working people, who receive in
wages the sum OF 8, 1885, 44. The production
of these plants is valued at $6,145563.
Z. Closely allied to the lumber and timber
industry, mentioned above, Is the manu-
facture of planning mill products, includ-
ing sash, doors and blinds. There are 6
establishments engaged in this line of busi-
ness. with capitalization of 1886, s06 The
2,372 employees receive an aggregate annual
wage OF $9SS.9A The products of these
mills are valued at $5.295,546.
s. Iowa has 1870 foundries and machine
shops These have total capital invest
ment of $3,732.774. and employ 2.372 wage
earners, who received in 1900 the total sum
of these shops amounts to A460,9l4.
8. The manufacture of carriages and
wagons in the state keeps III establish
ments busy turning out s., 9S1 O67 worth Of
goods year They have a total capital
of $4.0S7. 400. employ 1862 workers, who are
paid the annual sum OF Sis. 901 as wages.
10. There are 16 establishments engaged
in the manufacture of food preparations,
with 600 wage-earners, and products val.
ued at $3,6O4.031. The capital invested In this
line OF business amounts to 81 601 .621. The
wage account In 1900 reached a total of l2O9, :
OBJ. This industry holds first rank In the
way of progress during the past decade,
having increased Its production In that
period over 800 per cent
IL. In 1900 there were $50 establishments
reported as engaged in the manufacture of
clay products. The capital invested In this
industry amounted to $3,437.613, and gave
employment to 22a0 people. who received
value OF the products in this line was r.
2A.9oO.
One important industry, and pc
culiar to the state, is not mentioned
in the above list. It is the manufac-
ture of pearl buttons from the shells
of the native fresh-water mussel.
This industry was introduced into the
state as recently as 1891, by Mr.. ]. r.
Boepple, who learned the trade in his
native city of Hamburg, Germany. AS
sured of the excellence of the mus
sells Of the Mississippi and the rivers
of Iowa, he established factory in
Muscatine. In 1900 there were SO es-
Establishments reported as engaged in
the industry, with capitalization
of $324,315, and employing 1,4O2 works
ers at an annual wage of $45s, 0se,
The value of the buttons. manufae=
tured in the census year amounted
to $S66,53s.
Sioux City is the leading manufac-
turing city in the state.
The city of Des Moines has shown
the greatest growth during the past
decade as measured by the value of
it's manufactured products.
OF the 1850 establishments in the
state, 5,40s. or 36.5 per cent, are To-
Gated in the 80 larger cities. The
capital of these concerns is $77,012,-
$50, OF rs per cent. of that for the
entire state. They furnish employ
ment to 44,472 wage earners. or 70 per
cent. of the total for the state; pay
s1s.436,54O, or rs per cent. of the to-
tai wages; and the value of their
products, S11s.46s.5o9, is 72 per cent.
of the total for the state.
HECTOR c, LEXINGTON.