Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1902-04-26
KANSAS FACTORIES.
Our Industrial Progress as Shown
by the Census Figures.
Manufactures Contribute No Small
Part to the Prosperity of the Peo-
ple of the state-Interesting
Statistlcs.
Especial Statistical Lottery


possession of n 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 hg-
ure, and perhaps in comparison win
some of the almost exclusively manu-
featuring states she would not make
much It showing, but when the cen
sus returns show that she has 1851
manufacturing establishments In
which $66, s27 1862 is invested; that 3d.
1913 wage earners find employment IN
them and earn a total wage OF $l0,-
BIT $3.50, and turn out product valued
at S172, 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. ID. North, at the pres
emit time has his large force of clerks
at work tabulating the manufactur-
ing statistics of the different states
and territories, and has kindly fur
lished 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 40years.
The total population of the state in
1860, six years after it was admitted
into the union, was 7,206, and in 1900
lass, 1859, an increase in the 40 years OF
1851. 263, 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 1888 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 $780,"
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 its
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, slaugbtering and meat pack
Ing, with the allied industry of soap
and candle manufacture, -four and
grist mills, and cheese and butter and
condensed milk manufacture.
There are s67 establishments en-
braced in these seven leading indus
tries, or Ill per cent. of the total
number in the state. In these 667 es-
Establishments a capital of S37,540,472
was invested, or 56.2 per cent. of the
total; there were 1s,465 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, TAG, or 69.4
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 q 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 Strengthening plants
of the state receive large part of
them and turn out product valued in
1900 at SIT All, 1888, or As per cent. of the
total value of the manufacturing prod
ucts of the state. There are SLY 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, 5,01S
wage earners and products valued at
s44. LOTT, the increase in value of
products during the decade being 1872
per cent. Kansas City, Kan, is next
to the largest meat-packing city in the
world, and has within its limits the
largest single packing house in exist