The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-09-07
MARVELLOUS GROWTH
Figures Showing Develop
ment of United States
annual Report of the Bureau Ct Statistics ofstht
Treasury Department. Twsn Years
in Nations History,

CWalter Wellman, in Chicago Record
Herald)
One of the most fascinating official
bulletins ever issued by the government
has just made it's appearance in the an
nual report of the Bureau of Statistics
of the Treasury Department. 1t is en-
titled Progress of the United States in
Its Area Population and Material In
dustries" The story it tells is perhaps
the most marvellous to be found IN the
history of all the nations. 1t shows N
compact tabular form the development
of the United States to a great ana
wealthy nation, all the material facts
being arranged by decades, beginning
with 1900 and ending with 1900. Of course,
any comparison of the end of the CEN
fury conditions with those found at the
beginning of the century would show
development from almost nothing to the
great American empire of today.
OF far greater Importance and interest
is the growth of the United States dur
ing the last 20 years. Probably no other
nation ever made such rapid strides as
the United States has made since 1880.
The official figures which measure this
growth are simply amazing. Remember
that the period under consideration is
only 20 years, trifle in the life of ma
tion At the beginning of this period the
United States was already one of the
greatest nations. Its population had
swept across the continent. It had re-
covered from the disaster of the Civil
War. 1t had enjoyed years of large crops
and uninterrupted prosperity. Yet the
development since that time reads almost
like a fairy story rather than a tale
culled from the sober figures of census
and other official statistics.
Since 1880 the population of the United
States has increased by so per cent.
The aggregate wealth of the country,
1.-The true valuation of real and personal
property" has more than doubled-from
$42, 600, O0O, 900 to $4,000, 900, 000
Wealth per capita has increased so
per cent-from $3.50 to $1,236
The public debt, less cash in the Treas
ury. has decreased nearly -half-from
1913, 900, 900 to 81, 107 900 900.
The debt per capita has dropped from
$3S.27 to $14.52
The annual interest charge has dimin-
ished more than one-half-from S0,000-
900 a year to $33, 500 900, and per capita
from S1.59 to A cents.
The amount of gold coined has in
creased more than so per cent.-from
So, 600, 900 a year to $99,000,000
The amount of gold in circulation has
nearly trebled-from 1926, 900 900 to SELL
100000
The amount of silver in circulation has
more than doubled-$69, 900 900, as COM
pared with $142,000,000.
The total circulation of money has more
than doubled-973, 000, 900, compared with
81. O55 600, 900. Circulation per capita has
increased only so per cent.-$19.41, COM
pared with $2693.
The number of national banks has
nearly doubled, 056, compared with g.
6O6.
Deposits in national banks have we'll
nigh trebled-$1, 006, 900 900, compared with
1882 100000.
Deposits in savings banks have almost
exactly trebled-$S19 ,000, 900 to 81, 450, 900,
900.
The number of depositors in savings
banks has increased from 2235,QO0 to g.
100000.
That the farmers of the country have
shared in this wonderful increase of
wealth is clearly shown by further COM
PARSONS of 1880 with 1900.
The value of farms and farm property
has grown from $4,000, 600, 900 to $2O,500,
100000.
The value of the yearly products OF
farms has increased from $2,212, ,00C
to $3,7640O0,000
The value of farm animals has in
creased from 81 1882, 000, 900 to $2,982,000,
900.
The number of manufacturing estab-
lishments in the United States has dou-
bled-from 1884, 900 to $4,000.
The value of the output of these estab-
Iishments has increased 21a times-from
So, 1863, 100000 to more than $13,000,0OO.
The number Of employees in these es-
adjustments has more than doubled
2,732, 900 to 5719. 600. The wages of these
employees have almost trebled-S94S 0OO,-
900 to $2,735, 100000
Exports of merchandise have increased
more than 80 per cent: Exports of argri-
cultural products have increased more
than % per cent. Exports of manufac-
lures have more than quadruDled.
Imports of all merchandise have in
creased 80 per cent, but imports pei
capita have fallen from s12.51 to $10.SS.
The production of gold has more than
doubled-from $96,OOOOOO year to &c.,
100000
The production of silver has nearly
doubled-$39, 000, 900, compared with $74,-
100000
The production of coal has almost
quadrupled-64, 600, 900 tons, compared
with 241. 900, 600
The production of petroleum has nearly
trebled-1, 1O0, OOO, 900 gallons, compared
with 1851 ,OOO.O
The production of pig iron has nearly
quadrupled
The production of steel has multiplied
eight tines ,247 900 tons to 10,18S,000.
Prices of steel rails have fallen from
$3.50 per ton to 1929
The production of copper has increased
tenfold-27 600 tons to 100000.
The production of wool has increased
25 per cent, of wheat per cent, of corn
40 per cent, of cotton So per cent, of
sugar SO per cent.
The consumption of sugar has more
than doubled-957, 900 tons to 2219,O0O