The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-11-25
BUDWE ISER
and BOOK
Montana Beer Factories Employ over
Two Hundred and Fifty Men.
A QUARTER MILLION INVESTED
In the Twenty Brewing Plants in the
State, With an Estimated Output
of 1928 Barrels per Year, With
Selling Value of $1,374,a64.

According to the statistics gather
ed by Commissioner Ferguson rela-
tive to the brewery industry in Mon
tana there are twenty breweries in
the state employing about 256 men.
The commissioner estimates that
there is about $1,271,0 900 invested in
breweries in the state. Speaking of
the barley industry and other lines
pertinent to brewing beer, the COM
missioner says:
There are represented to have
been 1,772,202 bushels of Montana
barley bought and raised, but this is
undoubtedly duplication, as some
brewers purchase their barley from
others who have raised or bought a
surplus supply. 1t is reported that
1929, 1919 bushels of Montana malt
were bought, but the same condition
prevails in malt as in barley, and,
therefore, this feature being inaccur-
ate, and tending to mislead, will be
omitted from future reports, as the
defect appears to be incurable. There
were 25,300 bushels of barley bought
outside of the state as also 349, 69o
bushels of malt. These figures are
rather under than over the true
amount
1.-THE amount of beer manufactured
was greater than in any other year,
the total number of barrels being
1853 ,283, having a selling value of ST.
374,S64 The labor cost was STA.
During the statistical year ending
June 80, 1902, the new brewery of the
Capital Brewing company at Helena
was added to the list, making a total
| of 81 in the state. The total amount
| invested in the industry in the state
/ for the year is reported at $1,S0S,000
an increase of $237,O 900. But again
the amount actually invested and the
capitalization have been confused in
reporting this item, and for this veal
| there should be reduction of $3.50,
600, leaving a legitimate investment
of approximately $1,35S00O. The
amount paid to 251 employees wa:
$685., $50. or $1,057.29 each.
''There were 158,849 barrels Of bee
made, with selling value of abou
$1,348,070, the average labor cost be
ing $167. In former years there hav
been discrepancies in this item, som
brewers reporting he actual cos
| price of production and others tn
selling price, SO that for the tive
years under consideration the report
in relation to this item have beef
disregarded and computations mad
as to value of the product based upol
the selling price per barrel in eacl
town. This brings the value rathe
higher than the facts, perhaps, ow
ing to the beer that is shipped ava,
from the city where it is manufac
tured selling at approximately 5
cents per barrel less than is charge
at home in order to meet compel
ton, and the freight on empty key
returned should also be charged
against this. In future the actua
selling price will be reported Unde
this computation the average pric
per barrel for the state was for tn
former year $8.49, and for 1870:
$S42.
The progress of the brewery indus
try in the state is remarkable, create
than any other manufacturing indus
try, as may be better understood b
!, comparison with 1898, in whic
,, year Is breweries reported produt
Of 42,671 barrels. At this ratio
breweries would have made onl
59,739 barrels, 1O3,544 barrels les
than was manufactured in 1901, th
, ratio of increase being 175.12 per cer