Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1902-07-12
Wages Paid Reaches High Average and,
as the Report Shows, Continuously
Increasing.
Millions Of Dollars Put in Circulation All
Over the Country-An Glasses
Benefited.
Chicago the Principal Beneficiary Of This
Great Industry-PeopIe Are With
the Packers.

IL any proof were needed that the
Eagle is right in the position which 1t
has taken in reference to the mischiev-
BUSINESS Of the attack which has been
precipitated against the packing indus
try through the medium Of the United
States and the different State courts
throughout the country, that proof is
supplied through the following report.
recently issued from the Census Bu.
reau at Washington. 1t Is the most
complete argument that could he ad-
vanced In support Of this great indus.
try and against the attempt to hnrass
and, perchance, cripple It through the
medium of the courts. Here Is the re-
port in full:
"The census Office finds In the slaugh.
tering and meat.packing industry In
the United States. showing a remark
able growth during the ten years from
1890 to 1900. The number OF women
employed increased 19S per cent and
their wages 100 per cent. The number
Of children employed increased 13S per
cent and wages 1I6 per cent since $780,
"In 1900 Chicago led In the value Of
products. her production amounting to
$2GO, 100000. as against S75,OOO,OOO, the
amount produced by Kansas City, her
nearest competitor. Baltimore ranked
first In the number Of establishments.
having seventy three. while Chicago
with thirty-eight stood fourth.
During 1900 there were received ut
Chicago s.606,O07 hogs, 2.720.Oi6 cattle
and 3.54S. .SS5 sheep. or these numbers
and 7,243014 hogs were slaughtered;
and 7,243, 1S3 hogs were slaughtered; |;
G34, ,j40 cattle We're shipped and 1,10A..
307 slaughtered and 1925 sheep We're
shipped ana 3.O81 .G3l slaughtered.
"ChicagO leads all the other cities In
the country In the amount Of live stock
handled. In the order Of capital in
vested. wages paid and number OF
wage-earners the relative rank Of the
cities followed closely the same rank as
under the value Of production. Chicago
leading by large margin. followed by
Kansas City, South Omaha, New York,
st. Joseph and other cities.
''rhe tables show that there were 02l
establishments engaged In the meat
packing and slaughterlng business In
the United States in 1900. These had
a combined capital Of $1s9, los, ,264. The
number OF wage-earners In all the rs.
Establishments was S6,215, who were paid
wages amounting to $33, ,457,O13. The
total miscellaneous expenses Of the es-
adjustments, including rent, taxes. etc.
were $24,O6O,412. ana the materials
used cost S3,5S3,577. The live stock
slaughtered amounted to 5,53O,911
beeves. costing $247.365. SIP; 0.10O. 400
sheep, costing $37.137,5i2; 3O.G54,33
hogs, costing S27S, 736, ,06I; and 500, 74S
calves, costing $7,356,5GO.
"There were sixty-fOur establish.
ments in Illinois, with total capitali-
xatiOn Of $7l,229, 262, employing at one
time 3l,046 wage-earners. who We're
paid 1i.Oi4, ,S3S In wages. The materi-
ais used In Illinois establishments cost
$246, 7l3.3O9 The 2,O57,O59 beeves
slaughtered In the State cost 3,2S9,-
A3. Besides these, there were slaugh.
tered 3, ,l39 100 sheep, costing Sl3,5SS,-
G9s; s.29I, 7OG hogs, costing Ss2,079.G1s:
and 1880 calves, costing Si,37S3si.
''Thc value OF the products Of Illinois
establishments amounted to s2s7,922,-
277. This included fresh, canned and
salted beef, mutton. pork. veal, hams,
sausage, bacon, oils, fertilizers, hides,
wool and other products"
~eA
These facts and figures are eloquent.
They need no elaboration. 4 business
enterprise that is capable Of giving
over 5000 persons In this city employ.
ment Is one that Is deserving Of at
least tconsiderate treatment at the hands
OF the public. Whatever may bc said %
The glltterlng g"neraltlcs concerning
trusts. combines and the like. the con-
crete facts above stated are or should
he enough 10 convince all who are
capable Of thinking and reasoning that
the great employers of labor, the great
dlsbursers Of money referred 10 in the |
census report as above are the friends
and benefactOrs of the people, and not |
those politicians and tlme-seryers who |
would, II they could, destroy them.
&AA