Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-01

amount Of wages paid has increased from
S35. 900 to $40. 1000, due to the addition OF
the manufacture OF horse blankets to tho
bagEing line. The volume Of business IL
estimated at S1.100. 900.
Boots. Shoes and Rubbers-The consol-
idation OF two Of tho leading houses Of the
city with the United States Rubber COM
pany has had the effect Of making prices
more stable, and. while It has not increased
sales. IL has materially reduced the danger
experienced by retail dealers Of having
changes in rices made when they had
large stocks on and. The number OF trav-
cling statesmen. office employees and ware
house meI has been increased. and with a
volume Of business Of 81. 900, the wages
paid employees is S32d.OO0.
Manufacturing confectioners report an in
crease in business of 80 1-3 per cent over
last year, with a large increase in all lines
Of employees.
Dry goods lines show an increase Of is
per cent over last year, the volume OF
business being estimated at s., I5O,0 900 and
the annual wages paid {45S 900.
The increase in the volume of furniture
business has been sJmething more than 25
per cent.
Drugs show a slight decrease in the vol
uult U DIblnNSbf DuI hu !" NV
number Of persons employed. The decrease
is due to the fact that a number Of manu-
facturers Of chemicals, which are sold in
large quantities.. now sell direct to the
consumer, while last year they sold through
the wholesale houses. The decrease from
this source is made up, with the exception
OF about $4,000, by the increase in other
lines of goods.
About 20 per cent increase is reported In
the volume Of business of the grocery
houses. but this increase has made a large
increase in the number of once employees
and warehouse men, as last year the work
was done with a short force.
Heavy hardware this year shows a gain
Of about 10 per cent over last year. which
however. showed a decrease on account OF
inability to secure goods. The number OF
employees is about the same as formerly.
The condition Of the light hardware and
stove market was something unsatisfactory
late in the season on account Of the price
Of hard coal. which left dealers with large
stock of base burners on hand. but could the
stock have been secured the sale of soft coal
stoves and furnaces would have more than
made up the deficiency. other lines COM
Ing to the relief Of trade, the business
shows an increase OF about IL per cent.
Lumber in a wholesale way Increased
about 10 per cent over last year.
With one new house in business during
the year the sale of paints, oil and glass
increased about 10 per cent over last year.
The activity OF the Typographical union
and allied trades during the year has had
a good effect upon the printing trade, as a
much larger proportion of the total bust
ness Of the city is being done by local
houses than formerly. and this line is as
Stunning a position Of leading Importance
In the manufacturing and wholesale trade
Of the city. The number Of expert employees
is now about $50, with wages ranging
higher than any similar number Of en-
ployes engaged in any other manufac-
turing line.
Summing the matter up the total number
Of statesmen travelling for Omaha houses
can conservatively be placed at approx
mately 1000. with about 1900 persons
employed in the Offices OF the factories and
jobbing houses and not less than 10000
persons engaged in the factories and
warehouses. whose. total wages for the
year will be at least SO, 800, 600, exclusive
of the wages paid at the Union Pacific
shops, the railroad Offices and the South
| Omaha industries. a large rumber Of whose
employees are engaged in the city OF omaha
at the local sslesrooms and warehouses.