Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-08-13
FIGURES ABOUT PRINT SHOPS
Statistics Of the Printing Industry
Collected by Census Bureau.
BUSINESS GROWTH IN ALL LINES
Capital Invested aud Value Of
Product of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Features of DaiIies, weeklies
and Monthltes.

publication of Bulletin 7s presenting the
detailed statistics of the printing and pub
fishing industry at the census of manufac-
lures of 1906. This bulletin was prepared
by William s. Rossiter, chief clerk Of the
census
The printing industry possesses an i'm
portance which cannot be measured by
capital invested or by the volume and value
of product. Analysis OF the printers call
ing has become to a noteworthy degree an
analysis of the general prosperity of the
nation. Therefore interest in the progress
and prosperity op printing is not confined
to those who are connected with the in
dustry as is frequently the case with other
callings, but It Is shared by the entire COM
munity.
In the census report the industry as
whole is considered first. This is followed
by a discussion of the two principal
branches-job printing, and newspapers and
periodicals.
The total number OF establishments in
this industry in 1906 was 26422, a number
larger than was reported for any other
industry. The increase reported from 1900
to 1906 forms a striking exception to the
prevailing tendency toward consolidation,
for II was proportionately greater than
for 1890 to 1900 Hence the product of this
industry continues to be contributed by
great number Of small establishments, ac-
compfshing noteworthy results with a
small capital, operated by men of independ-
ent thought and action, and contributing
materially to the intellectual and financial
growth OF the country.
Capital ana Product.
The capital required in 1905 to conduct
the printing and publishing business was
ANa rsv,.at atDlx AANHf 10
that required in 1890 and It was doubtless
due to a considerable degree to mechanical
changes which have taken place In this
industry during the last ten or fifteen years.
The total number of products reported
In 1905 was s496,061, ,S57 During the brief
period from 1900 to 1905 the Increase in value
of products was nearly double that from
! 1890 to 1900, or. in absolute figures, $l49Ooe,-
| 927 compared with 81, ,915. Had the per
| capita value of products been the same In
| 1906 as In 1850, the entire value of products
of the industry would have been but S52,-
! 0O7 5SS; on the other hand, had the per
capita production in 1850 been the same as
! It was in 1905, the total value of products
! of the industry at the earlier census would
have amounted to s1A, .444 or almost ten
times as much as the actual amount
recorded.
|
of products In 1905 exceeding $320,oo0,o00,
printing and publishing ranked seventh,
/ having advanced to that position from
| tenth In 1880 The ten leading industries
were as follows: Strengthening and meat
| packing, iron and steel foundries and
machine shops, flour and grist mills,
1 clothing lumber and timber, printing and
publishing, cotton manufactures, woolen
! manufactures and boots and shoes. These
great industries are characterized, for the
most part, by a comparatively small num-
Der of establishments and concentration
in particular localities. Printing and
publishing reports one establishment to
every 3,o76 inhabitants, while at the OPP
posite extreme is iron and steel. which
contributes but one establishment to
every $4,000 Inhabitants.
Book, Job and Newspaper shops.
OF the total number Of establishments
J in the entire industry, about one-thtrd
were exclusively book and Job establish
mentn, one-sixth exclusively newspaper
and periodical establishments-that IS,
producing both book and job printing and
newspapers and periodicals. In value CT
products the exclusive establishments
were practically on even terms, the
amount reported for book and Job printing
being 31se,759. .603 and for newspapers and
periodicals, slS4,736 500; but in the COM
bination establishments the value of
newspaper and periodical products greatly
outweighed the value of book and Job
! printing The entire value OF products
distributed between the two general
classes was s233.2So.s42 for book and Job
printing and S256,S16,2S2 for newspap srs
and periodicals. The increase for news
papers and periodicals from 1900 to 1905
was somewhat greater than that shown
for book and Job printing. This was
principally due to the stationary condi-
ton of the book and Job printing interests
In the New England states.
Two-thirds OF the total value Of
products OF the industry was contributed
by six states-New York, Pennsylvania,
Illinois, Massachusetts,. Ohio ond Ms
sourt These states are also the prlnci-
pal producers in each of the two branches,
although In unequal proportions.
Five OF the six cities having a popula-
tion OF more than 500, 900 inhabitants In
1900 contributed almost one-half OF tine
total value of the products of the indus
try, $50 per cent of the book and job
printing products and 42.9 per cent Of
the newspaper and periodical prodY cts.
New York contributed more than double
the value of products OF the next largest
producer (Chieago) and almost one-fourth
OF the entire product of the industry.
Unprecedented Increase.
The absolute increase In value of book
and job products during the fve-year
period was unprecedented. From 1850 to
1890 It was approximately A,5OO.Oo0; from
1890 to 1900 s2s.OO0.O00 and during the half
decade from 1900 to 1906. ss2OOO,OOO. At this
rate the value OF products will double In
1919, as compared with 1900 This advance
is due for the most part to perfectly
natural causes. the general prosperity OF
the nation In which the printer has fully
shared being the principal factor
Photography and photo engraving have
become the hsndmaidens OF printing and
the liberal use OF sthese two allied arts
has brought extensive patronage from in
terests hitherto unresponsive. So great.
indeed. Is the cost OF illustration employed
by many large manufacturers and others
in commencing their interests to the public
that the mere printing-the cost OF COM
position. presswork paper and accessories
becomes a trine in comparison.
Newspapers ana Periodicals..
The value OF products OF newspapers and
periodicals arises from two sources OF in
eome-subscriptions and sales and adver-