Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-05-06
Big Increase in manufaCt-
urers' Materials,
Figures Show a Gain Of $751;
100000 in Value.
Twelve Principal Articles Form
Bulk Of This Importation.

Washington, May 5.-March importa-
tionS of manufacturers materials lndl-
cate marked increase in activity IN
the manufacturing industry in the
United States. Manufacturers mater
ial imported in March, 1902 according
to the monthly statement of the Bu-
reau of Statistics, of the Department of
Commerce and Labor, amounted in
value to $6S.000.000. against 40WO,0O0 in
March, 1905 while the fact that the i'm
port prices Of nearly all of the princl-
pal articles are less than year ago
shows that the gain in quantity is
even greater than indicated by the
mere figures OF value.
Twelve principal articles from the
bulk of this importation of $6S, 1900
worth of manufacturing materials I'M
ported; in March, 1909. These twelve
articles are hides and skins, wool, raw
silk, India rubber, pig tin, fibers, cop
per- leaf tobacco, raw cotton, furs and
fur skins, lumber and chemicals. The
hides and skins imported in March,
1909, amounted to 42,500,0O0 pounds,
against l950o.0O0 pounds in March, 1905;
raw wool, 1000, 900 pounds against H.
l, $50 COO pounds, against 100000 in the
same month of the preceding year; in
iia rubber, 100000 against 6,750,OO0 in
March, 1908; pig tin. 100000 pounds,
against 9,33?, 000 in the corresponding
month of last year; pig copper, $780,
900 pounds, against 10,5O0,0O0 in March
1905; leaf tobacco. nearly 4,0OO,OO0
pounds, against 3,500,00c in the same
month OF last year; raw cotton, 9,500.0O0
pounds, against 100000 in the cores
bonding month year ago; lumber, 3D.
500, 900 feet, against 16,250,000 feet in
March. 1905; chemicals, largely useG in
Manufacturing, $S,5O0,00o in value
against a little more than S5000,0 900 in
the corresponding month of last year.
furs and fur skins. undressed, $780,
O0O against S750,0s0 in the same month
of 1868.
1t viii be seen from these figures
that the quality of manufacturing ma
teria imported in March, 1909, is near
ly double that of March, 1905, although
the value $6S000, 900, shows an increase
of only about 20 per cent. over that of
March last. when it was $40000,O00.
Wool imports in March, 1909, are nearly
hides ana skins are more than twice as
much as in the same month of last
year; copper nearly twice as much as
in March, 1908: lumber shows an in
crease Of nearly 100 per cent. raw silk
a gain of about 10 per cent. chemicals
an increase of about &C per cent in
value, furs and fur skins a gain of
about Gf per cent. while practically all
the other important articles for use in
manufacturing show marked increase
i'm quantity over the corresponding
month of last year--these figures being
in all cases for March, 1909, compared
with March, 1905.
For the longer period. the nine months
ending with March, the quantities import
ed show in practically all cases mark
ed increase over the corresponding period
of last year, though not so large pro-
portionate gain as is shown in the single
month of March. Raw wool shows a
growth of from 92000,00O pounds in the
nine months ending with March, 1908. to
l74OOO,WO in the same period of 1909 hides
and skins from POS, 0G0O 600 pounds to 329-
0oo,000: rubber from 42.Oo0,0o0 pounds to
66OW,O0O; silk from 115n,OO0 pounds to
100000; fibers from $4,000 tons to 269.0O0
pig tin from So, 100000 pounds to 67.500000
tobacco from 22,0OO,0OO to 3l0O0,000: and
raw cotton from 54.50O,0O0 pounds to prac-
tically $4,000, O0O-these figures being in all
cases for the nine months ending with
March of the year under discussion.
The prices at which the manufacturers
materials are imported in 1909 are much
below those of 1908. Raw cotton imports
in March. 1909, averaged 15.7 cents per
pound, against PA cents in March, 1908;
pig copper in March, 1909, 1919 cents per
pound. against 14.5 cents in March of
last year: hemp $751; per ton, against $l87
per ton in the same month of last year;
Manila $l19 per ton, against $144 per ton
last year; sisal $107 per ton. against $133
in the same month of last year; goatskns
pa cents per pound. against 26.4 cents: pig
iron $2912 per ton. against $33.43 in the
corresponding month Of last year: raw
silk 1888 per pound against 1851; tobacco
for wrappers 81 cents per pound. against
$l03 per pound in the corresponding
month of last year; leaf tobacco. other
than wrapper, 50 cents per pound. against
81 cents in the same month of last year:
raw wool of class l Clothing WOOD q
March of last year: raw wool of class 2
against 23.6 cents in March of last year;
raw wool of class tcarpet wools) lis
cents per pound. against 12.7 cents in the
same month of last year: the only inn
portant manufacturers materials show
ing an increase in price being india rub
Der ndhdes of cattle.
This general decline in the prices of
manufacturers materials indicates that
the $6S. 900 900 worth of manufacturers ma
erials imported in March. 1909. represents
nearly or quite twice as great a quantity
of material the $40 900, 900 worth i'm
ported in March. 1908