The San Francisco call., 1909-12-04
PROGRESS MADE IN
GATHERING DATA
Merchants Association Collect
ing Information Regarding
Manufacturing Census

The Merchants association is making
progress with its manufacturing census
of san Francisco and other cities sur
rounding the bay More than 500 re-
turns have been received, each of which
contains data of value in determining
the manufacturinglan industrial status
of san Francisco and suburbs. A large
number Of letters have been sent out
10 individuals included in the member
ship of the Merchants association and
10 others who are engaged in manu-
featuring of various kinds in this city
and in the other towns and cities sur
rounding the bay who arc doing busi-
ness in the manufacturing zone under
inquiry.
1t is too early to forecast the results
of the census TO be conducted by the
Merchants association The general
belief is entertained that the showing
viii indicate great advance in manu-
features in this part of California in
the last few years and a much larger
amount Of capital invested ana also
some new lines of industry.
question has arisen whether what
are known as purely industrial lines
shall be included. In explanation of
this il is said that there are many in
dustries that make goods for the local
trade. like bakers, tailors and others.
Whether the statistics shall be made TO
apply TO such lines viii be discussed
later There is a precedent for in
clusion of such as these and all others
working under similar conditions that
IS found in the reports of the United
states census bureau, which draws no
line in the enumeration OF industries,
but resorts TO very numerous classifica-
tions and abundant tabulatiOns, so that
there shall be no misunderstanding
from the statistics concerning what the
returns actually represent in all their
details.
MANUFACTURING DIRECTORY
one line Of procedure will furnish the
public with q Valua BILE manufacturing
directory of san Francisco and vicinity,
which viii be of advantage to the
manufacturers at home and at all
points domestic and foreign, with
which san Francisco has an export
trade The other line, namely. includ-
ing the enumeration of the industrial
establishments that make goods only
for the local trade, must involve
greater expense than if the work is
confined exclusively TO manufacturers
who are prepared to send their goods
and wares away by ship or by rail on
a large commercial scale.
The United States census bureau has
issued a publication which brings the
statistics relating to manufacturing in
California down TO the year 1905, cover
ing half the period intervening between
the general national census of 1900 and
the one Of 1910. The hSures make it
clear that between 1900 and 1905 the
growth Of al California manufacturing
plants, including the industrial was
great
The number of establishments in
creased from 4997 in 1900 TO $3.50 in
1905. while the invested capital rose.
between the five wears, 19O0-1905, from
s175 .4s7.S06 to S2S2,647.20L
VALUE OF PRODUCTS
Large as was this increase in capi-
tai the growth in the value of products
was even more striking, being marked
10y the statement that in 1900 the total
value of manufactured products was
s257, 7,3S5.521 as against S367.21S, ,4S4
in 1905, or more than 100000,
600 of an increase. The conditions are
made more interesting by the showing
relative TO the cost of materials en-
pIoyed in manufacturing, which was
sIs4.3S5,2 ,26s in 1900 and s215. 72e.414 in
1905. OF the entire manufactured out
put the sum of s22l,373,0O0 was of
urban production in 1905, a gain from
1900 Of $4,000 900 in round figures for
the cities. The rural production rose in
five years from $l05, ,SO9.262 to S145,S45,-
I21, an increase in round figures of
100000
The work Of the Merchants associa-
tion is confined to the bay region in
the compilation Of statistics and other
dara relating TO manufacturing. Great
curiosity exists in the mercantile and
manufacturing community whether the
lead Of San Francisco and vicinity over
the remainder of the state in manufac-
lures, as disclosed by the census re-
ports Of 1905, has increased in a ratio
as rapid as that marking the period
between 1900 and 1905.
MANUFACTURING PLANTS
At the later date mentioned the man.
ufactUring plants in California were
summed up officially by the cities, and
exclusive of the rural plants, as fol-
lows: