Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-05-10
III. Va. Manufactures
ShOU Unusual Gains


State in the Union. During the past
decade the average number of glass
workers increased from 1,949 to $3.50.
or more than trebled and the value of
the products of the States glass man
ufactures increased from $7,S72, 900 to
S7,779,000, or more than quadrupled.
The coke industry includes only es-
Establishments operating coke ovens for
the manufacture of coke from coal or
ok. The manufacture of coke at
gas houses is not included. Since 1899
there has been a decrease in the num-
Der of establishments in this industry,
but increases have occurred both in
the average number of wage earners
employed and in the value of products.
In 1909 West Virginia occupied Sec
ond place among the States in the ton
mage of coke produced and third in the
value of the output. The increased
activity of the iron and steel industry
during recent years has given an add
ed impetus to the production of coke
ucts reported for this industry in 1909
was $7,563,000, which was more than
hOublC that oHOhn lOl 1909.
Owing to the comparatively simple
processes involved in the flour mills
in the State. The total value of prod
and grist mills, and in the tanning,
currying and finishing of leather, as
well as the extent to which these
processes are carried ON by machin-
cry, the value added by manufacture
and the number of wage earners en-
ployed in these industries are not
commensurate with the gross value of
the products. On the other hand, steam
railrosd repair shops, which rank sew
enth, and the manufacture of pottery,
terra Gotta and fire clay products,
which ranks tenth among the indus
tries when measured by value of pro-
ducts, occupy third and sixth places,
respectively, in the number of wage
earners employed, and fourth and sew
enth places, respectively when meas
ured by value added by manufacture.
In fact. the lumber industry and the
steel works and rolling mills are the
only two of the six leading industries
which hold the same relative rank
when measured by value added by
manufacture as when measured by
value of products.
OF the total number of persons en-
gagged in all manufacturing industries
6.3 per cent were proprietors and Of
ficials, Az per cent clerks and 1914
per cent wage earners.
WAGE Farmers Hours,
For more than two thirds of the
wage earners employed in the States
industries the usual hours of labor
range from "a to so week, only 1872
per cent of the total working in estab-
lishments where the prevailing hours
were less than 81 week, or 1873 per
cent in establishments where the
hours, were in excess of 60 per week.
WheeIing's Manufactures.
Wheeling the largest and most i'm
portant city in the State shows a re-
markable diversity of manufacturing
The total value of it's products increas-
ed 446 per cent during the earlier five
year period as compared with an in
crease of only 24.2 per cent from 1904
to 1909. The principal industries in
1909 were galvanizing, steel works and
rolling mills, blast furnaces, breweries
and the manufacture of patent medi-
cines, tin plate and tenerplate and to-
bacco products. These seven indus
tries combined contributed 69.2 per
cent of the total value of manufacture
ed products of the metropolis of the
State.
The two leading industries in Mar
tinsburg were the manufacture of
hosiery and knit goods and of wooden
goc~s, and in Bluefield steam railroad
repair shops and flour mill and grist
mill products.
Parxersburg shows gain iii value
of products of ASS per cent during
the past five years, as against PIG
per cent from 1899 to 1904.
Nearly 80 per cent of the total num-
Der of establishments were in 1909 I'M
der corporate ownership, as against
81 per cent under all other forms. The
corresponding figures in 1904 were
303 per cent and 697 per cent, re-
spectively.
OF the total 1,472,942,OOO feet of
board measure of rough lumber pro-
duced in the State in 1909, 905,947 was
hardwood.
OF the combined rolled, forged and
| other classified products which in 1909
contributed S9.5 per cent of the value
of all products, skelp was the most
important. The increase of $50 per
cent from 1904 to 1909 in the total
| tonnage of rolled, forged and other
| classified products indicate a decid-
| ed growth in the industry after the
| poor business year of 1904. The tin
plate and tenerplate industry is close
| ly allied to the steel works and roll
| ing mills. During the 1902 there were
| 1879, 239. 1913 pounds of tin plate, valued
lat $6,360,SS and 6S,567,S23 pounds of
! tenerplate, valued at $2,561,219, pro-
! duced in the State
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