Bridgeton pioneer., 1912-11-28
MILLIONS PACKED
IN CANNERIES
New Jersey Packs 68, o8o, 057
Pounds.
A LlhIILtSS FIELD.
The Industry ia New Jersey Does
Gross Annual Business of
81, 2,173,567.

Trenton, Nov. 26.-The Importance
of the canning industry in New Jersey
may be gathered from the fact that
in 1911 the canneries of the State
packed 1881 $50 pounds of vegetables
and 11,467,36S pounds of fruit, making
a total of 68,9S9,O57 pounds in all The
total selling value of this product was
$2,173,567.
These and other interesting facts
regarding the canning industry are
Shown in the forthcoming annual re-
port of Chief Winton G. Garrison, of
the bureau of statistics of labor and
industries. The department refers to
the canning industry as one of grow
ing Importance to both the manufac-
turing and agricultural interests of
the State In discussing these fea-
lures of the industry the report says: |
1T has created a steadily main
tanned demand for factory products, !
such as certain types of machinery, |
glass jars, metal tops and tin vessels
Of various sizes ranging in capacity
from two pounds to gallons More
important still, it provides a reliable
and profitable outlet for a wide range
| of farm and garden products, which,
without its aid, must, for want of a
market be allowed to perish where
they were raised.
In view of the evidently growing
| disproportion between supply and de-
mand in the matter of food supplies
and the consequent increase of prices,
the importance of the canning indus
| try as a contributor to our reserve
stock of foods is sure to increase in
public estimation.
The glass and metal working in
dustries employ hundreds of workmen
in the production of such vessels and
other material as the canning factor
les require and the canneries them
selves provide work for a large num-
Der of persons in their immediate Vi
cinity, who, without the opportunity
thus afforded them for even compar-
atively brief period of employment,
would be idle during the entire year.
"A number of the larger canning es-
Establishments have special departments
fully equippd with appropriate ma
chinery in which the jars and cans
required for their own pack are manu-
factured. In such places employees of
the mechanical departments are kept
steadily at work through the year,
while those engaged directly in the
operations of preparing and canning
the goods are retained only during the
season, which usually means from
sixty to ninety days"
The report shows that the number
of canneries in active operation dur
ing the season of 1911 was thirty-four.
The amount of capital invested in these
was $S37,O64, and the number of per-
sons employed 4766. The total
amount paid in wages was $457,933.
AS compared with 1910, the capital in
vested shows a decrease of two and
one-half per cent, while the total
amount paid in wages and the total
selling value of products show in
creases of 23.7 and 25.S per cent. re-
spectively for 1911. The number of
persons employed in each of the can
; neries ranged from eleven to 625.
The fruit pack shown in pounds for
the year 1911 was as follows: pears,
S,411,74S; blackberries, 1,6S9,096;
strawberries. S42,676; cherries, 202,-
500; apples, 194,0O5; pineapples, 1OS,-
240; raspberries, 1S,S04.
There are eleven varieties of vege-
tables included in the pack of 1911,
besides the tomato pulp, which is a
by-product of the canned tomato. The
vegetable pack in pounds was as fol-
lows: tomatoes. 36,229, ,S33; lima beans
1O,O1s.4 AGO; peas, S,S7S,576; pumpkins,
2,249,772: sweet potatoes, 1,5S9,724;
squash, 1,340,364; rhubarb, 1,OS202S;
spinach, 912,OS4; tomato pulp, 665, 5,44S;
beets. 1852; okra and tomatoes, 49,
712; okra alone, 1886.
Thirteen of the canneries operated
in 1911 are located in various parts of
. Cumberland County, twelve are in
| Salem. two each in Cape May, Glou-