The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1912-05-02
In a Very Phenomenal Man
ner During the Last
Ten Years.

.
WASHINGTON. D. G., May r.
West yirginia's growth Us an indus
trial state, in the ten years preced-
ing the last census report, has been
phenomenal. According to statistics.
Just given ont by the census bureau
for 1909 and comparisons with sem
sus diguues for 1904 and 1899 it is
shown that the amount OF capital
invested IN manufacturing in west
Virginia in 1909 was more than
three times the amount so invested
ia 1893 and almost double the
amount SO invested in 1904. The
number Of establishments increased
only a little less than fifty per cent
in ten years, but the number of wage
earned just about doubled, the sal
aries and wages increased almost
800 per cent and the value Of the
products increased about twenty-five
per cent.
Since 1869 when the first indus
trial census of the state was taken
the growth of the manufacturing In.
West Virginia has far exceeded the
increase in population, showing that
while West Virginia has been con
sidered backward as a manufactur-
ing state its growth in recent years
has been increasing considerably.
In 1859 there were 1l,6T2y wage,
earners employed in the state repre-
senting 90 per cent of the popula-
ton. In 1909 there were 1888
persons employed in manufacturing
or 90 per cent of the total popula-.
tion. From 1859 to 1903 the value
of products manufactured in the
state per capita of the entire popu-
lation of the state increased from
$55 to $13s.
In 1909 West Virginia had 2,5S9I
manufacturing establishments CIV
ing employment to an average of
71.463 persons whose salaries dur
ing the year amounted to $3S, no.
900. OF the total number employed
63,ssS we're wage earners, the re-
mainder being officers and salaried.
employees. These establishments
turned out during the year
products valued at 1851, 900,
to produce which materials costing
500, SIS, 900 were, used, The value
added by manufacture was $685.
O72, 900 which represents the net
worth ~created-by manufacturing OPP
erations in the state during the
year.
The industry which had the larg-
est number of establishments as well
as the largest plumber of employees
during 1903 was the lumber and
timber industry. Out of a total Of
1855 Industrial ESTABLISHMENTS in
the state 1,O16 we're engaged in the
manufacture of lumber products.
Out of a total OF 63,SSS wage earn
ers employed in all industries 49,
.G4S or almost one-third were en-
ployed in the lumber and timber
business.
Next to the lumber business the
classification of "all other indus
tries" comes second in the list. 1t
is explained that many important
industries are combined and CLASH
fed in this way because If they were
shown separately the operations of
individual establishments would be
disclosed. Under this heading the
tin plate Industry is said by the
census bureau to be the most i'm
portant, ranking fourth in the state,
when measured by the value OF
products. West Virginia with six
mills, which had a total output for
1909 valued at $9,257 ,524 was sec
ond among the states in this indus.
try.
AS measured by value of products
the more important industries Of the
state rank as follows:
Lumber and timber products, l.
O16 establishments; 1858 wage
%earners; value of products $2S,75S.-
900.
Iron and steel, sixteen establish
ments; 5000 wage earners; value
of products, see, 4S5, 900.
Leather; twenty establishments
1914 wage earners; value of, prod
ucts $12,451, 900,
Glass, Afty-one establishments, '6'.
100 wage earners; value Of purod-
ucts $7,779,O00!
Flour mill and grist mill produ-
ucts, 2o7 establishments; 4SR wage
earners; value of products $685.
900.