The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-11-27
CONNECTICUT HAS
 t27 STEAM AND
 POWER LAUNORIES
Eight Are in Bridgeport, According to Census
 Summary.

A preliminary state ment of the re- suits of the census of steam 1aundries in Connecticut has been issued by Di- rector Samuel L. Rogers of the Btu reau of the Census, Department of Commerce: It consists of 8 summary comparing the figures for 1909 and 1914, prepared under the direction of William M. Steuart, chief statistician for manufacturers. .-.
 The figures are preliminary and subject to such change and correction as may be found necessary from 9 further examination of the original reports
 Strictly speaking, 1aundries are not nlanufa curing establishments. but the laundry business has grown so rapidly and become so important in recent years that an industrial census would not be complete without statistics re- gardtng it. The statistics are confined to power laundries and do not Include figures for hand laundries using no power. As a rule, establishments in c1uded were operated by steam power and are known as steam laundries! In some, however, steam and electric power are combined, and in others electric power is employed exclusively, steam and hot water being used only for. washing purposes. The figures, therefore, comprise all kinds of power 1aundries. &
 Summary of the Statistics.
 Laundry statistics were first collect ed in 1909, and comparison is made between the figures for 1909 and 1914
 There were 127 power laundries in Connecticut in 1914, .oftwhich S4 were in cities having an estimated popula- ton of 10000 or more, as .folIowsi TIoxU 1 ri port, 8; Waterbury, '; Danbury, 5; Meriden, 4; New Britain, 4; New Lon don, 4; Bristol, 3 Norwich, 3; NStam- ford, 3; Middletown, 2; Torrington q; WiIlinantic, 2; Ansonia,. 1; and Nau- gatuck, 1.
 A comparative summary for 1909 and 1914 shows the number of laun- dries in the state to [llave increased from 95s to 127s or by 33.7 per cent. during the five-year period. All branches of the industry show con sistent gains for 1914 as compared with 1909. In the order of their inn portance, from a percentage. stand point, the increases for the several items rank as follows: Horsepower, 71.6; capital, 67.1; materials, 66; serv- ices, 543;e salaried employees, II; amount received for work done, 48.9; wage earners, 32.7; and. tproprietors and firm members, 22.s.
 The capital invested, as reported in 1914, was s1,454,961, a gain of $5S4,- 394 or r<67.1 per cent. over l$870.567 in 1909. The average capital per estab- 1ishment was approximately $11, 900 in 1914 and $9,00O in 1909.
 The cost of materials used in 1914 was $408. .4o1,. as against $246,o66 in S73. the increase being $371,57S, or 66 per cent.
 Salaries and wages in 1914 amount ed to $1.O5,951, and in 1909 to $684s- 373, the increased eing. $3F1, 578, or 54.S per cent s%
 In 1914 the number of nroprietors and firm members was 125 as com pared with qo1 in 1909. the increase being 24, or 23.8 per cent, while the number of saIaried employees in creased from. s6 in 1909 to s-46. in 1914, or by 51.1 per cent. The aver age number of wage eaEners. was 1918 in 1914 and was 1,441 in 190S5 the increase being 472, or -32.7 per cent.
 The amount received for work done, which is regarded as the product of the\ \establishment, was $2,1O8,O11 in |1914 and $1,416,122 in 1909, the in crease being $691.sS9, or 4s.s per cent.