The Republican journal., 1917-09-13
MANUFACTURES IN MAINE.

Statistics of manufactures in the State
of Maine have been made up to the close
of 1914, and the official figures show that
the capital invested was S233, 844, 534 the
value of products for the year was $780,
$50, 118; cost of raw materials was Sl17,-
654, 9O9; value added by manufacture was
$50, 755, POS; number of persons employed
90. 758, or about one-third of our popula-
ton. The amount of coal used in manu-
features was l,l02,2 7l tons. The above
figures as they stand seem to be but
dry mathematical statement, but when
stated graphically and at the same time
tTuthfully they become both interesting
and surprising. 1,lO2,27l tons of coal
annually used by our manufacturers would
load solid train of coal cars more than
S25 miles long, and it is only about 28O
miles from Belfast to Boston. In addi-
ton to the coal 81, 376 barrels of oil and
gasolene were used. Our 90, 1853 workers
in manufactures would packed 80 in
Il
our industries, wood pulp, paper and pulp
manufactures rank first. The annual
amount received for these products is
little more than $40, OO0,O 900, Maine pro-
duces little more than one-ninth of the
paper output of the United States and
this official statement Verlfles what three
.-. il, re-, ,,,ac Given &C an estimate in a
sheet devoted to the interests of the paper
makers. At that time the estimate look
ed large and the present writer devoted
considerable time in investigating the
matter for his own information. An
official connected with the company
operating at Millinocket gave the daily
output of that plant. This when stated
in carloads showed that in year enough
cars would be loaded there 10 make
train 10 miles long. Further inquiry,
covering most of the mills of the State,
showed that the paper and paper pulp
PRODUCTS of the state of Maine would
load cars enough to make solid train
more than 400 miles long
Next in importance to our pulp and
paper business are lumber and timber
products, amounting to s27 593, III an
nuallv Boots and shoes stand third with
an output of a product worth S23 $50, 101;
next comes cotton manufactures worth
So 121, III; woolens and worsteds next,
value SIT, 531, 40; next canning and
preserving, to the amount OF SIC, 742, 1855
Smaller industries with the above, make
I'D the grand total of little over $780,
600 900. A pound avoirdupois of gold
coin has value of $500 Fifteen car
loads of gold, % tons in each car, would
be required to carry $500, 600, 900, in gold,
and there would be enough left behind to
nav the freight. The figures given IN
this article give the reader only slight
conception of the vastness OF the trans
nortation difficulties which confront the
country today The output OF manu-
featured products in Maine IN 1914 was
only eight-tenths of 1 per cent of the
total for the United States, as measured
nv value. The transportation OF coal
and raw materials to the factories OF the
whole country and the return of their
products to the markets are OF them
selves a tremendous undertaking. The
moving of crops, supplies, munitions and
troops is comparatively stupendous IN Its
PROPORTIONS. The railroads are entitled
to high commentator for their earnest
efforts to meet the demands made upon
them, but strikers are allowed to hamper
their operations and if there is no law to
prevent this, Congress has need to act at
once. Maine is on the industrial map OF
the United States and she, in common
with other States wants to stay there
The government must sustain the efforts
of the transportation lines to the full ex-
tent of it's power. Too much is involved
to risk either delay or Incompetence