The Washington herald., 1920-11-15
HAggY NS
%$#V Washington INDUSTRIAL Building Business Firms
FACTORY BOOM !
ON IN DISTRICT
Gain Dispels Notion That
Industrial Plants Are
Barred.

y
Washington no such phrase as
Manufactures in the District of
Columbia" really exists. 1t Is sur
prising, according to the Washing
ton Chamber Of Commerce. how
many people are fully convinced
that manufactures have no place In
Washington. Indeed, quoting the
chamber. we frequently meet people
who tell US they understand that
manufacturing plants are forbidden
in the District of Columbia by law.
Such persons would be greatly sur
prised IL they could see the pre-
liminary bulletin recently issued by
the United States Census Bureau
upon this subject.
Production Values Huge Gain.
This bulletin not only tabulates a
substantial number of manufactur-
ing establishments for the year 1913,
but shows>a rapid growth since
1914. when the former census OF
manufactures was taken. The value
of manufactured products In the
District in 1914 was $2S,904, 900, and
in 1919, $67,936,000, an increase Of
1856 per cent. OF course, much OF
this increase Is due to increased
cost of manufactured articles, but
when the number Of establishments.
persons engaged In manufactures,
capital, and wages paid are consid-
cred. il is. apparent that there has
been considerably greater produc-
ton Mn 1919 than in the former
year.
Corporations Also Gain.
In 1914 there were 513 establish
mcnts as against 592 in 1919, an in
- rSn-
her engaged in manufactures In
1914 was ll,455, as against 14.309 in
1919, an increase of 24.s per cent.
The capital employed in 1914 was
$40, $4,000, as against $62,906.00
an increase of 54.2 per cent. The
amount paid for services in 1914
was SS.622, 900. as against S19.l32,O60
in 1919, an increase of 1919 per
cent. The cost of materials used In
1914 was $12,074.0O0 and in 1919.
s31,oo7,000, an increase of 1868 per
cent.
The census figures do not include
the steam laundries in the District,
of which there were eighteen in
1914 and twenty-one in 1919. The
number of persons employed in this
industry was 1,347 in 1914 and 2,2s5
in 1913. an increase of 7O.4 per cent.
The capital increased from s971,3se
in 1914 to s1,374,200 in 1919. or Ais
Z per cent. The amount paid for
services increased from S562,39S in
1914 to s1,364.04S in 1919, or 142.5
per cent. The cost of materials in
creased from $1S1.S76 in 1914 to
s4S1,036 in 1919, or 1645 per cent.
The amount received for work done
In steam 1aundries increased from
sI,o23,475 in 1914 to s2.559.21O in
1919, or 1901 per cent.
In considering the industries and
the manufacturing establishments
in the District of Columbia, it must
be remembered that the Federal
government is carrying on extern
sive operations similar to those in
manufacturing establishments con-
Quoted under private ownership.
These operations include the Bureau
or Engraving and Printing, the
Government Printing Office. the
naval Gun Factory, and a number
or smaller establishments.
L. s. Establishments Excluded.
The figures for these government
| owned establishments are not in
cluded in the statement given above,
and the figures for 1919 are not con-
tanned in the Census Bulletin. In
1914. however. there were eleven of
these establishments, having 1859
persons engaged in the various in
dustries. a capital of 500, ,067,
amount paid for services s17,S62,75S,
and cost of materials $5,902.954. As
their products are not manufactured
for sale, no value of products is
shown.
There is no doubt that there has
been large increase in these oper-
ations since 1914. The number of
establishments may not have mate
rally increased, but there has been
! large increase in persons en-
/ ployed, capital, amount paid for
services, cost of materials, and vol
ume of products.
1t may be seen. therefore, that
while the industries Of the District of
Columbia are not comparable in ex-
tent with any of the great manu-
featuring cente1e. yet the impor-
| lance of these Industries Is by no
means negligible. That a city of
the size of Washington must have a
certain amount Of industries is in
evitable, and as our city grows from
! this time on, 1t will almost assuredly
happen that the industrial growth
will more than keep pace with the
| increase in population.
This result does not mean that we
are to be an Industrial community.
or that the wonderful beauty of our
city Is to be marred by unsightly
smoke stacks and factory buildings.
There is abundant space for such an
come outside the city proper. This
Is an element in the development of
| 0nT Rifv which mr. CT