Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-01-25
Vast Growth in
National Progress
For 20 Years

Chicago. Jan. @f-G3y g. pa
The manufacturing and mining otII -
put OF the United states is at pres
ont 30 per cent greater than il was
~ years ago, according to the first
report 10y the Research Council Of
: the National Transportation Insti-
tnto, mad" public here today. De
Tritn shortened hours OF labor. the
! country enjoys 90 per cont per cap
liza more manufactured goods than
IN 1000. the report eaid.
In agriculture. increased uSc OF
capital and development Of more
Efficient methods made possible an
output Is per cent greater WITH an
increase of loss than :, lcr cent in
the number of workers" continued
nc report which IS made w Edgar
j.. clark, chairman Of tue council
md former chairman Of fhc Inter
tate commerce Commission. This
maintained the food supply Of Tic
1aiion and tho export surplus, and
jtt the great mass of additions to
tho working population fro" 10 on
gaze in mining. manufacturing,
trade and transpOrtatiOn.
As a consequence the worke
engaged in manufacturing doubled.
while the mine workers increased 30
the help OF 5000. uGO. $50 new can
ital. added to the Sl1 ON. UU. 600 al
ready invested in them in 1900. pro-
duced 80 per cent Of the Volume in
1900
Transportation became more
active function than ever before.
The average distance per ION in
creased . pcr cent Revenue ton
miles almost trebled. This transport
tatIon service was accomplished with
barely 'wtCe ae many workers as in
900 and with an addition Of $3.50
-ln1 10 the Sl6.2i3 OOO.nu repre-
cnted Us The Industry iH lGUO
From the standnOint Of the con
inner ~ find that the capital
largo per unit Of output in manu-
r'ures and agriculture has more
Nan doubled: in mining IL has in
Ieased by one-third. while in trans
poCiation IL is smaller than il was
two decades ago.
While the number Or persons en-
gsged IN farming has increased but
4 per cent the farm products out
pu. has practically kent pace with
the growth in our population, Each
person engaged IN farming produced
133 units or product tn 1920 az
again 100 twenty years EARLIER.
1T IS this increase IN the efficiency
Of agricultural production which has
made ayaila bic for The other indus
;ries almost The entire l2.pnpD
workers added to our population in
the last 20 years. Besides doubling
the number OF workers " manu-
features. increasing the number %
miners - per cent. and doubling
the transportation force Of the Coup
try some 6UJoG people were
added TO the building trades. the
electrical industries banking and
finance, trade and professional seTs-
ice
Ter every 40 tons o. freight
transported in 1850. We Transported
81 in f.f30. The 1870 revenue ton.
miles we're @92 per cent Of those Of
1914 Passenger miles increased in
the same ratio. OF the national in
come Of 1g.1. 1900 0C0pp0 was paid
for railroad freight transportation.
This constituted about & per cent Of
our total income. This ratio of N
annual freight bill Of q per cent has
remained practically constant since
1890
Increase OF capita Per uni: Of
output differs widely IT, the four ma
jor industries In manufactures the
capital Involved IN Producing q unh
of output IN 1920 was So13 as
against 81 IN 1861 Railroad invest
81 capital per res enue ton mile vas
~ cents in 1920 o. zainst 81 in 1899
IN agriculture the invested capital
yer unit OF OUTPUT was SD il 1917