Evening star., 1935-03-10

Washington Is often considered
unique in that its manufacturing ac-
tivities are popularity conceived to be
limited to the production Of multi
plcity of laws and millions of words
of political speeches and bureau re-
ports. Broadly speaking that is true.
For a city Of 100000, the National
Capital does have little mechanical
manufacturing. But, in recent years,
| there have developed industries which
tnow reveal the production as fairly
! substantial
The Bureau of Census has Just de-
termined that the value of manufac-
lures in the District of Columbia was
$6l ,284 l25 in 1888. The District
| originally was only 10 miles square
| and that area has been reduced by
the ceSsion back OF the Virginia por-
ton.
Compare this manufacturing produc-
| ton with, for instance, the entire
State of Vermont. For the same year,
Vermont had only $56,623,53 in
manufactured products.
An interesting comparison reveals
that the District has not suffered so
SAAdAPly 4LOAL b41C CSsoC0 gCdIo dc
Vermont and, indeed, comparisons
with other States would show about
the same situation. In 1881 the Dis
/ trict's manufactures were SIC, ,928,5I3,
while Vermonts were $50, ,594 268.
| Thus, while Vermont lost $25, ,000, 900
in two years, the District lost only
| SIS, 900, 900. The Districts loss in
value of manufactures is largely ex-
planned by price decline rather than
decline in volume. In Vermont and
elsewhere, the losses include not only
price decline but lowered volume.
Small manufacturing and manu-
featuring of consumption rather than
| capital goods mark industry at the
! National Capital. AS might be ex-
pected, the largest number of manu-
featuring establishments are con-
cerned with the city's chief product
words. There are 81 newspaper and
periodical printing establishments and
| So book and job printing places. The
value Of the formers products in 1888
was $l7,329,274 and of the latter's
| $3,649,9l9. No other industry pro-
! duces more than a third of this value
Books and Bread Lead.
Taken together these two branches
Of the printing and publishing indus
try have the highest number of wage
earnerS. For 1888 there were 2,l32 and
the wages amounted to S3,341 600. In
the census figures, only wage earners
are included as opposed TO salary
earnerS. Were salaries included. the
figures would be much higher because
so many of the employees in the pub
fishing industry are claSsed as SAL
aried
The second largest industry at the
National Capital is the baking indus
try. There are 63 establishments
with 1.547 employees earning wages
and the value of the output in 1888
was $685. 1888. Workers wages
amounted to $2,205, ,42l Books and
bread lead everything else in Wash
ingotn in the manufacturing line.
There are only five other industries
which show products valued at more
than 81 100000 in 1888. The largest
is the ice cream industry. The IA
establishments engaged in the manu-
| facture Of ice cream employed 223
wage workers and their output was
valued at $2,237 ,93l. Then there were
| seven factories engaged in making
SauSageS, meat puddings and allied
products. These employed l53 wage
workers and their 1888 production was
valued at 81 .061 $50.
An industry, somewhat out Of pro-
portion in importance, is the concrete
mixing industry. 1t is the leading