Montana labor news., 1936-08-27
INDUSTRY @ M UNDEyz HE
DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTP}l lion
ROOSEVELTS POLICIES BRING
BACK PROSPERITY TO RE-
TAIL DEALERS.

A preliminary report of a bus
mess census including retail sum-
mary for the state of Montana is
sued by the Department of Com
merce shows that retail sales in the
state of Montana in 1885 totaled
more than $188, 000,0 00, an increase
of SO per cent over the sales of 1893,
it was announced today by William
l.. Austin, director, Bureau of the
Census, in the third state summary
release of the Retail Census, a part
of the current Census of Business.
Sales in 1888 totalled $ll2,382,-
600, in 6,732 stores. The 1885 total
is $188, 951, 900, in 1928 stores. The
68 per cent increase in sales is the
first definite measure of the extent
of the states growth and recovery
from the depression, comparing
with a 81 per cent decrease in sales
which occurred between 1929 and
1888. Counties which show more
than average increases are those
where copper and silver mining OPP
erations are active, a section in
which a power and irrigation prof.
ect is being developed on the upper
Missouri river, and one county
opened to heavy motor travel by a
new trans-county highway since the
date of the last ensus
The average number of employees
increased from 1905 to 1896, or
81 per cent in the two-year period
since 1888. At the same time, total
pay roll increased 81 per cent from
an aggregate of $11,813,000 in 1893
to I8,592,0 900 in 1885. Full-time
pay roll increased 60 per cent, and
part-time pay roll increased SO per
cent.
Analysed by kinds of business,
the largest proportionate increases
in sales, other than sales of liquor
for which there was practically no
corresponding figure in 1888 (the
Prohibition Act was not repealed
until December, 1889 are shown
by the census report to have oc-
Cured in Montana in the sales of
motor vehicle dealers ia per cent
increase), hardware and farm i'm
plement dealers (68 per cent in
crease, paint and wall paper stores
90 per cent increase), and retail
lumber dealers GO per cent in
crease.) Filling stations show an
increase of 80 per cent in sales;
household appliance and radio deal
ers (combined), 76 per cent, and
fuel and ice dealers (including do
mestic fuel oily, SO per cent.
In the food group, which shows an
increase of 81 per cent exclusive of
liquor sales, there is evident a pro-
nounced trend toward combination
food stores. The increases in gro
Gerry stores (47 per cent? and meat
markets ga per cent? are less than
for the food group as a whole, and
much less than the rs per cent in
crease for combination stores (gro-
Gerry stores selling fresh meats
The same trend was evident in the
four years between the 1929 and
1888 censuses. Even without the in
clusion of liquor stores there were
10 per cent more food stores and 81
per cent higher sales in 1885 than
in 1888.
Beer and liquor stores and drink
ing places together account for total
sales of $12,210,000, or nearly 6K
per cent of total retail sales. The
census report shows 1T stores sell
ing packaged beer, wine and liquor,
with sales of $4,831,000 and 8O5
drinking places with total sales of
$7,379,000. Together, these ac-
count for employment of 1913 peo-
pie, and a pay roll of $1,473,000 in
addition to the services of $50 pro-
prietor-owners who are not in
cluded as employees, nor is their
compensation included in pay roll.
Employment and Pay Roll.
In this state, the largest employ
ment is shown by the eating and
drinking-place group, made up of
restaurants, lunch counters, refresh
ment stands and drinking places.
The total for this group is 1902
full-time and part-time employees.
1t is followed closely by the food
group (including liquor stores) with
2,757 employees, and the general
merchandise group with 1908.
However, the automotive group
shows the largest pay roll, totalling
$~3,342,000, followed closely by the
food group with $2,835,000, the eat
ing and drinking place group with
$2,828,000 and the general mer-
chandise group variety, dry goods
and department stores) with 49, 01,-
900.