December i, 1906.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



87 



THE RUBBER INDUSTRY IN THE CENSUS. 



THE results of the 1905 census of manufac- 

 tures in the United States have been 

 published, in the shape of a series of 

 bulletins, with the effect of showing a 

 marked increase in the amount of capital and 

 number of wage earners employed, and in the 

 value of products, as compared with the last 

 regular decennial census (1900). The increase 

 shown under these heads in the India-rubber 

 industrj' is particxilarlj* marked, few other indus- 

 tries having shown an equal rate of growth. The 

 figures given in the 1905 census relate to the year 

 ending December 31, 1904, and the enumeration 

 doubtless has been the most thorough piece of 

 work of the kind yet accomplished, though of 

 course no census can be absolutelj- accurate. 

 Thus in connection with rubber footwear, the 

 statement of value of products in the new census 

 is unsatisfactory, but from the other details re- 

 lating to this industry, which are not questioned, 

 it is certain that the shoe interest has grown very 

 largelj'. 



The figures in the accompanying tables have 

 been compiled from Bulletin 57 of the 1905 cen- 

 sus, which embraces, for the purpose of compari- 

 son, figures from the last three decennial censuses. The 

 rubber industry is classified under three heads : Belting and 

 hose — rubber ; Boots and shoes — rubber ; and Rubber and 

 elastic goods. No indication is given of what may be em- 

 braced under the latter head, but presumablj' the whole field 

 of rubber goods production not included in the first two 

 classes — except insulated wire. So far as can be judged 

 from these bulletins, reclaimed rubber is included. 



According to the tables herewith the total value of prod- 

 ucts as shown by the four censuses has been as follows : 



18S0 $25,310,648 



1890 42,853,817 



1900 99,880,693 



1905 148,015,391 



There appears in Bulletin 53, devoted to manufactures in 

 Massachusetts, a note which should be considered here. 

 The value of rubber footwear produced in that state in the 

 last census year is reported at $39,034,549, against $16,490,- 

 015 in 1900 — a gain of about 137 per cent., whereas the 

 number of wage earners in this branch increased only 46 per 

 cent, and the amount of wages onlj- 53 per cent, during the 

 five years. The Bulletin says in regard to value of products : 



It is doubtful, however, if so great an increase was actually 

 made in the iiuUistry. It is probable that, instead of reporting 

 the value of the products on a basis similar to that used in 1900, 

 some of the reports were prepared on the basis of a list price, sub- 

 ject* to the large discounts peculiar to the industry, the result of 

 which would be an excessive value of products for 1905. 



As will be seen, the census ofiSce recognizes that the fig- 

 ures on the rubber shoe production are unsatisfactory. In 

 discussing the matter with Thic India Ribber World the 

 director of the census wrote : 



The census office experienced much difficulty in obtaining satis- 

 factory information concerning the value of products in this indus- 



BELTING AND HOSK— RUBBER. 



Number of factories 2 



Capital S285,o<x) 



Salaries paid .... 



Average No. wage earners. 364 



Total wages $ I3t,72i 



Miscellaneous expenses. ... .... 



Cost of materials 863 000 



Value of products 1,085,000 



'7 

 15,270,068 



160,748 



1.835 

 $ 883,020 



282,543 



3.479.538 

 5.512,840 



1900. 



18 



15.493-885 



336,319 



1,721 



$ 918,191 



234.730 



4,075.702 



6,169,044 



BOOTS AND SHOES— RUBBER. 



Number of factories g 



Capital $2 425.000 



Salaries paid .... 



Average No. wage earners. 4.662 



Total wages $1,469,038 



Miscellaneous expenses ... .... 



Cost of materials 6.023 053 



Value of products 9,706,724 



1890. 1900. 



II 22 



I17.790.970 I33.667.533 



153,802 



9. '34 



$ 3.813,073 



943.9 '8 



11.650,787 



18,632,060 



597.239 



14.391 



S 6,426 579 



2,089 '54 



22,682,543 



41,089,819 



1905. 



19 



$13,240,273 



807,648 



3.698 



$ 1,804,902 



'.571. (.91 



9,089.786 



■4>954.>86 



1E05. 



r2 



f3?.44>.^=6 



874.01/1 



)S.99I 



$ 8,S(.6,8c6 



".2'5-3T3 

 32 000,464 

 70,065,196 



RUBBER AND ELA.STIC GOODS. 



1880. 



Number of factories 93 



Capital $ 6,284,187 



Salaries paid .... 



Average No. wage earners. 6,763 



Total wages $ 2,450,672 



Miscellaneous expenses. ... .... 



Cost of materials 9.641. 167 



Value of products 14,518,924 



1890. 1S0O. 190E. 



139 2<>I ^94 



$13,703,787 $3^,-02 3:3 546.297 f37 



852,290 2.21?, 597 2,857.5^7 



9,183 20,401 21,184 



§3,663,076 $8. ,81,803 $ 9 il2,:-68 



1.133,182 2,8115.201) (,.511. 2*2 



11,113,528 3s. 482,314 38912,226 



18,708,917 52,6.1,830 62,995,-^09 



try. A continuous effort was made throughout the year 19^5 and 

 even into 19^0, to secure reports from manufacturers that conM 1 e 

 accepted as entiiely satisfactory. A few manufacturers iliclaicd 

 that it wa-; iuiT-o'isible to make an acctir.tle r< purt of ilie ac tual 

 amounts received tor products dining the >enr. and llial the vaUiis 

 returned upon the census schcdiili-s were llie oiilv au:oiinls lliat 

 could be supplied from their leconls Thus what v\e evt iiliiallv 

 secured appeared to be the In si tlial could be i.blained. Il is our 

 purjiose to explain this condilion cU-aily in llie census rtporls. and 

 perhaps in commenting ii|ion the fignn-s lo refer lo the f.icl that 

 some trade discounts ought to be iiuide loarii\e at Uie acliuil value. 

 M.\SSACI1USETTS. 



The figures which follow are compiled Irom the I9r5 cen- 

 sus bulletin devoted to Massachusetts: 



Hon'*, nn.l Rut Ii-r ni i\ 



Shoi;^ — Riibhir. Eiii.-. i,- mod , 



Number of factories 7 47 



Capital $14 .S44 5,SS $io.94.S,2r6 



Salaries p;dd 2.S7.ro2 6(xi,f.46 



.•\verage ininiber wage earners 7.' 74 .S C03 



Wages paid $ 3.754.c<" $2,28.141 



Miscell.ineous expenses '.3''^7 049 1,158,158 



Cost of mat' rials 13, 178,270 8,828.556 



Value of products 39.034.549 I4,o^S.47I 



[In Itie cen';us office ctassificat ion o-te Mas-Hct)urells factory is in the list 

 " lielting aiiit l)o^e — lubber," and no deiaits in rei;ard to it are included in the 

 above tabte ] 



NEW JERSEY. 



The figures herewith, from the New Jersey bulletin, do 



not include details relating to the two rubber boot and shoe 



factories in the state : 



Bclttneand Rubber and 



Hose- Rubber. Elastic goods. 



Number of factories 12 24 



Capital $8,481,247 53,788,359 



Salaries paid 461,382 221,216 



Average number wage earners 2,192 1.728 



Wages paid $1,112,049 $845,653 



Miscellaneous expenses 949,326 398,502 



Cost of materials 6,141,465 2,959,229 



Value of products 9,915,742 4,836,358 



