OCCUPATIOXS. 5G7 



less. So much for change of occupation. Actually the numbers of per- 

 sons engaged in these occupations in South Carolina were more numer- 

 ous in 1880 than it was in 1870 by nearly forty-three per cent., an incre- 

 ment slightly greater than that of the United States, as a whole, which 

 did not quite reach forty-two per cent. In the major manufacturing in- 

 dustries the numbers engaged have greatly increased in South Carolina. 

 For example, the number of cotton mill operatives increased from 1870 

 to 1880 one hundred and sixteen per cent., and if account be taken of the 

 additional increase up to the 1st February, 1883, as ascertained by a spe- 

 cial enumeration, made by the State Department of Agriculture, this in- 

 crease will be raised to three hundred and fifteen per cent, on those em- 

 ployed in 1870. The same increase has not taken place in the minor 

 manufacturing industries, and this would seem to confirm the impres- 

 sion that South Carolina is lacking as regards the lesser mechanical pur- 

 suits, an impression doubtless, in the main, correct. However, by the 

 tenth census. South Carolina is represented in fifty-three out of fiftj'-seven 

 manufacturing occupations mentioned in the compendium, and has over 

 and above this seven per cent, of her workers engaged in this class of in- 

 dustries employed in other lesser and miscellaneous pursuits of this char- 

 acter, not mentioned. Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut are 

 represented in all the fifty-seven leading manufactu-ring industries, but 

 in the first two named only six per cent., and in the latter nine per cent, 

 of their artisans are engaged in the smaller and miscellaneous pursuits. 

 So that as far as the mere number of industrial pursuits of this character 

 is concerned, South Carolina would seem to have very nearly as many 

 as these States, notable for the great diversity of their manufactures. 

 More definite information on this point will not be had until the com- 

 pleted census returns of 1880 are published. In the census of 1870, out 

 of about four hundred specified manufacturing industries. South Carolina 

 is credited with only sixty-three pursued within her bordres. But the 

 deficiency now under consideration may be better accounted for in an- 

 other way. Take, for example, blacksmiths, masons, and carpenters. 

 The numbers engaged in these occupations form four per cent, of the 

 entire working population of Connecticut, five per cent, of that of Massa- 

 chusetts, and six per cent, of that of Rhode Island. In South Carolina 

 only a little over one per cent, of the working population is engaged in 

 these trades. Only 4,442 are enumerated as pertaining to these occupa- 

 tions. This was far otherwise in 18G0. Then, in addition to the 3,006 

 free persons, mostly whites, engaged in these occupations, and in addi- 

 tion to a large number of slaves, who having served their time as appren- 

 tices, were hired out at their trades, every large plantation had one or 

 more blacksmiths, one or more carpenters, and not unfrequently a brick- 



