912 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



The clay-working industry has steadily gained in importance. 

 The output during 1904 was valued at $11,504,704, showing a large 

 increase over the total for any previous year. Building materials 

 (brick, tile, terra cotta and fireproofing) constituted the principal 

 part of the production. The Hudson river district alone reported 

 an output of brick valued at $5,846,097. The manufacture of the 

 finer grades of pottery, to which, hitherto, little attention has been 

 given in this State, is becoming prominent. The porcelain wares 

 (electric supplies and tableware) made in 1904 represented a value 

 of nearly $1,000,000. 



The hydraulic cement industry was influenced adversely by the 

 depressed state of the trade. Throughout the year the market for 

 both Portland and natural rock cement ruled so low that there was 

 little profit in their manufacture, and some companies preferred to 

 close down their plants than to sell at the prevailing prices. The 

 output of 3,258,932 barrels represented a reduction of about 25 

 per cent from the total for 1903. 



The quarrying of building stone was also less active, due to the 

 smaller demand for the material in the larger cities. The value of 

 the stone products, exclusive of slate and limestone used in making 

 cement, aggregated $5,124,251. While the quarrying industry is 

 extensive there is still room for expansion, particularly for the 

 granites and marbles, the output of which represents a small pro- 

 portion of the quantity used annually in the State. 



In salt manufacture the high rate of production that has been 

 maintained for the last few years was continued during 1904. The 

 total of 8,724,768 barrels or 1,221,467 short tons, was rather above 

 the average yield, although it was curtailed to some extent by the 

 small output of the plants making solar salt which experienced an 

 unusually poor season. A considerable proportion of the salt 

 production was converted into soda. 



The combined value of the petroleum and natural gas produced 

 during the year was $2,261,967. There were no unusual develop- 

 ments in the oil fields, and the output which amounted to 1,036,179 

 barrels was about the same as in 1903. The production of natural 

 gas showed a moderate increase contributed mostly by wells in 

 Erie county. At the average value reported of 23 cents per 1000 

 cubic feet the total quantity of natural gas produced was 2,399,- 

 987,000 cubic feet, approximately equivalent for heating purposes 

 to 120,000 tons of coal. 



Mineral waters with an output valued at $1,600,000, ranked well 

 up in the list of products. An important branch of the industry 

 that has been developed in New York is the recovery of carbon 



