Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 19.djvu/784

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UNITED STATES.
672
UNITED STATES.

mand of the American farmer. Nearly two-thirds of the increase in value of products ($11,243,763) between 1890 and 1900 was due to the rapid increase of exports of agricultural implements during that decade. In 1900 Illinois produced over two-fifths of the total output. It occupied first place in the number of cultivators, harrows, plows, harvesters, and combined harvesters and binders, horse hayrakes, and mowers manufactured, which number includes most of the more elaborate, complicated, and valuable machines. Wisconsin manufactured about one-half the threshers. See under Agriculture.

Musical Instruments and Materials. In 1900 there were 621 establishments manufacturing musical instruments. There were 23,765 wage-earners, and the total product was valued at $44,514,463. The industries consist mainly in the manufacture of pianos, the total value of the manufactured pianos having increased from $5,260,907 in 1860 to $35,428,225 in 1900. For a half century practically all the pianos and most of the other musical instruments used in the United States have been of domestic make. Their manufacture here has been favored by the abundance of wood suitable for sounding boards, as well as for piano cases. Up to the year 1866, 97 per cent. of all the pianos made in the United States were square pianos. In 1900 97.4 per cent. of the pianos were upright. New York, Chicago, and Boston are the chief centres of the industry.

Alcoholic and Malt Liquors. The production of liquors in the United States is about equal to the home consumption. Little (chiefly wine) is imported. In 1900 the value of malt liquors was reported at $237,269,713, distilled liquors at $96,798,443, and vinous liquors at $6,547,310. The first and last estimates included the revenue tax, but only a part of this was included in the estimate for distilled liquors. Malt liquors are of the greater importance by far, the product having increased steadily in amount from 2,006,625 barrels in 1863 to 39,330,849 barrels in 1900. The manufacture of distilled spirits fluctuates enormously from year to year, with only a slight tendency to increase, there being a marked contrast with malt liquors in respect to both steadiness and increase. In 1900 the output amounted to 109,245,187 gallons, which was the largest for any year since 1893. Corn is the principal material used in the production of both, but barley is also extensively used in the manufacture of malt liquors, particularly at Milwaukee, and rye in the manufacture of distilled liquors. The manufacture of both is well distributed over the country. New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Ohio lead in the value of malt products, while Kentucky and Indiana are well in the lead in the production of distilled liquors. The manufacture of commercial wine did not begin until near 1860, and the principal development has been made since 1890. The product is still very small compared with that of many other countries. It was 39,600,000 gallons in 1901. The industry is localized in the grape-growing regions, California being far in the lead, with Ohio and New York next in importance. The capital invested in the manufacture of alcoholic and malt liquors ($457,674,087 in 1900) is much greater than the combined capital of the flour and grist milling and slaughtering and meat-packing industries. The total number of establishments in 1900 was 2835, and the number of wage-earners employed 44,417.

Tobacco. The value of the manufactured tobacco products in 1900 was over four-fifths the value of alcoholic liquors, but the value of the capital invested in the former is less than two-sevenths that in the latter. The amount of the manufactures is adjusted to the home demand, there being but little manufactured tobacco imported and almost none exported. The increase in the value of chewing and smoking tobacco and snuff from $21,820,535 in 1860 to $103,754,362 in 1900, and the increase in the value of cigars and cigarettes during the same period from $9,068,778 to $160,223,152, show a remarkable growth, especially in the latter class of products. In consequence of the competition of the cheap German-made cigars, but few cheap cigars were made in this country prior to the tariff acts between 1860 and 1865. The manufacture of cigarettes began still later, but developed so rapidly that in 1897 it actually exceeded in number the cigars made in that year. Almost the entire cigarette product is manufactured by machinery in large establishments. Of the entire product 94 per cent. is made in New York City, Richmond, Va., Durham, N. C., and Rochester, N. Y. Recent inventions have also made it possible to manufacture cigars by machinery, but this method has not yet come into general use. The hand method makes necessary the employment of a large number of workmen. In 1900 there were 142,277 persons employed in tobacco manufacture, or over three times as many as in the flour and grist milling industry.

Printing and Publishing. The value of products accredited to newspapers and periodicals in 1900 was $222,983,569; to book and job products, $121,799,096; and to music, $2,272,385. The wage-earners employed numbered respectively 94,604, 67,610, and 778. The increased use of labor-saving machinery in printing is evidenced by the fact that while the capital invested increased, between 1890 and 1900, 52.4 per cent. and the value of products increased 24 per cent., the number of wage-earners increased only 10 per cent. The publication of books and magazines is confined mainly to a few of the largest cities. The publication of daily papers is much more widely distributed. The publication of weekly papers is even more widely distributed, the weekly being as a rule the only newspaper taken in rural communities. In almost every incorporated town there is a weekly. The publishing-houses in America have profited greatly, since 1890, from the reduced price of paper, due to its manufacture from wood pulp. See the articles on Newspaper; Periodical; Printing.

Tin and Terne Plate. The manufacture of tin and terne plate is one of the newest industries in the country, having developed wholly since 1890. In 1900 there were 22 establishments devoted entirely to tin terne dipping, 35 others that combined with this the manufacture of black plate, and 9 others that were restricted to the making of black plate. The total value of the product was $61,912,619, of which $31,892,011 was accredited to tin terne dipping. There were 14,826 wage-earners engaged in the industry. Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana lead.

Wood Pulp and Paper. The utilization of the forest resources of the country for the manufac-