Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 19.djvu/783

UNITED STATES. . Shipbuilding was, after agriculture, the first industry to develop in colonial America. The possession of an abundance of timber has always given the United States a great advantage in the building of wooden vessels. Vessels constructed in the United States carried the bulk of the American trade until after 1860. The zenith of the shipbuilding industry was reached between 1850 and 1860, at which time the superiority of the American-built ‘clippers’ for endurance, speed, and safety was conceded. About the time of the Civil War, which was in itself a serious blow to the industry, the British shipbuilders were changing from sail to steam and from wood to iron in the construction of vessels, neither of which changes was adopted by the American builders. In consequence American shipbuilding failed to hold its own absolutely, and relatively fell far behind foreign countries. For many years American shipyards have done little more than supply vessels for the large domestic water-borne trade, which has by law been restricted to vessels built in the United States. The aggregate tonnage of American-built vessels registered for the foreign trade in 1900 amounted to only 42.2 per cent. of the total product turned out by American shipyards for that year. Only one steel steam vessel was built in the United States during 1900 for the foreign trade. The figures for the construction of iron and steel vessels have been greatly swollen in recent years in meeting the requirements of the Navy Department. The order for warships has been placed with domestic firms, in the belief that it would lead to the equipment of plants in a way that would enable them successfully to engage in the construction of large steel merchant vessels. The value of products for the private iron and steel shipbuilding establishments increased 287 per cent. between 1890 and 1900, but there was a decrease of 3.4 per cent. in the value of products for wooden ship and boat building during the same period. Sixteen and two-tenths per cent. of the total tonnage built in the United States during that year was constructed on the Great Lakes. The Delaware River district is far in the lead in the shipbuilding industry. The Chesapeake Bay is also important. These two regions employ nearly one-half the capital invested in the industry in the United States.

. The manufacture of cars has developed rapidly to meet the demands of the growing railroad traffic. According to the census of 1900, 1296 establishments came under the class “cars and general shop construction, and repairs by steam railroad companies,” with 173,652 wage-earners employed, and products aggregating a value of $218,238,277. Under the heading “cars, steam railroad, not including operations of railroad companies,” there were 65 establishments, employing 33,453 wage-earners, and having a product valued at $90,510,180. Between 1890 and 1900 the value of the products of the former class increased 68.6 per cent. and of the latter 29.1 per cent. The industry, particularly the former class, is widely distributed over the country, but is of greatest importance in the region of heaviest railroad traffic, or where supplies of lumber and iron are most convenient. Pennsylvania is far in the, lead, with New York and Illinois following, although Indiana reported the largest value of products for car companies

not including railroad companies. In recent years there has been a marked increase in the weight, strength, size, and convenience of cars. (See paragraph Railroads.) Steel is now extensively used to replace or to strengthen wood in car construction. A steel car company of Pittsburg uses over 1600 tons of steel a day, and is the largest single consumer of steel in the world.

. During the census year 1900 there were 28 establishments solely or chiefly manufacturing locomotives. At these works 2774 locomotives were built, representing an aggregate value of $27,121,003—an increase in number of 15.2 per cent., and in value of 37.3 per cent. over 1890. In addition, 272 locomotives, valued at $3,276,393, were constructed at 20 railroad repair shops. There is a constant increase in the size, weight, and steam-generating capacity of locomotives constructed. Over one-half of the total number are built in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia having the largest locomotive works in the world. About half of the remainder are manufactured in New York. Since 1894 there has been a rapidly increasing number of locomotives exported (525 in 1900), quickness of delivery, efficiency, and price all being in favor of the American locomotive. The manufacture of traction engines and of motor vehicles has become very important. In 1900, 6132 of the former and 4192 of the latter were manufactured.

. The manufacture of carriages and wagons exceeds in value of products the manufacture of agricultural implements. In the early part of the nineteenth century transportation was still mainly by horseback, and the value of the carriages and wagons manufactured in 1810 was only $1,421,573. In 1900 the corresponding figure had grown to $121,537,276, and the capital invested was nearly as great. There were in that year 7,632 establishments, employing 62,540 wage-earners. In recent years three factors have tended to limit the use and consequently the manufacture of carriages, namely, the bicycle, the electric railway, and the automobile. Ease of access to the supply of hard-wood timber has been an important factor in determining the localization of the industry. The Central States produced (1900) 55.6 per cent. of the total product. Ohio, New York, Indiana, and Michigan, in the order named, lead in the value of product, Indiana having the largest capital invested.

. The manufacture of bicycles has developed mainly since 1890. The mimbcr of establishments increased from 27 in 1890 to 312 in 1900, and the value of products from $2,568,326 in the former year to $31,915,908 in the latter. During the middle of that decade the production greatly exceeded that figure. Since 1890 the United States has led the world in the quality and quantity of bicycles produced, and now exports to all countries. Up to 1900 the Patent Office had granted 7,573 patents for cycles and their component parts—the great majority of them since 1890. The Central States produced 58.5 per cent. of the total product, Illinois and Ohio being in the lead.

. The manufacture of agricultural implements has developed rapidly since 1850. The total value of products in that year was $6,842,611, and in 1900, $101,207,428. This growth is due priniarily to the increasing