Along with the increase of production has gone the growth in the average number of wage-earners in manufacturing establishments. Each city made a decided advance in the average number of wage-earners in manufactures during the twenty years from 1880 to 1900. In that period, out of fourteen cities, two increased over 300 per cent in the average number of wage-earners, two cities increased over 240 per cent in the average number of wage-earners, five cities increased over 100 per cent and the remaining five cities showed an increase of 76.3 per cent, 57 per cent, 39.8 per cent, 18.8 per cent, and 7.5 per cent respectively. Chattanooga, Tenn., and Birmingham, Ala., from 1890 to 1900 increased 5.2 per cent and 105.6 per cent respectively. Omitting these, the other fourteen cities taken together increased in the number of wage-earners during the twenty years from 1880 to 1900, 60.9 per cent. Table III, which follows, brings into full view this large and constant increase in the average number of wage-earners in manufacturing establishments, exclusive of proprietors, salaried officers, clerks, etc.
Table II. Total Value of Products, Including Custom Work and Repairing, of Manufactures in Sixteen Southern Cities, 1880-1905.[A]
| Total value of products. | |||||
| 1880. | 1890. | 1900. | Per cent increase 1880-1900. | 1905[B] | |
| $ | $ | $ | $ | ||
| Wilmington | 13,205,370 | 24,568,125 | 34,053,324 | 157.9 | 30,390,039 |
| Baltimore | 78,417,304 | 141,723,599 | 161,249,240 | 105.6 | 151,546,580 |
| Washington[C] | 11,882,316 | 39,331,437 | 47,667,622 | 301.2 | 18,359,159 |
| Norfolk | 1,455,987 | 5,100,408 | 9,397,355 | 545.4 | 5,900,129 |
| Richmond | 20,790,106 | 27,792,672 | 28,900,616 | 39.0 | 28,202,607 |
| Charleston | 2,732,590 | 9,005,421 | 9,562,387 | 249.9 | 6,007,094 |
| Atlanta | 4,861,727 | 13,074,037 | 16,707,027 | 243.6 | 25,745,650 |
| Augusta | 3,139,029 | 9,244,850 | 10,041,900 | 219.9 | 8,829,305 |
| Savannah | 3,396,297 | 6,319,066 | 6,461,816 | 90.3 | 6,340,004 |
| Louisville | 35,423,203 | 54,515,226 | 78,746,390 | 122.3 | 83,204,125 |
| Chattanooga | 10,216,109 | 12,033,780 | 17.8[D] | 15,193,909 | |
| Memphis | 4,413,422 | 13,244,538 | 17,923,058 | 306.1 | 21,348,817 |
| Nashville | 8,597,278 | 14,590,823 | 18,469,823 | 114.8 | 23,109,601 |
| Birmingham | 7,034,248 | 12,581,066 | 78.9[D] | 7,592,958 | |
| Mobile | 1,335,579 | 3,826,399 | 4,451,062 | 233.3 | 4,942,331 |
| New Orleans | 18,808,096 | 48,295,449 | 63,514,505 | 237.7 | 84,604,006 |
| Total | 208,458,304 | 427,882,407 | 531,760,971 | 143.3[E] | 521,316,314 |
[A] Compiled from Census Reports: 1880, 10th Census, Manufactures, pp. xxiv, xxv; 1890-1900, 12th Census, vol. viii, Manufactures, Part ii, pp. 7, 108, 115, 134, 279, 301, 335, 831, 848, 908; 1905, 12th Census, Manufactures, Part ii, pp. 20, 142, 152, 179, 339, 361, 403, 1025, 1056, 1127.
[B] In Tables ii and iii the figures of Manufactures from 1880 to 1900 are not exactly comparable with those of 1905, because the census of 1905 was limited to manufacturing establishments and excluded all neighborhood work and establishments for custom work and repairing. Hence percentage of increase was not worked out for this period.
[C] Figures for Washington, D.C., apply to the District of Columbia and include governmental establishments.
[D] Increase 1890-1900.
[E] Increase per cent for 14 cities from 1880 to 1900, exclusive of Chattanooga and Birmingham.
Table III. Average Number of Wage-earners[A] Engaged in Manufactures in Sixteen Southern Cities, 1880-1905.[B]
| Average Number of Wage-earners. | |||||
| 1880. | 1890. | 1900. | Per cent increase, 1880-1900. | 1905.[D] | |
| Wilmington. Del. | 7,852 | 13,370 | 16,055 | 104.5 | 13,554 |
| Baltimore, Md. | 56,338 | 76,489 | 78,738 | 39.8 | 65,224 |
| Washington, D.C. | 7,146 | 20,406 | 24,693 | 245.5 | 17,281 |
| Norfolk, Va. | 752 | 2,391 | 4,334 | 476.3 | 3,063 |
| Richmond, Va. | 14,047 | 16,891 | 16,692 | 18.8 | 12,883 |
| Charleston, S.C. | 2,146 | 4,684 | 5,027 | 134.2 | 3,450 |
| Atlanta, Ga. | 3,680 | 7,957 | 9,356 | 154.2 | 11,891 |
| Augusta, Ga. | 4,518 | 5,714 | 7,092 | 57.0 | 4,839 |
| Savannah, Ga. | 1,130 | 2,419 | 2,870 | 154.1 | 3,330 |
| Louisville, Ky. | 17,103 | 24,159 | 29,926 | 7.5 | 24,985 |
| Chattanooga, Tenn.[C] | 5,200 | 5,472 | 5.2 | 6,984 | |
| Memphis, Tenn. | 2,268 | 5,497 | 8,433 | 271.8 | 8,153 |
| Nashville, Tenn. | 4,791 | 7,275 | 8,447 | 76.3 | 8,435 |
| Birmingham, Ala.[C] | 3,247 | 6,675 | 105.6 | 3,987 | |
| Mobile, Ala. | 704 | 2,719 | 2,827 | 301.5 | 2,496 |
| New Orleans, La. | 9,504 | 22,342 | 19,435[E] | 104.5 | 17,631 |
| Total | 131,979 | 212,313 | 233,925 | 60.9[F] | 208,186 |