The Tenth Census of the United States classifies the entire working population of the state in four divisions of labor as follows:—Agriculture, 64,973; Professional and Personal services, 170,160; Trade and Transportation, 115,376; Mechanical, 370,265; with a total population of 1,941,465.[4] The aggregate steam and water power in 1880 was 309,759 horse power; the motive power of 14,352 manufacturing establishments having an invested capital of $303,806,185; paying $128,315,362 in wages to 370,265 persons who produced a product value of $631,135,284. These results, in proportion to area and population, place Massachusetts first in the Union as a manufacturing state. In mechanical science a complete cotton mill has been considered the cap stone of human ingenuity. In 1790 Mr. Samuel Slater established in Pawtucket, R.I., the first successful cotton mill in the United States, but the saw gin, a Massachusetts invention of Mr. Eli Whitney in 1793, laid the foundation of the cotton industry throughout the world.

There are 956 cotton mills in the United States with an invested capital of $208,280,346, with a wage account of $42,040,510. The relative importance of the four leading states in the manufacture of cotton goods is shown as follows:—

No. of Mills. State. Capital Invested. Wages Paid. Value of Product.
206 Mass. $74,118,801 $16,240,908 $74,780,835
133 R.I. 29,260,734 5,623,933 24,609,461
97 Conn. 21,104,200 3,750,017 17,050,126
41 N.H. 19,993,584 4,322,622 18,226,573

As in cotton, so also in the manufacture of woolen goods has Massachusetts maintained from the first the leading position. In 1794 in Byfield parish, Newbury, Mass., the first woolen mill went into successful operation. In 1804 a good quality of gray mixed broadcloth was made at Pittsfield, Mass., and it is said that in 1808 President Madison's inaugural suit of black broadcloth was made there.

The five leading states in the production of woolen goods are thus classified:—

No. of Mills. State. Capital Invested. Wages Paid. Value of Product.
167 Mass. $24,680,782 $7,457,115 $45,099,203
324 Penn. 18,780,604 5,254,328 32,341,291
78 Conn. 7,907,452 2,342,935 16,892,284
50 R.I. 8,448,700 2,480,907 15,410,450
159 N.Y. 8,266,878 1,774,143 9,874,973

In its kindred industry, dyeing and finishing textiles, Massachusetts is a controlling force; as seen in the classification of the three leading states in this department of labor:—

No. of Mills. State. Capital Invested. Wages Paid. Value of Product.
28 Mass. $8,613,500 $1,815,431 $9,482,939
16 R.I. 5,912,500 1,093,727 6,874,254
60 Penn. 3,884,846 1,041,309 6,259,852

Nearly one half of the entire American production of felt goods comes from her, as indicated in the classification of the four leading states:—