No. of Mills. State. Capital Invested. Wages Paid. Value of Product.
11 Mass. $820,000 $163,440 $1,627,320
6 N.J. 313,000 86,170 685,386
4 N.Y. 157,500 35,289 257,450
1 Penn. 150,000 80,000 450,000

Massachusetts is also an all-important factor in the total production of American carpets. The 59 mills in the United States made in 1880 a wholesale product valued at $31,792,802. Massachusetts made the most Brussels, 1,884,723 yards; Pennsylvania came next with 919,476 yards. She came next to New York in yards of Tapestry, and next to Connecticut in Wiltons, a good second in these important grades. The three leading carpet states are thus classified:—

No. of Mills. State. Capital Invested. Wages Paid. Value of Product.
10 N.Y. $6,422,158 $1,952,391 $8,419,254
172 Penn. 7,210,483 3,035,971 14,304,660
7 Mass. 4,637,646 1,223,303 6,337,629

In the manufacture of Boots and Shoes Massachusetts stands conspicuously at the front; her position in this great industry is clearly seen in the three states controlling this special product:—

No. of Factories. State. Capital Invested. Wages Paid. Value of Product.
982 Mass. $21,098,133 $24,875,106 $95,900,510
272 N.Y. 6,227,537 4,902,132 18,979,259
145 Penn. 3,627,840 2,820,976 9,590,002

One evidence that Massachusetts is not sitting down all the time is the fact that she stands up to manufacture so many chairs. From a small beginning of wood and flag seated chairs, Mr. James M. Comee in 1805, with his foot lathe, in one room of his dwelling in Gardner. Mass., laid the foundation of this important industry, which has given the town of Gardner, where over 1,000,000 of chairs are annually made, a world wide reputation.

The relative positions of the five leading chair states:—

No. of Factories. State. Capital Invested. Wages Paid. Value of Product.
62 Mass. $1,948,600 $1,028,087 $3,290,837
62 N.Y. 991,000 472,974 1,404,138
45 Penn. 111,700 143,037 437,010
37 Ohio 497,026 321,918 821,702
37 Ind. 395,850 232,005 632,746

In the currying of leather Massachusetts is a notable leader:—