UIHistories Project: A History of the University of Illinois by Kalev Leetaru
N A V I G A T I O N D I G I T A L L I B R A R Y
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Repository: UIHistories Project: Book - First Years of Engineering Experiment Station (1906) [PAGE 40]

Caption: Book - First Years of Engineering Experiment Station (1906)
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20

ILLINOIS ENGINEERING EXPERIMENT

INDUSTRIES

WAGE WAGES EARNERS IN MILLIONS

STATION

VAIITE O F PRODUCT IN MILLIONS

Agricultural implements 18,231 9.06 42.0 Cars, shop constructions and repairs steam railroads 13,803 8.29 16.6 Cars, steam railroads, not including 5.36 operations of railroad companies 9,314 24.8 2.82 Electrical apparatus and supplies... 6,048 12.2 16.88 Foundry and machine shop products 31,851 63.9 9.64 16,642 60.3 Iron and steel 4.40 18.0 Vehicles (bicycles, carriages, etc.). 9,300 In 1900 the number of manufacturing establishments in Illinois was 38,360, and the total number of people engaged in manufacturing was nearly 400,000. T h e wages paid amounted to $192, 000,000, or nearly $500 per person employed. T h e value of the product, as has been stated, was $1,260,000,000. T h e total manufactured product for 1905 was probably over $2,000,000,000, an increase of sixty per cent in five years, which may be compared with the increase of. forty per cent in the preceding ten years. I n view of the present rate of increase in manufacturing, it seems not unlikely that in another decade, Illinois will be a s h a r p rival of New York and Pennsylvania for first rank.

VII. W H A T WORK CAN T H E ENGINEERING E X P E R I M E N T STATION DO THAT W I L L A I D T H E INDUSTRIAL INTERESTS O P ILLINOIS?

F o r a number of years the agricultural industry of the state of Illinois has been greatly benefited by the wTork of t h e Agricultural Experiment Station. During the first years of its existence, this experiment station was supported by the United States government in accordance with the provisions of what is commonly known as the Hatch Act, approved by Congress March 2, 1887. Subsequently, the increasing demands upon the station for investigations of various kinds rendered additional funds necessary, and t h e state was called upon for assistance. A t present, the Agricultural Experiment Station receives regular support from the state at the rate of about $85,000 per annum. The bennefits to agriculture resulting from the investigations of the station are too well known to need comment. The expenditures of the state in support of the station have been repaid many times. Millions of dollars have been added to the wealth of Illinois through the investigations on corn breeding, t h e soil surveys and fertility.experiments, and the work of eradicating insect pests.