The 712 establishments from which returns were received employed 108,782 persons, whose average earnings during the year amounted to $452.04 per employee. The establishments were in operation an average of 297.4 days during the year. The gross value of the product was $209,396,535. Of this amount $49,173,588, or 23.5 per cent, were paid in wages.

The following table shows, by industries, the aggregate wages paid each year from 1896 to 1900, inclusive, in 514 identical establishments:

WAGES PAID IN 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, AND 1900, AND PER CENT OF INCREASE FROM 1896 TO 1900.

The statistics of aggregate wages given above show an improvement each year except in 1897, when there was a decrease in the amount of wages paid as compared with the preceding year. The average increase during the entire period was 17.1 per cent. There was an increase of 8.8 per cent in 1900 as compared with the preceding year. NEW CONSTRUCTIONS.-This chapter gives an account of the buildings constructed for manufacturing purposes in the State during the year ending July 1, 1900, showing in each case the name of the establishment, the material of which the building was constructed, number of stories, dimensions, cost of construction, and the increase in the number of employees resulting from the increased capacity. It appears that 245 manufacturing buildings were erected in 59 towns, at a total estimated cost of $1,949,104, exclusive of machinery, etc. By the erection of these new factories and additions 3,965 more persons were employed.

ARTICLES MANUFACTURED.-An alphabetically arranged list is given several thousand articles manufactured in the State. For succeeding ports it is the intention to add to and improve the list.

FREE EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES.-This part of the report contains an ccount of a canvass of 44 private employment agencies in the State, nd a résumé of the work of public employment offices in the States f Ohio, California, Montana, New York, Missouri, Illinois, and in he city of Seattle, Wash.

STRIKES AND LOCKOUTS.-An account is given of each of 51 strikes nd 2 lockouts, reported from July, 1, 1899, to December 1, 1900, and tabular statement showing the date, name of the labor organization, ame of the firm, number of persons involved, duration, cause, and esult of each strike and lockout. Of these disputes 18 were successul, 12 partly successful, and 23 failed. There were 5,776 persons hrown out of employment on account of strikes and lockouts during hat period, resulting in a loss of 98,644 working days.

LABOR ORGANIZATIONS.-This part of the report consists of an account of organized labor in the State, a list of labor organizations, a directory of the names and addresses of their principal officers, and a table showing for each of the 122 organizations reporting in 1900 the date of organization, membership, wages and hours of labor of the members, weeks employed during the year, receipts, and benefits. The following table shows the number of organizations and their membership, by occupations:

MEMBERSHIP OF LABOR ORGANIZATIONS, BY OCCUPATIONS, 1900.

The 122 organizations reported a total membership of 14,244 in 1900. These organizations provided benefits for their members as follows: Disability and death, 31; strike, disability, and death, 17; death, 13; strike, out of work, traveling, disability, and death, 8; strike and

The greater number of male employees during each of the two years Tercisen from 3 to 15 per week, and the greater number of female

employees received from $4 to $7 per week. By comparing the two years it is seen that the percentage of male employees increased in 1900 in the classes receiving under $5 per week, $8 or under $9, $10 or under $12, and $15 per week or over. In the case of females an increase is seen in the percentage receiving under $5 per week, $7 or under $8, $12 or under $15, and $18 per week or over.

The report also contains tabulated returns from 329 logging camps in the State. These camps were in operation an average of 20 weeks during the season of 1899-1900 and employed 15,886 men and 8,285 horses. A total of 1,112,000,000 feet of logs were cut. The average wages paid were about $37 per month, including board and sleeping accommodations.

MINES AND MINING.-This chapter contains an account of the rise and growth of the iron-mining industry of the State, the location of the mines, statistics of ore transportation, labor and wages, accidents in mines, and descriptive notes, with statistics of production of individual mines. The total output of Minnesota iron mines was 5,899,712 tons in 1898 and 8,214,726 tons in 1899. The mines employed an average of 4,431 persons in 1898 and 5,686 persons in 1899. The wages paid amounted to $2,113,634 in 1898 and $3,348,512 in 1899. The average cost of transportation of iron ore was $1.43 per ton in 1898 and $1.46 per ton in 1899.

The following table shows the total number of iron-mine employees and the average daily wages paid in iron mines in 1899 and 1900:

NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES AND AVERAGE DAILY WAGES PAID IN IRON MINES, 1899 AND 1900.

a Skilled laborers comprise engineers, carpenters, blacksmiths, electricians, machinists, pump and pipe men, skip tenders, landers, and oilers.

LABOR ORGANIZATIONS.-Returns for the year ending June 1, 1900, were received by the bureau from 206 labor organizations having a total membership of 17,736. Nearly one-half of these organizations came into existence during the 5 years ending June 1, 1900. The statistics presented in this report show the name, age, and membership of each organization, the name and address of the secretary, the cost of membership and financial benefits, trades and industries organized

and the hours of labor, average daily wage rates, percentage of nonemployment, etc., of the members. The following table shows the number and membership of labor organizations, by occupations:

MEMBERSHIP OF LABOR ORGANIZATIONS, JUNE 1, 1900.

a Full membership not reported.

b Membership consists of delegates from other organizations.

Brief accounts are given of 21 strikes and 2 lockouts reported by labor organizations during the year ending June 1, 1900. Several minor strikes are also mentioned.

Short chapters are devoted to the requirements and regulations of labor organizations with regard to apprenticeships, the street-car strike at Duluth, May, 1899, labor strikes in general, and an address on compulsory arbitration by the governor of the State.

CHILD LABOR.-An account is given of the provisions of law with regard to child labor and compulsory education and the operations of

Owing to the advantages taken of certain exceptions permitted under the law the latter has been made inoperative to some