Buffalo has a more diversi fied line of industries than any city in the country, according to the United States census reports. Two advantages are natural gas, for which mains have been extensively laid, and cheap electric power from Niagara Falls. In 1915, 70,000 persons were employed in the manufacturing establishments of the city. The principal industries are— with figures accord ing to the 1910 census (except food, mason, carpenter, tinsmithing, jobbing, etc.) — whole sale slaughtering and meat packing, $25,416,000; foundry and machine shop products, $20,775,000; flour manufactured, 5,358,000 barrels; the Lackawanna Steel Company, capitalized at $70, 000,000, has the largest and most capacious in dependent steel plant in the world, with a private breakwater a mile long and a spacious harbor; linseed oil, $6,500,000, partly used in the manufacture of $800,000 worth of paints; malt and malt liquors, $6,500,000; railroad cars, $5,000,000; soap and candles, $8,652,000; flour and grist mill products, $19,941,000; planing mill products, $3,500,000; factory-made clothing, $4,712,000; chemicals, $2,000,000, largely in creased after the start of the European War; patent medicines and compounds $2,801,000; leather and leather goods, $3,938,000; factory made furniture, $4,184,000; besides more than $1,000,000 each of carriages, automobiles, con fectionery and large quantities of jewelry and tobacco products. There are, in all, more than 200 varieties of industries. In 1910 the value of Buffalo's products was $218,803,994. The United States census of manufactures for 1914 recorded for Buffalo 2,225 industrial establish ments of factory grade, employing 67,534 per sons, of whom 54,424 were wage earners, re ceiving annually $34,820,000 in wages. The capital invested aggregated $243,311,000, and the year's output was valued at $251,103,000: of this, $92,257,000 was added by manufacture.
Finances and The assessed val uation of the city has increased in 25 years from $38,000,000 to $346,560,000 in 1915 nearly all in real estate, with a tax-rate of $26.10. The total outstanding bonds amount to 446.82, including $11,620,383 of water bonds. Upon the aggregate there is an annual interest charge of $964,833.65. The sinking funds amount to $4,230,276.21, and the city's resources are valued at $59,312,228. The city budget for 1915 was $12,174,902, minus resources of 131,812. leaving $9,043,090 to be raised by taxa tion. The post office receipts are more than $2,000,000 annually, and the internal revenue receipts in the same period more than $3,000,000. There are 10 banks of discount (including four national banks) with a capital and surplus of $15,169,181 and total deposits of $150,259,000; four trust companies, with $3,506,000 capital and surplus, and four savings banks with more than $118,000,000 deposits and $10,000,000 surplus.
Churches.— Buffalo is the seat of Roman Catholic, Episcopal and Methodist bishops, and has two large and impressive cathedrals. The newer structure, built out of white marble at a cost of more than $800,000, is a stately edifice with a set of 42 chimes said to be the best in the country. Besides there are 60 Catho
lic churches, 12 convents and 199 Protestant churches, the most numerous being 31 Baptist, 17 Presbyterian, 24 Methodist, 24 Episcopal, 7 Churches of Christ, Disciples, 23 Evangelical Lutheran and 4 Con regational. There are also J 9 synagogues and Jewish temples. The most notable Protestant churches are the First Pres byterian, Trinity Episcopal, Saint Paul's Epis copal and Holy Trinity Lutheran.
There are 12 children's refuges in Buffalo and as many homes and refuges for adults; besides a Children's Aid Society and S. P. C. A., a Charity Organization Society, As sociated Jewish charities, many religious organi zations for relieving distress, a Church Federa tion, a central organization of the Protestant churches; 27 hospitals, besides the United States Marine Hospital, the Erie County Home, the Erie County Lodging-House, a District Nursing Association, Legal Aid Bureau, Asso ciation for the Prevention and Control of Tuberculosis, city dispensaries and clinics.
Of the children's institutions, the more not able is the free Fitch institute, a creche or day nursery for children of poor working mothers — training school for nursemaids, etc., which is managed by the Charity Organization Society (organized in 1877, the first in the United States). Of the more important institutions, the following may be mentioned: Social Service buildings, headquarters for charitable and social service organizations, made possible by gift of the late Mayor J. N. Adam; Monsignor Nelson H. Baker's institutions at Lackawanna (Catholic) the Buffalo Orphan Asylum (non sectarian), Saint John's Home for Orphans (Lutheran), the Home for the Friendless, Saint Vincent's and Saint Joseph's Roman Catholic orphanages, Saint Mary's Asylum for Widows and Foundlings and Saint Mary's Institute for Deaf-Mutes, the Lutheran Church Home and Ingleside Home.
Other notable buildings are the Homeo pathic Hospital, the Children's Hospital, the Buffalo General Hospital, the Gratwick Cancer Laboratory and Hospital the only institution in the world. exclusively devoted to cancer re search; the municipal J. N. Adam Memorial Hospital for Incipient Tuberculosis at Perrys burg, and a great Municipal General Hospital, to cost upward of $5,000,000 when completed, which now is in the process of construction.
There are many dubs, organizations and associations in the city, de voted to many and varied causes. In addition to the smaller and more numerous social and athletic organizations, there are the larger and more important Buffalo Club, Park Club, Elli cott Club, Country Club, Saturn Club and Uni versity Club. There are a Chamber of Com merce, a Better Buffalo Association, a Greater Buffalo Ad Club, and a Rotary Club. There are five branches of the Young Men's Christian Association, including two railroad branches in the city.