Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1838-06-28
COMMERCIAL CONVENTION.

Report efde Committee on Manufactures.
Mr.. Haxan, from the Committee appointed on the
subject of Manufactures made the following report
on Friday, the 18th inst.
ube committee who were appointed by the Con
yention to take into consideration the Manufactures
of Virginia 10 state whether these manufactures
can be conducted as ohcaply and efficiently as the
manufactures of the Northern Stales, aud What and
may properly be afforded To those nanuiaeintes beg
leave TO make the following report:
Ii is to be regretted that the eommurc nj thr
,hrc hold OF thcr myesG cations, found tic greatest
difficulty from the want Of written and printed data
IN giving that particular account Of the lse and pro
eress of the manufacturing interest IN \fehE'' 'nd
the means upon which has bren dependent lnt sue
cess and winch would enable lien most conclusive.
Nv to show that Virginia does possess all The natural
advantages 10 enable her 10 manufacture Is chcapN
as the northern s;a'csand ct hef ability do tins the
committee hive not the slightest doubt. Ia the shoa
space allowed them, and from then nnpe tei trrol
lection ofthe various manufacturing Establishments
OF Wheeling Petersburg. Richmond, and frcdes
ricksbure-,hr chicl points of lher location IN Nlr-
GINA does ret amount to less llmn about ntrc NIL
tons OF dollrs--an extent o investment which, II
considered either 10 lis pccnniaty amount OF bcne
fetal influence upon various ohel Interests and up
on the mur,ls and happiness Of the 'tlzeas OF tins
commonwealth, cuinenily needs the fostering cme
Of its leg Satuc.
In the division of tins capital, the greater part IS
placed IN heelng. row a foufshln. town OF about
10000 inhabitants, with 1876 establishments for the
manufacture of domestic goods, using annually
I2I3nOO bushels Of coal, and giving employment
more than Lon hands, nj Ing an annual pro.
duct worth Al least &a,gO0,0Gf. The existence al
manufacturing establishments III Wheeling to any
important extent is oil recent date, aud such ae
their great natural advantages IN the cheap and Il
bundan supply Of coal, aud location upon long aud
nayigablc river, Attending the extensive markets OF
he halo u Il
ed in high degree. notwithstanding !hc existence
OF similar and older establishment, at Pnsburr,
aided by bap ca ijal located there, hut hae short
ot the whole banking capital of Virginia Tine com.
mtlcc cmrhauco'ly repeat. but htlc short OF the
whole bank eapth oil \ rg,ua. II Wheeling WAS
thus assisted nuh this important element Of mann
featuring success, wlnt may We not suppose would
be the extent aud lourislng condition OF mr. manu-
iaciurcs
In Wheeling the ehief articles manufactured me
iron castings. nails, bar iron, glass, Ne. In Pc
tersbmg, there are five nouri>lug cultor mauudc-
torres. which wit, amman foundry and woocn acIo-
tory, have fixed capital OF about $50 0o0 dollars.
Flour mills with capital OF 10000 and tobacco
manulacIorits estimated At one million oi dollaIs-
In Richmond thfrc ne similar establishments, whose
capitals estimated II upwards oil, 100 0oh dul!as.
In Fredericksburg and Falmouth uui within a few
years there has existed as in almost every part oil
Virginia, much apathy ON the subject ot Mauudc-
lures, from the apprehension OF the lmpossbilty OF
competing will uultbern manufactures. Lattelly,
some interest has been exhibited on the subject. and
few persous with limited means have made com
mehccmcut. 81 lar With success. Now there exists
several iron and woollen manufactures, which with
the flour aud other mills in opefa n, employ capi-
tai OF about S2jO,O0O. Mean Wheeling, aud IN the
vicinity Of Richmond, there are RAISE at least s.
100000 bushels Of coal annually, aud II IS estimated
thai there are 81, 400 .000 Invested II these works.
That manufactures can he conducted As cheap, il
not cheaper, virginia. than almost any oltpr mari
OF the Union, Is apparent from the many natural ad-
vautages with which We are surrounded. Cotton
iron, coal, lead, &c dlllused through many pant,
OF the State, in immense abundance, aud can b,
made far more accessible than nj present by a wist
system Of Internal Improvements. and ,llions q
what is now latent wealth be made To dSpens,
countess blessings ta population now driven b,
necessity 10 seek the OF supplies in a western
land. And eau il be beleycdhy any the most Llgot
ed, that with labor cheap, provisions rs cheap,
mder climate with coal, iron, and manuilcturn.
power in such wonderful nXla-poslllo that we hav
not advantages UNNECESSARILY beyond our northerl
brethren!
In taking ulo consideration the second branch o
the resolution referred To the committee. they d,
unbesitangIy say, that all the departments oil manu-
faclure within their knowledge would be greatly bcne
fitted by tie aid OF hank facilities extended to then
IN a much greater amount than they have heGclolor
enjoyed They are also equally couGlent that
more rapid and extensive prosecution Of the grea
"oih OF Internal improvement, must have mos
beneficial influence upon the extent and prospcrt
OF manufactures, by opening sources Of suppl
OF raw material and aflorIing more extensive
market for their manufactured goods. The CONT
mtee cannot conclude their very hurried rcpot
without Recommending the appointment of a com
mittee, to cogtuue its action after the adloummcn
oi this Convention, in collecting all the iuiormato,
they can obtain this subject. aud commIlnicat
ing the same to the President of this Convention
and by him 10 be laid before the Legislature Of Vlf
gnia.
The above report was read and on motion, refer
red back TO the committee, in order that some fur
Their statistics might be embodied foi the Conycn
ton. On Saturday, the 10Th, Mr.. Baxter, (Mr
Haxall being abscni,) from the committee. reponel
back the original report rs above, with supplemtrf
which. after slight amendment, is as follows. Mr.
Baxief remarked that he had been furnished viii
some data which he had not time to INCORPORATE il
the supplement. lie had heard that coal and not
ore had been found in uXta- position near DauylIe
and was OF course most valuable discovery for tina
region ofthc country.
The Committee on Manufactures beg leave t,
make the following supplemental report
FROM the information of your committee the,
haze ascet1ned that in Wheeling, Petersburg
Richmond, Fredericksburg, Lynchburg and IA
nawiia. than 81 900 900 are now invested il
the more nSporlant manufactures of those places
To ,iIs Should b. added the capital engaged in the
manufacture nj coaches, furniture, the various manu-
hetufcs Of leather. hats, and great variety Of uhcl