Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-06-26


have been sustained through the most disastrous times
under many local disadvantages and with lmed caP'a'
affords strong evidence Of the ability OF tIrgih'a u IN
gage successfully in this branch OF production w
want Of information about The operation "i most "a u"
works, prevents your committee Iron" So'"s 'oN" ~
detail H.,
They WILL however. suggest one HsaHva"'as ELL t
which these manufactures labor, ahu VII" NJ" ~ Wv
peculiar resources of the trade alone has e''a"'eu ~
r, o,,a,d oar channels af transportation are very
i,nDerf-ct The iron manufacturer o! '"e "'uu'' ''
il enabled 10 ret his iron /" market ii d"
sy. dollar. and half less freight and transportation
than the yranra manufacturer west oil lie bue tnae
Nhc, il * recuIeclrd that pig iron sells IN Tue hc"'
mand market at about thirty i've dollars average per '
- n be SEEN nj once that TIE diuriehce Oh Hohspo''a
ron !. .o,o To bounty At enc seventh oi lie ui pf!ee
r. ,ha ,r,,ur,c,pr,d article IN favor u. the Northern
,,r,,c,rrar 80 this formerly should have been aho'
ed the additional charge oi taxing the article 10 Tue >o'
e,n market THIS buuu'v could only be c"uhietncteu
bv the abundance a;d facility OF procuring the iue ana
o ,I rich Qualities of the ores, and the cheapness u
our labor han, the inpe'fec,ioa OF onf channels OF
TRANSPORTATION often prevents The manufacturer oi N'"
from shipping his produce for months alter II IS lane-
And il frequently happens that IN the nonih OF ptce'"
~, ran ihp business of the year closed and the sup
niles ,f another 10 be provided that The manu-
f.cuer has large quantity Of iron on hand useless TO
him. and is compelled to lay in h's supplies on creht
a. l.; or RAISE money by borrowing ana lose The IN
e,os, rn,l he can bring his article into market and re-
a,lze the proceeds Yet under these disadvantages the
business has been sustained IN competition win Inc
Nor,iern manufacturers and that result demonstrates,
,ha, if an enlightened and liberal legislation should re.
move this obstacle, manufacturers IN ih's branch
nj business would excel those heretofore III competition
with them
In addition to the facts heretofore stated, your com.
mit,ee would odd suggestions To show that our ma
nuiactures in Wheeling. Petersburg Richmond, FREEZER
ickshurg &c can BE- conducted ciieaP!y and ELL.
GENTLY as those Of other States.
The town of Wheeling has arisen TO lis present slate
Of prosnerity under strong competition with Pisurg
,i,o aninS uItI bpr
wan, Of le facilities afforded 10 business in Psburg -
Hr under this competition ascrihabe 10 her
natural advantages and her enterprise and aords proof
that she carry Oh her manufactures as well as f's-
burg.
pe,ersbnrr was the irst Eastern Virginia town that
engaged in manufactures. Her manufactures are no
longer experimental. They firmly established, and
are now of the chief elements Vi her prosperity
That her manufactures compete with those "i thr
North is demonstrated h many iGcts. Onr time VII
permi. us 10 mention only few. The dividends TO the
Stockholders her factories have frequently been
"a per cent rarely under 20 per cent tie" fabrics are
merely sold III local markets. but are sold extensively
in the very markets that formerly supplied with
Northern and foreign fabrics Ia these markets she not
only enters into c;iinprlon with NoTti"n towns. but
it is bell. yed that The good quality u' her fabrics secures
them TO great extent the preference OF sales "r IL.
brics we'll those Of her sister towns IN sgnia are
there sold to Virginia retail merchants and "li'n
are brnugh, back through this circuit to: retail at home
We think that these facts Show her capacity to sne!
into competition will! Norhrrn manufactures. III" inct
,bn her manufacturing stocks yield larger dividend
than can be gained in any "lh" investment, and THIS
when her pr'.'s mad " sales IL the n9;heiS IN
which the fabrics Of the North come atn direct co:nPr'
ttnn is Conclusive Oh this SUBJECT
Bu, there rs another fac; that cannot be passed by
Il is this: when the manufacturing business OF Peters.
burg commenced ii with !hr utmost difcu!ly mat
can,a could be raised By he most urgent personal
soI,CtaT:aas But nnw, any amount IN the p'"rr III
the people raise. will be promptly and chP9'ug &C
vanc,d 10 anv scheme that has the sanction Of men Of
iudguea, and experience in manufacturing.
This chang o! Gisposi'.oi had arisen iicm thorough
conviction nf the praccab.iiy of manufacturing sue.
c!s~fuv, frnnd,d oa daily observations
The remarks ls made applicable 10 the cotton hu'
sue.s oi the aud country locations OF fHgI
MA with the single exception al dividends. The CON
mi,te- believe aviagr dividends "i this business,
al l"ss, - per cent in the other towns OF Virginia
The manufacture Of bar iron in rolling mills has been
commenced in Richmond, nwdr the most encouraging
circumstances The profits have been satisfactory 10
those vino embarked this branch al domestic industry
The sales have ben made 30 some extent ~ A"1i'r
Charleston and Baltimore, and other places IN which
the products into direct competition with iron !r"'
the well abis!ed works North 1" Us the successful
result Of tbs enterprise has proven our caPacy;o carry
on ih;s branch oi manufacture.
The brass touid.es IN Richmond afford in the neat
ness OF the articles produced III them and IN Her sA"
ces>fui operation: proof o our capacity 10 engage III
thot Manufacture.
The -four manufacturers OF Richmond. Pe'ershnrg,
Falmouth, ard ohcr places. veil established. IEr
k;nwn to need comment a large portion of Howard
s:rfr, nrur of Baltimore comes from the Valley. As
The reputation o! the Virginia -four and our capaciy to
engage lis manufacture, are well Known no iuIiher
comment Ihrm IS needed.
The Cu.nmIlea have not time To mention many o'hFr
branches o. manufacture that ouyh 10 be brought to the
/ uoIcc Of ilis C"uvg ntInn. 49,
On the SECOND branch of the resolution they will
make itw suggestions.
TAev brleye that the .eoplc Of Virginia not ge-
pprallf acquainted with manufacturing resources
and cap tces The dissemination u" kn"wIrdg" Oh thiS
suhinc Ct is of tie important means {" aiding orr
prorrcs. with an Increase q! kno"'dge en- tiis sub.
ec confidence will spring up aud much oi the capital
that is seeking investment IN IN" Wrsi ana south
will be retained at home and capital "li be drawn ifcl
| other suurcrs into this business.
We have in peculiar labor the means OF conduct
ing The manu- Of pig iron more efficiently lpan 1t
can be done in Inc North. The steaGne-s of that labor
is control and cheapness, make 1t more eihcIenl
than tie labor nf The North The diversion of portion
OF this ubor the improvement OF our natural resources
mast uiye an aScendaGcy THIS branch vi business
Your committee deem ,hei: duty make s'me 81
grslinns the subject vi banking capital The liked
aud floating pi,a engaged in manufactures should al.
| WAYS be The property Of the eng :gng IN III" bn'
s.uess Daps ndancp banks ught 10 b. only tempo.
rary and 10 meet the rxgencirs OF business But ~
that respect IL Indispensable 10 tn enlargement nnd
successful prosecution OF tins business that should te
! had One view cny viii he taken Of this subject. il
| is this-Suppo company of Sl2O.O00 fixed, and
! SiGDN0 floating capital engaged in The cotton business
aud their sales amount to Sl2O0 AO year Now these
sales ansl be chiefly made annually, at the time
tina, Country merchants lay in their supplies 1t may
wei. happen That about this time the SlOuOO Of floating
capital may be exhausted, aud the company have OH
haad $50 coo Of manufactured Articles They mus,
anticipate their regular ,imrs OF sales, and sell al sacr
fee or stop their operations, or borrow the money
From the fact that The present bank capital OF Virginia
is not sufficient accommodate the produce business
aud the current business paper, and that their loans ms
lie made al SO aud 80 days, i, not in The power Of
han tlunt alIt tim
their operations and sell sacrifice. for their labor
and raw material must be paid in cash. short
dit and the sale of lhe production must be al long crc
| dts. Here is exigency IN which the Northern ma
nlIurud h,t,I limit II En,l