The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-04-19
From the Baltimore .American.
THE IRON MANUFACTURE.

Appended to the Report of the Committee on Man.
ufactures interesting statements relative to
various important domestic interests. communica-
ton from MIR. w. Young, Superintendent OF the
Mount Savage Iron works, near Cumberland, In this
State gives some valuable information concerning
the manufacture of American iron.
MIR. Young states, in answer to an lnterrogatOry
from the committee, that duty of 20 per cent ad
vaIorem would be altogether inadequate to sustain the
iron masters of the country. With reasonable be-
lief that legislators would modify the COmpro-
mise act and give a suitable protection, those
gagged in the iron manufacture, whose means enable
them to do So have prepared to continue their Works
in operation this year and work up their stock OF ma
terials But it is added if the Compromise act goes
into effect there will not be blast furnace, using
charcoal, in operation in the year l643 in Vermont,
Connecticut, Massachusetts,, New York, New Jersey,
Delaware, Maryland Pennsylvania, or Virginia east
of the mountains.
The reasons for this belief are given 1t is shown
by reference the prices of English iron, quoted
from the circulars of Jevous, Sons & Co. of Liver
pool from 1906 to 1885, that variations took place
exactly adapted to the state of the American market
at different periods to show that the control Of
prices was in the hands of the British manufacturers,
and that the used to PROSTATE, if possible,
the iron establishments of the United States. In
1892 the minimum price in England was fixed to meet
our tariff; and the minimum of l84l to operate on
our manufactures like wasting disease.
One fourth of all the iron works in England, Wales
last, by agreement among the masters. The guam
tity produced having brought prices to their lowest
stage this measure resored to tor the purpose OF
elevatng them again-and probably for another pur-
pose Also viz: to set all their works into operation
at the fall of our Tariff in june and by putting prices
down to embarrass the American Establishments
Mr. Young says: eff the Compromise act goes into
effect in June our markets will be glutted in July
with the present surplus stocks in England. Their
works lying idle Zone fourth of the whole) will
ha liant
till our works abandoned, after which they will
be advanced al Hbit,u. When arrived at point at
which could make iron with moderate profit,
should any be foolish enough to invest capital again
in the manufacture, kind friends in England will
send it sufficiently cheap to ruin them, and thus con-
troll our whole supplies at their sovereign will and
pleasure.
The low wages of Iaborers in England, and the i'm
capital invested in large iron establishments,
enable the manufacturers in that country to produce
iron at lower rates than practicable in the United
States at present. while the manufacture is yet ia its
infancy But there is doubt of the final and speedy
success of the business here, if sufficient protection is
extended to warrant investments in it. MIR. Young
declares that if reasonable protection is given by
the Government we shall within ten years send bar
iron to England For many purposes American iron
is of superior excellence and the country possesses
ores Of fine quality in the most profuse abundance,
with resources of COAL both anthracite and bitumi-
| nous which inexhaustible.
1t is essential to the security and defence of the
country as well to Its independence, that the iron
manufacture sh ould be encouraged and sustained
| home In the event of war the rig ht arm of our
strength would pc paralysed if we dependent
foreign nations for supplies OF this Indispensable
material This consideration is SO pressing that If
there were other to be urged to the same
point it would alone be sufficient to justify the Gov
eminent in orjDg any amount of protection that
might be necessary for establishing domestic iron
| interest upon permanent basis.
We shall conclude our remarks and references on
| the subject of Mr.. Young's communication by quot
ing the following account of important establish
ment growing up in our own State-merely add
ing that this gentleman whose statements have
referred to with confidence to their accuracy, has
been an iron manufacturer since lSl7-that he was
for fourteen wears superintendent of the West Point
foundry and afterwards President of the Ulster Iron
Company of New York-stuations in which he has
acquired all that practical knowledge of his business
which personal experience for so long time must
give to an intelligent mind
This communication is already too long but l beg
leave to introduce to your notice establishment
Just springng into existence, with which | am con-
nected, VIZ the works of the Maryland and New
York Iron and Coal Company situated at the foot of
Savage mountain 8 miles from Cumberland, on the
route of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. On the
property of this company there is every material to
make the best quality of bar iron, and in quantity su
fcient to supply such establishment Sir John
Guests for one hundred and fifty years. There is
sandstone peculiarly adapted for the hearhs of blast
furnaces and building purposes Fire clay ofthe best
and most refractory character for bricks bltumlnOus
coal in veins from 10 inches to 2, 3 4, s. s, and 10
feet thick, all good and one specimen of which was
pronounced by David Mushett, (the most eminent
practical chemist in England,) the best be
ysed. There are iron ores, calcareous, argiaceous,
and hemate yielding from % to 65 per cent. of IRON
The company have built two blast furnaces one of
which was put in blast in November last, and is now
producing the rate of IS tons of pig iron per week,
Of excellent quality. They now erecting rolling
mill of sufficient extent to manufacture weekly $50
tons of bar iron, including boiler plate sheet, hoop,
band and railroad IRON The Baltimore and Ohio
railroad will be finished to Cumberland, and probably
TO the company's works, in September or October
next, by which time, should circumstances permit,
the company will put their second blast furnace in
operation, and go on to'buiId two more.
The resolution instructing the New York represen.
tatIveS Congress- vote for refilndinp a Gen.