New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-02-22
For The Ttibu ne
49,. convic, Labor in Iron aainea.

stnte Convict LnDcf in Aio- ~
II is believed that the recommend as'on III ',''
,s,. report OF Mr.. Ransom Cook, to the Leslsis-
,ure, TO apply convc.s labor to the mining Oh iron
49,, ao.e-,ss commeadation, and may DO condu-
Give TO much good, if judiciousiy and ProPefy car
ried out His report, therefore, ousa' u e''''' q
close and thorough examination
TIL, location recommended, in the northeasteo coz
nor Of the State, presents undoubtedly great a"'
vaptascs. but several objections to IT, are obvious
as will readily be seen
A reference to the geological survey OF The STATE
will show that the. Highla nds of the Hucson fiset,
in the counties of RockIand, Orange, fatnars anu
Westchester. afford at least equal abundance
Of veins and beds of the very same magnetic iron
Ore of first quality, and would offer in other re-
s,scts some decided advantages over the former
location. The iron ores of the Highlands have
been for many years, carried in large quantities IN
TO the New England States, and TO the lower parts
Of New Jersey ard Maryland, to be mixed win TIE
kinds of ore found in those States lhey are
s,il wanted there but cannot be procured Tor want
Of mining. Those same rich Magnetic Ores are
bes;des wanted now. TO be converted into wrought
iron directly, by means OF the anthracite coal
h-,rah, ~ rho side waters of the North hlSer
through the Delaware and Hudson canal. II -
there confidently believed that the highlands are
rioe for the development of large system OF
.c;on,i6c mining. and that the producers OF such
| an undertaking would find a ready market among
competition of purchasers. But the scan'y popu-
lation of those iron mountains Will never 1t Is De-
loved, afford adequate means to carry on mining
on q sufficient scale.
The objections to the northeast boundaries 81
the State seem to be:
1. The too great proximity to the Canada INES
Offering both inducements and facility of escape to
the convict.
.. A comparative want of composition OF pur-
ch,sers Of the ere, the market being necessarily
confined TO limited portion of the state, in which,
besides, iron ore is abundantly distributed BY ma
ture.
3. An increase of expense in transferring con-
viets 20 so remote part of the state.
4. The necessity of erecting there more costly
and permanent buildings for the constant accom-
mediation of convicts.
A location in the Highlands would Offer among
other, the following advantages:
|. A central point, easily accessible from many
counties, thus reducing the expense OF transferring
thither the convict.
o The proximity of the Sing Sing State Prison,
where convicts could be in few hours transferred
as to general quarter in case of sickness, cessa-
ton of work from any cause, or at particular sea-
sons; thus rendering necessary only temporary and
cheaper buildings at the mines.
3. A better market for the ore and competition
OF purchasers.
l. The induccmcn Mt which an abundant and regular
supply Of ore would offer for the erection OF new
iron works on the tide waters Of the Hudson river,
to be supplied with anthracite coal as fuel, chiefly
through the Delaware and Hudson canal
s. A certainty that the produce of the mines
weu!d maintain tho oonviots and besides leave a
surplus profit to the State.
AS to the propriety of employing the convicts in
tcsrking iron instead of limiting their labor 10
mining and dressing the ore for market, it is
thought that such policy could not fail to raise
again the question of interference with the hts
of mechanics. The art Of making iron requires an
apprenticeship and is ill suited to persons already
of certain age, and unless a forgeman is skilled
in his trade, he cannot be probably employed, and
in the process of blooming, tho best and most ex'
aerienced workmen are never sure to make two
successive loops of an equal and good quality.
One word more on the subject of location; let
it be selected after mature deliberation and care
fully compared situations, free above all from the
influence of private speculation. FuLcAsUs.
p man named Thompson, confined for the
murder of woman at Sandusky, o.. escaped
rsm Jail on the 9th inst, for the .ftth time since
his arrest. The officers in that region must be al
most as useless as ours. Prisoners here, while on
trial. walk out of the Court unopposed-withoat
waiting to break Jail or to 60 through any formal
! ity Of the Sort
e See Professor GouRAvD's advertisement in
another column.
NOW READY-PRICE ONE SHILLING,
| IAMES'S NEW NOVEL;