New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-04-19
Croclscry-yE Manufacture.
Correspondence The Providence Journal

within a few years, on the banks Of The river,
about fifty miles below Pittsburgh, at the termi-
nation OF a projected Railroad between the Ohio
and Lake Erie. But i; has not been the an,ici-
pated benefits OF Railroad, existing as yet only
on the Map OF the Engineer, that has given an
impetus to Inc growth OF this thriving village; hut
success in branch of manufactures, which has
been almost unIinrnv unsuccessful wherever
else attempted IN tbs country. Why the bust
ness Of manufacturing crockery-ware has thus
been unsuccessful in this country is question
have often put To those who engaged in IT,,
and to which have sought in vain for salts
factory answer. While the transportation Of 50
heavy and bulky article, and the large dcduc
tons made Tor breakage, must greatly enhance
the cost OF the foreign article, why we unebie,
with u heavy protective duty, and whole regions
Of country filed with the finest material for form
ing 1t, and coal for burning it, TO compete with
the foreigner in our own markets. is a matter 10
inc Of great establishment. We are rivang Or
c3celling him in every other important branch Of
manufacturing skill and industry, and why is it
we cannot mould and burn our own cups and
saucers, when ell the materials and means Of
making them are lying unused in the very re-
gioDs where Tho demand FOR them is So great and
the prices are SO high.
When last in Phisdelphia regretted to scc
that the mandatory, in that city, of that beau
tiiu, translucent white ware which SO far excei'ed
any English or French, was suspended. The
large pottery, too at Jersey City, am informed,
has never been profitable. And d company form.
cd at Louisville, a few years since, that erected
large works at Troy Indiana, about one hundred
and thirty miles bc.ow that city, has been utterly
ruined by the enterprise ; and their lofty k!!ns and
capac;ous workshops, now deserted and ii:oulder-
IL. &C. aritfn
sad monuments Of the explosion of brilliant
and magnificent scheme. THIS company had
their establishment built under the auper!ntend
ence OF an old experienced English mann!;'c
tu-cr, and arranged after The most approved Eng
lish pans. Alter It's completion they sent 10
England for wo.imen, and brought over d full
complement of hands, selected from the best
rotlcrs in England. With these they commenced
operations But the workmcn soon discovered
that they had como to country OF cheap food,
flowing with whiskey, where man, with the
price of enc days labor could buy provisions for
his family for week, and whiskcy enough 10
keep up, for the same period, his feelings to a
state OF delightful independence and freedom from
all care for the future.
The manufacture of crockcry is n series Of pro-
cesscs, and minute subdivision OF labor is requl
red in the operation. The company had engaged
Just the requisite number of workmcn for each de-
parment TO carry the business with facility and
perfection, when ill the branches were Ii full and
regular operation. Each workman was not slow
to perceive that the company were dependent on
the REGULAR fuliilment OF his task daily, TO Garry
On the business OF the whole establishment; II the
process was arrested in any one department, the
business of tic whole establishment was suspend
cd Awaiting themselves of this dependence OF
their employers they commenced Il series OF
strikes for higher wages-One at a time In his own
department, and for his own labor-couimenclng
with the operator in the first process On one day,
the strike would rise, after the demands Of the
first had been conceded, to the woEkmen in the
next process till it had gone round the circle;
when it would begin again. They were thus, for
nearly year, having their business arrested near
" every other day by strike Of hand in some
department Of their labor, till at last they had
raised wages to such an exorbtant price that the
whole value OF the manufactured article would not
pay The wages for moulding and baking H. And
what was equally veXatlous and ruinous, every
strike caused an idle day, and day OF ldlcncss
, produced a drunken spree, which ended IN a row,
and generally in fight In few months the
whole party OF laborers who had been selected in
England for their ability and good character, be-
came a set OF idle worthless, drunken vagabonds;
|
them for moro than a year, closed tho business
with the entire loss of their capital, amounting TO
/, $4,000 or $4,000 The small lquantity of ware
which they succeeded in getting through Their
kilns was of an excellent quality, though not Of
20 clear and good color as Liverpool ware that
defect, however, | was told, could have been ca
silly remedied.
The English gentleman, Mr.. C!ewes, who su-
perintendcd this pottery, notwithstanding the un-
fortunate issue of this enterprise, persisted III the
opinion that the business could be made very u-
cratiye in this country, at:ording much greater
returns than capital invested in any other branch
of manufactures; bat he was unable TO tind any
one with sufficient means, and faith IN the opIn-
ion, to engage IN the enterprise, alter so signal
and disastrous failure in the first altcInNt. tie
returned to England and recommended business
at home, and he is now transporting his wares
5000 miles, and supplying the towns upon the
western rivers with articles, for the making Of
which they have better materials and greater Ia
cilitcs at their own doors, that he POSSESSES for
their manufacture in England. We arc employ
ing and feeding, too-and enabling them to pay
the heavy burthcns of ACCOMPLISHMENTS Of
English potters, while around their rich localities
of clay and coal, there are thousands oil oar own
citizens living in degraded poverty and idcness
for the want Of means and incentives 10 labor.
And tho people of this young and thriving L;v.
crpool have proved the opinions and estimates of
Mr.. Clewes to have been correct. They have
commenced, not for forming large companies and
attempting great things at first Their liilns have
all been put up by individuals and are upon
very small scale, bat they have become npor,
tant in numbers. They were begun by English
men who had been employed in the manu'acto-
ries at Jersey City and Philadelphia, and who
had wandered west; but there are now many
American woikmen engaged in the business
Many commenced with making the brick and
erecting their own kiIs, with no other capital
or resources than the plastic art, which dwelt in
their fingers They have, without an exception,
am told all made money; and, several ofthcm
have. in few years, accumulated very handsome
estates by their industry and enterprise. They
arc annually increasing their works, and, in a
Gw wears vulumes OF Wild ftful flames Will be