The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-06-10
Position and Resources or pitt.burg

to VISIT Pittsburg with view TO promote conneXon,
by railroad between the two cities" The report
read by j. L. Carey, esq.
The city of Pittsbug has position so remarkable that
no other city beyond the mountains, except st Louis and
New Orleans, can be compared with il in this regard
Situated at the point where the Allegheny and the Monon
gahea unite to form the Ohio, this city stands at the head
OF the vast system OF western navigation; the waters
which pass along her whaves carry the floods OF the AL
leghanies onward to mngle with streams that issue from
the Rocky mountains, and both blending together, find
common outlet in the Gulf of Mexico. Nor does this
view exhibit the full aspect of Pttsbug in her command
ing attitude By the Allegheny river she with
the interior of New York. and reaches towards the Lakes
and the valley OF the Monongahela with It's subsidiary
valleys penerates far and deep into the gorges OF the
mountains which divide the seaboard from the west
These are the two arms by which the Mississippi valley
claims kindred with the north and with the Atlantic
Look at geography and acknowledge the truth OF nature
The fact You cannot have access to the Ohio by
any other route than that of the Monongahea and It's
tributaries, by process similar TO that by which
you would "scae the Alps, and tunnel the Andes Yes
there other route By the north branch OF the Po
tomac you have access to the valleys OF the Mononga
hela; and by the south branch the valley OF the great
Kanawha may be entered. There they sand-those two
prolongaons OF our Chesapeake. Explorations and sur
veys may pronounce other routes Pacucable, ana es
mates may be given of the expenditures necessary to
make them so-estimates only But Nature needs no IN
terpreer she speaks for herself characters asbold as
they enduring
The position which Pittsburg holds was recognised as
of commanding importance, as early as any recog
milton at all was had of the features Of the country be-
You'd the mountains The French, whose views OF CO.
onial policy were sagacious and comprehensive estao
blished Fort Duquesne the site OF Ptsburg, the m
portance of which position truly appreciated by
the British colonies and government That an eXpeuuoh
under Baddock was sent against It, before our western
settlements extended beyond Frederick. he oDserVan
eye of Washington had marked 1.-THE bold and master,
craftsmanship of Chatham perceived 1t from aiar-and
through intervening forests and over uneXplored noun
alns, he extended hand OF power TO seize H. DIS the
Themopya of the west m
And such ii is in commercial as we'll as in military
point of view.
d., lat the rrou-tb of sneak itself
The city of Pttsburg, with its adjacent towns, has
population ofsome seventy thousand. Within the space
miles square the population IS estimated al not css
of it, is working popuatonthe place is IN constant
stir Of industry and activity AS evidence OF the re-
OF Ptlsburg and of the energy OF her people,
is stated that the great fire which destroyed property to
the value of So, 900 O00 caused not single failure IN any
mercantile house of standings and the rapdlty with
orous spirit of the enterprise of Pttsbug less than
the superior style of the new ediices.
The cheapness OF coal at Plttsburgthe whole country
around for miles, every direction, being one vast coal
bed-enabes her to drive an immense amount OF steam
machinery for manufacturing purposes There was
worked up last year at Psburg an aggregate OF oo ooo
tons of pig metal and it is estimated that 5,ooo tons
will be used this year. There are between three and
four hundred steam engines in daily operation IN the man
ufacuring business; and in the iron manufacture alone
in its various branches, capital OF $l2 900 is en-
ployed Besides this immense iron business IN ne CITY
itself there are ty-one blast furnaces on the Allegheny
river, which send all their iron to Ptsburg and there
are large quantities of metal brought even from Ken
and to BE worked and Sgses se
with the lakes by the Beaver and Ere, and the Pennsy
vana and Ohio canals amounted to " 900 600 Tor the
past year, it exhibits increase over the trade OF the
previous year of one hundred per cent
The manufacture of cotton OF comparatively recent cs-
Enlistment, employs capital of 81 100000. The IN
vestments in the manufacture of glass are, at low
estimate including twelve 40
manufactures few miles from Pittsbug In the manu-
facture of white lead, there is capital employed OF
nearly 81 0O0, 900 $50
estimated at $4,000 to 100000 bushels The quantity OF
coal carried on the Monongahela Slackwater Navlga-
ton in 1885, as shown by official returns, was 777Sol
bushels. The freights shipped both ways on the same
slackwater in 1916 amounted to an aggregate OF S3o3i-
do1 lbs, exclusive of boards and timber On the Ale
ghany river for the same year there were 100 arrivals OF
boats of lumber down the river there came le93o,l3o
feet 100000 shingles; and $4,000 tons pig ron
great deal of produce landed where no wharfage was
Allegheny Of steamboats, that ply upon the OHIO large
proportion are built at Psburg. Over nifty nave been
built and fitted out this year. There ten arrivals and
ten departures daily of steamboats, connected with regu
lar lines; two rweekly and three weekly arrivals and
departures addition and average OF four arrivals
and departures daily OF transient boats For the year
the wharfmaser at the Monongahea wharf show an
aggregate transportation arrived at Ptsburg OF 4o32?9
tons This refers to the trade on the Ono alone ne
arrivals on the Monongahea average from three to four
boats daily For the months of August and September
last when the water at its lowest point the arriving
freight the Ohio amounted to 4o,o77 tons Inc lowest
|
| boats adapted for seventeen inches
The amount of freghts shipped from Pttsburg east
ward from the 18th OF March to the 31st of May, OF this
present year, not including the shipments OF the 3ls IS
registered at 49, 936, 800 lbs, conveyed in 300 canal
boats. From the opening OF the canal in 1916 to the
of June of that year, the amount transported east
ward 40, $50 lbs, conveyed IN 939 boats-show
ing for the present year thus lar over slm
lar period last year, OF 33,S26,570 lbs single item
will give point to the exposition OF this canal trade
From the 18th of March, 1S47 to LIST OF May, 1917 there
were shipped eastward on the canal 5l,0i2 barrels OF
flour The item of pork for the same period of little
over six weeks shows 2,62l barrels; bacon, 4O73S3s
lbs lard, 3729, 5S4 lbs. hemp ,3230SS lbs tobacco
| 975,l4S lbs
Such are some of the items of the resources manufac-
lures and trade of Ptsburg. AT this moment the ca
pacous warehouses of the city crowded with reighs
awaiting the means of transportation eastward Upon
inquiry at the various forwarding houses, we ascerned
that one house had produce in store In advance OF the
means of transportation four weeks SIX houses were IN
advance two weeks others for various periods none less
than ten days We were informed that they were Obliged
to refuse to take additional freight and that il could be
engaged six weeks ahead OF any possibility OF ranspor-
tatiOn. ,
What significant facts these Do they not indicate
vast emporium of concentrating IN Itself an
immense trade and possessing IN itself immense resources
which must go to a future development OF unparalleled
ed greatness beyond the reach OF competition or the con-
| troll of any contingency The destiny of Pttsburg is
safe her growing fortunes, wrought INTO shapes OF mas
grandeur by the strong handed industry OF her peo
pie must emanate naturally and inevitably from the sub,
santal elements which form the basis and the material
of her wealth and gr aness, and take consistency and
durability therefrom.
Iron fences are becoming common, and will soon be
made cheaper than they have been in the United States
patent has been recently secured for castron fence oil
peculiar construction The fence is without nails pins or
/ . Al. .lt,r, md