Tri-weekly journal. (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1847-188?, 1847-12-07
From the louisville Journal
ON THE NATURAL ADVANTAGES FOR
MANUFACTURING ON THE OHIO RIVER.
The natural elements Of a manufacturing district

The natural elements of manufacturing district
are these:
l. Power--cheap, ample, and certain.
2. cheap living.
3. Facilities OF transporting man and matter
4. Proximity to the materials 10 be manufactured.
5. Nearness OF The market TO be supplied.
6. An healthy position and climate soequable and
temperate that man may sustain continuous labor
even in partial confinement. =
T. good site for buildings and near suitable bull
ding materials.
Let us examine these in their order
l. PowER.-There is now scarcely any hand
icraft work, from the simplest to the most COM
plicated, which is not materially aided by the
machinery. Hands seem to be merely required
10 set that machinery in motion and to direct
ats movements. So wonderful are the inven-
tions OF this century, that we dare not state the
ratio OF decrease of human labor in any branch
OF manufactures. A few years since we sup
posed that the cotton spindles and looms were
perfect, or nearly so; yet within four our five
years, few simple Improvements have been
made that have reduced the number of hands
in a cotton mill more than one half; and il is
now said that much of the cotton machinery in
England and New England is scarcely worth
having.
The effect of these improvements is to
make cheap power more important than cheap
labor
1t cannot be necessary to adduce many rea-
sons why manufacturing should be carried on
where the power is found; water power of
course is stationary; and where steam is the
motive power, 1t is generally far cheaper to
move the raw material than the coal. For ex-
ample: | 900 tons of coal are required in the
manufactury Of 600 tons of cotton. Certainly
there are exceptions to the rule it is cheaper TO
bring coal from Nova Scotia and Pennsylvania
TO New England than to pay the aggregate
freight on the cotton, dry goods and provisions
TO and from the bleak coasts of Sidney and Pic
tou, or the barren hills around Frosbmg and
Pottsvile. Perhaps this exception will be but
temporary.
All the manufacturing towns of England are
in the vicinity of coal-felds. Even the WOOL
len mills of Sussex and Essex have yielded in
competition with those of the coal districts.
When the two are to be combined, the tend
ency of the bulky is to draw the heavy article to
it, and the more valuable the material the bet
ter 1T will bear transportation.
The copper and tin ores of Corr wall are tax.
en- to the Welsh coal-felds to be smelted so al
so have been the copper ores of Cuba and Lake
Superior. The coal at Pittsburg has drawn to
it the lead Of Illinois and the iron Of the Juna-
ia, Ohio, and Kentucky, and even of Tennessee
and Missouri.
The same rules are applicable TO the next
olement-cheap living.
although South Wales was nearer than Lancas-
ter. Manchester became the seat of cotton man.
utactures, because, being in coal district, it
was the centre of a rich agricultural country
The same causes placed Sheffield, Birmingham
and Leads where they are, instead of on the
Tyne, or the Wear. The SanIordshire potter
les are over the beds of coal and clay.
While colonists, we We're (as Canada isnow)
compelled, by direct or indirect legislation, to
To- a,,I b.lf G
ter revolution had emancipated US from this
quasi necessity, the English artisan was (prac-
tically) confined within prison limits he was
not permitted to emigrate, and he could not
send plans, models or machinery abroad.
Slater, the father of the cotton manufacture
in America, could not ESQ closely was he watch
ed at the custom house, even smuggle over a
single drawing or patten. He had, however,
acquired full knowledge of the Arkwright
principle OF spinning and, from recollection
and with his own hands, made three cards and
TWENTY-FIVE spindes, and put them in motion
in the building of a clother, by the water wheel
of an old fulling mill.
Let him who doubts the practcability Of
manufacturing here look at this humble begin
ming and take courage This pioneer, with
very slender means, and with few friends, sur
mounted every difficulty, amassed fortune
and lived to see New England manufacturing
rival of England.
Although we have coal at home and at from
one-half to one-sixth of its cost in Lancaster Oh
Massachusetts,, the most of our cotton and no
small part of our hemp and wool is sent from
three to six thousand miles to be manufactured
and then our corn and flour and pork is sent in
the same direction to make up the deficiency
of food among the manufacturers.
1t is mot very strange that this state of facts
has existed, but it win be passing strange if il
continue to exist much longer. 1t will not even
require another year offamine abroad to show
clearly and practically that it is far cheaper &c
transport the spinner, the weaver, and the ma
chinist to our coal, corn, and cotton, than tc
pay one freight on the corn and two on the cot
ton.
DECEMBER |. S.