The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1848-10-04
BENEFITS OF MACHINERY.

comforts and Iuxurics of life were far more
difficult to obtain. Articles needed by the
poor man cost, in those days of comparative
freedom from machinery, fromtwlce to three
times what they do now, and often more,
and you will find that the greatest reductions
are in those articles to which machinery has
been most successfully applied. There is
no article of luxury or comfort to which ma.
chincrv has been extensively and successful
" applied, of which the poor man cannot
now get more for days labor than he could
before such application Of machinery. Salt
is now less than one-third, iron less than one
half shrtings and calicoes and cloth gener-
alIv from one-haIf TO one-fourth, pins, nee
dies, shoes, hats, everything in similar pro-
portions.
Forty years ago, such articles of use or
ornament as locks, were scarcely known,
and could be afforded by the rich only
Farmers wagons were chiefly sleds; their
houses, cabins: their chairs, stools and bench
es: their bureaus, pins drove in the wall or
poles hung across; and their windows often
an old sheet or blanket. Nails and glass
cost money in those days, and labor CON-
manded little.
Since machinery has been applied. better
roads, turnpikes, railroads.&c. Of which are
species of machiuery-have been construct
cd. Steam has been made to propcl the
boat and the great ship, and to give power
to the mill, to the jenny and the !oom.-
Production in many articles has been more
than trebIed, and everything the laborcr
needs has fallen, while his wages have risen
or remained stationary. The clock, which
the farmer had not and could not afford,
now adorns the mantel of his poorest tenant,
and summons him to his meals.
There nave been less improvements in
agricultural implements than in machinery
for manufacturing purposes-bu' this is The
age ofmprovcmcnt. Let machinery be aP.
piled to .husbandry also. Let bread and
meat be as cheap as clothing, and if the dis
,ributing is not as equal as 1t might be, let US
re;nicc that if the rich man has more, so also
the poor man much more.
The cottaeer has now, by the aid OF ma
chinery here. what great kings have not IN
Africa, and what the kings of England had
not before the introduction Of machinery.
The great Alfred sat upon a three-legged
stool, while many an English or American
tenant now rcclincs on gIlded sofa. 1.-THE
poor Of England and America are not SO
well off as they should be, machinery IS not
at fault. 1t is machinery that has saved
them from much greater misery, and the re-
forms which they need are chiefly govern
mental and ocia!.--Scuntifc American.
A REVOLUTIONARY INCIDENT'--Early IN
the war. the l:rl,alita ants WI the tr''~''or 7t
Burke county, North Carolina, being appre'
hcnsivc of an attack by the lndlaEs' It was
determined 10 seek protection in tort' IN
a more denscly people ncIghborhood IN all
interior settlement. A party OF soldiers were
semi to protect them ON their retreat. lhe
families assembled, the line OF march was
taken towards their place of destination and
they proceeded some miles Misunderstanding
soldiers marching in hollow square, with
the refugee families in the centre. The In
dians. who had watched these movements,
laid plan for their destruction. The road
TO be travelled lay through dense tnrest IN
the. fork of river, where the Indians con.
sealed themselves and waited tl the travel
lcrs were in the desired spot. Suddenly the
warwhoop sounded in front, ana on either
side large body of painted warriors rushed
in filing the gap by which the whites had en-
tered and an appalling crash OF firearms io'-
lowed. The soldiers, however were prepar-
cd such a chance 10 be near the trees dart
cd behind them, and began to ply the dead
~ rifle. the others prostrated themselves up,
on the earth, among the tall grass, and
crswIcd to trees. The families screened
themselves as best they could.
The onset was long and hcrccIy urged;
ever and anon amid the din and smoke the
warriors would rush. tommahawk IN hahd,
towards the centre, but they were repnlsed
bv the cool in,rcpidilv ofthc backwoods rifle
men. Still ;hey fought on, determined on
tho destruction Of the victims who offered
such desperate resistance. All at once an
appaIling sound greeted the cars OF the wo-
men aud children in the centre; It was a
cry from their defenders CRY tor powder!
OR powder is giving OUT they exclaimed;
"have YOU any! Bring us some or we can
fiph, no longcr!' A woman of the party had
a good supply. She spread her apron on
the g,ound. poured her powder IN 1t. ana
go,ne round from soldier to soldier, as they
stood behind the trees, bade each who need
ed powder put down his hat, and poured a
quantity upon it. Thus she went round me {;
line of defence, till her whole stock, and all
she could obtain from others, was IIstrIbu-
ted. AT last the savagcs gave way, and'
pressed by their foes, were driven oil The
ground. .o.,
for whose safety they had vcntured INTO the
wilderness. Inquiries were made as to VINO
had been killed, and on running up, cr'ed'
"Whcrc is tho woman that gave us the pow