The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-11-01
Our Massachusetts Correspondence.

Our massachusetts Correspondents.
LowgLL, Oct. %, 1919.
The Condition of the ManxfaetWing int~ssf-
Irish Female Labor IN the M,2s-New England
RasiroaSs.
Having Just made some inquiries respecting the
present condition of the manufacturing interest In
Massachusetts, il may be interesting to the readers
of the Herald to DO informed of the result of my
inquiries, with the assurance that have obtained
my information from authentic sources.
The woolen manufacture is generally in a worry
depressed condition, but few articles in that line
paying cost at present prices The Bay State
shawls, manufactured at Lawrence and Lowell,
are among the exceptions these shawls, of which
about five thousand per week are made at Law
renee, still continuing 10 pay fair profit and the
demand as yet being equal to the supply. So far
as can learn, the manufacture OF broadclOths, once
SO extensive in Massachusetts, is now nearly, if
not quite, discontinued; the manufacturers being
unable TO compete with the imported cloths which
are introduced so low from Great Britain and the
continent OF Europe.
The cotton manufactures in Lowell, and, gene
rally, believe, throughout New England, con-
1lnue In full operation; but 1t IS admitted by all
acquainted with the subject, that the business this
year has been Improbable, and has become still
more 80 by the advance in the price of cotton
without proporiionate advance in the market
prices OF cotton goods. The large manufacturing
establishments in Lowell have the advantage OF
having purchased, last year, heavy stocks of cotton
al low prices, which stocks are not yet exhausted;
consequently, they are saved from the inevitable
loss which would ensue from the present prices of
cotton and the market prices of their manufactured
goods. After the first of January ensuing, their
stocks must be replen'shed, when, unless con-
siderable advance take place in the prices of cot
ton goods, manufacturing must be- carried on
without profit, # not at an actual loss. The stocks
oil most OF The large companies In Lowell are con-
slderaby below par, at the present time as Is the
with of the other mammOfh man r.
turing establishments in Massachusetts and other
New England States
The principal cotton goods made in Lowell are,
1t is well known, sheetings, shlrings, drilllngs,
and printed cacoes. With these articles, British
manufactures imported into the United States sell
dom come IN direct competition, but the lmporta-
ton OF finer cotton goods, In large quantities., al
feots the prices of coarser fabrics; and as no
advances are making at present, In the manufac-
ture OF fine cottons In this country, the COMPETE
fion among American manufacturers keeps the
prices low and the market fully supplied.
Business is very dull at present. among the
trades people of Lowell, who depend on the Gus
tom OF the operatives for support, Lowell having
no trade Of consequence with the back country.
The wages OF female operatives IN the cotton fac
torres were reduced about 2e per cent year ago,
which, OF course, by diminishing the means Of the
operatives, has seriously affected the retail trade of
Lowell. In consequence o. the reduction of wages
last year, many of the American females left the
mills, and, this year, II has been found dfhcnlt to
supply the manufactures with hands, as formerly
from New England consequently, to fill up the
vacancies, the Irish emlgrant population has been
resorted TO, and probably one-fourth of the nine
thousand female operatives now in the mills at
Lowell, are Irish. The number of male opera
tves IL over four thousand Of whom still greater
proportion are Irish and other foreigners.
The amount Of capital employed in the various
manufactures OF Lowell, Is stated at thirteen mil
lions OF dollars annual product of articles ma
nufactured ten millions About five millions OF
dollars, annually, are paid for labor, being about
hfiy per cent OF The cost OF the articles manufac
tu4 r.i,,o.d. e,,.nd;,r .ou,h ,,.ounh M,...
chusetis and Connecticut, continue 10 divert the
current al trade and travel from Boston TO New
York. and we have doubt that this current will
be still more in favor lof New York, vince the
different lines OF railroads now IN psogress in New
England are completed. We have heretofore no
tced he Increase OF business on the Worcester
and Nashua Railroad, work which con-
structed by the people OF central Massachusetts
and few IN New Hampshire, IN direct opposition
TO the interests and influence OF Boston. Freight
and passengers from Vermont and New Hampshire,
now pass through Nashua and Worcester, either
to Norwich or New Haven, and thence TO New
York, instead of passing over the Boston and
Lowell Railroad, as formerly, 10 Boston. Abou
40 miles Of completed railroads on the north anC
northwest communicate with the Worcester anC
Nashua Railroad; and by means Of the Lowell anc
Lawrence Railroad, Ia short road of IL miles) a
connection is formed with the Boston and Maine,
and other eastern railroads, that travellers from
Maine TO New York may pass via Lowell and
Worcester, by shorter route than that by way OF
Boston 10 this city
But few Of the stocks Of the New England rail
roads are quoted above par. We believe the fol-
loving comprise the list Of those at pre-
MUM
Boston and Lowell. 121 Nashua and Lowell. IFS
Boston and Maine. los Dedfd Taun'n los
Eastern. ........ l0l Taunton Branch. -. ITO
Concord 10 Western. los
Fitehbursh. -. losS Bar,rd Maven. los y
The construction of railroads IN New Hampshire
and Vermont. although the stocks may. in many
cases, prove unpr, ftabe investments, will have a
most important influence IN developing the re-
sources Of those States. Ex-Governor Hill, of
New Hampshire, estimates the increase Of value of
real estate IN that state IN consequence railroads,
at one hundred per cent on the previous value Of
estates.
INTERESTING IRON rnE CHERokEE NArIoN-The