The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1849-12-19

City, that of the American Laboratory. I
Until within some eight years past, an
iron master at Deer creek, Maryland,
imported from New York his hearth
stones-one of the most expensive and
most important parts Of the furnace.
Now, this same iron master furnishes |
the whole Of Maryland, and to some ex-
tent, other States, with furnace hearth
stones of the very best quality, from a
mountain of that material by the side of
his own furnace. As proof Of its ex-
cellence, furnace in Baltimore made,
during the use of one stone from that
source. three thousand eight hundred
tons of iron.
Not many years since, the citizens of
Hallowell, Maine, brought from the dis
lance of some fifteen miles, stone iorthe
walls of their houses, not knowing of any
nearer fitted for that purpose For sew
eral years past, granite, and that of an
excellent quality, has been furnished to
the Atlantic cities in greater abundance
from Hallowell, than from any other
place i'll the country.
/ Not long ago, spirits of turpeniine
were sold in the midst of pine forests at
the South at two dollars q bottle, being
at the rate Of ten dollars gallon At
this time an establishment in Florida for
distiIling the spirits from the pitch, reali-
yes, at three dollars barrel, six hun
! dred dollars to the hand; which, by hard
working, it is stated, may be increased
to nine hundred dollars, upon an aver
age, for each hand employed in the work.
Until recently, most, or the whole of
the granite used in Washington city,
was brought from Maryland Now, large
quantities of that building material, and
Of beautiful and excellent quality, are
brought to this city from the falls OF
James river, Virginia--a mere item Of
the greatly varied and inexhaustible na-
tural resources, but little developed, and
still less applied, in the oldest, and by
nature, probably the richest State in the
Union.
Though the legitimate fruits of scien-
tific knowledge, like those here mention
: cd, could be enumerated to almost any
limits, science, for the special purpose
of developing and most cf'ectually ap-
plying the natural resources of our coun-
try, is yet in its infancy. When advance
ed to the full vigor OF manhood, towards
which it is now making more rapid strides
probably, than at any period Of the world
before, It's fruits and its blessings mus,
inevitably be such as, at the present
time, can be calculated by no human
| being; at least, in the opinion of your
A., friend
e MINIS WANTED.-There is said to be
more California gold at the mint in Phi
ladelphia than can be coined in six weeks
by working night and day. In conse-
f quence of this DELAY, the New York Sur
is informed, parcels of California golt
have been forwarded to England, by New
York merchants, for the purpose ofhav-
ing it coined there, and of saving the in
e terest on money which would otherwise
be lying idle in the Philadelphia mint.
$ The WHEELING WIRE BRIDGE was
fully tested on Saturday last. The di-
rectors and engineers passed over the
= bridge in stage coach drawn by fou,
= beautiful horses, and returned with thir-
. ty persons therein, accompanied by
scores of citizens, and music Humid.
= reds on the bridge witnessed the feat
y which scarcely waved the immense struc
ture as it was accomplished. --Battin'or'
t Sun.