The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1850-05-20
FoItamouth---1ts Advantages, Condition

tion Of Portsmouth. 1t now remains to
consider it under another head:
Ill. FuTuRE PRospEcTs.
The future of Portsmouth is full Of prom
ise and encouragement. Nothing more is
requisite, in order to realize the fondest wish
esofits best citizens, than for enterprise
and capital TO seize hold of the advantages
already in possession, and with vigorous
hand, work out results similar to those which
have been realized in other places, and which
have caused those places to become popu-
lous, prosperous and wealthy cities.
A town, situated in the heart of an agri-
cultural district, viii become the centre of
trade for that district. 1t will grow as that
grows, improve as that improves, and de-
cline as that declines. Its condition will at
any given time be the true exponent of the
condition of the country upon which it
depends.
Give to this town commercial advantages,
andit will probably become the depot for
the surplus agricultural products Of larger
region Of country and Of foreign products
for the consumption of that region. Where
the commercial advantages are shared, in
whole OF in part, with other places, the in
crease of business consequent upon these
advantages, will still be comparatively lin.
tied. There will be little room for enter
prise or capital beyond given point, and
that point will generally be reached a. an
early period.
But add to oaagricultunl abundance and
commercial facilities, the power and mate
rails for manufacture, and you sbestow ele-
ments Of almost unlimited prosperity;
more especially, if all these advantages are
ofsa superior kind. When we speak of
Manufacture, in this connection, we refer to
all manner Of changes wrought by labor in
the raw material. whereby articles are fabri-
Gated for orconsumption or use. ~
In order to be convinced Of the vast i'm
portance Of manufactures when united with
a
agficulturaland commercial advan tages, we
have only to cast our eyes in almost any d.
rection and learn the history of places dis
tinguished for wealth and population. Man
ufactures have built up Cincinnati, Pitts
bnrgh, Rochester, Lowell and numberless
other places Louisville and st. Louis are
just beginning to gain fresh impetus from
their beneficial influence. Boston, New
York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, though
manufacturing largely within their own lin
its, are in addition, the centers of large man.
ufacturing districts. Look at England and,
with all her agricultural and commercial re-
sources, what would she have been without
her manufactures? They are her very life's
blood. They have built her up, until from
comparatively an insignificant island, she
has become one Of the mightiest kingdoms
on earth.
With the present resources Of Portsmouth,
nothing ought to prevent her from becom-
ing one Of the largest manufacturing cities
in the west. The little that has already been
done is an earnest Of what may and will be
done hereafter,
Let us look at some Of the leading branch
es which must, at no distant day, be extern
sively carried on at this place: and first, all
those of which iron is the chief material,
from wood screw up to a steam engine.
Where, on the western waters, can these
branches be carried on so advantageous.y
When cur railroad is constructed into the
mineral region, coal to an unlimited amount
can be brought here at the cheapest rates.
Iron of the best quality will be at our very
doors, since here will be the depot for
great numbeTof furnaces. Even at the pres
ent moment, one or two Rolling mills, in
addition to The one now in operation, might
be proftably carried on. Instead Of having
70 purchase some of our neatest stoves at
we can then supply that city, and
other portions of the west, with every vari-
ETY. of that article, cheaper than it can be
obtained from any other place; for the rea-
son that, the raw material, the moving pow
er, and the subsistence Of workmen can be
had here lower than elsewhere. A foundry
is now in progress here, which we doubt not,
will be able to compete successfully with
The Cincinnati foundries, on their own