Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1851-08-21

very interesting communication IN
referehce 10 the Iron region, written
by "An Iron Man. bearing date,
Irpntons Ju,y To- We copy that
portion thatireiates to the Iron inter-
esfsst - - has .,ssesss1 e ssrasI .sgssi ~
al Y. PooRs Esq: Permit me
through the columns OF your valua-
bic Journal, 10 give you and your
renders some facts relative to this i'm
portant mineral region, now but lit
tie known ont of the State, and not
much known and appreciated in il.
except perhaps in this vicinity
There are bat few people, compare
lively speaSing, who know that with
in distance Of twenty miles Of this
town, there arc no less than thirty
Eve large blast furnaces,now in sue
cessful operation, producing annually
seventy thousand tons OF "Pig Iron"
worth az the present low prices
twenty-fises dollars per ton,) one
million seven hundred and fifty thou
sand dollars. a'i ''-s = srs 'ses'ssa
To dig the ore, (viz: 175,OOO tons,)
to chop the wood and make the char
coal (14,000.O00 busbels) sufficient
TO make the above quantity Of iron,
to haul thesame TO The furnaces, and
the iron thence to the Ohio river,
and to do all other work necessary
to manufacture this amount OF pig
iron, requires an expenditure OF la
Dor and money: 10 what extent is
almost entirely unknown, except by
the manufacturer himself. 1t is true,
theGarmers on the Ohio and Scioto
rivers know that the "lron MASTER
buys yearly a "right smart chance"
OF corn; but tell him the fact, that
seven hundred thousand bushels are
consumed annually by the furnaces,
and he will look very. -incredulous.
The -four dealer Of Cincinnati and
elsewhere, also knows that a con:
siderable quantity Of -four is sent
into this iron region; but ne has lit
lie or no idea that the amount is
equal to thirty thousand bar els per
year. Neither is itgeneraliy known
that these furnaces buy annually
100000 lbs. of pork and bacon,
$4,000 lbs. beef, besides other pro-
ducts of the farm to large amount,
such as mutton, bntter, cheese, poul-
try, &c, &c, to say nothing Of the
amount of dry goods, groceries,
boots and shoes, &c, which would
amount in the aggregate TO at least
the sum OF $225,000.
During the years IS45, 1916 and
lS47 The iron business was very pros
porous, from year TO year; many
new furnaces were built, and old ones
which had long been out Of blast,
repaired and put in operation; |
there was then large demand for
ron al good prices, and labor and the
product of the farm were higher;
but the tariff and low duties of 1916,
deferred for brief period by the
Iamine in Ireland. and the conse-
luent increased demand for bread
'toffs from this country soon began
10 be felt, and the iron business has
low become 50 prostraled, that large
Establishments ceased operations in
his section. of country last wear;
md they are stopping. or have most
) all stopped in Pennsylvania and
he eastern States; and were il not
or the superior quantity OF our iron
il being better than Scotch pig) and
he protection which the cost of
transportation Of foreign iron to the
western States afford US, we too
hould be obliged TO put out our fur
lare fires. and engage in raising
agricultural products 10 feed the
population Of Europe, and rely Who'll
yIupon Ihemfor our iron.aDdsother
nanufactures. But situated as we
re, SO far inland from The seaSoard,
nd hoping and expecting better ,
iaIset things in the future, our busi. :
ess has moi sensibly declined in the :
uantity Of iron made, although our I
rofts are reduced 10 so low figure a
$ barely to compensate US for the
expectation Of our property, caused
y the consumption Of the raw mate t
ial, (oar, timber, &c., and the inter- a
ST on our capital invested; but not. '
outstanding The very small profits,
Ais mineral regionis steadily impro.
ing in population and wealth, and r
the low price Of pig iron does not ,
ntirely PROSTATE the energies OF .
nese enterprising iron manufacturers Q
will continue TO improve, and with S
be benefits Of the important inn {
rovement now in progress, when b
will perhaps. enable this a
on region to-make iron at remu- "
Grating profits. rss7r, s's-s- ,rg SEQ U
.fITrrE TnF Hrffr a-I-e-s. N ,rf--rf / q