The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-08-30
RICHMOND, VA:


The recent fire bv which the Virginia
Wooden Mills were destroyed, was inc hea.
West blow this city has received io' NJ 'A'
years. It swept away one OF the ii''s' -
bla as wp,, as one of the most impoftai,' ma
nufacturing enterprises of Ricl'aohu :. Voc
new one TO ne; and the more important ,oi
be;ng new as il opened new source 'or es'e
employment of labor and capi'ai' anu . Ne"
Geld for Southern progress 1t was go'''eh y up
in the most spirited and hherai manner ana
~ss conducted with ability and tact 1t gave
additional strength to our manufacturing
mower. and by its success added steadily TO
The pubIie confidence in manufacturing en-
t.rprises. For these reasons, its destruction
is an event to be deplored by US ALL -s 81.
But there was another public advantage
from this admirable mandatory, and that
was that it had done more than any other
thing To turn the attention of the Virginia
farmer to the business Of wool growing; by
which he has discovereda new and valuable
source of employment; one which brings
him more profit, when we consider the labor
it requires, than any other, and which. by in
craasing his sources of revenue protects him,
in greater degree, from the disappointment
to which be is liable from bad seasons and
failing crops. The establishment of the Viz
ginia Wooden Mills in this city has, in this re-
spect therefore. impaired Il very wide spread
public benefit in Virginia. The farmer has
been encouraged to make efforts which have
proved highly successful and gratifying to
him. The Merino sheep has been found to
flourish better on the Virginia soil and IN the
Virginia climate than any where else North
or South of US, and his wool Is longer
and finer here than it has been known to be
in those Northern States heretofore distin-
guished for wool growing. The Virginia
Mills were always abundantly supplied with
specimens to prove these facts. No mlsfor
tune, therefore, has happened TO our city for
many years that could be more sincerely re-
GREETED by the Virginia farmer than the. de-
struction of these mills.
The question is, is this blow decisive! Are
we to be deprived of that important branch
of manufacture-woolens! We trust not.
The blow was heavy one. The clear loss of
$3.50 of manufacturing capital is 8 Sc
we're one any where but especially severe in
this city, with her limited manufacturing
power, and her comparative brief experience
But the experiment was highly encouraging
in its operations, and the advantages of this
locality for manufacturing woolens are very
considerable. We therefore conclude that
there will be another mandatory of the kind
in good time-that the Phoenix will rise out
of her ashes but the brighter from the ordeal
through which she has passed. Should the
company of gentlemen who have sustained so
heavy blow, be indisposed by themselves
to renew the enterprise, we trust that others
may come TO their aid The branch of wool
en- manufacture is so indispensable in the list
of fabrics we must, as manufacturing city,
present to the trade, that it ought to be re-
garded as one of public concern. There
fore, capitalists interested in the general
prosperity, would be wise in making, an
investment in an undertaking which must
have so important a relation to the general
business and trade of the city.
Wetake occasion to say that we are entire
ly uniformed of the disposition of the com
pany on the subject of rebuilding their works,
Indeed, from the absence of some of the
members. we suppose no proposition on this
point can be considered by them. -