The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-07-13
LOCAL MATTERS.

EouTHgzN ENTxnParsE We visited the Trede
gar Iror.works yesterday, and have seldom spent
an hour more pleasantly than in viewing the vari-
ous evidences of skill and enterprise to be seen on
every hand In this stupendous establishmsnt -
These works cover several acres, and form almost
q town in themselves. Nearly seven hundred men
are constantly employed 10 the various branches OF
rnaLufactufe here carried on. We doubt wnetnef
at many points In this Union 40 busy scene
can be Witnessed. The clang of hammers, the
roar eff hundreds of fires, and OF all varieue'
OF machinery, boring, turning. cutting rohns'
planning, and performing all the thousand processes
which iron, the King of metals, must undergo 70
be fitted for human use, was almost deafenlng puI
1t had a music of its own, to the ear OF one wno
loves old Virginia and reioices in every token OF
her onward and upward progress 1t was eloquent
of "a good time coming" and of the beginning OF
a new era in the history of the Southland we ex.
ut in it as sffordipg grand and worthy specimen
of what can be done in this latitude through the
skill and enterprise of our own citizens. Hun.
dreds of thousands of dollars are scattered among
our own people in return for their labor, and the
benefits resulting from such an establishment In
our midst are felt il all directions. The material
used both coal and iron, ia almost entirely the pro-
duct Of the mountains of Virginia.
We cannot now speak of the various branches
of business carried on here, including everything
from the breaking up of the crude pig iron for the
pudding fun mace, to the final polishing of the deli
cate machinery OF the finished locomotive. In g fu.
ture article we shall enter upon these matters at
length. We will only IN ention a small portion of
the work which we saw in process of manufacture,
Us evincing the capabilities of the establishment,
and the Increasing disposition of the South to be.
come independent by Encouraging their own"
Twenty five locomotives were under construc.
ton for the following railroads, viz:
Virginia Central.
Richmond and Danville.
Raleigh and CASTOR.
Richmond and Petersburg.
New Orleans, Jackson and Great Northern.
New Orleans and Oupelousas
Lafayette and Pon,chartrain.
We noticed also an iron bridge of spans each
Is feet forming total of 225 feet for the Virginia
Central Railroad, to cross the South River.
Between 40 and so guns of calibre from II to 80
pounders were in process of manufacture for the
Government, and preparations werein progress for
casting several guns weighing 5000 pounds each.
the largest, we understand ever attempted In this
country.
We noticed among the countless forms and heaps
of iron, to be seen in all directions, wrought iron
c2airs and spikes for railroads, bridge.bolts, and
every species of iron work necessary for railroads
and bridges. In this branch of work we under.
stand that this establishment is doing an immense
and rapidly increasing amount OF business. We
believe that not one,hsf of our own citizens are
aware of the magnitude of these works. or of many
others of similar character in Richmond, 1t will
therefore be always pleasant task for US to spread
before the public anything connected with their
condition aud progress, which will aid in convin.
cling the Rip Van Wrinkles of the age that better
days are in store for as. Wait five years, and see
what the Old Dominion in general, and Richmond
in particular, will have accomplished in ats manu-
features, agriculture and commerce.