Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-05-24

For tue Stdtc Nehincl-
MEssRs. EpIToRs:- indianapolis, if not
now. is. certainly to be, a wonderful city
Possessing no peculiar local advantages, she
has become tbs centre of a system OF Rail
roads that may give her an Importance never
before attained by an inland city not washed
by a navigable stream.
These Roads extending in every direction,
through districts of country remarkable, even
in this valley, for fertility of soil, will ever
secure indianapolis an abundant certain and
cheap supply of food. This subsistence is,
after all the chief material that enters into
the most necessary articles of manufacture
Thus, having, in her roads, the inlets of ma
terials and the outlets of commodities, this
city may easily become one of the chief seats
of manufacture. 1t now only needs increased
facilities of obtaining fire Goals, iron, and
building stone. These important articles, that
will fill mp the complement of her wants, she
can readily reach by the straight-line Rail-
road TO Evansville-which will iun through
the heart of the mineral district of the State.
The coal beds on the Patokee were long ago
noticed bv DR.. Owen, as the most extensive
and richest deposit of fuel in the county
The iron stone of that section has, for some
years, been known as of the best quality and
in vast abundance. The Gosport stone, now
to be seen here, is unsurpassed by any in the
West-in some respects it Is superior to any
in the country | am aware that the Goals Of
CLAY county are now brought here over the
Terrs Haute road. These, however are ~
ferior in quality, and cannot be reached By
"adit levels" On the other route they are of
better description, and, being worked in the
sides of the hills, where the mines can be
made self-draining and ventilating they can
be furnished at less cost. On the Reading
road, where the freight is all in one direction,
and although the road cost about $4,000
per mile, one cent per ton, per mile, pays
cost and yields a fair profit of transit. On
our level grades and cheap roads, 1 u cent
per mile per ton ought to be salts factory
At this rate the Goals on the straight line road
should be brought here and sold, with salts
factory profits to all concerned in mining
transit and delivery, at eight cents per bushel
This price would be something less thai
the average price of similar Goals at the man
ufacturing cities of England, and about on,
third of the price paid for the same power o.
heat in the manufacturing towns and cities
on our seaboard In this view, the road il
question is, by far, the most important of al
that ale connected with indianapolis. ALLOW
me here to remark that my residence is no
near the road alluded to, and that | have no
the slightest interest in it. that these hast!
remarks are written after an examination o
the recent report of the officers of the board.
| do not suppose that cotton or iron fabric
of course quality, where the work is don
chiefly by machinery, will ever likely b
carried on here, although the city has infinite
ly the advantage of the Manchester of Ne,
England. and the Manchester of Old Eng
land. The proper positions for workin
heavy machines are directly at the coal bed
of our State. If any. one doubts this, let hin
examine the operations of the cotton mill q
Cannelton Yet, all the manufacturing tina
requires but small amount of power G
heat, and where combinations of skill are he
} cessary, could be carried on with wonderful
falicity in indianapolis. In these, food an
facility Of reaching markets, are far more i'm
portant elements than power and heat. Phi
} adelphia, for these reasons, has now becom
one of the largest and most important manu-
; featuring cities in the world.
Boston and Liverpool derive most of thei
growth and impostancc fromstAe conf
the cotton, woollen and iron mills behin
them, and located where the power and he;
are found at the least cost. They also mar
ufacture extensively as at Philadelphia
where labor is larger ingredient in the fal
ric than power and heat. indianapolis ca
become the exponent of the heavy mills o
: the adjacent coal fields, and for the light'
fabrics, has infinitely the advantage of eithe
of the cities named. Yours, &C.,