Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-09-17

from distance, a shrewd observer Of men
and things, who is well acquainted with our,
city, remarked to us day or two since, that
there is no other population of the same num-
Der in the United States, within the range OF
his information, which we know to be extern
sive, who manufacture so little of what they
use; while there is, probably, no other popu-
lation of our country blessed with more facili-
ties for the production of most of the various
manufactured articles for which their money
is sent abroad. There is not only truth in this
remark, but food for serious reflection. Steam
power is as cheap here as in any other Amer
lean city Of its size on tide water, and our
water and railroad communication, with the
great centres Of American commerce. is second
to that of no other region. Water power in
Georgetown, too, is as abundant as in Lowell,
if We are not mistaken; yet, perhaps, an az
gregate of ferty-nine out of every fifty dollars
worth of manufactured articles consumed in
the District of Columbia are produced abroad.
If our population were to come very generally
to the determination Of purchasing, as far as
possible, articles made in the District-such as
carriages, iron-ware, domestics, boots, shoes,
hats, clothes, wooden-ware, glassware, and
other articles without number-our District
merchants and artizans would not be slow to
have such stocks on hand; and profitable en-
ployment would soon grow up among us for an
additional population of, it may be, ten thous-
and souls, who, in being supported thus,
would greatly, in turn, add to the means of
their supporters. On
These facts must strike all rejecting men
with force, and we should rejoice, indeed, to
have them improved on by our fellow citizens
of the District of Columbia. In the matter
of carriages, of nearly all descriptions, it is
fact notorious to connoiseurs in the articles,
that there is more than one establishment in
Washington wherein as good work is turned
out as in any celebrated Northern factory
whatever, and at prices, which when tho cost
Of getting tho Northern work to the District
in safety is estimated, are quite as cheap as
the prices Of such articles delivered here from
any section of the country. In style and fin
ish the Washington carriage work is not sur
passed in the United States Indeed, while
some Of our fellow citizens arc sending North
for their vehicles, in sections of Alabama,
Washington carriages have driven Northern
work, at equal prices, entirely out of the mar
ket. The state of the steam engine and ma
chinery business here, is also a source of true
pride to those who desire to see the District Of
Columbia take its legitimate position as
manufacturing community.
By the bye, we recollect seeing sometime
since, new machine laying in picces, for
weeks, around the floor of large establish
ment in this city, when its employment in the
business Of that concern would have been
worth $50 day; the trouble being missing
bolt and nut which had been sent for, to Bos
ton, when within four hundred yards of the
house there were two machine shops compc-
tent to supply the missing part in three hours
at cost of $40 at most; in one of which shops
one hundred hands found steady employment
principally in making steam engines and sugar
pressing and grinding machines for Louisiana,
and saw and grist-milling machinery eagerly
sought after in all quarters of the Union, as
among the very best work of the kind turned
out in the United States. We mention this
matter to show how profoundly ignorant thou.
sands among US are of the capacity of their
fellow-citizens to do nearly everything in a
mechanical and manufacturing way, that mt y
be required Of him. We do not see why our
merchants should be forced to purchase pegged
boots and shoes, or fine work of that kind ont
of Washington; certainly working shocmakers
can live for as little here as in Massachusetts,,
surrounded by a country which produces
agriculturally, only half enough to feed its
own inhabitants.
Their advantage is only in having extensive
tanneries at home; which we could very shortly
have at less expense, insomuch as the country
on each bank of the Potomac from its mouth
to Cumberland, is stocked with supply of tar.
ming bark sufficient to cure a hundred times as
much leather as has been worked up in east
ern Massachusetts, up to this time, which may
also be delivered in Georgetown, Washington,
and Alexandria at half the cost of the deliy-
cry Of the bark, now obtained entirely from
great distance, consumed by the tanners in and
around the famous shoe-producing town Of
Lynn.
We may not to-day pursue this subject fur.
Their, though it is one on which we have thought
much and with an earnest desire that our fell
low-citizens could come with US to the conclu.
sion Of the propriety and Importance of doing
each his best in his sphere, for the encourage.
ment of the home production of every article
in use among us than can possibly be made at
our own doors.
Tho Great Meeting.-The Democrats of
Philadelphia are to hold, tonight, what
they expect to be the largest political meeting
ever gathered together in their State. Extra.
ordinary efforts have been made to collect at
PENDANTS from all quarters of the Common
wealth. tits styled meeting of the friends
of the Constitution, though the auspices under
which it is convened are those only of one DO.