Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-01-13
DEVELOPMENT OF TIE SOUTH.

ing letter from the intelligent correspondent: OF the
Alexandra Sentinel. Its simple statement of facts
appeals most loudly to the interests aud duty OF the
South. Does it not seem almost incredible that the
little Merrimack River, with tsll CT only SO feet in
eleven miles and with its waters made rigid by ice
icr d considerable portion OF the year. should be
brought into at single point Tor the successful
prosecution of manufactures to the vast amount Of
fourteen millions of dollars while on our noble
streams the James, the Rappahannock, tte Shenan.
doah the Potomac and others, with their eItrsord
nary water powers, with much mider climate, and
with the raw materials at our door, 80 little progress
comparatively has been made in manufactures! II
is vtally important to Tn" interest and Independence
of the South th:s ue shorIG reform this altogether
and by al suafged system of manufactures, vlgo
.olg prosecution and completion o Sur loading inter.
nal improvements ard direct intercourse and trade
from our Gwu waters with foreign nations, establish
cur oHn safety and independence, and defy the ina
chiaat,ns OF The Northern fanatics Such an awnk
enrg OF the South to practical selfsupportng action
would open the eyes OF our enemies and in changing
the current OF the public mind at the North ty the
electric influence of self interest, wo.L do much in
securing the onion on the greai principles OF equality
Of the States and :. al SECTIONS. We have already
pointed o2t some important and Immediate benehts,
10 the direction of increased market fcrther South
for Virginia manufactures. flowing from the much
abused Commercial Convention at Savannah. It can
not be reasonably denied that tho summoning
.ogether many of the beat ,iGds Of the South,
has already done good and is destined to OK
ert still lsoEe beneficial Influence, in srousing
tie South to her duty, in exciting investigation and
discussion o the truth, and in pointing out some OF
the means by which the South may develop her re-
sources and consolidate her strength. Let the good
work 70 on Let us learn a useful lesson from the
untring enterprise aai practical energy of our ene-
mics aud LET the shock Of the storm, which has just
passed, have one good result, viz to clear up the
atmosphere OF the public mind at the South and
point ont tho way 80 great revolution in which
Southern power and greatness shall be illustrated and
confirmed. The South has great destiny before her,
II her sons are alive to their duty and cte:sst With
these sentiments, we lntrot.,.co tho following:
WAsHIsGros, Dec 5, 1856.
j,t,,s..:x Statistics Of L9meH- reflections ~ :am-
nscii0R McrspHh.
While in Lowell, was furnished by the Agent OF
one of the corporations viii. the s:atstlcs OF the
Lowell corporations. The Merrmack Manuiactu.
in is22 There are L. corporations, with total
capitsI stock Of Sl3,YOO,UOO. There are 81 mills.
49, 23i sni.,dies, and llI3 looms. S,S:O females,
and laG1 males are employed. 2,2l6,OnO yarGs OF
cotton 3OODO yards of wooen, IS, 900 yards Of car.
net and 80 rugs are manufactured DO: weea. % $50
IONS OF hard coal, 81 ,3Ol 6csses oi charcoal, 2Ol
cords of wood, 6s,Il1 esi.ons OF sperm, and 2OuOO
raons of lard o, ..lo9 100 lbs of starch, and 5l5
barrel: of nour are used IN the mills in one year,
6eslUl0 lba ol cotton are used each week. The
wheeIs used are the brcast turbine, eGG wheel I'm
proved by MIR. Francis. The average wages OF te.
males clear of board per week, 81 Average wages
of males clear Of board per day. 81 cts. Inc poppy
lat;on of IoYjli 10 1923. was 3,532 In 1853, the
popula:ion was 81 5f3. The boarding houses belong
70 the corporations and under tr charge OF ds-
Greet matrons Several peranont iron ladders lead
ing from the roof In the basement OF the factory
buildng and communicating with the windows OF
each story, bY platforms with iron ratings, afford
means Of escaping in tie event OF fire. The whole
Merrimack rive. is made tributary to the different
corporations. :.
When we recollect that the principal raw material
used in the manufactures are me prouucts oi save
lsbor-that the Southern market IL supplied from
these factories and that these lsce corporations have
been drawing for years their immense profits from the
trade with the South, we wonder that the people 90
not rice in their power anu reouKe inc uisunioh
nntica wko if successful, would at once stop the spin.
dl.s end the looms throw thousands out OF employ
men force them TO elngrate TO the more fertile ahds
of the West to escape Starvation upon tiis stet"e
| and barren rocks of New England God forbid thd'
this glorious Union shcuti ever be dissolved. Ihe
avil resulting from i, would be sad TO contemplate
Rut honld i ne forced upon lie, the South would moi
be the greatest losers The whole civilized world sf
lords markets for staples and the ports OF the
! South would be crowded with shipping, trading d
rect with all the nations en- The globe. we nave borne
and .halI continue &c bear, much Tor the sake OF thai
Unon cons.crated by the blood shed at Bunker III!
and Yorktown-upon the granite rocks vi New Eng
land and the soil OF the sunny South-but this Unior
can only exist upon the acknowledgement Of th'
equality and rights oin portions OF the con,edeIaGS
! We hone ,hers is not one Southern man, devotediJ
as he loves the Union, who would not be for disunioi
L.tara d;sbnnnr QUANTiCO.