Smyrna times., 1858-05-27
Wilmington Its Business Importance.

iion in regard to the business capacities of ouI
Metropolis on the Peninsula, we copy the fol
lowing, as reported by an intelligen: Philadcl
phlan, for the North American, to show the
opinions that are entertained of our chief CITY
in other places:
"Our first visit was to the ship yard of Messrs.
w. & A. Thatcher. The premises upon which
the hrm operate comprise an area of seven
acres. The firm construct vessels of any size.
from Levlathan down to u one horse coaster
Their reputation az ship builders is conceded
by every nautical man in the country At
present they have upon the stock a schooner.
OF 400 tons to be commanded by Captain Green,
10 sail, 1t we remember right, between Will
mngtOn and Boston. They are also building
propeller steamboat for the Trenton Trans
portatIon Company. They have also recently
finished steamship for Captain Badger. The
latter gentleman, as our readers will remem-
Der, was one of the passengers of the Central
America, and worked with such super human
energy in keeping her afioat, while leaking
Ike the Pennsylvania Bank, the year before il
went TO the bottom. The Messrs Thatcher.
IL short, are prepared 10 do any sort of shin
work. They have large ship house, and can
execute Job with any degree of expedition,
as their operations are alike protected from wet
and cold when necessary. The concern will
take contracts for any sort of vessels, from
hshlng smack to fleet for the Russian govern
ment. The latter will please notice and re.
port to their representatives at Washington.
Our next visit was to the foundry of Messrs
Bush d Lobdell. This concern manufacture
principally railroad wheels, but furnish railroad
machinery IN general. Their wheels are sent
to every part of the globe, their manufactory
these Ior,r IL ii
Their gounds and buildings cover two aud
halt acres, and their working force is two hun
dred and fifty men. They have recently filled
large orders Tor Cuba, Russia and Austria, while
their customers are found all over The world.
wherever railroads have yee been projected.
Passing from the works of Messrs Bush g. |
Lubdell, we next paid our respects to Messrs |
Pusey, Jones 4 B.lts, whose machine shop and
works would do credit to any city. This firm
bu'ld engines and steamship machinery of every
description. They are all practica men. They |
can feel the pulse OF steamer, and tell YOU
ats pr Sc allment in as few consecutive min |
utes as physician can feel the pulse of a pa
tent, and~glve you diagnosis of the disease
They are now taking out the works OF several
vessels lying at their dock Among them is a
steamer of five hundred tons, built in North |
C1rollna, the entire machinery of which this |
firm are now putting in. They are also put
ting new machinery into two steamers of the |
Cromwell line, in New York, and are making
the machinery for the two boats whose hulls |
ar! now being built by the Messrs. Thatcher
ab we named.
The advantages possessed by this firm for
handling ponderous machinery are decided
Their machinery is very extensive and COM
plete. Tncy employ l20 men, and have some
nt the best draughtsmen in the country. Their !
buildings are first class, and work can be hur-
RED through 10 completion in a very brief space
OF time. Visitors to Wilmington should make
point of seeing this establishment before leav-
sng the city.
The next object Of interest we saw in this
Birmingham Of the glorious little State of Della
ware, was the spacious establishment Of Messrs
Harlan d llollngsworth. This is one of the
largest concerns in America. 1t employs four
hundred men, and occupies no less than twenty
acres of ground. The firm are manufacturers
OF all kinds of land and marine high and low
pressure s. cam engines and boilers, water tanks,
&C.; sugar mills and mill work of every de-
scriplion. They also make fire engines, both
double and single acting, and build iron vessels
and iron steamboats, of all kinds. They con-
sruct railroad machinery of every description,
such as locomotives, tenders, wheels aad axles,
springs and boxes, and both four and eight
work in general. Among the vessels they have
recently built, is steamer for Capt. Hubbell,
and also one for the Panama Railroad Co both
hulls being solely OF iron. They have Just
shipped seventy-hve cars for the Back river
rIIlrOad, IN Massachusetts, and are now making
city passenger railroad cars, with a view 10
supplying this city with the article. TO give
an extended description of their works would
require large pamphlet. A tour through their
works reveals SO much that is stupendous and
sublime, so much that is enterprisng and CO.
lossal, that we can only say to navigators in
general, whether of sea or river, that Messrs
Ilaran g. Hollingsworth can render them any
service they desire, from the building of an iron
fleet to the furnishing of donkey engine or
new boiler. Mr.. IIoIlingsworth is one of the
finest mechanicians in the country, and so over
sees the vast concerns Of the establishment that
everything about it moves like clockwork. Mr..
Harlan principally superlntends the outdoor
business, both being ably assisted by q clerk
whose name we, unfortunately for ourselves,
have forgotten.
The manuiactory of morocco is an important
branch of industry in Wilmington. There are
here several very large factories. Messrs.
pusey & Scott turn out 40 dozen skins per diem
on an average during the entire year. They
employ 5J operatives. The skins used are of
goats, principally brought from the East Indies
and South America. The morocco made here
is highly esteemed.
Messrs- Iackett g. Griffin are in the same
line of business, and carry it on quite as extern
sIvely as any concern in this country. We ex-
amIned their productions with much pleasure
as they can not but do credit TO Wilmington
and to themselves.
The Wilmington Rolling Mill was also vis-
tied by us. 1t is very fine mill, and is owned
by Messrs. Gibbons Brothers. They are a
wide awake, pushing firm, and bid fair, if due
protection IL given to their industry, to retire
with million and pair of double chins.-l
They are now engaged in making boiler and
ship plates.
There is also another large establishment
which strangers will do we'll to visit-the foun- |
- d.. q.