The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-07-27
Mechanics

anu ucSiiHleS Formerly merchants anu
traders were considered the sole architects
of large cities, whose greatness was meas
ured by the extent of their commerce. Fac
tories and workshops are now enumerated
as the chief elements of growth. The ira
der's importance in the industrial ranks
and his influence upon the prosperity of a
place-have, of late, declined rapidly. As
men are, in this utili;arian age, ranked ac-
cording to ,heir usefulness In the material
progress of the world, there is silent revo-
luton going on in public sentiment, that is
elevating the mechanic and the practical
| man to the social positions long held undis-
puied by the mercantile classes. 1t needs
but wealth TO complete the revolution; and
the sure and large profits now yielded by
the combinations of machinery and skill, in
large establishments, are securing to master
mechanics incomes that, on the score of
wealth, are placing them beside the " mer-
chant princes Of the land. The mechanic
who combines intelligence, science, and in
lectual improvement with accumulating
wealth, ranks already with the most honor
ed and respected citizens.
Things in society, as well as in the prac-
teal world, are coming TO their true, intrin-
sic value. The workshop, with but few
hunded dollars in visible capital, in its tools
and machinery, has vast fund hidden in
the brains of its workmen, which the world
is now just beginning to estimate A work.
shop that produces 5000 or $500 weekly, in
the value Of its manufactures, out of raw
material not worth $50. adds more wealth
and population to the town, than mer-
camille establishment with its quarter of a
million in merchandise. In one, gains are
boarded in few hsnds, in the other, they
are disseminated over the whole field of in.
dustry, fertilizing it and difinsing the sun
shine Of happiness and comfort into every
alley and street.
walk around the city, among the me
chanic shops, win reveal the true secret
Of the extraordinary growth and prosperity
of our city. There are, We are informed.
seventy-iive steam Engines now operating
various kinds of productive machinery in
the city. Seven or eight years ago, there
were but SIX within the limits of Evans
willie and Lamasco. Many have grown up
within six months, of which few Of our
citizens have any knowledge. We propose
from time to time to refer TO them, and in
order to show how much our city is indebted
to her mechanics we will give an account
of some of them.
MeSsrs. Hodski & Co. have leased the
saw-mill erected for the boat-yard in La
masco, and have entirely changed its ma
chinery. BY substituting a mulee saw, of q
new construction, for the old sash saw, and
adding three new circular saws, a stave and
heading machine, this establishment, that
has been idle for two years, and was an
useless obstruction to the street, is now turn.
ing out Is, 600 feet of lumber per day, be-
sides 1900 or 1000 barrel heads, and a:
many thousand slaves. 1t turns all parts
of the log that will not make good lumber
into barrel heads, laths, or slaves; the only
remains Of the log are few chips and saw
dust. All of the present machinery, that
turns ont the quantities above stated, is run
with less steam power than was required
for the one old fashioned saw-gate, which
never produced over 1000 feet of lumber
all told, in q day.
This mill now pays on I, in weekly wage:
about $3.50 for labor. 1t consumes weekly
about $500 worth of logs, and turns out q
product, at a low calculation, worth over
$1,000, or about SEQ, 900 per annum. Thi.
sum may be taken as the amount added by
this single establishment to the permanent
wealth OF the community. In this respect
it is more valuable to the city than the larg
est mercantile establishment in it.
We are indebted, for the beginning o
this new enterprise, to Robert Barnes, Esq.
who furnished the capital, and breathed hi
own active energies into the undertaking.
Messrs. uodgkins and Sawyer are skilliul
practical men, who, by the admirable ar
rangeuient and management of the ma
ehinery, have changed it from losing to
highly profitable concern.
We are sorry to hear that some few citi
zens, instigated by jealousy and i'll will, ar
end .avoring TO have the mill declared
nui ance, because it encumbers publ
street., though it was put there by the ex
press permission of the public authorities
Why did not these worthy citizens max
: their complaints known while the establish
meaIt stood idle-an encumbran:e to tn
gra nnd-an offence to the eye, and re
pa ach to the inactive enterprise and me
ca sn;cal energies Of the city? Now that i
il the scene of busy life, and the must
:. Of hts machinery is sweeter than the lyre L