Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-04-17
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Mechanics and lIanIiacturers Ex6hAnse-
Heport OF the Contmitteo on Statistics-
Cincinnati and her Manufactures.
%, The attendance, at, the regular diurnal
meeting ofthe Mechanics and MahufaCtuferS
Exchange yesterday morning was very large,
and the proceedings more than ordinarily in-
teresting. A short time ago, A. B. Latta, O.
O. Whitson, John r. Green, George W. Run
yam, Henry W. Stephenson and Leopard
Swartz, were appointed by the Board q
Committee on Statistics, for the purpose OF
compiling an account Of the number Of man
ufactories in the city, the number of persons
employed, and the amount Of money in
vested in this matter, Yesterday Mr.. Latta,
as Chairman Of the COMMITTEES, presented the
following report which, after some discus
sion; was laid upon the table:
"rhe Committee I'd whom you have re-
ferred the sHbjett of collecting the statistics
of the manufacturing interests Of Cincinnati,
(after through canvassing by competent
man, would beg leave TO make the following
report to which is appended statistical
total, showing the number Of fproprietors en-
gagged in the various kinds Of manufacturing,
together with the number of men, women,
girls and boys employed. We now ask your
attention to the various peculiarities which
these facts set forth, and we do not wish to
be understood to depreciate any business, or
to misrepresent any department, our earnest
aim and desire being to show by these sta
tistics that although Cincinnati claims to be
a great city for manufacturing, we are deli
cient in many things nevertheless. we boast
Of two hundred and fifty thousand popula-
ton. ....... ..-.t. .l...
After careful examination your Com
mittee are satisfied that the manufacturing
interest Of Cincinnati Is at least seventy-hve
millions of dollars per annum. Any one can
see by this table that there is room here for
large business at many things that are not
made here at all. There could be employment
for every man, woman and child that. can
labor, II we win only turn our attention TO
manufacturing what we are now buying from
others. There is no point in the country
that offers more inducements for industry
than Cincinnati. We have O healthy climate,
fuel cheap and in abundance, and all manner
of conveyances to all parts of the country;
lumber, brick, stone, iron all around u.s. and
bread and meat, and drink as cheap as any
other city to be found on the continent. Our
schools will compare favorably with any in
the country, Massachusetts, not excepted.
There is probably no sort Of site for any kind
of business that could not be found in or near
Cincinnati. We have as good style of build
ings as can be found in any other city. We
have q choice numberof fine rural residences,
with some of the finest scenery that can be
found any where. We have good supply Of
soft water for all practical purposes. The
springs and wells are lime-water. The city
is furnished with good water-works
worked by steam, raising the water from the
Ohio Riverto an elevation Of one hundred and
seventy-five feet to a reservoir; it is then dis
tributed through pipes to the various parts Of
the city. ...
An item of Importance is the amount of tax
to be borne, which is $lA per hundred, in
cluding every thing. Water here, unfortun-
ately, Is about three times what is charged in
most other places, for manufacturing pur.
poses Gas is So so per thousand.
The greatest amount of fuel is bituminoui
coal; this is used for melting iron by making
coke of it. We have Camel coal also, but nj
anthracite nearer than the dividing line of thu
Alleghanies. All our supply of coal, at pres
ent, comes from above, on the Ohio River
the supply is now inexhaustible. The price
here, in many things, are too high. Real es
tate is too high for the healthy growth of {
city, as we think, although we have growI
thus far steadily The rents of houses are to(
high for the encouragement of manufacturing
interests. We are now getting relieved o
this burden by the late introduction of thu
horse-railroad, which affords facilities fo
many to go out further and get cheaper rents
Living, on the whole, here is about as cheal
as in Philadelphia--rents there are cheaper
but provision is lower here. On the whole
we think it about equal. Cincinnati ant
Philadelphia are the two cheapest places t
| live in, in the Union.
Cincinnati is now the third city in th
| Union, and exceeds all others in pork-houses
| whisky, furniture, wine and steam fre-en
| gines, and, strange to say, does it without
single dollar of banking capital.