Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-01-16
HOME PROSPECTS
From fhn Scientifc Amnrio,n .

1Iom tue Sclenunc american of 1ap
Our present number shows that W.
brought out the big gun, and that we haze
upon the stocks iron plated frigates ., sot
soon to be in readiness for sangnlnarv cassF var
upon the high seas. We have not ye, ieI
ed those sslast days" spoken of bv Tho ol
old prophet Isaiah, when ssthe moun,ain soCa
Lords house shall be established in tba ,a - me
the mountain, when He shall fudge ar,o,OpT pT
nations, and shall rebuke many peonla i've
they shall beat their swords into plowShaaua aua
and their spears into pruning hooks: me-
shall not lite up sword against nation nsin, ,oa
shall they learn war any more.' For sfae'
years past we have fad extensive corrs,rsr
dence with mechanics and manufac,n.on
throughout all the States, and we have -.
learn that the predictions OF the ins,;s.S
prophet have even an incipient reallzation. ~
this or any other continent. We know No, W
an instance where a single rusty old So.
has been beaten into a plowshare, but re III
heard it announced that even the we,tha.
beaten muskets of our distinguished fill.
citizen, George Law, have at last found r.ss.
sale. Amidst the general dullness of ri.
and finance, the forges of Mars are blayiaS
away with uBwonted fury, and even s.str,-s
fire. is isstY7ng forth from their smoky anf.Ss
Dragons teeth have suddenly snrnpo n,
armed men, and We can almost hear ..tt.
shout, the shock, the groan of war;; Tn.
before using our big gun to pour broad,d..
from our iron irigates, we wiz stop 10 thir,
the matter over little more seriously.
The old adage says that, alt is an in yi,s
| that blows nobody good" and this is as trr,
now as it ever was. If our readers supDo..
that the orumors of wars'' which now fiji III
country have destroyed all trade, enterpr,.
| and business prospects, they are roundly mis-
taken. The printers OF daily newspapers bav.
Iii St, txlt,x xto
immense editions for which the public apy.
iousy calls. The want of rev invention lv
which papers can be more quickly thrown ~
was never more senSibly felt than to-day II.
are told that the firearms and gunpowdrr
manufacturers are Overcrowded with orders
and, in some instances, are employing doubI-
sets of hands and running their works day and
night. Colts great establishment, at Hartford
Conn, is said to be hourishing to al astoHisb
ing extent. We hear of the farming on. f-1a.
that concern to neighboring machine sl'opg NJ
one job involving forge work for seven.r
thousand arms. We are also told that the New
England wagon manufacturers have received
large orders tor baggage and transporter?
wagons; thi, will also give employment to
many. There is an immense demand, so We
hear, for rubber clothing, coats, pants, boots
knapsacks, buckets, tents, blankets, spread,
and every conceivable article required for de#
use. All the above goods are, at the pressH,
issue, cash articles.
Several of the States have appropriated large
sums amounting TO millions OF dollars in the
aggregate. for arms and munitions of way
Nearly all of this money viii necessarily go "a
our mechanics and inventors, and keep th0us-
ands of them busy through the winter. The
influx of money is very great at the present
time. Nearly every steamer from Eprope
brings us half million or million. One
steamer, the Persia, from Liverpool, arrived.
a few days ago, with three millions. From
California the regular supply is from one to
two millions monthly. Meantime, at New
York, there are, in our banks and savings in
stitutions, $32 900, 900 in specie on hand. and
the prices of stocks have, of late, much sd-
yanced. Tennessee, North Carolina, Mis-
sonri, and some other State stocks, have i'm.
proved very sensibly since the 18th Of Decen
ber. Illinois Central Railroad stocks. whicr
stood, Dec. 7, at 81. sold January Sd for 795,
an advance of 2S5 per cent. New I ork Stat
per cent stocks, New Loan, still remain A.
bove par, the latest quotation being l04. J"
reference to the cotton crop of the SoutberE
States, we understand that the shipments from
some of the seaports are very large. At ID.
West, large orders for grain reported. ac
companied by the gold. Red Western wheat
has risen, within short time, from S1.0S PEE
bushel to 81 .3T59. The panic or "hard times,
that our people passed through three winter
ago appears to have had the effect of prepari8-
them for similar contingency in the futuFr-
We notice that the savings banks of the single
state of Massachusetts, contain deposits to
the amount of almost fifty millions OF dollars.
These deposits are on interest. and consist, al
most wholly, of the earnings OF mechanics
and other working classes. AS the total pop
ulation OF that State is only ,3Sl ,499 souls.
it will be seen that the financial condition OF
that great mechanical and manufacturing State
Is extremely good. This desirable state Of
things doubtless exists, in proportionaie de-
gree, in many, If not all of the other States.
By the recent treaty of peace, ratified between
China and the Anglu-French allies, that i'm
mense empire is now at peace with the world.
The previously signed treaty between China
and the United States is therefore now brought
into practical operation, thus opening 10 our
people an immense and highly profitable mar
ket for all kinds of American manufactures.
The House OF Representatives has lately pass.
ed a bill for the construction OF tiro great tnti
Of railroads-a northern and a southern route
from the Mississippi rirer 10 the Pacific Il
is expected that the bill will shortly pass the
Senate and become law. The construction
of these railroads will form one OF the most
gigantic enterprises OF the day, will give oc-
eupation to hundreds of thousands of work
men and engineers, and will impart perma-
nent stimulus to every description of business
Inc HomeSteaa Dill, winch mas Just OFcohV
the law of the land, gires erery man a farm t0T
almost nothing, provided he will go West and
cultivate il. We have thrown together these
few items in order that our readers may see
that, Notwithstanding the political troubles
which now brood over the country, our condi-
tion in financial and Industrial point Of view,
is better than in 1857.
With such abundant resources at command
and with our political difficulties composed
thrill of joy would sweep over our whole
land, and start into new life the wheel" +"
commerce and manufacturing industry.