The Memphis union appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-08-10
THE CENSUS OF 1860.
OUR INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS.

From the New York Commercial Advsrtiser.l
The report of Mr.. Kennedy, Superintendent
| of the Cersus Bureau, exhibits most gratify-
ing rate of progress in our industrial condition
as people during the last decade. When the
census of 1850 was tax en-, the country was lust
preparing to take fresh start on ward, through
the influence of the gold discoveries in Califor-
mia. Enterprise of all kinds received such q
stimulous as had never before been given to
trade and manufactures. The consequence
was that numerous lines of shipping went into
operation, and works of internal improvement
were constructed in all parts of the country te
accommodate the wants of the public and de-
velop the resources of the great interisr. In
this unparalleled career of prosperity we were
| temporarily checked by the reverse of 1878;
/ but twelve months more saw every wheel run
ming and heard the clang of every anvil in the
country. Had the late census been taken one
year earlier or later, it could not have afforded
a correct view of our progress, inasmuch as it
would have been comparing prosperous era
/ (ls50) with an unprosperous one. Bat as the
matter stands it sets two years, which might be
taken as representatives of their respective de-
cades, against each other. The difference,
therefore, is q fair index of the national head
way which has been accomplished during that
period.
we find that the total value of our domestic
manufactures, including fisheries and the pro-
! ducts of mines, in 1850, was $l,0l9, l06, ,6l6.
The same branches footed up, in 1860, to
| 81 900, ,000, ,000 showing an increase of eighty
| per cent. In both cases the productions of
shops turning out less than $500 per annum
/ has been left out, so that the sum total would
doubtless exceed two thousand millions, or
more than sixty dollars for every inhabitant
/ in ba 01lra of
commodities Including coal and fish, to equal
our imports of them, which they certainly did
| not, the result shows vast consumption of such
merchandise in this country, whether IN time
of peace or war. If to this be added bread
stutfs, the aggregate consumption per eapitw
| will probably reach one hundred dollars per
| annun.
The number of persons employed in pro-
| ducing this immense value was about l,l00,
600 men and 1885, 600 women, representing
population of nearly five millions dependent
upon these descriptions of industry, independ-
ent of classes deriving support indirectly
| therefrom.
The value of agricultural implements made
| in 1860 was 81 ,S02 5l4, an increase of one
hundred and sixty Per cent. on the preceding
census. While a handsome rate Of progress
is shown in nearly all parts of the country, it
is much the largest in the Western States,
equal TO that of the whole country in 1850.
4 The Southern States which showed the great
! est gain in this respect were Virginia, Ala
bama, Louisisna.snd Texas.
The quantity of iron produced was S04, ,474
tuns of pig, and 406, 29S tuns of bar and other
rolled iron, making total of l,29o,772 tuns,
! or ninety-two pounds to each inhabitant The
aggregate value of these was about thirty-seven
and a quarter million of dollars, and the in
crease, as compared with 1850, was thirty
and q half per cent, a slight gain on the
growth in population for that period, which
was 355 per cent.
In the value of machinery produced we have
nearly doubled, the totals for 1850 and 1860
being respectively $27 998, 344 and 81, ,llS,55o.
The Middle States were the largest producers,
but the greatest increase Is shown at the West,
the South and the Pacific States. California
alone turned out that year 81 500, 500 worth.
In Rhode Island the business slightly dimin-
ished but in Connecticut it nearly trebled in
amount The value of machinery made in
this State was SIC, ASA, ,e63; in Pennsylvania,
$7243,453 and in New Jersey $3,2l5,673.
The products of our own founderies should
perhaps be added to the above, they having
been S27,970,1 1913 for the whole country, and
$S,2l6, ia for this State alone, where the stove
manufacture is carried on so extensively. The
} products of our founderies show an advance OF
AZ per cent. during the decade.
J The value of the coal mined in 1850 was
estimated at 81, l63, $50; in 1860 at over $l9,-
OO0, 600, or 10 per cent. Pennsylvania, as the
great coal producing State, yielded up, in 1860
1897, 1872 tuns of anthracite and &C. 994, 295
bushels of bituminous coal. Virginia and Ohio
made fair progress during the period, especial
ly Ohio.
5 Among the machinery produced, printing
presses and sewing machines receive particular
1 th hox-i hoe ipvQutnd
9 yet wonderously improved and popularizeC
: since 1850. The caloric engine should have
e been referred to in this connection, but hai
: been strangely overlooked. The improvement
in printing presses has vastly increased th'
production of book and news paper, in which
s Massachusetts takes the lead. In 1860 he
mills made within fraction of six millions
s worth, and those of this State fully three mil
: lions and half The paper business of tn
o whole country increased ffty-eight per cent
between 1850 and 1860.
% In -four and grist mills the Western States
of course takes the lead, having produced il
It 1860. meal and -four valued at see, OBS 794, al
increase in ten years of ore hundred an
d twenty-five per cent The Pacific States ex
i hibit larger ratio, but a much smaller aggre
sr gs,e than any other section. The largest mi
d in the country is at Oswego, having, in 1885,
ID produced 800, 900 barrels of -four.
OF distiHeries we had !, 1873 in all, their .ots
s. product having amounted to eightY-eight mi
q lions of gallons, worth twenty-eight million
J and quarter. Including imports, the cor
3 sumption must have been three gallons pt
head. We trust the tide viii henceforth set
the opposite direction. The Middle and We
tern States are the largest producers. Nearl
Ii all the liquors were made from home product
The number Of breweries in the Norther
m States was $50, or more than double the who
in 4fa xrS,O a.
years previously. Their entire product VI,
a 3,235, ,545 barrels (lager included valued
nt nearly eighteen millions of dollars. The n
he tional contribution for intoxicating hquo
Of must have averaged two dollars to each inhat
IN tant.