Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-10-07

years, If continued, can but succeed in estah-
fishing for Wilmington an enviable nOtOriety /
as place for the manufacture Of frst-class
work.
AS has been before stated in the reports of |
this Board, this business is perhaps more Im- |
pOrtant to Wilmington than auy other, and it /
Is not too much, we think, to claim that the |
persistent enOrts OF the Board to attract atten-
tl0n to the advantages our city offers for this |
industry have produced good results In adj |
dltiOn to thu extensive works at Edge Moor |
to which allusiOn has bSen made In preceding |
reports, we have to record the foundation of |
two more large enterprises of q somewhat 81 |
miliar nature in our city limits-namely, the !
extensive works already begun by the McCul- |
l0ugh Iron Co., on the property known as ''the !
Rocks" for the manufacture Of sheet iron, and |
the rolling mills Of the ChFistiana Iron Co |
soon 70 De IN Iull operation, fer the production
plate iron. The selection OF our city as the
place to build these works by these manufac-
tureTS OF large experience here and elsewhere,
affords practical evidences of the strongest
kind possible that our claims to superior adj
yantages for the production of iron are well
founded.
We repeat what cannot be too often stated,
that Wilmington has the following dvantages
as an iron manufacturing psint:
| Flrst-LOcation-On tide-water at the nearest
point inland, were uniformly good harbors are
/ Afforded to the rich mineral deposits of Pennsyl-
yania with t.oeIre miles Of chart fronts ,oithm
her c1ty limIts.
SecOnd-transPOr facilities-A system Of
land and water transportation unexeelled on the
| Atlantic coast, with competing lines running in
every possible direction. This system is now
/ complete, and the various ores or kinds of iron
used in manufacturing whether on tide-water or
L Fnilroad, can as readily be gathered here as at
any other point in the country. We call special
attention to the word competing" in the tore
/ going sentence, as the fact announced by that
world Is equal in importance to the announce
ment that any facilities at all exist. The ex-
lperience and observation OF many manufacturers
have taught them that any enterprise, great or
small, that puts itself In the power of any one
transportation company consents to its own in
jury, If not destruction. MOnopoles are not, as
} rule, liberal, and the possession of power is
generally used to the advantage Of the possessor
. without due regard to the rights of others. Many
firms and companies that have been induced by
valuable gifts of land and contract for freights
: at low rates for term OF years have learned by
bitter experience after the term expired that they
paid dearly for the If, and that their new tariff
h OF rates soon made the first one very hlgh-bui
this knowledge always comes too late for service
as the investment is then too great TO be sacri
" feed, and 30, unwilllngly, the transportation
: company Is made full partner in the profit;
} without liability to losses. The manufcturel
) locating here avoids all this danger, II the
4 railroad freight Is too high he can use th'
4 water and II one vessel will not make th
. right rate another may-at any rate his indie
Pendenee is secured and he is master of the situa
: ton rather than the corporation or indiVidua
4 whose business 1t is TO carry his freights. Al
= Ieady We have three powerful competitors 10
II our coal trade, and the prospect of the addition
soon of fourth. 1t is this vigorous competition
i that affords to the manufacturer such a decide,
= advantage, and this We claim to have very grea
A degree.
Wilmington has not been and never can b
. captured and held by any Of the great railroa'
= giants that are now struggling for the mastery
this will always be contested ground, and the ad
q vantages arising thereirom must accrue to tn
st manufacturer in low freights, and to the consum
J. ers Of coal and iron in low prices This sn
rs gle advantage alone should decide the point i
il one form, but when we add to that the presenc
u of a large population, skilled III every branch
a the mechanic arts cheap and economical elty
y in which to live climate unexcelled, and socia
~ and educational advantages OF the best kind, wha
y more need We say.
le To the manufacturer OF iron, then, we can an
e do offer advantages OF the first Importance, an
al when this monetary difficulty passes away, an
ne the capital that has sought high rates OF ntere
in railroad bonds hnds its way back into the ChaI
!. Rels OF legitimate business, We trust more comp
MES will be started for the production OF iron al
OF that Wilmington shall ere long take the rank 81
ng should among the iron working cities OF the cou
Id try. Every mill started here for the manuiactu
ey OF Iron helps to bring consumer to use It, IL
pd condition of the iron interest IN the country gel
a orally can hardly be told during the exelteme
NJ
"a fail to SEQ in the depressed state OF the trade
nu Europe, that an opportunity Is not far aWay--aI
Z that unless We make some great blunder, or owe
rs reach in some way. the iron trade must soon
lis of the greatest Of natiohal Weail
and the most prominent Of our industries.
ed OUR TRANSFORMATIONS LINES.
M la last years report, We took up each of the i
+ fsrept lines and described them, this year we sh
- only glance at any changes or extensions that m
~ have been made.
TaE p. W. &B. R. R-The business OF this 70
has greatly increased during the past year and
las facilities have also bssa increased by the epsni
lrS OF q new double track line, known as the "Dar
ut Improvement" from near Chester to PhilAdalpl
n The old line from near Chester to PhilAdelph
n has been sold to the Philadelphia & Reading KS
n road Company. The travel on this road Is en-
ch NOUS, sevsnty-tWo trains being run each d
be Located on the line from Washington to N
or York, between the two great corporations strt
NO Cling foE that trade. il occupies an exceeding
in difRcuh position. Surface indications have
eh peaFed several times of corporate struggles out
he sight, bat IS yet no great change has BEEN ma
ut parmansntly. and time alone can tell the outs
r. public what will be the result OF this "War
"a giants" In any event, this corporation, up
IN which We 90 mach depend, and whose intere
m are closely allied TO our own, has resources
Ss its own entirely independent OF any outside c
- naetiOns and as q local road has the means 10
- ali il need 70 do without any cooperation or ca
~ mnnleakion. Il has the shortest possible line
10 can proftAbly Be worked between Phlladeip
~ and Baltimore, and cOntrOb tho entire trade
- this PsninsnlA-raso0Fces enough, II all It's c
AZ AZ nectlOns outside were utterly broken.
~ FHR DELAWARE RAmRoD.-This road, also q
Oe rated by the r. w. = b. b, R., has largely
creased it, facilities, and mat With correspond
increase OF business. This Is the great centre
Ing the Railroad systsm Of The Peninsula, and 7
OF tAIr b Be road Of great pront 10 its owners,
arS great Importance 10 cur city. The road sumo
ng great loss. In the destruction OF several N
ock of It's track daring the great storm In August