Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-10-11


construction OF improved machinery for
the manufacture Of morocco 10 now attract
ing much attention, aud eur manufacturers
seem to be determined TO make this the
leading place for the manufacture Of mo-
rocco by providing themselves with every
advantage possible In the shape Of mAchin-
cry. The causes which have operated
against this business during the past year
are not At all local In their nature but affect
the trade similarly wherever IL Is carried
on. Scarcity, and consequent high prices,
OF stock, the result Of IN active demand for
skins In Germany and France, together
with the large amount Of cheaper material
used rs substitute for morocco, may be
named as among the Causes for this small
margin of profit II is certainly reasonable
10 suppose that supply and demand will In
time regulate the prices OF morocco 40 as
TO leave the usual matgin Of prOit to the
best manufacturers. and no doubt our man
ufactufers will he As near ready as any 10
secure whatever advantage may be offered
In the future Of the trade.
cARRiAaEa.
This trade was late In commencing dur
ing the last year, owing 10 the backward
meas Of the season, and most Of our carriage
builders having increased their capacity for
turning out work found themselves with a
large stock on hand later In the season than
usual, But this work Ia now well sold out.
and from what infOrmatio nwe have been
able TO gather from the trade we do not
hesitate 10 say that the production and sale
Of work has nearly II not quite equalled
that of any preceding year, nofwithatand.
ing the lateness of the seaaonland the recent
monetary disturbances. This trade is very
large with us and furnishes remunerative
employment to a large number Of the very
hest mechanics we have. On the whole the
trade is usually prosperous, and the fears
expressed early in the season that this
would not be profitable vear have not
been realized. The outlook is goou and the
trade Is surely on the increase, and the ear.
nestness and enterprise manlfested during
the past few years, II continued. can but
succeed in establishing Tor Wilmington an
enviahle notoriety as a pace for the manu-
tacture of iirst- class work
IRON.
As has been before stated in the reports
Of this Board, this business is perhaps more
important TO Wilmington than any other
and n Ia not too much, we think, to claim
that the persistent efforts OF the Board 10
attract attention to the advantages our city
offers for this industry have produced good
results. In addition 10 the extensive works
at Edge Moor to which Allusion has been
made In preceding reports. we have to re-
cord the foundation Of two more large enter
prlses OF somewhat similar nature in our
city lmits-namely the extensive works
Co., on the property known as "the Rocks
for the manufacture of sheet iron, and the
rolling mills Of the Christiana Iron Co.
soon TO be In full operation, for the
production Of plate iron. The selection Of
our city rs the place to build these works
by these manufacturers Of large experience
here aud elsewhere, affords practical evil
dcnces Of the strongest KIND possible that
our claims to superior advantages for the
production Of iron are well founded.
We repeat what cannot he too often
stated that Wilmington has the following
advantages aB an iron manufacturing point
First--LOcation-On Underwater At the
nearest point inland, where uniformly good
h4rbOrs are afforded 10 the rich mineral de
pOsits Of Pennsylvania, with tiUeipe miles Of
wharf fronts trithtn her city limits.
Second-rrauHportat facilities-A HyH-
tenn OF land and water transportation uneN-
eellei on the Atlantic coast, with competing
lines running in every possible direction.
This system is now complete, and rhe vari-
Gus ores or kinda Of iron used in mtuutac-
turing, whether on tide water or railroad,
can as readily he gathered here as At any
other point in the country We call spe 1lal
attention 10 the word competing" in the
foregoing sentence ~ the fact announced
by III At word is equal In inheritance to the
announcement that any any facilities at all
exist The experience and observation OF
many manufacturers have taught them that
any enterprise, great or small, that puts
itself in the power Of any one transp0rta-
tiuu company consents TO its own injury, II
not destruction. MOnopolles are not, AS a
rule, liberal, and the possession Of power Ia
generally used to the advantage OF the pos
SCISSOR without due regard to the rights of
others. Many firms and companies thAt
have been Induced by valuable gifts Of land
and contract for freighta at low rates for q
term of yeara have learned by bitter expert
ence after the term expired that they
paid dearly for the gift, and that
the nrst one very high-hut this knowledge
always comes too late for service. as the
Investment Is then too great to be sacrificed
and so, unwillinglv, the transportation
company Is made full partnerin the profits
without liability to lqeaes. The manufac'
turer locating here avoids all this danger.
II the railroad freight IN too high he can
use the water, and II one vessel will not
rake the right rate another may-at any
rate his independence is secured and he Ii
master of the situation rather than the cor
poratiOn or individual whose business it il
10 carry his freights. Already we have
three powerful competitors for our cos
trade and the prospect of the addition sOni
OF fourth, II is this vigorous competition
| that affords To she manufacturer such
lerilel advantage and this we claim tt
I have rn1 very grrNt degtee. Wilmington
hts uft hreu 4ni meyer can Boz ctptuget
AID he!l hy auy Ol the great railroad giant
| that are NOW struggling Tor the mastery
! this will always be contested ground, ant
the advantages arising therefrOm mus
| accrue to the manufacturer in low freights
4 and 10 the consumers Of coal and irOl
In low prices. This single advRntag
alone should decide the point in one form
but when we add to that the presenc
of a large population skilled In every hranc
OF the mechanic arts, A cheap and economics
city In which to live, u climate unexcelle
and social and educational advantages O
! the best kind;.what more Reel We say,
To the manufacturer OF iron then we ca
| and do offer advantages of the first import
| Ance. and when this monetary ditfeult
passes away and the capital that has sough
high rates Of interest in railroad bonds find
its way back into the channels of legit
mate business, we trust more compauIe
twill he started for the production Of iroI
and that Wilmington shall ere long TAX
the rank that she should among the iroI
working citles Of the country. Every mi
started here Tor the manufacture Of tro
helps 20 bring consumer to use it. III
condition Of the iron interest in the COUNT
generally eau hardly he told during III
excitement just now prevailing, but u
observing man eau fail 10 see In the d.
pressed state of the trade IN Europe. thu
our opportunity is not far away. and TIL
unless we make some great blunder or owe
reach in some way, the iron trade mu
soon be one Of the grettest sources of OF
national wealth, and the N lst prominent
our industries.
our TRANSPORTATION LINES.
In last years report we took up each
| the Nlutfcul lines anu utheflutu them IN
year we shall only glance at any changes
extensions that may have been made.
TIE PHILADELPHIA, wGLMiNgroN AND BA
TIMORE RAILROAD.
The business OF this road has greA tly
creased during the past year, and its fact
, ties have Also been oorrespondingly i
| creased. During the year n has opened
, new double track line known AZ the DArl
improvement, from near Chester to Phil
D. ga ola ~.
! ter to Pmladelphia to the Philadelphia
: Reading Railroad Company. The travel
+ this road ID enormous, sel enty-twO trAi
! being run each day. Located on the Ii
y from Washington to New York, betwe
! the two great corporations cOntesting
4 that trade, II occupies an exceedingly dill
i cult position.
- Surface indications have appeared seve
. times during the past year Of corpOrs
=, struggles out Of sight, but rs yet no gre
# change has been made permanently, a
- time alone can tell the outside public WI
% will be the result Of this "war of
- giants." In any event this corporate
If upon which We 80 much depend, a
- whose interests are so closely allied
~ our own, has resources of its own, entir
~ independent OF auy outside connection, A.
~ as a local road. has the means to do all
~ need II to 10 without any cooperation
4 connection. 1t has the shortest posi-
- liue that can be prOhtahly worked hetwt
! Philadelphia and Baltimore. two large
~ powerful cities, and CONTROLS the ent
Il trade OF this peninsula RESOURCES eaougl
/, all ito connections outside were ute
4 broken.
ie THE DELAWARE RAILROAD.
Is This road, also operated by the p, W
IS b. X. X. 90, has largely increased IFS ia
Il, ities and has met with corresponding
fr crease Of business. This is the great Z
ie tire of the railroad systc % of the penins
~ and bids fair to he a roai Of great prof.
" It's owners and great importance to our C
e- This road suffered great loss some mon
" since in the destruction Of several mile
eu its track during the great storm in aug
az last. The damage is now, however. ne,
le repaired and business Is going on as ua
fy along the line.
THE WILMINGTON AMI pEAufNu pAffpO