The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-05-14

fhurAday,...>,.. Ma IA 1874.
Manufacturing Enterprises at 3,
StsuMtOn. ffr'e
H. The VALLEY VIRG4NIAN has steadily urged
, pom ohf people the prime Importance of man
ufastllfing enterprises as condition precedent
to the permanent growth and prosperity of.
6taunton. without them, this place will be a
thriving market town and a pleasant place for
residence land for educational purposes.
''Only this and nothing more
With such enterprises, Staunton will become
IA veritable industrial centre, furnishing a home
market for large agricultural district, utii-
zing the ores, the tmbers and the raw stutfs
that lie within our reach, calling into active
rcquisition large amount Of bank capital. at
tri,ng here the Offices of manufacturing con-
Germs that are established some distance from
us, incidentally quickening every other trade
and industry and bringing about all accession
Of population and wealth that Will be steadfast
instead of floating. There II a decided differ
ence between collecting d commission on an
article that happens to be handled in town
and taking piece of iron that is worth five
cents and making it into an article that is worth
fifty cents. Where there is created wealth you
find the most stable basis of prosperity in a
community. 1t is interesting to observe how
the utility of::manufactlres is being recognized
by the cities in the West which have been en-
gagged in a race Of rivalry. Cleveland, Ohio,
within the past ten years, has more than dou5-
itl its population and has q1intupled its wealth
by the INTRODUCTION Of manufactures. The en-
hancemslss Of values mainly through this agen-
cy is one of the most significant facts that chal-
leirges the attention Of the economist and of
even the most casual observer. The city of
Cincinnati was beginning to retrograie when
it turned its attention to manufactures. That
step arrested the dscline OF the city, and though
it cannot hold its own with st. Louis, it is in
every particular city of solid and enduring
prosperity St. Louis is becoming too manu-
featuring city, and so is Detroit. When man
ufactures are fairly established in the far West,
the Changers will dissolve their organizations.
Home markets will solve the railroad question.
In regard to the augmentation of values, by
the institution of manufactures, we submit the
following facts relating to Pittsburg, 'Pennsyl-
yania Ian l at Sewickley, twelve miles below
that city, sells readily So, 900 per acre. Land
at East Liberty, seven miles from the postoffiee
in Pittsburg, sells at $4,000 per acre. Go out
from Baltimore few miles and note the differ
ence. In the neighborhood Of Druid Park. land
can be bought at seven hundred dollars an acre
and even less money. 1t does seem that every
thing which is for sale, commands good round
price in a good manufacturing town, and YET
sch substantial wages can be paid that the i'll
d..strial classes, who are prudent, realize a
handsome living and rear their families in most
comfortable style. The improvident and the
vicious will not do well anywhere. Some peo-
pie fancy Philadelphia is very slo,c place ,alld
SO it is compared with New York, bat theilf
Philadelphia never goes back. 1t advances;
steadily in population and wealth and comfort.
How is that, when its commerce has been so
clrtailed? Look at the census reports and note
the manufacturing statistics of Philadelphia
and you have the solution of the matter. Ona
large scale, take England, and the workings Of
manufactures allied with judicious agriculture,
are so presented as to testify the incalculable
advantages OF this form Of industry. The great
superiority of the North over the South during
the eva war in the departments OF manufac-
lures demonstrated that a purely pastoral
country Stacking In one of thes.most prodia ious
elements of strength. We purposely make
these remarks general. 1t will be time enough
after awhile to suggest specific branches OF
in lustry. This journal has already advocated
the establishment Of a Rolling Mill. There is a
field too for Paper: Mill, for a Chair Factory,
dor a Tannery, and figures are now being pre-
pared to show that a Cotton Factory could be
successfully established here Machine ashops
: of various descriptions ought to be established.
The fine marbles that lie close to lis should be
developed and worked. The states that a.
bound might be more. probably utilized. Let
these hints suffice for the present, but mean
while, we submit to home capitalists that by
employing portion of their money in this di-
rection they can do vast amount of public
and private good, with the chances largely in
favor of remunerative profits for their enter
prise.
= Bankrupt III IA estelds.