Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-03-14
Comments Upon Educational,
Social and Other Matters.
Advantages offered to Manu-
facturerS.
Transportation, Etc.


TO be-the observations OF a reporter de-
q tailed for the purposeof obtaining such facts
tl relative to many of the prominent industries
of the city, whether Of general or of trade
character, as viii, we hope, be read with
At interest. It is further desired to at least
liz outline some of the many advantages and
% opportunities that Nashville offers to men
possessed Of capital, and especially to tbose
III who desire safe, remunerative investments
Op for that capital in some manufacturing en-
en terpTise.
IL One Of the most patent facts that presents
an itself to the careful observer is the differ
Gil enoe as regards productive industry, north
W and south Of the Ohio river. On the one
II hand nearly every State has its score or
II more of large manufacturing towns OF
IL cities. The forests are converted into man
y ufactured articles; the deposits Of mineral
Cd are carefully developed; wooden and other
Pr mills are plentiful upon every hand. Many
II of these factories are far remote from the
IN source OF supply OF raw material and yet
In heavy freight bills are paid and manu-
vi featuring operations conducted at a large
10 profit despite this apparent drawback.
IN Employment is given to hundreds and
uI thousands Of skilled operatives, and COM
Gil munities flourish, cities take new leases of
ID life, individuals become wealthy, a strong,
M steady tide of immigration flows in and de-
m velops the hills, valleys and prairies.
On the other hand, manufacturing en-
SC terprises, as a rule, arefew and far between.
al The natural wealth which has been lavished
70 with no unspairing hand upon the South
di has been neglected, aud the great bulk Of
IA capital is invested in trade. There are to-
de day, in the city Of Nashville, as many if
l. not more jObbing houses than there are in
Is Detroit, Mich, with its population of more
10 than one hundred Thousand. But Detroit,
90 which is comparatively distant from most
ye Of the raw material consumed in ifs work
N shops, has more than four hundred facto-
ao RES, representing an investment of nearly
to fifteen million dollars, employing fifteen
fU thousand persons, producing twenty-nine
re million dollars worth of manufactured ar
Ia ticles per year and discussing over seven
be million dollars per year to its army of la
ag borers.
bJ Neither Detroit, Cleveland, Springfield,
tif o., indianapolis, or any of the prominent
manufacturing cities of the North possess
sh a single advantage that Nashville does not,
VI or may not. Within close proximity to
W this city, as well as throughout the State at
ar large, is timber Of the best quality and
m adapted to an infinite variety of manu-
de featuring purposes. Fuel is abundant,
ID labor cheap, and cotton and tobacco ard
lie iron-aIl should be manufactured here
CT upon a scale that would place Nashville in
Of the front rank Of manufacturing cities.
N There is 10 lack Of market, nor has a
II market to be created in remote sections.
Il The wagons and carriages and ploWs and
agricultural machinery Of every kind that
pI is consumed in the country tributary TO
it Nashville-furnished in great part by shops
Il North of the Ohio, tOO-is almost incalcu-
c. liable, amounting to hundreds Of thousands
as Of dollars per year, and might be retained
it to Nashville factories were they in exist
P ence. Northern manufacturers are begin
o. ing to appreciate the value Of the raw ma
CT terial hereabout, and one Of the largest
bt pump factories IN the country, at Toledo,
di obtains all its timber here.
fit Granting however, that this condition Of
al affairs Observation-Disclosures that in nat
Ii UraI resources, natural wealth, Tennessee
W stands second TO scarcely a State in the
al Union-conceding that we enjoy a delight
fc full climate-that the great natural high
ST ways that bound or penetrate the State
al
fl p0rtatioD-what then? Simply this: That
natural resources alone and undeveloped
p have never, and never will, benefit 4 com
& munity or State. Such changes, too, have
Y occurred in the business economy Of the
country during the past decade, that nat
ural resources avail community but little.
q Progressive men realize that to attract a
man or a number Of men to any locality,
a certain inducements must be offered. The
S worship of Mammon has become so gen
f eraI a religion that a second garden Of Eden
would be depopulated if its denizens could
t make more money by going elsewhere.
The competition existing between rival
cities of the country has resulted in in
{ auguratiug system of subsidies" and
while there can be no doubt that the sys-
P TEN is radically faulty, still it exists The
( growing cities of the North pursue the
policy consistently and eagerly, and the
result is that the donation Of valuable fran
a chses, of land and money are attracting
c manufacturers Of high and low degree,
who, consulting their own interest, are
tempted to changes of location by the at
tractive bait Of a few thousand dollars or a
few acres Of land. This being the case,
and the policy of subsidies being so
thoroughly established, il necessarily fol-
lows that manufacturers from abroad
! will not ind extraordinary induce
ments to locate in Nashville and invest
their capital here simply because the city IS
an attractive one, or because it is contigu-
Gus to vast quantities of raw material Of
one kind or another, or because of pleasant
social attractions, good church influences,
or historical associations. Manufacturers.
as a rule, much more readily appreciate
reasoning leveled at the pocket; they will
admit all that is claimed for Nashville, but
.jucats" are not mentioned; other cities
step to the fr6nt with an argl1ne9tlm Gd
Aommen easily appreciated: We will give
you one, two, three OF a half dozen acres
of land and 50 much money to locate here
The argument is potent one, and the fac.
tory with its score or hundreds of opera
tives is secured. Il is a fact, disagreeable
as Is the necessity Of admitting it, that the