The Osceola times., 1878-07-27
Location of Manufactures.

In looking over the manufacturing in
dustries of the United States, many
curious things might be observed in the
grouping of industries. There are towns
that have peculiar facilities for proour.
ing certain fabricstions. as for instance,
Pittsburg is by Nature provided with
coal and ores within easy reach for the
production of iron and steel. Syracuse
with Saline springs for the production of
salt; and Hsverstraw, N. Y, with
suitable clay for the manusacture of red
brick; but what special adaptation Troy
originally possessed for the manufacture
of shirts. collars and cuffs, or Worcester
for the manufacture of machinery, we
have been unable to discover. Certain
1t is those cities have become famous each
for the special productions herein cited,
and according to present indications
they are likely to maintain their
advanced positions. Way up in the
north of Massachusetts,, is the quiet viii
lage OF Gardner. which ranks as the
greatest place for chair making in
America, though there are hundred
other towns where both lumber and
transportation could be procured as we'll
Waterbury, Conn is ahead of any other
town in the world in the quantity Of
brass and copper annually rolled out
into sheets, though the metal to feed her
hungry furnaces must be obtained many
hundred miles away. Miss Flora Nc.
Flimsy could trace the elegant French
silk OF her new dress back to the loom
upon which it was woven, she would
often have to follow it no further than
Paterson, N. j., "the Lyons of Am
erica," where more silk is produced than
in all the rest of our country, aud OF as
good a texture as any imported. 1t is
sold st the factory for domestic article,
but the enterprising shopkeeper knows
full well that Miss Flora would turn up
her delicate little nose at the suggestion
OF robing her graceful form in anything
but foreign fabric, and the goods pass
over the counter at high price as hav-
ing come from the other side of the At
lantic. Gloversville, N. Y, enjoys the
distinction of making gloves and mittens
for a large part of this great nation.
Although far from being a large town,
1t contains dozens Of factories regularly
engaged in preparing clothing tor the
hands. Turning to carpets, we find
that the most part of them made in this
country come from single ward of the
great manufacturing city of Philsdel.
phis. The competition of English car
pets in our markets has passed by long
ago. The psper-mAking business is now
centered in Holyoke, Mass, and Westfed
is the crack place for whips. Taunton,
Mass, surpasses all other towns in the
production of tacks, and Attleboro in
cheap jewelry. Lynn is a city of boot
and shoemakers, and in aggregate pro-
duction is only exceeded by Philadelphia.
The old Bay state has more leading
towns for special manufactures than
any other in the union. Danbury,
Conn, is noted for making more hats
than any other American town; and
somewhere in the broad meadows of the
Connecticut Valley is the little village
of Easthampton, whose praises are rung
in ever cline rs the greatest bell making
place on this side of the ocean. Meriden,
Conn, stands first and foremost in the
manufacture Of silver-plated ware, while
New Britain bears the palm for turning
out builders hardware II was Seth
Boyden, of Newark, N. j., that discov-
cred the process of making enamelcd
leather, and in that city its manufacture
is carried on to the greatest extent.
Trenton comes to the front as the chief
ciockery making city, while Pittsburg,
net content with being the Iron City,
mskes, by far, the most glass. Wheeling,
West Va, stands first in the production
of cut nails. Lowell and Fall River
strive with each other for the mastery in
producing the greatest amount
Of cotton goods. while Albany and
Troy contend with each other for
the supremacy in the manufacture of |
stoves. But why do manufacturing es-
Establishments of the same kind congre-
gate in one place where no special adj |
vantage exists for carrying on that par
ticular kind of business
The success of one pioneer induces
others to follow him, not only in imitat-
ing the industry, but in pitching upon a
location.
Again, skilled workmen are easy to
obtain near other factories of the same
kind, and this may outweigh the disad.
vantages of close competition. The
fact most strongly apparent in the rise
ard progress of our various manufac.
lures ia that enterprise, energy aud tact
are more essential to success than the
natural advantages of locstion.-