The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-01-15
Business Activity.

ligent New York merchant who has just re.
turned from three weeks business tour Of
observation through Maryland, Western
Pennsylvania, Southern Ohio and West Vir-
glnia, gives glowing account Of the revival
Of industry In all that region. The leather
manufa cturers, he Gays, are refusing to take
further orders, and have as much business
on hand just now as they can take care OF
until midsummer. The furniture manufac-
turers are all working full time, land likewise
have orders far ahead. As for the iron and
steel establishments, he says many Of them
are working night and day, and some OF
them experienced more or less difficulty In
obtaining the right kind OF labor. The
farmers, too, are jubilant, and are expecting
to increase their hog crops and grain acreage
this year under the stimulus Of good prices,
and their improved financial condition, re-
sulting from last years harvests. Saw few
or no tramps; In fact, almost everybody was
at work."
Similar activity pervades all sections OF
the United States, especially where there
are manufacturing and mining enterprises
going on. In the Southern States, where
the cultivation Of the soil has been the
main pursuit, the effect Ct the revival OF
business is not so prominent and demonstra-
tive. But even In the agricultural districts.
healthy condition of things exists, and an
encouraging tendency to an improvement
in farm lands observable. In the States
where mineral lands abound, and especially
ia Virginia, flood of Inquiries has poured
in, and experienced operators in iron manu-
features, are turning their attention to our
resources. Before the tide o! business activ-
ity recedes We may reasonably expect nu-
merous industrial enterprises to be inauRu-
rated with view 10 the development OF the
iron interests. Already, as We have hereto
fore noticed, several large enterprises have
been started, and the indications now are
that before the close Of the year we are now
entering upon, the foundation will have been
laid in Virginia for changing the seat Of the
iron Industries Of the country. Every step
in that direction must necessarily affect the
value OF real estate, for 1t will point to the
creation Of home market fer the products
of the soil; the retention in our midst Of the
results OF farm labor and the building up OF
industries which will add to the wealth and
prosperity OF our section. Indeed, we may
look for several years OF extraordinary activ-
i:y in all industrial pursuits. and it is well
enough in view Of this fact, to utter word Of
advice and caution to our people. Let every
man who owes dollar bend his efforts TO-
wards paying it,and to regulate his business
operations and transactions so as to keep out
of debt. 1t has been too much the habit,
when business Is flourishing and prices re.
munerative, for us to bank on the future, and
to be negligent Of those precautions which
are essential to fortify US against revulsion
in trade. Contraction OF debt is at all times
to be avoided where it Is poas , BILE to do so
and especially is this the case when the ex-
element OF active business is calculated to
stimulate the imagination and depend upon
expectations, rather than realities. It 10 q
safe rule to pay as you 60, for we do not
know what year is going to bring forth. A
sudden check In the present current OF trade
may find us with obligations it is not con.
venicnt to meet, and in that case the result
is generally that the accumulatlons we have
made are absorbed to discharge that which
we expected to liquidate by continuance Of
flush times. Our past experience in this re.
spect should not be forgotten. Let every
man hold we'll in hand his business, and be
nrenared for any contingency that NAV
arise.