Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1880-02-19
WAIHALLA SOUTH TUyRsDAY FEBRUARY 1886

Eastern States, 461 O65
Western States, 633,892
Southern States, 7l,O10
Probable number engaged 10 manufac-
turing in 1880.
Eastern States 1,734,s63
Western States, S94,380
Southern States, 268,389
From this exhibit find that the manu-
featuring population of the hipe Western
States increased from 58,047 in 1850 to
994 ,512 in 1880; in the Eostern States
from 696,66l in 1850 to l.734. 1868 in
1880, AID in the Southern States from 100,
S86 to 25S,389. Thus it is evident that
the West is no longer given over to meat
md grain, but has entered upon the manu-
foctnrc Of Gil articles into which wood and
iron enter. 1t is my frm belief that tho
shores Of the lakes will ultimately be the
great iron districts Of the continent. The
orc of the Luke Superior region is hoated
cheaply to such points as Chicago and Mil
waukee, aud is manufactured where disem-
barked, or distributed through tho interior
of Illinois aud neighborihg States, to be
brought into closer proximity to the COAL
The preponderance Of tho lake shores or
tho interior will be determined mainly by
the point to which economy of fuel can be
carried in iron manufacture. Changes arc
constantly going on in our iron centres
The most important iron producing region
in Ohio is now the Muhoning Valley.
Formerly the Hanging Rock region in
Southern Ohio was the most important in
that State. There the smeltipg was chiefly
done by the aid of charcoal. The iD,roduc.
tipn Of mlperal fuel diverted the Iron busi,
ness very largely from IInuging Rock to
NlahouinR Valley. Pennsylvania Ind
Ohio owe their prominence In the manu-
tacthre o. iron very largely to the use Of
Lake Superior iron ores 1t is not gene,
rally kuown that more than one-fourth of
all the ore used is from there The pro
duction in the LIKE Superior region in
1878 was 1875 900 tons; ia 1879 nearly
100, 900 tons more. Since tho revival of
the iron business and the demand for Bcs
semer steel rails, the Lake Superior produc
crs have been unable to supply the de-
mand."
"IIas tho West made the best use Of its
fucilities?"
"Ilinois has; Missouri and Indiana,
Michigan and Wisconsin, in my opinion.
have not. Missouri produced in 1873 less
than one half the ply iron it did in 1879;
Indiana with its block coal (the best for
smelling purpose) .as practically dont
nothing Her opportunity is not yet gone,
to be sure, but her lack Of enterprise in this
direction is, to coin word, most un-Wcst-
ern. Michigan has twenty-four blast
furnaces, less than half Of which were in
operation at the beginning of 1879, while
Wisconsin had only five out Of fifteen in
operation"
'lYherc con pig iron tc produced The
most chcaply.
"In the South The cost Of producing
pig iron 10 the United States varies accord
lag to location aud quality Of product from
Sl5 to $50 per ton 10 the South labor
and raw material are lower in price. There
ure l44 blast furnaces in the South, 80
rolling mills and steel works, md rs
forecs and tloomarica. In the Western
States there arc 49, blast furhnbes, 80 roll
ing mills and steel works, aud oply 81
forgcs and bloomarles."
"Do you Gnd that the West has improved
its opportunities in other branches of manu-
facturc?"
1T has undoubtedly pushed the branches
into which wood and iron enter to their
fullest extent. ln1ianu is to-day sending
wagons via England to South Africa;
Michigan furniture is sent to Great Britain
aud sold 25 per cent. cheaper than it can
be produced there; and in the manufacture
Of agricultural implements Illinois and it's
immediate vicinity excl the world. In
radius of about 200 milcB around Chicago
more agricultural implements nrc mado than
in any other section in the world"
GLOW has this remarkable increase af
fcctcd the E.stcrn Statcs?"
Sin 1850 the States of Maine, New
Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts,
Rhode Isluud, Connecticut, New York,
New Jersey, Pennsylvania aud Dclewure
employed 3,773 persons in manufacturing
agricultural implements: in 1860 they en-
ploycd G,324; 10 1870, 0,274; ond, accord
ing to carefully prepared estimate l have
mado, they now employ I2,460. hIassa.
chusctts actually employs less now than she
did 10 1850. This fact is proved ..by the
census of Massachusetts for 1875, tho most
reliable of ali public documents. Maine
also employs less now than in 1850.
Turning from tho Eastern States to tho
Western States of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana,
Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Mis-
souri,, Kansas aud Nebraska; find that in
1850 the number Of persons engaged in the
manufacture of agricultural implements was
1888 In 1860 it had increased to 6, ,543,
in 1879 to 1917. aud I now put the mum
Der at 1920. 1t is estimated by reliable
authorities TINT last year Illinois produ ed
S27 1877 900 worth of agricultural imple.