The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-11-10
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The Growth of Manufactures

The annual meeting of the American Socie-
ty of Mechanic Engineers began its session in
New York last week. President Robert H.
Thurston, of the Stevens Institute of Tech
nology, read his annual address, a paper of
considerable length and interest, reviewing
the advancement made in mechanical engi-
neering especially during the last decade. His
subject was "Our Progress in Mechanical En-
cheering" and in opening he referred especi-
ally to the superseding of wood and iron, as
used in construction, by steel, and to the even
stronger and more substantial alloys in which
copper and nickel play important parts. The
necessity OF complete inspections and thor
oughly scientific tests of constructive materials
used by engineers was dwelt upon at length;
and the methods employed by eminent scien-
lists of Europe and by some of the larger
manufacturing establishments of this country,
notably the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
and the Bethlehem Iron Company, were COM
mended, the speaker holding that the system
of examination introduced by these companies
had resulted in a saving in single investiga-
ton OF the entire cost of the examining de-
partment Tor series of years. The growth of
iron manufactures in the country since 1894,
when the first steam engine was erected in
this country, was next alluded to, it being
shown that there are now over l 900 iron and
steel works in the country, with $230,000000
capital employed, as against 1922, 100000 capt.
tai employed only ten years ago, these figures
being taken from the census report. The mills
of this country now produce 1900 900 tons of
iron and steel-just double the amount of a
decade ago This production gives employ
ment to 100000 men, and the value of the
products is about $300,000,000, the wages
amounting to about 100000 annually.
In ten years Massachusetts has increased
her product IS per cent, West Virginia 104
per cent, Alabama 800 per cent, Georgia and
Tennessee 1875 per cent Pennsylvania is at the
head of the list producing $500 900 tons annual
ly Ohio coming next with 100000; New York,
O,OO0; Illinois, 100000, and New Jersey,
$50 600. The production OF pig metal within
the decade has been increased from two to
three and three-fourth million tons per annum
and rolled metal about twO-thrds, and Besse-
mer steel from less than 10000 tons in 1870 to
900 900 tons in 1881, The improvements in
the mode of manufacture of iron and steel were
referred to, especial attention being given to
the work of the artisans of the principal IRON
producing countries of the Old World The
wonderful increase in the power of production
within the decade of cotton mills, owing to the
introduction of improved machinery and its
consequent advantage, was text for remarks
of some length relative to the possibilities of
cotton, wooden, and silk manufacturing in the
future, in which 1t was shown that the cost of
production would be so greatly leSSened
through the efforts of mechanical engineers
that single operative may make cloth
enough in year to supply the wants of 1,5CO
people. Progress made in silk machinery has
made the silk of American manufacture SUI
perior to that of the best European looms. |
The product of silk in the United States for
the year ending June is $50, 0000 600 of finished |
goods from 400 factories, employing capital
of S19,OOO000 and over 10000 operatives,
whose wages amount to 100000 year.