Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-02-13
Manufactures as Aids for Develop
ment.
PITTSBURGH, Feb. 4, 1891.

PITTSBURGH, Feb. 1, 1891.
EDITOR STANDARDS:
Watching Closely the columns OF
the STANDARD, do not fail to notice
your appreciation of the value to your
coming city of manufacturing estab-
lishments, and it seems patent to me
that the Puget Sound basin, with its
stores Of coal and mineral and its great
waterway and railroad distribution
with half a continent separating it
from home competition, and the wise
policy of Republican party, (Now
don't rub this out, friend John,) pro.
tccting il from foreign, with present
market from the British tn the Mexi
can line, and II short carriage to all
the South American States as against
Il long carriage of other competitors
where tariff does not lend its aid, il
certainly is manifest that it has a
manufacturing destiny beyond com,
putation.
Probably this little city of Pitts.
burg fairly exempliiics what manufac-
turing may accomplish for u locality
not otherwise largely found. situated
out of the line of railroad ccnters, il
,annot command the transit that dis.
tinguishes Chicago, indianapolis. Kan
sas City ard other railroad towns, but
Ivy making use of its great stores OF
fuel, it has justified costly carriage
Of ores from distant points, and to and
from its own limits-bringing raw ma
terial to and sending finished products
from-it presents larger tonnage
than New York, probably larger than
any two cities exclusive Of New York
(say Chicago and Philadelphia), and
probably has the largest tonnage OF
any city in the world. In the year
1890, the total tonnage passing
through Pittsburgh was 27OOO,O0O
tons, OF which lS,OO0,OO0 tons was
local freight, raw material coming
here to be manufactured and the fin
ished product redistributed. One es-
Enlistment alone, the Edgar Thomp-
son Works, one OF the many Carnegie
plants, sent out in 1890 an average
daily output Of All tons Of steel rails
or 442 900 tons 65-lb. rails per annum,
enough to lay 1000 miles of track.
As each ton of finished product re-
quires in round figures four tons OF
raw material (exactly, l believe 7,1SO
lbs.) or about 100000 tons, which
added to the finished product makes
about 100000 tons, coming and 60
inc from thia one mill
TO get comparative idea OF these
great amounts just remember that )
600, 900 bales Of cotton is an enormous
crop of cotton, and that at 5OOlb to the
bale it amounts to about l75,OOO tons,
or about 5000 tons less than the tom
mage TO and from this one mill. And
vet, because OF this cotton crop, we
spent hundreds of thousands of val
liable lives and billions of money, and
this is but the product of one manu-.
featuring establishment which shows
tonnage Of less than 2,OOO,OOO tons
i'm city that has 100000 going
and coming from her busy centers
And all about, in radius OF fifty
miles, are other hives, each one OF
which would be wonderful were its
greatness not oyershadowed by the
greater wonder.
The man is now probably living
that will see as great marvel in the
Puget Sound basin, and it is not Seat
tie, or Tacoma, or Olympia, or Port
Townsend alone that is to grow into
wonderous prosperity, but like Pitts
burgh and its vicinity, establishments
will spring up everywhere and send
products to all markets. Lumber Is
great; fish, oysters all the minol
products. Wheat is always staple
and fruit the world wants. But one
manufacturing establishment employs
more men and distributes more none!
than host OF the other factors. SO
rejoice when | see Olympia gathering
some establishment under her wing
and hope to see the tall stacks tell o.
many and diverse manufactures, ant
hear the hum OF machinery, singing
its prosperous song. Grey-haired mei
in your midst have lived to see theil
early hopes blossom into happy fruit
age. May they live to hail this glor
ious future. Sincerely,
EDWARD JAY ALLEN.