The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-09-08


town OF Bolton to complete the symme-
try Of its village green. The exchange
was thought to be, SO tradition goes, to
the advantage OF the town. This place
was then but wild and desolate rayine
of unusual size. It's hills were rugged,
its valleys stony and the turbid Hook
anum river and tho snipsic Lake,
mile and half above, did not enhance
the value OF this tract of land. 1t was
a most unattractive place for agricuI-
tural purposes, and in those days the
value Of land remote from settlements
was estimated to u large extent on that
basis. Even then Connecticut was not
strictly farming community. All
of its farming implements and
one.halt OF the clothing worn was
manufactured in tho state, and as
water power has alwas been at o
premium it was not long before mill
was built on the banks Of the Hocka-
mum. That river now affords the best
water power to be found in New Eng.
land, and there has grown up near its
banks a CITY OF ten thousand, which is
constantly increasing in population.
The surrounding hills are thickly COW
cred with houses, hundreds OF which
are owned by mill operatives. There
are several banks and many large
stores. A memorial building OF un..
usual beauty 10 the chief attraction, and
along the bank OF the now placid stream
arc five OF the largest and oldest WOODEN
mills in Connecticut-the Rock, the
Hockanum, the New England, the
Springfield and the American. To-
gether they employ 1000 hands; they
pay out S8s4,000 a year for wages, and
the combined capital invested amounts
to nearly $2,50O,0O0, There is depos.
tied in the savings banks the sum OF
Sl,5l5,00O, and it is estimated by the
bank officers that at least two-thirds OF
this amount belongs to the operatives
in the wooden mills.
DUE TO THE TARIFF.
The prosperity OF this little city has
been very closely identified with the
history Of tho protective tariff system.
Prior to 1863 its progress fuctuated
with the success or defeat of tho pro-
tective tariff, but the substantial
growth of the city and tho prosperity
OF its manufactures began with the
Morrill, tariff. Since that time, how
ever, there have been several distress
ing periods. The first began early. in
the Cleveland administration, when
Secretary Manning, by n forced con-
struction OF the tariff Of 1883, permitted
worsteds to come in as wooleus. Be-
fore that time worsteds never had been
used except for trimmings. But this
ruling was an inducement to tho Eng
lish manufacturers to change the char.
acter of the fabrics which they
had formerly imported and
which were commonly known
as woolens. Consequently, large
quantities OF worsted goods came into
this country, and OF course, in direct
composition with the wooleus manutac-
tured here. This changed condition OF
the trade involved great hardship for
the domestic manufacturers, which
continued until General Harrison was
elected. One OF the first things that he
did, as President, was to direct tbs rut-
ings of Secretary Manning to be re-
pealed. While this action was benef:-
cial to certain extent, the effects OF
President Cleveland's administration
did not wear away until after the pas
sage OF the Mckinley bill. Large guam
titles OF English worsteds were rushed
into the country prior to its passage,
and they have been on the market ever
since. It has taken nearly two years
to absorb those importations. But that
bill marks new era in the prosperity
OF this city.
There are thousands Of free traders in
this country who want to have the Nc
Kinley bill repealed, 1t may interest
them to know something about the
growth OF the manufacture of woolens
in this country. 1t has prospered Won
derfully since General Harrison has en-
tered the White House, and there are
now, within the bounds OF this state,
over one hundred manufactures Of
WOODEN fabrics. AS matter OF history
perhaps these free traders may not
know that it was in this state that the
frst WOODEN factory in America was
started. and that the suit OF clothes
General Washington wore when he was
inaugurated the first time was made
from the first product OF this
mill. Ii these free traders are
further interested in these historical
incidents they may care to know that
the vice president and the Connecticut
delegation in Congress wore clothes OF
similar cloth. And to bring theae Incl
dents down to q more recent date, 1t
may be worth while to mention that
when General Harrison was inaugur-
ated as President he wore a suit Of
clothes which was made from cloth
woven in one OF the mills in this city;
and upon the occasion Of the centen-
nial celebration of the anniversary Of
the constitution, which was iuclden-
tally commemoration OF the begin
ming Of tho manufacture Of wool in
America, President Harrison was clad
in suit OF clothes which was made
from tho cloth woven in another Rock
vile mill. To continue this lesson in
history tho following excerpt from the
annals OF the Inauguration OF Washing
ton is given:
The cloth is Of so fine a fabric aud so
handsomely finished that it was univer.
sally mistaken for foreign manu-
featured superfine cloth; circumstance
which must DO considered as not only
fattering to our manufacturers in par
ticular, but interesting to our country
men in general, and that the appear
ance OF the President, Vice President,
and several members of Congress in
suits OF American manufacture was a
distinguished token OF attention to the
manufacturing interests OF the country.
AS GOOD As THE IMPORTED.
General Harrison has given several