Year: 1872

From the Philadelphia North American.


In the year 1850 the national census
gave the entire products of manufac
lures, mining and fisheries in the United
States only 81 ,0l9. .l06,6l6 In 1870 the
single State Of Pcnnsy ylvania produced in
manufactures alone, exclusive of mines
and fisheries, S725, ,599,424 If the ag-
gregate of the mining were included, the
return would, no doubt, equal the whole
product of the Republic in 1850. Such
growth in twenty years is amazing =
Should our increase in the current
decade be in the same ratio as in tie last,
the aggregate for Pennsylvania in 1880
will be nearly $4,000, 900, 900, or con
siderable more than the entire product of
the nation in 1860. Our progress thus
seems to rise every twenty years to an
eq quality with that of the nation at the be-
ginning Of the period. 5...- s'G


People often talk Of the resources of
Pennsylvania for Industrial pursuits in
general sort of way, without any attempt
to measure her natural progress or
capacity. We present these considerations
merely to enable our readers to form some
estimate of the real state Of the case, and
Of the vast and overshadowing Importance
of industrial pursuits to this Common
wealth. 1t is the possession Of the native
resources in such exhaustless abundance
that does this for US. No one has yet
attempted to gauge the ultimate capacity
of the State, and our own efforts in that
line have merely served to arouse the
latent energies of the people, and afford
them some vague idea of boundless
future 1t is but very few years since
the mining interest of Schuylkill fancied
that its destiny depended altogether on
the New York market. And now the
intelligent people of that region begin to
see that if the coal is so valuable to New
York and New England for industrial
purposes it can be made much more SO
here at home.


Complaint has been made that the mines
produce more coal than the markets re
quire but now the operators begin to see
that they can create vast homemarkets by
means of Industrial enterprises Iron is
scarce and high, and We can market all
we can make, so that the future lies bright
ahead. Let US produce twice as much
iron as we do now, and the impulse will
be felt by every branch Of industry in the
old commonwealth. 4 this lies within
our reach but We must do it tor ourselves
and depend upon no contingencies and no
outside aid. From the coal that We ex
port steam power is extracted. When We
sell it to others and neglect to make
adequate use of it ourselves, we take from
our treasures the great leverage of in
dustry, aud receive fer it money that al
fords US but a poor compensation. As 1t
lies in the coal depots it offers to us the
means Of increasing wealth, industry,
power, commerce, If we ouly avail our
selves Of the opportunity Aud the iact
that the mines produce more coal than
the consumption warrants, appears to tell
against ourselves, siuce VIC are essentially
an Industrious people and having the
coal here in such quantities, and SO cheap,
it is our own fault If we do not rise to the
capacity Of the mines aud apply the whole
surplus to the production OF lndsiry 1t
is not to Philadelphia alone that We apply
this lesson, for our city goes ahead last
enough. DGC every par va ''S StS 10
in the same situation. Coal and iron are
available at all points, and Industry should
there be developed.


Many branches of business are seriously
embarrassed by the enormously high price
es OF iron. And yet Pcnnsy lyanla has with
in her own area the means OF supplying
her own needs and large part OF the
nation We may say, in fact, that the
iron industry Of the State IS capable oil
indeGuite expansion, and that with It's
enormous advantages, il ought to be able
to wake bold effort for the control OF
tie general field Ne have been niisrep-
rcsen.ea as dependents on government
bounties, When the case has been far
otherwise. This is not u community OF