Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

COMPARATIVE VIEW

Of Certain Branches of Manufactures in Wheeling, during the years 1845 and 1846.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Eleven steamboats have been built this year, worth at least $ 10,000 each.

It would require great labour to collect again all the statistics of the numerous smaller establishments; but it will be seen from these few branches of business that our citizens, confidently relying on the stability of your legislation, have extended their investments and increased their annual products $387,020 in these items. During this year seventy-nine houses have been erected costing $91,720, besides numerous valuable additions to old buildings, and the population of the city has increased about 1000. These striking facts indicate how much the commonwealth will gain by adhering to the terminus of this railroad which she has hitherto selected. If, however, that road should be permitted to strike the Ohio a short distance south of Wheeling, a considerable part of her capital and population will be withdrawn, and the new terminus, with the advantages incident to that work, will contend against the natural superiority of Wheeling in a race of rivalry injurious to both. While Virginia towns will thus weaken each other, Pittsburg with concentrated capital and advantages will carry off the business from them both. Since, of all towns, those which are well adapted to produce cheap and abundant manufactures are the most useful to the general community, it must be apparent how vitally the northwest is interested in preventing such a result.

We need not again advert to the large investments made by our citizens, the city, the county, and the state itself, (which has $ 522,600 of stock in our banks,) the value of which depends upon the permanent prosperity of this place. In every view the policy heretofore pursued by the commonwealth is most just and wise.

While we respectfully submit these considerations, we would express our grateful sense of the magnanimity that has hitherto presided over the councils of our venerated and beloved state; and we are assured that the earnest devotion to her welfare, which has always been the universal sentiment of this community, will continue unabated, whatever may be the result of your deliberations.

On behalf of the board of trade.

TH. JOHNSTON, Jr. Sec'y.

December 21, 1846.

WM. PAXTON, Prest.

* The machinery prepared for this factory will be sufficient for an annual product of $60,000 or $70,000. Arrangements are in progress for starting various new establishments of considerable extent, next spring,

Extract from the Memorial of this Board of December 1845.

It is known to the general assembly that Wheeling is situated on one of the most valuable coal fields in the country. This field extends only about twelve miles south of this place on the Ohio; and, beyond that, no coal is found this side of Pomeroy, near the mouth of the Great Kanawha. The intermediate tract of river border being destitute of coal and (comparatively with this section,) of water power, at what point will Virginia be able to establish a flourishing seat of manufactures if she abandon Wheeling? Shall it be Parkersburg? That village is now supplied with coal from Wheeling, consuming annually, we are informed, only about thirty-five thousand bushels, although using scarcely any other fuel. In this vicinity coal is so abundant that, for several years, about three million bushels (of about 80 pounds to the bushel,) have been annually raised from the banks within the city and its immediate neighbourhood. Of this, a million and a half bushels are shipped and sold at the towns below Wheeling, and the rest is consumed at home. The cost of coal to a manufactory situated (as many are) at the mouth of a coal bank, is about a cent and a half per bushel, and to none of them does it exceed three cents. The transportation of this article, compared with its first cost, is expensive, and therefore to remove the seat of manufactures to a distance from the coal field would be to relinquish the most felicitous advantage that nature has bestowed upon us. Water power is also so abundant in this vicinity that within twenty-five miles of Wheeling (and including those in the city itself) are not less than one hundred and fifty flour mills, mostly propelled by water, which manufacture annually nearly 400,000 barrels of flour. This fact also proves that this section of the country is, in agricultural productions, unsurpassed. If we should compare the agricultural productions of Ohio county, (though little more than ten miles square,) with those of the large county of Wood when it included a part of Ritchie, &c. (in 1840,) the superiority of this region would seem scarcely credible.

In order that the legislature may be enabled to estimate the extent to which our citizens have improved these natural advantages, your memorialists requested several intelligent gentlemen to collect as far as practicable, information as to the amount of capital invested in manufactures and mechanical trades in this city, the number of hands employed in them; the amount of wages paid, and the value of their annual products. From their reports the following table has been framed. The capital, number of hands, and annual products are believed to be from accurate sources; the amount of wages not having been reported, is, in some instances supplied by estimate. This table does not include any of the villages opposite to Wheeling on the Ohio side of the river, which are justly regarded as suburbs of the city. If they were included the amounts would be largely augmented. It is personally known to your memorialists that some classes of manufactures carried on here have been omittedsuch as those of locksmiths, gunsmiths, plane makers, comb makers, saddle-tree makers, and various others. But the zeal with which the adversaries of this city press their schemes before the legislature forbids our taking time to obtain more complete returns.

[blocks in formation]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

SIR,

OXFORD CONVENTION.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
JANUARY 4, 1847.

In compliance with the request of a convention held at Oxford, N. C., having for its object the improvement of the Roanoke, Dan and Staunton rivers, I communicate, here with, a copy of its proceedings, for the consideration of the general assembly.

[blocks in formation]

I have the honour to transmit a copy of the proceedings of a convention, held at Oxford, N.

C., having for its object the improvement of the Roanoke, Dan and Staunton rivers.
I request that you will lay the same before the legislature of your state, now in session.

Very respectfully,

E. S. READE.

According to notice previously given, a convention, composed of delegates from several counties in Virginia and North Carolina, met at Oxford, N. C., on Tuesday 3d November 1846:

The following delegates appeared, viz: From

Granville-James C. Cooper, Col. Thomas J. Gregory, Doct. James L. Wortham, John J. Speed, Charles E. Hamilton, Doct. A. Paschal, J. Hilliard, J. B. Daniel, J. S. Eaton, Doct. W. F. Henderson, Russel Kingsbury, Thomas Miller, Doct. J. R. Herndon, Samuel S. Downey, Robert W. Lassiter, James Cooper, Thomas B. Barnett, T. B. Venable, John Bullock, C. H. Willey, Wyatt Conady, Gen. W. S. M'Clanahan.

Orange-P. H. Mangum.

Person-E. S. Reade, Doct. C. H. Jordan.

Petersburg, Va.-George W. Bolling, Col. Henry Thweat, Thomas L. Morton, Lemuel Peeples, D. Grigg. Mecklenburg, Va.-Tucker Carrington, Doct. S. H. Harris, Walter Carrington, Robert H. Moss, David Shelton, John White.

The convention was organized by the election of E. S. READE, Esq. of Person as president, and BENJAMIN C. Cook and T. B. VENABLE secretaries.

On motion, the president appointed the following committee to prepare business for the convention, to wit: Tucker Carrington, George W. Bolling, J. Cooper, David Shelton, P. H. Mangum, Gen. W. S. M'Clanahan, Henry Thweat. To which the president was added.

« ZurückWeiter »