Page:American Historical Review, Volume 12.djvu/781

Manufactures in the Mia mi Country 771 successfully fed eighty sheep for eight months on an eight-acre field. He supposed that each sheep would yield a profit of six dollars, or the enormous sum of sixty dollars per acre.' Of course, such statements cannot be permitted to pass unquestioned, but doubtless they were accepted as conclusive arguments by unthinking people of the time. Another writer expressed it as his opinion, that it would be next to folly to cover the beautiful hills of North Bend with flocks of merino sheep if we neglected to establish manufactures to encourage the growth of wool. We must ourselves engage in manufacture ; otherwise the enterprising farmer will not get a suitable price for his wool. If we do not, we must send the raw material over the mountains or to New Orleans to be manufactured, and then receive the same article back in a manufactured state greatly increased in value. In this case, the manufacturing industry would be lost to Cincinnati, the wool-grower would be discouraged and our capital would be decreased.- The more sanguine ventured to say that within ten years the Miami Country would not only be supplying the home market with wool, but also would have large quantities for export. It is needless to state that their hopes were not realized, nor did Cincinnati become a centre of the woollen industry. On the contrary the manufacture of woollens was limited from the beginning ; for these men who made the prediction did not appreciate the fact, that of all classes of manufactured goods, textile fabrics probably would stand the highest transportation rate, and that other sections would prove to be more favorably situated for their manufacture. Although the woollen industry in the Miami Country reached no great proportions, other manufactures were being established which furnished a basis for the future industrial growth of the region. That the manufacturing spirit began to manifest itself before the war was half over is shown by the fact that on July 4, 1813, there was offered the toast, " Our manufactures, a still small voice, but persistent and energetic." This may be attributed to the spirit of patriotism that wells forth on our natal day. or it may be attributed to the example of the East : but it is interesting to note that the same edition of the Western Spy that published the above toast con- tained evidence of a more positive character in the announcement of the Miami Exporting Company, wherein that company offered 'Liberty Hall, August 14. 1815. - Ibid.