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the ship-yard, the rope-walk, the carriage, machine, and furniture shops; while the animal, vegetable, and mineral oils, the resins, salts, pigments, etc., are of easy obtainment. We are near to the best fisheries and fur producing regions of the world; have marbles, cements, and fine earths, rare woods, the precious and the useful metals and minerals, with plants, barks and roots of every class and variety.

Some ten or twelve years ago, when the partial exhaustion of the more superficial placer mines caused an almost universal depreciation in the prices of property and a general stagnation of business, and labor seemed so superabundant in California as to excite just apprehensions as to its future profitable employment, a number of enterprising and adventurous citizens, in the hope of supplying with home-made articles a few of the numerous commodities imported from abroad, embarked in manufacturing, mostly with limited means and in a small way, and thus laid the foundation for those various industries which, having since obtained a permanent footing and become widely extended, have saved California from that partial depopulation and business prostration that was so justly apprehended; and which, but for the timely inauguration of these industrial enterprises, would no doubt have overtaken her. To the introduction of this wise policy is the State, and more especially the city of San Francisco, indebted for the marked prosperity enjoyed by them during the past eight or ten years; and in the absence of which it would be difficult to say what might now have been the condition of our domestic industries, or the financial status of the State. Millions of dollars have been retained in the country, being used in the payment of wages to our own citizens, and in the erection of works and the purchase of articles of home production that otherwise would have been sent abroad, to be spent in the purchase of these commodities as before. By the introduction on our own soil of these factories a demand has been created for a long catalogue of articles and products that otherwise would have lacked a market.

The value of the various articles manufactured in San Francisco, during the year 1866, is estimated at over $20,000,000; the aggregate product of the whole State having been about $30,000,000. By virtue of her position, California will be able to supply such manufactured goods as Western Mexico, Central America, China, Japan, and the islands of the North Pacific may require, or be able to take of strangers, paying for the same in cash, or in such native production as they may have to offer in exchange. In thus supplying these peoples she will find a vast outlet for the products of her shops and factories, and secure a trade that cannot fail to prove profitable, since it can hardly admit of a

competitor. With such manifest advantages then growing out of her position, and the great natural facilities she enjoys for engaging largely and successfully in the business of manufacturing, it becomes evident that California is destined to enter early upon an extensive career in this department of industry. Nowhere in the world are the conditions for building up readily a vast and diversified interest of this kind so favorable as upon the coast of the North Pacific-the extent to which our people have already embarked in many branches of the business, evincing a just appreciation of these advantages, and a purpose to turn them to practical account as rapidly as circumstances will warrant. In some respects it must be admitted that California is placed to disadvantage as a manufacturing country, though these obstacles and drawbacks are limited in their influences, and will probably prove temporary in duration. Credits here are short, and interest is high, forcing the manufacturer to pay dearly for his capital, and often compelling him to press his wares upon the market in advance of consumptive requirement. Owing to the narrow extent of back country to be supplied, and the limited outlets available in other directions, care is required that manufacturing is not pushed to excess, it being necessary also, while preventing prices falling below the cost of production, that they be so restricted as not to encourage over importation.

For a time, too, the California proprietor found it difficult to command the highest order of skilled labor; its remoteness, the limited extent, uncertainty, and newness of its manufacturing industries deterring the best class of artisans from leaving profitable and generally permanent situations, to seek employment in such a distant and precarious field. With the establishment and growth of these pursuits in California, however, the best workmen of the Atlantic States and Europe have found their way hither in such numbers that it is probable there are now here as many of this class, in proportion to the whole number of operatives, as in any other country; the high wages offered bringing to our shores frequently the choicest artisans to be found in the most. famous establishments of the Old World.

What progress has been made in founding and building up manufacturing industries in California will, in part, appear from the following brief descriptions of the leading establishments in this line of business, only a few of the more prominent facts connected with the same being here presented.

ness.

WOOLEN MILLS.

In the making of woolen fabrics we have one of the earliest founded, and now most extensive and prosperous branches of manufacturing yet established in the State-the steady supply, cheapness and excellence of the wool grown here giving great encouragement to this line of busiThe fabrics turned out by our woolen mills are not excelled by those of any other country. Up to 1859 the entire wool clip of California was shipped abroad for a market. That year, the Pioneer Mills starting, used a small portion of it quite a large quantity being now consumed by the several establishments running in the State. At the present time there are in California five of these factories, four of which are running; the fifth, located on the Merced river, though completed and ready for work, not yet being in operation; it is, however, to be started during the spring or early in the summer of 1868. The erection of others are contemplated in different parts of the State, and there will no doubt be several additions made to the present number in the course of a year or two, at furthest. Preliminary steps towards the building of a woolen mill at Santa Cruz, and another at Folsom, have already been taken, and will no doubt result in their early construction.

THE PIONEER WOOLEN MILLS.

The first works of the kind ever put up in the State were the Pioneer Woolen Mills, erected in 1858, at Black Point, in the northwestern part of the City of San Francisco. Though built in 1858, they did not commence work till the following year. The first edifices put up by this company, though spacious and convenient, being of wood, were unfortunately burned up in the fall of 1861. Notwithstanding the loss of the proprietors, Messrs. Heyneman, Pick & Co., was heavy, the buildings being filled with new and costly machinery, selected with great care, and imported from the East, they at once set about rebuilding the edifice, which was made more spacious than that destroyed, being at the same time, for greater safety, constructed wholly of brick. This mill is now owned by a company having a capital of $450,000. The machinery consists of eighteen sets of cards, six thousand spindles, seventytwo looms, eight mules and fourteen jacks-the whole put in motion by a steam engine of one hundred and fifty horse power. Three hundred and fifty men, a portion of them Chinese, are employed in the various departments. The product of these mills for the year 1866 was 30,000 pairs of blankets, 60,000 yards of broadcloth, tweed and cassimeres, and 375,000 yards of flannel; consuming 1,500,000 pounds of fine wool.

In 1867, there were manufactured 40,000 pairs of blankets, 100,000 yards of broadcloth, tweeds and cassimeres, and 300,000 yards of flannels-1,600,000 pounds of wool having been consumed. Their annual capacity is equal to the consumption of 3,000,000 pounds of wool. Large quantities of flannels are made up into shirts-sixty hands, operating with sewing machines, being employed at this business.

THE MISSION WOOLEN MILLS.

These mills are also located in the City of San Francisco, being on the corner of Sixteenth and Folsom streets. They are very extensive, the buildings pertaining to the establishment occupying, and in good part covering, an area of ten acres. These works, erected in 1861, have the greatest capacity of any institution of the kind in the State-material additions having been made to them recently. Besides the articles designated as being made at the Pioneer mills, they here manufacture cloakings and traveling shawls. This company have a capital stock of $500,000, and employ four hundred and fifty hands constantly. The mill is driven by a steam engine of one hundred and fifty horse power, and consumes 2,200,000 pounds of wool annually. In 1866 there were manufactured at this establishment 80,000 pairs of heavy army and navy blankets, 125,000 yards of broadcloth, tweed and cassimere, and 500,000 yards of flannel, besides large numbers of shawls, quantities of cloakings, etc.-the gross value of the products of these mills amounting to nearly $1,000,000 per annum. The wages paid employés for 1867 amounted to $135,000. For that year the proprietors report no increase of business. For the year ending April 30th, 1867, the value of manufactured goods made by the Pioneer and Mission Woolen Mills, as returned to the Internal Revenue Department, reached the sum of $816,815. In these returns are not included materials made into garments, and given in under the head of clothing. To the blankets and flannels made here was awarded the premium medal, at the Paris Exposition, in 1867, over all competitors from the United States.

THE PACIFIC WOOLEN MILLS.

The Pacific Woolen Mills, located on Folsom street, between Eighteenth and Nineteenth, San Francisco, spin only yarns, and manufacture knit goods from the same-this being the only extensive establishment of the kind on the coast. The main building is 112 by 52 feet, three and a half stories high, with numerous outhouses and dwellings for operatives attached. These works were originated by Mr. James Roberts, the capital stock employed $400,000. The works are driven by a steam engine of one hundred horse power; consume annually 500,000

pounds of wool, all of choice quality, besides 100,000 pounds of cotton -value of goods made, $400,000 per annum; they are now being enlarged to a producing capacity of $2,000,000. They employ 24 women, 24 white men, and 42 Chinese, besides from 250 to 300 women and girls seaming the goods at their houses, who now turn out daily 60 dozen shirts and drawers, and 150 dozen of hosiery. Only medium and lower grade goods have thus far been produced, the mills running on short time. With the additions now being made, it is intended to manufacture goods of the highest and finest grade in this line, and to operate the works night and day. The demand for wares of this kind is rapidly increasing, and it is questionable if the establishment, even when enlarged, will be able to fully meet the rapidly growing requirements of the coast.

There was another knitting mill, constructed on a much smaller scale, situated in the southwestern part of the city. It started work in August, 1866, and made nearly every variety of goods, but was burned down the next year. This mill, in addition to the usual carding and spinning apparatus, was supplied with a number of Aitkin's patent knitting machines, and produced articles of unsurpassed excellence.

THE MARYSVILLE WOOLEN MILLS.

These mills, situated in the city of Marysville, Yuba county, commenced operations in September, 1867. They are of limited capacity, containing but seven looms, with corresponding apparatus, and make only blankets and flannels. They are the property of a company incorporated with a capital of $50,000.

The establishment of even the above limited number of woolen mills, has already had a highly beneficial effect upon a variety of interests in this State, besides giving profitable employment to a large number of operatives and outside laborers, and tending to reduce the prices of the commodities made to the California consumer; it has also, by creating a demand for our home grown wools, protected the sheep raisers of the State against the monopoly of buyers purchasing here for foreign markets, and who, by combining to keep down prices, often depress them below a paying standard. Since the founding of our local mills, the prices of wool have not only remained more steady, but have materially advanced. Of the 8,600,000 pounds marketed in San Francisco city during the year 1866, our home mills purchased 3,200,000 pounds, showing a large and healthful competition, although there were at that time but two mills in operation. Of the 10, 500,000 pounds disposed of in 1867, our local establishments took 3,000,000-a ratio of

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