REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF ARRANGEMENTS. The object of the annual exhibition by the Oh'o Mechanics' Institute, is to bring before the people specimens of the products of home industry, that both the merchant and the consumer may see at one view the variety and quality of our manufactures. It is well known by those who have given much attention to the subject, that many branches of industry among us are not generally known to the public; and that goods of an inferior quality are brought from a distance and sold at advanced prices, while better articles are produced at home at less cost. We have carpeting manufactured in Cincinnati, and also in Dayton, good enough for any family, and it is sold in the shops without the purchaser's knowing that it is a domestic manufacture. And japanned ware of excellent quality and beautiful finish, is manufactured on a small alley in a remote part of our city, which we generally suppose comes from the islands of the Pacific Ocean. A great part of the cut glass sold in Cincinnati, was made in Pittsburgh and Wheeling, and finished here, which is as beautiful as that from Bristol or London. We are constantly sending to the east for carriages, though we have as good materials and as good workmen here, besides the additional advantage-the responsibility of the manufacturer. How many thousand dollars are annually sent abroad for hosiery, when we have as good manufactured in this city, as we can get from Nottingham or Leicester. But a few years ago one man with a few small blocks, printed all the oil cloths that were manufactured in the west; now more than one hundred men are regularly employed in the business. And how much aid does it require to enable the Miami country to compete with Coventry or Paris in silk goods? or to produce in great abundance wines equal to those of Germany or France ? Our manufacturers need but the encouragement of their fellow citizens, to enable them to produce fabrics equal to those of any part of the world. By a general union and a common effort to support domestic labor on fair and liberal principles, we may command the best talents and skill, not only of our own country, but of Europe. And it is believed that our manufac tures already need but to be known to secure that encouragement. The whole mind of the successful workman is devoted to his business, in order to improve the quality of his goods and facilitate their production. It requires another sort of enterprise to bring the products of his labor into notice. Here the merchant steps in and finds a market for his goods, and by the distribution of them relieves the wants both of the producer and consumer. It is useless to enlarge on this point. The annual exhibition is designed to bring into favorable notice, the actual manufactures of the country, especially those of the West. It appears that this has not generally been understood among the mechanics! Not one third of the manufactures of the city have yet been represented at the Fair, in consequence, it is believed, of the want of correct information in relation to the design of the Institute. It is not the purpose of its exhibition, to make a "show" of the most highly finished work; but to exhibit fair specimens of our best productions-such as we keep in the shops for sale. The fair is designed to bring together the manufacturers and make them acquainted with each other, to exhibit the different styles of work, side by side, where they can be compared and contrasted, and where the whole people can have an opportunity of forming an estimate of the skill and enterprise, and resources of the community in which they live. Here, too, young artizans are brought forward and stimulated to redoubled exertion for their own improvement, and the advancement of their pursuits. Cincinnati contains a fair proportion of the most skillful workmen of the United States and Europe. We have, therefore, the advantage, not only of our own native talents, but those of nearly the whole world. We can, therefore, compete with any country, in the manufacture of all that our soil, and rivers, and mountains afford. A comparison of the fabrics exhibited at the Fair, with those of last year, will show that a manifest improvement has been made in the quality and finish of most of those articles which were brought forward on both occasions; and it can hardly be doubted that the continuance of the annual Fairs will have a tendency to carry our artizans forward to perfection in their arts, more than any other circumstance whatever. G. C. MILLER, G. MUSCROFT, J. BONSALL, S. H. TAFT. REPORT OF COMMITTEES. CUT GLASS. The committee appointed to report on Glassware have examined several specimens of Ornamental Window Glass exhibited by the manufacturers, Coulter and Finnigan. This appears to be a new article, and one which affords every variety of ornament for Sheet Glass, by grinding into it such figures and ornaments as the imagination may dictate. For fancy work in Steamboats or Cabinet Furniture, where Glass is required, nothing can be more beautiful. Your committee, therefore award to the Firm a certificate for the different panes of Glass exhibited. G. GRAHAM, JR. Cincinnati, June 22, 1839. CARPETING. The undersigned, committee on Carpeting exhibited at the Second Annual Fair of the Mechanics' Institute of Cincinnati, take pleasure in saying, that one piece of fine and one of superfine Ingrained Carpeting, manufactured by the Dayton Company, although not equal to some we have seen from the same establishment, reflect much credit upon the growing manufacturing interest of the West. Also, in relation to the one piece Venitian, made at Dayton, and one piece made at Messrs. G. W. and J. C. Geisendorff's Factory, recently established in this City, we would observe, that for brilliancy and arrangement of colors, and for strength and firmness of texture, they are, in our opinion, equal to any we have seen made east of the mountains. THURSTON CRANE, Cincinnati, June 22, 1836. |