MASSACHUSETTS-HER PRODUCTIVE ENERGIES AND SPIRIT. "There is still another view of this great subject. William Farr, Esq., one of the ablest writers on Vital Statistics of the age, stated in McCulloch's Statistical Account of the British Empire, that when one person in a hundred dies annually, two are constantly sick; although this exact relation is, perhaps, not preserved in infancy and old age, or where the rate of mortality deviates from the standard, it may be safely assumed as a near approximation to the truth.' This principle may be more simply expressed thus: the proportion of persons constantly sick in a population, is double the annual proportion per cent. which the deaths bear to the living in that population. According to the esti mate already given, the proportion of deaths to the population in Massachusetts was one in fifty-seven, or 1.75 per cent. Double this percentage, and we have 3.5 as the proportion per cent.; and this proportion of 800,000 is 28,000, the actual number constantly sick in this state. "Sickness occasions a twofold loss; one for the time and labor of the sick, and the other for the nursing, medical attendance, medicine, and other expenses, which they require. The first may be estimated at $50, and the second at $150, or $200 per annum for both, which, multiplied by 28,000, gives a total annual loss by sickness of $5,600,000! It is supposed that half of this sickness is preventable, and that half of this enormous sum might be saved if the laws of health were properly understood and obeyed. "We might save then By diminishing the mortality of .$7,150,000 eight banks was.... eight banks.. Loans on Bank Stock... terest. Loans on Railroad Stock... Estate... Loans to County or Town.... dividend for last year, 4 tions.. 62,893 $10,680,933 10 1,890,525 93 19,500 00 1,909,620 72 149,256 50 94,520 61 14,800 00 232,538 75 90,884 22 3,757,262 80 345,443 10 29,306 69 7. Insurance Returns.-We have three of these annual publications. 8. The Agricultural Reports we have already particularly referred to in previous pages of this number. We have several of them, which embrace a variety of the most interesting information. "This amounts in ten years to $71,500,000, or about one quarter of all the property of the Commonwealth, according to the valua tion of 1840!" 9. We might properly conclude with the Manufactures of Massachusetts. None of the Reports are complete enough in this particular. It would be a source of great satisfaction to $600,000 know the annual average profits now and We should learn the uses out the state. 3,750,000 hitherto in that species of industry through2,800,000 or abuses of the protective system, and determine how far it is necessary among us. We had the satisfaction of visiting Lowell a short time since, the most important manufacturing town in New-England, and which consumes about one sixth of all the cotton manufactured in this country. The history of is worthy of study. It has grown in an amazthis remarkable city, prepared by Mr. Miles, 6. The Banking System of Massachusetts ing ratio. Scarcely more than twenty years It would have passed since the manufacturing system Mr. Miles is on the most enlarged scale. seem as if the people of that Commonwealth was opened there on a scale of any promise. bad the most unlimited confidence in this spe- We know its present stature. cies of investment. The Legislature requires states the semi annual dividends of the coman annual statement of the condition of all panies to be frequently ten per cent. for six these banks, and we have before us several months, or thus doubling the capital in five a mint of wealth exists here, and the fortunes of thee annual publications. The number of years! It may be gathered from this what of Massachusetts manufacturers. Hence the Savings Institutions in 1846 was thirty-eight; secret of Boston's greatness. their condition, &c., were as follows:* We are indebted for this summary to a handsome volume, the Massachusetts State Record, 1847, com- us a copy. It is made from the returns to the Secrepiled by Nahum Capen, Esq., who kindly furnished tary of State. 20,000 spindles, and 400 looms. The driving power for the latter will be a steam engine, of 160 horse power, which is being put in. "Other manufactures are produced in the city than those specified above, of a value of $800,000, employing a capital of $310,750, and about 1,000 hands." "The Lowell Machine-shop, included among 23,424 spindles, and 640 looms. The other, the above mills, can furnish machinery com- built by the Hamilton Company, will complete for a mill of 6,000 spindles in three mence with 10,368 spindles, and 260 looms, months, and a mill can bebuiltinthesametime. but is of sufficient capacity to contain nearly "An important undertaking, eventually to redound to the interest and wealth of the city, is the building of the new canal. It is destined to give to most of the mills on the lower level a more regular supply of water, and consequently benefit those on the upper level. It is to be of an average width of 100 feet, and a depth of 15 feet. It will require, in its construction, a rock excavation of 150,000 yards, an earth excavation of 110,000 yards, and a mass of masonry of 50,000 yards; the whole estimated at an expense of $500,000. "In the course of a few months two new cotton mills will be in operation. The one, built by the Merrimack Company, to contain Total manufacturing capital of Lowell, $11,490,000. Total females employed, 7,915; total males, 3,340. Consumption in factories, about 50,000 tons of coal, 5,000 cords of wood, 100,000 gallons of oil, 1,000,000 pounds of starch, 765 barrels of flour. Population of Lowell, 1828, 3,532; 1846, 28,841. (See Boston.) MOBILE-COMMERCE OF, 1850-185I. Exports of Sawed Lumber from this Pors since September 1st, 1850. Comparative Exports of Staves from this Port for four years, to date. Comparative Exports of Sawed Lumber from this Port for five years, to date. ARTICLES. Timber, pieces...... Spars Masts Coastwise... Total... .... Exports of Timber, &c., from this Port since September 1st, 1850, to date. Other ports. Coastwise. 250924 334718 4739783 .... 264189 190308 4499286 .... 7293896 .... 7619093 5734134 3597253 302 .... .... 59 88317 6000 61 95877 1891 295000 Statement of the Value of Imports and Du-Total amount of imports...... THIRD QUARTER, 1850. FOURTH QUARTER, 1850. FIRST QUARTER, 1851. France. U. States. 1851..250118...46005...26378... 96029 1850..162189...39978...11927...111452 1849..290836...63290...44525...140993 1848..228329...61812...29070...120350 76,069 1847 ..131156...39293...19784...116674 84,360 1846..208047...66821...26824...115164 1845..269037...68789...52811...130701 $160,429 1844..204242...49611...15885...195714 1843..285029...53645...26903...113768 Comparative Receipts, Exports, and Stocks of Receipts. Total imports.. $124,255 1851....... Exports, .433646....418525....27797 Stocks. Amount of duties collected, $33,566 44. SECOND QUARTER, 1851.. Value of imports, dutiable...... Value of imports, free... Total imports. Amount of duties col'd, $33,417 40. 1843.........479744....479345.... 790 COTTON TRADE Comparative View of the Foreign Exports, Re- YEARS. 1851. 1850. 1849. 1848. and during even the winter months is trying to the constitution from the many and sudden changes that occur. The spring and fall are delightful seasons. During the coldest wea ther in winter the ground is but seldom frozen. Most rain, I think, falls in December and To Great Britain...1413733 1085235 1533331 1311274 January, and June and July. France.. Other Foreign 295205 282397 367071 276940 Ports..... 268900 188929 320143 254145 Total bales...1977838 1556561 2220545 1842359 MOBILE-TOPOGRAPHY, SANATORY CONDITION AND VITAL STATISTICS OF MOBILE, ALA.-Mobile is situated on the west bank of the Mobile River, just before it empties itself into the Mobile Bay. The site is but slightly elevated above the level of the river, but sufficiently so for all purposes of convenient drainage. The soil is dry and sandy. Immediately opposite the city, on the east, is a large low island, covered with high grass and rushes, and known as the "Marsh." Immediately above the city, on the north, is a large swamp, extending along the banks of the river. Back of the city, on the north-west, west and south, the dry, sandy pine-hills commence, affording delightful and healthy retreats from the heat, sickness and annoyances of the city, during the summer; and thus have sprung up the pleasant villages of Toulminville, Spring Hill, Cottage Hill, Summerville and Fulton. South of the city, the shores of the bay are dotted for many miles with the residences of our citizens. These spots have been found usually exempt from the visitations of epidemic disease. The city is not compactly built, except in the portions occupied by the commercial and business houses. There are in Mobile two hospitals, large, commodious, and well-ventilated buildings, situated in the western part of the city,the United States Marine Hospital, and the City Hospital. They are each capable of accommodating between two and three hundred patients. Their location is an admirable one, being situated on a dry, elevated spot, with but little near them to obstruct the breezes from the bay. There are several institutions of a charitable character in the city, among which may be mentioned the Catholic and Protestant Orphan Asylums; the Benevolent Society, which, besides other objects of charity, has charge of the destitute widows of the city; and the Samaritan Society, which does an immense deal towards alleviating the suffering and distress of the indigent poor. The want of a lunatic asylum and a workhouse is sadly felt, and the urgent necessity for such institutions is becoming more and more apparent each year. There are three cemeteries, which, from their location, can exert but little influence upon the public health. The sanatory condition of the city has undoubtedly improved within the last few years. For many years Mobile enjoyed the unenviable reputation of being a very unhealthy place, and the devastating epidemics of 1819, 25, '29, '37, '39, and '43, in truth, gave a coloring to this accusation. Since the lastmentioned year there has been no severe visitation from the destroyer. We may aeThe streets generally are wide, and run count for this, in some measure, by the fact mostly north and south, east and west. Much that the wet, muddy morasses, filled with attention, of late years, has been paid to plant-rushes and stubble cane, which, until 1843, ing shade trees along the pavements, and the occupied nearly the entire northern portion comfort, and probably the health of the city of the city, have been filled in, and their is much improved thereby. places are now the sites of large cotton wareThe prevailing winds, during the winter houses and presses; a better system of drainmonths, are the north and north-east. From the middle of April, (at which time the warm spring weather commences,) the south winds, cool, refreshing, and laden with the moisture of the extensive waters of the gulf and bay, make the heat quite endurable. No system of under-ground drainage has ever been attempted in Mobile. From the light and porous character of the soil, however, the streets soon dry after the heaviest fall of rain. age has been resorted to in the principal streets; and, lastly, more exertion has been made by the municipal officers to carry into effect the prudent suggestions of the Board of Health. There are but very few deaths that occur from any of the usual forms of endemic fever; in fact, the diseases of that character seem to have lost almost entirely the dread which a few years since they inspired. The greatest mortality for the last four or five years back, The city is supplied with good spring water has been from enteric affections. The deaths through the City Water Works, from a stream from diarrhoea and dysentery have exceeded some few miles distant. The climate of greatly the mortality from any other disease Mobile is warm and relaxing to the energies, of an acute character. These diseases have New-York, 19 Philadelphia, 27 New-Orleans, 15 Mobile, แ 32 During this period the yellow fever pre vailed but one season, the summer and autumn of 1847, and there were seventy-six deaths from the disease that year. In 1848 and 1849, the cholera and its kindred affections swelled the mortality somewhat. The scarlet fever, during the winter of 1848 and 1849, and the spring of 1849, prevailed to a great extent, and numbered among its victims many adults. The mortality from this disease in 1848 was seventy-five; in 1849 the to 1850, inclusive: mortality from the same cause was fifty. These remarks will explain the large ap- Males....279 324 396 parent increase in the mortality in 1848 and Females..163 159 212 1849. In 1850 there was no epidemic of a Thus showing that the percentage of deaths s actually less in Mobile than in any of the named American cities. The annexed table will show the number of each class-whites and blacks, males and females-who have died in Mobile from 1845 1845. 1846. 1847 1848. 1849. 1850, Total. fatal character. The dengue fever prevailed Whites....320 339 443 536 580 396 2511 267 329 220 1350 566 637 433 2728 239 278 173 1131 Total...442 483 608 805 910 611 8859 In 1845, with a population of 12,000, and a mortality of 442, the deaths were 36 5-6 One is struck immediately with the great in every thousand living; in 1850, with a disproportion exhibited by this table, between population of 20,000, and a mortality of 611, the mortality of the males and females. the deaths were 30 in every thousand living. Very nearly the same disproportion probably These two years were both considered healthy exists in the relative population, and the years. There was no epidemic visitation greater degree of exposure and the various either year of a fatal character; we may, excesses committed by the males, will probtherefore, infer from these facts, that the ably account for much of the excess. MOBILE-STATISTICAL HISTORY OF. MADE UP FROM OFFICIAL SOURCES, BY WM. D. HOLLEY, F. G. KIMBALL, AND |