About the Tariff of 1846 and the Iron Industry
Pittsburgh Daily Post, 28 Nov 1849, Wed, Page 2
Tariff of ’46 – Judge Dempsey – We considered Mr. Post, of New Jersey, the leading man in the Iron Convention. Judge Dempsey of Hanging Rock, [Ohio] was the first assistant leader.
Judge D. is a native of Fayette county, Pa. April last, he addressed a letter to one of his companions, about the progress and prosperity of the Iron interest, at Hanging Rock, Ohio, his present home.
That letter we copy below. It seems that Judge Dempsey, in fifteen years, amassed over one hundred thousand dollars in the business. Since he was a delegate in the Convention assembled in this city last, we presume he is not satisfied with the little sum he has acquired. A stir is reported to have said that s man worth one hundred thousand dollars was as well off as though he was rich. But Judge D. has not yet realized the truth of Astor’s assertion. He wishes for more; Therefore, he is anxious about far more duties on iron.
But we refer to the letter as evidence of the truth of the declaration of the Democrats that the present Tariff is sufficiently protective. Look at the enormous fortunes gathered by the employers during a few short years since the adoption of the Tariff Law in question. One man at Hanging Rock was worth last April, $200,000 and only beginning to make money. But we will allow the reader to comment for himself. Study the facts contained in the letter carefully.
Andrew Dempsey Letter
Hanging Rock, Lawrence Co., Ohio, April 26, 1846
Dear Sir: Having been raised in your county, I deem it no intrusion on your time to give you some concise information about some men and boys who left Fayette county several years ago and settled in this Iron Ore county of Ohio – and of whom at this date after a lapse of seven to sixteen years you and their other friends may have lost sight of and of whose whereabouts you may be ignorant.
Robert Hamilton
I shall begin with Robert Hamilton, a bashful, timid lad who was certainly the longest-in-being man of almost any boy I ever knew. He removed to this county some 18 years ago, with scarcely any means, and commenced, with two partners, in the Blast Furnace business. He is a highly respectable man, worth one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. He has the credit of having started several young men in business who had previously worked in his employ, all of whom are doing well.
I shall continue my sketch with Robert B. Hamilton, who came to this county some years later and began as a keeper of a Furnace Store, of which he was afterward Clerk and Manager. He is now worth not less than seventy- five thousand dollars.
James Richey, Samuel George & Wm. Wurtz
James Richey came here at a still later period and while quite young. In a few years, he has made from twenty-five to thirty thousand dollars and is yet making money fast.
After him came George, Samuel, and William Wurtz, bringing good business qualifications but no money or property. They are now worth, on an average, thirty thousand dollars each and continue to roll their balls very rapidly – indeed, I may say, they are just beginning to make money.
John Culbertson
John Culbertson, who reached here “not worth the powder that would blow him up,” finds himself worth thirty to thirty-five thousand dollars after a few years of close application and is now going ahead like a railroad car.
John Peters
Then followed John Peters, whom I knew well when I was 12. He was unquestionably the idlest, not lazy, stippling of that age, of whom I had any former knowledge. The prospect of becoming an active businessman or a good working man seemed hopeless. But he, too, in a few short years, has realized a fortune of forty thousand dollars in this region of industry and thrift and is still adding dollar to dollar daily.
Each of the individuals mentioned earlier is from the vicinity of Connellsville, in your county, and is more worthy. Highly respectable gentlemen cannot be found anywhere, leaving religion out of the calculation. Some of their numbers even hope that they have obtained true riches,” the pearl of great price,” and that they are really and truly Christians.
On this point, however, some may have doubts. They may look upon a business table, where competence and even a dazzling fortune are acquired in so short a period, as little better than a gaming table and as inconsistent with genuine vital piety. Still, without pretending to go into an argument on the subject, it is perhaps possible. I may express the opinion with great confidence that all the persons mentioned earlier would have continued poor had they remained in your county instead of following the star of fortune which led them here. This writer labored in Fayette county for 24 years and left it a poor man.
Many men here from other parts of the country other than Fayette have done as well, and some even better than those alluded to. I will, however, mention one instance of the success of those not known by your citizens.
John Campbell
John Campbell
Mr. John Campbell came to this county some 16 years ago without means, and, indeed, many looking through the corner of one eye only said he was too soft, too green, ever to succeed in the Iron Business: but all who said or thought so have been most agreeably mistaken. He has exhibited more forecast and energy than any other Iron Man here and now stands at the head of the Iron Business in this region.
He has an annual income of at least $20,000 and a character for liberality and respectability as high as any other gentleman in this country, with all at home or abroad who knew him well. Although he must now be worth over $200,000, he may be said to be only beginning to make money.
Yours, ANDREW DEMPSEY.
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