T 499 A^^ ^-*-^ -*-^-^--^-^-^-^-^^ A MEMORIAL FROM THH CITIZENS OF COLUMBUS, ON THB SUBJECT OF AN ARMORY AND ARSENAL, TO BE ESTABLISHED BY THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT COLUMBUS, OHIO. COLUMBUS: RICHARD NEVINS, PRINTER. 1862. lass took , Gl C"j SMITHSONIAN HU'OSIT A MEMORIAL FROM THE CITIZENS OF COLUMBUS, ON THE SUBJECT OF AN ARMORY. AND ARSENAL, ESTABLISHED BY THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT COLUMBUS, OHIO. ■r\ 1 1 » n - COLUMBUS: RICHARD NEVINS, PRINTER. 1SG2. MEMORIAL. To the Senate and House of Representatives, in Congress assembled: Your memorialists were gratified to receive a copy of House Bill No. 3-16, of the 2nd session of the 37th Congress, the 4th section of which is contained in the following words, viz : " And be it further enacted, That the sum of five hundred thou- sand dollars be, and the same is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the purchase of the necessary ground, establishment and con- struction of a National armory and arsenal, at the city of Columbus, in the State of Ohio, and procurement of the neces- sary buildings, power, machiner} 7 , and tools for the same: Provided, That the cost of the same shall not exceed the amount herein appropriated." Your memorialists are of opinion that the fact that the situ- ation of Columbus suggested itself to the mind of the author of the bill as being an eligible and desirable point for the location of a National armory and arsenal, should have been sufficient to insure the location at this point. But since other points have submitted for your approval the claims of their several localities, it may not be improper to state, somewhat in detail, the claims of the city of Columbus. In locating an establishment of the description indicated in the bill, your memorialists are of opinion that a National armory and arsenal should be located so as to subserve mili- tary purposes, and, consequently, the general welfare. It should, therefore, be located at such a point where it could command the utmost facilities of transportation to the large region of country to be supplied — where the most ample ma- terials for the manufacture of arms could be readily obtained and at the lowest rates ; whilst at the same time the establish- ment itself should be so geographically situated that it could not readily be taken by, or be permitted to fall into the hands of, an invading enemy. Should the establishment be located at any point on the. southern shore of Lake Erie and a war with Great Britain ensue, a hostile fleet, of iron clad steamers from Toronto or Port Stanley, or any other Canadian port, might shell and destroy the town, and take possession of the entire establish- ment. Should it be located at Cincinnati ; and Kentucky, from causes beyond control, become the border battle ground of a foe domestic or foreign, it is much more probable that the establishment would be captured and sacked, than if located at Columbus — a point about equidistant from Cleveland or Sandusky and Cincinnati. Nor should it be forgotten, nor the lessons of experience be ignored, that " in the canker of a calm world and a long peace" — " disturbances that do beget themselves" render pub- lic property less secure in very large cities than in smaller ones. The capital of a State is always the repository of the archives of the State, and is the point which is always most zealously defended by the soldiery or citizens of the State. The fact that Columbus is less likely to be attacked by an invading foe than cither Cleveland or Cincinnati, gives it the preference of location on that account, should other and surrounding cir- cumstances be equal. Columbus is, bj the constitution and laws, the head-quar- ters of the Commander-inCnief of the Ohio military forces. This being the fact, troops can be armed much more readily and with less expense at Columbus than at any point on the border of the State. The experience of the past twelve months has shown a large saving to the government in the way of transportation, by arming the Onio volunteers at Columbus, and an additional saving would have been made had all the arms needed by these troops been at Columbus. There is, there- fore, an especial propriety in locating the establishment where it can be under the immediate surveillance of the Commander- in-Chief. The country to be supplied from a National arsenal, located at Columbus, may be safely estimated to extend over a region of 800 miles in every direction. With Columbus as a centre, and a radius of 300 miles, the inscribed circle will embrace — 1st. All of Kentucky east of the Cumberland river. 2nd. All of that portion of Tennessee ljing between Ft. Henry, Nashville, and to a point 60 miles south of Knoxville ; thence nearly due east to the North Carolina line. 3rd. The north-west portion of North Carolina. •4th. All of Virginia lying west of a line drawn through the point where the 80th degree of longitude crosses the 36th parallel of latitude, to Washington City ; from thence to Bal- timore, including oi ii. All of Maryland west of Baltimore. 6„u. All of Pennsylvania lying west of Harrisburg, Pa. 6 7th. All of New York Iving west of Seneca Lake, embra- cing half of Lake Ontario, half of Lake Simcoe, (in Canada) Nottawasaga Bay in Canada, half of Lake Huron. 8th. All of Michigan. 9th. All of Indiana. 10th. All of Illinois lying east of the 89th degree of longi- tude, commencing on the 42nd parallel of latitude; thence south through Springfield to the mouth of the Cumberland river. Making an area embracing 282,744 square miles. This area embraces a population of 10,994,897, according to the census ot 18C0, exclusive of that portion of Canada embraced within its limits. This population is as follows : 1st. In the included portion of Kentucky 1,074,083 2d. " < ; " Tennessee 528,489 3d. " " " North Carolina 205,921 4th. " " " Virginia 1,092,172 5th. " " " Maryland 290,084 6th. " " " Pennsylvania 1,333,790 7th. " " " New York 701,139 8th. ' ; « » Wisconsin 188,084 9th. " " " Illinois 1,079,845 10th. The entire population of Ohio 2,339,599 11th. " « Indiana 1.350,479 12th. " » Michigan 749,112 10,994,397 In the following measurement of distances from Columbus to the several points indicated, the actual distance by railroad or steamboat has been accepted instead of the radial lines : Miles by railroad. From Columbus to St. Louis 442 '' " Nashville 442 " " Baltimore 513 " " Chicago 372 " " Pittsburg 222 " Ilarrisbiirg 409 " " Lexington 219 " " Louisville 250 " " Wheeling 157 " " Cairo 397 " Detroit 277 " " Indianapolis 180 " " Springfield, 111 404 " " Madison, Wis 503 From this statement, it is very manifest, that in from 12 to 24 hours, arms can be transported from Columbus to almost any point embraced within the territory before described. FACILITIES FOE TRANSPORTATION. Columbus is so situated that there is not a single county in the State that cannot be reached in the evening, by leaving the city in the morning. It is situated and forms one fo the termini of the following roads, viz : 1. Cleveland and Columbus. 2. Columbus, Xenia and Little Miami. -'!. Columbus and Piqua. 4. Steubenville, Columbus and Indiana. 5. Central Ohio. 6. Dayton, Xenia and Belprc. l>y canal from Columbus, it connects with the Ohio and Erie Canal, through which it can reach Cleveland on the Lake, the Ohio River at Beaver, Pa. ; at Marietta, and Portsmouth, O. Arms and munitions of war can be shipped from Columbus, by canal, to Erie, Pa., Beaver, "Wells ville, Marietta, Ports- mouth and all points on the Ohio River, as well as to Lake Erie. Ohio has 900 miles of canal in good navigable order, and over oOOO miles of railroads in actual running condition. The facilities for transportation are not excelled by any other State in the Union ; nor is the city of Columbus excelled by any other point in Ohio in this respect. Should a war be immi- nent on the southern border of the State, troops can leave home from all parts of the State in the morning, be in Colum- bus in the evening, there armed, and by midnight be in Cin- cinnati. Should Cleveland or the northern border be threat- ened, the troop3 could be armed and dispatched, during the same lapse of time, to Cleveland, or any point between it and Erie, Pa., to Sandusky, or Toledo; and the same remark applies to hostile forces on the eastern border. This fact can not certainly be unimportant, in the judgment of your honor- able body. With the well-known fact that St. Louis, Springfield, 111., Chicago, Nashville, Baltimore, and Albany, N. Y., are within twenty-four hours' time of railroad travel, and that there are railroads, well ordered and equipped, making daily trips to these points, your memorialists are of opinion that all is said which a judgment, not fastidious, could require. It may not be improper to state another fact in this place, viz. : The dividing line of the population of the United States, in a north and south direction, passes through the territory of Ohio, near to, and south of Marietta, about 70 miles east of Columbus. Situated between the lakes of the North and the mountains of the South, all the great streams of migration and trade pass through the territory of the State of Ohio. She is, therefore, for all practical purposes of an armory, as central as any other State. MATERIALS. Another important consideration is the facility of obtaining ample materials for the manufacture of arms. The area of supply — which we have estimated at 300 miles in every direction from Columbus — includes the great Alle- gheny coal field, computed by geologists to have an area of at least 50,000 square miles of good mineable, bituminous coal. A considerable portion of this coal basin extends over the eastern half and south-eastern portions of Ohio, and extends, in a range parallel with the Allegheny Mountains, into Ala- bama, where it disappears beneath the cretaceous formation. The Michigan coal field is computed at 12,000 square miles, 9 producing coal of good quality. The Illinois coal basin covers an area of about 40,000 square miles; of which 25,000 square miles are included in the area under consideration, of which Columbus is the centre. Of all these coal fields or basins, that of the Allegheny is decidedly the best for manufacturing purposes; and it is esti- mated, by competent authorities, that at least 40,000 square miles of this field are accessible to Columbus by slack water, canal, and railroad. Millions of tons of coal arc mined annu- ally in this field, and are delivered in Columbus at prices vary- ing from $1.50 to $1.75 per ton of 28 bushels. This area abounds in all the minerals used in the arts and manufactures; as, for example, exhaustless deposits of iron ore, saline formations, lime of many formations — from those of the lower silurian to those of the upper carboniferous ; con- sequently lime of all qualities are very accessible, Columbus being, in fact, based upon and surrounded by the latter strata. There are exhaustless deposits of gypsum in the vicinity of Erie, Sandusky and Ottawa counties, in Ohio. Strontian Island in Lake Erie, embracing 15 acres, is almost wholly a deposit of sulphate of baryta and strontia — two minerals ex- tensively employed in the arts. In various portions of the State are considerable deposits of the black oxyd of manga- nese. The silicious deposits in the vicinity of Berea, Cuya- hoga county, Ohio, Holmes county, Ohio, and Port Huron, Michigan, produce the finest grindstones in the world. The deposit of Waverly sandstone in Pike county, Ohio, and a similar deposit in Cuyahoga county, are in almost exhaustless formations, and comprise some of the best material for build- ing and other economic purposes. The mineral regions of Michigan, included in this area, are almost too well known to need any description or cnumera- 10 tion ; they consist of exhaustless quantities of copper, lead, nickel, strontia, baryta, and almost all other metals generally found in primitive formations. So far as Ohio is concerned, in I860 there were 59 furnaces in blast, which produced 105,500 tons of pig iron, valued at $3,171,000, and employed fully 5000 hands. Daring the same year there were fully 50,000,000 bushels of coal mined, worth $3,000,000, and employing 7000 hands. During the same year upwards of 2,000,000 bushels of salt were manufactured. Pig-Iron can be purchased in Columbus at as low figures, and on as reasonable terms, as at either Pittsburg or Cincin- nati. It sold during the season, in large lots, at $18.00 per t m, and as the demand for it increases, as new furnaces are erected, and superior methods of manufacture obtained and developed, competition will supervene, and reduce the price, even below the above-named figure. Bar Iron, rolled in Columbus, is, and will at all times be, furnished at Pittsburg invoice prices. Ciiarcoal can be obtained in any required quantities at three to five cents per bushel, according to the quality of the wood from which it is made. Black Walnut Lumber, select, is sold at $1.00 to $1.25 per 100 feet. Superior second growth ash and oak lumber is sold at the same rates. Lime-Stone is sold at $1.00 per perch of 25 cubic feet. Lime is worth six to eight cents per bushel. Brick, of good quality for building purposes, at $2.75 to $3 00 per 1000. Ordinary oak lumber, for building purposes, at 75 to $1.00 per 100 feet. There are several deposits of "fire-clay" in the State; and in the Muskingum valley is an extensive deposit of calcareo 11 silicious, or buhr-stone formation, which, in early days, wa3 used instead of the French buhr mill-stones. MOTIVE POWER. So far as immediate motive power for manufacturing pur- poses is concerned, your memorialists beg permission to say that there are now in Columbus over one hundred steam engines in operation, giving employment to two thousand workmen. There are also in successful operation a large rolling-mill, several foundries and machine shops, a large plane iy, woolen-mill, a tile factory, saw factory, brass foundery, several furniture factories, a large agricultural implement establishment, a large and extensive tool factory, a paper mill ( &c., &c. This area includes, in quantities which cannot be consumed in one thousand years, in the ordinary course of manufactures, the very choicest varieties of timber trees — from the softest deciduous and coniferous trees up to the hardest timber of the northern portion of the Temperate Zone. Black walnut and maple, so much used in the manufacture of musket and rifle stocks, are especially abundant. Hickory and the best of oaks abound everywhere. Ohio has yet 10,000,000 of acres of the b\st forest trees on the continent, and is the only Western State in which timber, for economic purposes of a second growth, can be obtained. Annexed is a list of the iudi^enous forest trees of Ohio. 12 List of Native Forest Trees in Ohio. BOTANICAL NAME. Magnolia acuminata. L Liriodendron tulipifera. L Anona triloba. L Xantholum Americanum. Mill.. Ptelia trifoliata. L , Rhus typhnia. L " glabra. L , " venenata. J). C , Tilia Americana. 7, , Vitis labrusca. L , " aestivalis. Michx " cordifolia. Michx Acer saccbarinum. Wang " var nigrum. Michx " dasycarpuin. Ehr " rubrum. L " Pennsylvanicum. L Negundo aceroides. Moench /Esculus glabra. Willd " fiava. Alton , Robinia pscudoacacia Cercis Canadensis , (lymnocladus Canadensis. Lam Gleditscia triacanthos. L Prunus Americana. Marsh Cerasus Pennsylvanica. Loisel. " Virginiana. IK 0. " serotina. B.C. Pyrus coronaria. X Crataegus crus-galli. L " coccinea. L " tomentosa. L " punctata. Juss " flava. Ait Amelancliier Canadensis. T.§G Cornus alternifolia. L " Florida. L Nyssa multiflora. Wttng Kalmia latifolia. L Rhododendron maximum. L Oxydendron atboreum. J). C... Liospyros Virginiana Catalpa bignonioides. Walt Chionauthus Virginica. L Fraxinus Americanus. L POPULAR NAME. Cucumber tree Whitewood, Poplar, Tulip-tree Papaw Prickly Ash Shrubby Trefoil Staghorn Sumach Smooth Sumach Poison Sumach Lime, Easswood Northern Fox Grape.. Sum mer Grape Winter or b'rost Grape Sugar Maple Black Maple White or Soft Maple.. Red or Swamp Maple Striped Maple Ash-leaved Maple, Box Elder Ohio Buckeye Big or Sweet Buckeye Common Eocust Red Bud, Judas-tree.. Coffee-tree Honey Locust Wild, Yellow, or Red Plum Wild Red Cherry Choke Cherry Wild Black Cherry... Sweet-scented Crab- Apple Coekspur Hawthorn.. Scarlet-fruited Thorn Downy-leaved or Black Thorn Dotted Thorn Dwarf Thorn Shad or Juneberry ... Green Dogwood Flowering Dogwood... Black or Sour Gum, Pepperidge Mountain Laurel Great Laurel Sorel- tree Persimmon-tree Catalpa Fringe- tree White Ash so 140 25 ■20 30 20 20 70 vine 80 WHERE MOST ABUNDANT. Ohio. Tennessee. Tennessee. Ohio. Tennessee. All. All. Mississippi. Carolinas. All. Ohio. Ohio. Canada. All. Ohio. Canada. Carolinas. Ohio. Ohio. Mississippi. Tennessee. Ohio. Ohio. Tennessee. Ohio. Canada. Ohio. Ohio. Ohio. All. Ohio. Ohio. Ohio. Carolinas. N. Ohio. All. Tennessee. Carolinas. (7 ) All. All. Tennessee. Mississippi. Mississippi. Carolinas. Canada. 13 List of Native Forest Trees in Ohio — Continued. BOTANICAL NAME. POPULAR NAME. 7\ WHERE All 1ST ABUNDANT. Red Ash 60 40 70 70 50 liO 80 GO 70 70 SO CO 80 'JO 80 75 50 80 40 60 70 70 100 50 40 40 GO 50 30 90 80 Ml f> SO 40 90 30 40 70 70 80 All. juglandifolia. Lam.... quadrangulata. Michx. " sambucifolia. Lam .... Green Ash Tennessee. Blue Ash Ohio. Black or Water Ash.. Sassafras Canada. Tennessee. Slippery Elm Ohio. White Kim Canada. Cork Elm Ohio. Hackberry, Sugar- Tennessee. American Red Mul- Ohio. Plantanus occidentals. Linn ... Sycamorq, Button- Ohio. All. Black Walnut Ohio. Carya alba. A'uit Shag-bark Hickory... Thick Shell-bark " All. Tennessee. " tonientosa. Nutt Mockernut, \\ li i t c- Water or Small-fruit- Ohio. Mississippi. Tennessee. But ternut Hickory... Nutmeg Hickory Overcup or Burr Oak (i it White Oak Tennessee. myristicaeformis. Michx. Mississippi. Ohio. Ohio. alba. /. All. Post or Iron Oak Swamp Chestnut Oak Swamp White Oak.... Yellow Chestnut Oak Rock Chestnut Oak... Laurel, Shingle Oak.. Black Jack (')ak Black or Yellow Oak. Scarlet Oak Tennessee. Mississ'i>i.( 7 ) Ohio.(?) Tennessee. Tennessee. Tennessee. var. discolor. Michx " var. monticola. Michx.. " imbricaria. Michx " coccinea. Wang All. Red Oak Swamp Spanish or Tin Oak Tennessee. Chinquapin, Dwarf American Chestnut ... Castanea Americana. Linn Ohio. Tennessee. Mississippi. [ronwood, Hornbeam ( 'arpinus Americana. Michx Canada. Red or River Birch... All. lenta. L ' Sweet or Black Bird All. 14 List of Native Forest Trees in Ohio — Continued. BOTANICAL NAME. POPULAR NAME. WHERE MOST ABUNDANT. Black AVillow 20 85 20 50 40 70 80 80 80 50 20 40 70 100 80 100 80 50 20? Ath.(?) Tennessee. (? I Athab. " grandidentata. Mlclix... Ath. Alston. West. " var. Canadensis. Michx. Angled Cottonwood... Ohio. Mississippi. Athab. All. Athab. All. All. White Pine Canada. Canada. White Cedar Athab. All.(?) Algon. AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. There cannot be found on the continent of America, another area of equal extent of the one under consideration which will equal it in agricultural products. This area embraces the -wheat region of the United States. The soil throughout this entire area rests immediately upon the carboniferous and other series below it in a descending geological scale, gives to it as a necessary consequence all the essential elements and ingre- dients of a grain-producing region. In 1850, Ohio alone pro- duced one-seventh of all the wheat grown in the United States — and as much as the entire aggregate of the Slave States. In Ohio, the aggregate crops of wheat and corn dur- ing eleven years (1850 to 1860 inclusive) were as follows : 15 Aggregate Crops of Wheat and Corn during Eleven Years. Year. Corn, bushel*. Wheat, bushels. Aggregate bushel*. 1850 65,500,000 61,171. 82 58,165,517 73,436,090 52,171.- 51 87,587,434 57,802,515 82,555,186 50,863,582 68,730,846 91,58! ,704 32,700,000 25,309,225 22,962,774 17,118,311 11,819,1 lu 19,569,320 15,333,837 25,397,614 17,65 13,347,967 23,641 98,200,000 1851 86,480,507 L852 81,128,291 is:,:; 90,554, iol 1854 63,990,661 1S55 1! 17, lor,. 751 1856 73,136,852 1S57 107,952,800 1858 68,519,065 1859 82,078,803 1860 1 L5,229,060 749,522,697 224,853,997 974,376,694 Average annual crop 68,13 •J!». Ml. 277 88,570,608 Of Oats. — We do not know the products quite as accu- rately as we do that of corn and wheat, for we have only had the State statistics during the last four years. Taking these with the United States census of 1810 and 1S50 (the crops being those of the previous years,) we have these results : In 1889. In 1849. In 1857. lu 1858. h. L859. Iu I860. Acres. Product. 14,393,103 13,472,742 22,000,000 8,026,251 15,048,910 25,127,724 Av ■ 669,1 17 6 13,613 830.104 12 28 30 If the years 1858, 1859 and 1S60 be token as a fair test, the average crop of oats is twenty-two bushels per acre, though, probably, from the extremely low product of 1858, is really above that. It will be seen that the average of oats has in- creased in the last three years near 30 per cent. In the north- eastern counties of this State, very heavy crops of oats are raised. Of Barley, Eye and Buckwheat. — The following is the production of these grains for the only years we have : 16 Eye in acres. Bushels. Average. In 1830 814,'2(i.") In 1849 425,918 In 1858 90,191 874,513 9.7 In 1859 102,770] 576,274 ■ 5.6 In 1860 94,394 1,078,764 11.5 Except for spring pasture, or straw, there is little encour- agement to cultivate rye in this State. Barley in acres. Bushels. Average. In 1839 212,440 In 1849 354,358 In 1858 125,745 2,103.099 16.7 In 1859 102,931 1,638.577 16.0 In 1860 71,564 1,548,477 21.6 The average of barley is more uniform than that of other small grains. It is most cultivated in the neighborhood of the great breweries at Cincinnati and Cleveland. One-half of all barley grown in the State is raised in the Miami country. Buckwheat in acres. Bushels. Average. In 1S39 633,139 In 1849 638,060 In 1858 71,282 791,921 11.1 In 1859 149,445 3,042,176 23.5 In 1860 66,827 7113,930 11.1 The extraordinary production of buckwheat in 1859 was in consequence of the destruction of the wheat crop in Jane. It was still time to plant buckwheat, which was extensively sown in the north-east part of the State. Of Butter and Cheese. — This is the first year in which the State assessors have returned the quantity of butter and cheese. As might be expected, the product of these articles is greatest in those counties where cattle and hay abound. The total amount returned by the United States' census for 18-19, (returned in the census of 1850,) and that of the State in 1860, are as follows : Butter. Cheese. In 1849 34,449,379 lbs. 20,819,512 lbs. In 1860 38,440.498 " 24,816,420 " 17 Of Animals. — The assessors make their returns in June, so that we get the animals of that year, but the crops of the year before. The following is a tabular view of the number of animals, in four different years, in the last period of eleven years : 1850. 1855. 1800. 1861. Horses 400,820 624,746 700,097 726,648 Mules 5,315 7,024 11,018 Tattle 1,358,947 1,701,189 1,902,712 1,839,757 Sheep 3,942,929 4,337,943 3,308,174 3,934.70:; Swine 1,904,770 2,195,709 2,242,814 2,571, 404 Aggregate. 7,733,400 8,954,952 8,221,481 9,083,591 > The agricultural resources of the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Kentucky, are by no means developed to their maximum extent, and there is yet a vast difference between the possible and actual amount of product in them. In Ohio, for instance, fifty bushels of wheat per acre has been grown, whilst the average does not exceed fifteen. Of corn, over one hundred bushels per acre has frequently been pro- duced, whilst the average does not exceed thirty-six. Detailed statistics of any of the States other than Ohio are not accessible at present, and the amount of their agricultural products cannot even be approximated. Ohio is the only State which pays any attention to agricultural or industrial statistics. The annual average of the agricultural products of the State of Ohio, for the past six years, has been no less than $130,000,000. Living for workmen is cheaper in Columbus than in cither Cleveland or Cincinnati. It is a fact well established in com- mercial and mercantile circles, that all manner of agricultural products are higher in the immediate vicinity of large com- mercial centres than one hundred miles away from them. All agricultural products are higher in Cincinnati than in Colum- 2 18 bus, for the reason that Cincinnati is not only larger but is at the head of the south-western market ; hence the living for workmen is higher in Cincinnati than here. As to healthfulness, there is no city in the State whose bills of mortality are as low 'pro rata as that of Columbus ; and the city is less frequently visited by epidemics than large commer- cial centres. Eeal estate, in Columbus and immediate vicinity, is as reason- able as that of any other city of its size in the Union. In Ohio there is annually expended for education a perma- nent fund amounting to nearly three millions of dollars. There is no State in the Union whose system of common schools is superior to that of Ohio ; and under which benign system a good common free school education is secured to every child in Ohio. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION. Your memorialists trust that they have been successful in showing — 1. That in selecting a site for a National Armory and Arsenal, considerations should be given to the centrality of location, in regard to the extent of country to be supplied, embracing — 2. The facilities of transportation ; 3. The supply of materials used in the manufacture of arms ; 4. Its ready and easy accessibility to the largest population within a given circle or area ; and, 5. The abundance of food for the operative, and the health - fulness of their location. In all which respects we have endeavored to make it mani- fest that the position of Ohio is most favorable, because of her geographical position in relation to all the States, north and south, and of the British possessions in Canada ; and that, from 19 her position between the lakes of the North and the mountains of the South, all the great streams of migration and trade pass through her territory : Because she is the most populous of all the Western States : Because she is in advance of all the Western States in the extent and variety of her manufactures: Because her agricultural supplies are in advance of any other State; whilst her iron, coal, and salt supplies are inex- haustible: Because her water line, for protection as well as defense, is not less than 500 miles on the Ohio, and probably 350 miles on Lake Erie, with all which, as well as for the whole interior of the State, she has very superior facilities for transportation, in her 900 miles of canal, 8000 miles of railroad, and a most abundant supply of turnpike and other good roads. And the undersigned have endeavored to show that the Capital of the State, as selected and named in the Bill now pending before your honorable body, is the proper place for the loca- tion of a National Armory and Arsenal ; because — 1. It is the head-quarters of the whole military organization of the State. 2. It is in fact, as much as any other place in the whole country, a central radiating point in the great Bailway system of the nation. 3. It is the centre of a circle of only 300 miles radius, em- bracing nearly eleven millions of people, and of accessi- bility in every part, in a most rapid manner, most if not all of the extremes themselves being embraced in 21 hours travel by railway. -4. Its position midway between the borders of the State, while rendering the Government property most secure, ena- bles it with facility, and within some 3 to 3| hours, to have 20 intercourse and connection with some 5000 miles of water carriage, via Cincinnati (which is midway of the Ohio River), on the one hand, and via Toledo, Sandusky and Cleveland, with all the inland seas of the West, above the Falls of Niag- ara, on the other hand. 5. Within the area aforesaid, it is the centre of by far the greatest wheat and life-sustaining cereal productions of any other in the United States. 6. It is surrounded with inexhaustible supplies of all the essential materials, whether of minerals or wood, required for the most extensive and most permanent manufacturing of arms and munitions of war, or otherwise. 7. It is the best point at which, and from which, in any sudden emergency, to concentrate, equip, and send out troops — east, west, north, or south. 8. It is proverbially healthy, as has been shown by a com- parison of the bills of mortality with other places; and to which maybe appropriately added, the large pro rata number of living witnesses in the aged citizens — men and women — of Columbus. 9. The cheapness of motive power, and of all the elements necessary for the support of man — as operatives, or otherwise — render it, in an economic view, equal, if not superior, to any other. And it is proper to add, that in January last and previous to the introduction of the bill now pending in the House of Representatives of Congress, for the establishment of the armory and arsenal at Columbus, Ohio, the General Assem- bly of Ohio, with entire unanimity, passed a joint resolution for the establishment of a National armory in Ohio. A copy of which resolution marked (A) is appended to this memorial. Whilst this resolution very properly does not designate any 21 place in the State as the choice of its citizens, but confines itself to the strong ai?d manifest claims of Ohio, in a National and State view, to become the recipient of such work : and while it is conceded, and even urged, that the location should be the result of National as well as State considerations, yet as a State question, applicable to and to be judged of by the whole people of the State, your memorialists feel confident, in the assertion, that no locality in Ohio could combine so vast a majority of that people in its favor as their own capital, which belongs to them in common and contains great and permanenl institutions, which have been built up by millions of their money — monuments of their liberality and wisdom. All of which is respectfully submitted. W. B. HUBBARD, SAMUEL GALLOWAY, JOHN S. HALL, WM. G. DESHLER, WALLSTEIN FAILING, PETER AMBOS, ( 'ommittec on behalf of ( 'itizi ns. A. B. BUTTLES. HORACE WILSON, LUTHER DONALDSON, Committee on behalf of City Courted. 22 (A.) JOINT RESOLUTION, Relative to establishing a National Armory in Ohio. Resolved by the General Assembly of the Stair of Ohio, That our .Senators be instructed and our Representatives in Congress be requested to use all honorable efforts to procure the location of the contemplated National Armory at some suitable point within the State of Ohio; and that, consid- ering the patriotism of the people of the State, its central location, the skilled labor of many of its citizens, its facilities of communication, its productiveness in minerals and all needful supplies, as representatives of its people we consider the incidental advantages attendant upon such an establishment justly due to this State. Resolved, That the Governor communicate copies of these resolutions to the President and heads of departments, and our Senators and Represent- atives in Congress. JAMER R. HUBBELL, Speaker of the House of Representatives. JAMES MONROE, President pro tem. of Ihe Senate. Januarv 27, 1862. Office or the Secretary of State, i Columbus, (hno, April 11, 18G2. \ Benjamin 1!. Cowen, Secretary of State of the State of Ohio, do hereby certify that the foregoing joint resolution is truly taken and copied from the original roll on file in this office. [l. s.| Witness my hand and the great seal of the State of Ohio, at, Columbus, the 11th day of April, A. D. 1802. B. R. COWEN. Secretary of State. B t86^ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS