| THE STATE IN THE MARYLAND ECONOMY, 1776-1807 111
to produce glass to the value -of ;'10,000 that year.98 And in
the same year Phineas Bond, the British Consul at Philadel-
phia, reported that " they have . . . expended very large sums
of money and make glass of different kinds to a very large
amount." 11z In July 1790 it was said that Amelung's factory
was employing 500- people.es
Nevertheless, after such an auspicious beginning, Amelung
soon found it necessary to ask the Maryland legislature for
help. In a petition to that body in the spring of 1788 he stated
that he had already spent over 020,000 in establishing his fac-
tory, had given employment to 342 people, had brought his
factory " to a considerable degree of perfection, both as to the
quantity and quality of his glass," and had sold his glass at a
lower price than any imported glass. But, he continued, the
heavy expenses of running the factory and the difficulty of ob-
taining cash for his glass equal to his expenses would force
him to discontinue " the valuable undertaking " unless the
legislature would aid him by a loan of £1,000 and an immun-
ity from taxes for six years (in addition to the four years to
which he was entitled under the Naturalization Act of 1779).99
The General Assembly being " deeply impressed with the pro-
priety of affording every aid and support in their power to
attempts of such utility " granted all that he asked, on condi-
tion that Amelung repay ,500 in three years and the rest four
years later."'
In 1790 the General Assembly granted Amelung further
time for repayment of his loan, because his glass works had
been destroyed by fire.F°1 A General Assembly resolution of
1791 declared that since Amelung had suffered " unexpected
and heavy " losses and could not repay his loan at the times
agreed upon, " without great injury to his manufactory," he
should " be entitled to receive the same indulgence as to the
se Davis, II, 264.
9' Ibid., Bond thought the quality of the different kinds of glass made
there
" very mean," " thick and heavy," and " irregular and dim."
" Ibid.
'"This act relieved new citizens who were " tradesmen, manufacturers, or
arti-
ficers " of all taxes for four years; all other new citizens would be
relieved for
two years; Md. Sess., 1779 July c. 6, 1772 c. 14,-1773 c 26.
1°°Ibid., 1788 May c. 7.
lo' Ibid., 1790 Resolution. In May 1790 Amelung had petitioned Congress for
a loan and had been refused; Quynn, 170.
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