When Charles saw James, a member of his family, his heart was stirred, and he couldn't help but act like those parents, using that phrase as a guarantee. Perhaps this is human nature.
Hearing Charles' guarantee, not only James, who was directly involved, but even Tom, who was standing nearby, was deeply moved.
"No, sir! I have indeed completed my studies, and I've also audited several subjects and received a graduation certificate from President William Smith. I don't have any financial difficulties; I can manage by helping out with some work outside," James said, his eyes a little red.
As the person directly involved, he was naturally the most touched by Charles' statement. Unlike Charles' vague friendship with him, he had truly grown up with Charles and lived in this family since childhood, developing a deep friendship with the young master, Charles, and an even deeper sense of belonging to Charles' family. Now, hearing Charles' guarantee, he didn't doubt the sincerity of the words at all; only gratitude remained. He didn't shed tears only because his self-control was too strong.
Charles, having blurted out those words in a moment of excitement, now felt a little embarrassed to ask further, only saying:
"Well, that's good."
After he finished speaking, the room suddenly became a bit heavy.
It was James, being young, who couldn't stand such an atmosphere and broke the silence, saying:
"Sir. I came here this time to ask if there's anything you need my help with. If so, I'll stay; if not, I'll return to Pittsburgh."
"Oh, help? Of course, you must stay. Stay by my side. I'm not very familiar with the situation here in Philadelphia, but you've lived here for at least a few years and are quite familiar with it. You can be my secretary. Why don't you move all your things over? I'll have Biddle arrange a room for you," Charles immediately agreed.
He was new to Philadelphia and didn't know anyone, so he needed trusted people of his own. Moreover, since James could complete studies that should have taken several years so quickly, he was undoubtedly a genius. Now that he could be considered a confidant, Charles certainly wouldn't let him return to Pittsburgh.
The very next morning, as soon as Charles Biddle, the innkeeper, came to see Charles, Charles immediately asked him to arrange an empty room for his future secretary, James.
After being busy for half a day and settling James' affairs, Charles turned around to find Biddle already complaining:
"Charles, I've found the steam engine workers, as well as the iron smelting and glass manufacturing workers you were looking for! Do you still want them or not?"
Biddle grumbled, joking with Charles.
Philadelphia was already a very industrially and commercially developed city. It was naturally faster and more efficient for a local like Biddle to find skilled workers than for Charles, a newcomer.
"Oh? Have you found them all?" Charles was very pleased.
"No, not all. Charles, I'm very sorry, but regarding the coking workers you mentioned, although many people generally know a bit about it, because there are relatively few coal mines here in the Colonies and no coking plants, there are no real coking workers.
The few unemployed drifters who claimed to know about coking, I was afraid their claims were untrue, so I didn't bring them. But please rest assured, I've already sent people to New York and Virginia to inquire. There are more miners from England in New York, and Virginia has coal mines, so these two places might be able to find skilled coking workers," Biddle said earnestly.
"There's no rush for coking workers." In Charles' understanding, coking seemed to be the simplest process. "How about the skill level of the other technical workers? Don't try to fool me with people no one wants to hire."
Biddle snorted indignantly, but his gaze was a little shifty:
"How could I? They are all people I found from the best factories in Philadelphia, and they are also the best workers in those factories. If it weren't for our family's extensive connections with the owners of those factories, these people might not have come."
"Hahahaha! Biddle, please don't mind. I absolutely trust your judgment and I am very grateful for your help." Charles laughed heartily, comforting Charles Biddle, not forgetting to bow in thanks.
He just habitually picked and chose when buying things; he wasn't genuinely concerned about the quality. However, seeing Charles' shifty gaze, he knew that these people might not necessarily be the best workers. Otherwise, no matter how capable Charles was, it would be impossible to find them overnight. His family was famous for being involved in finance, and they weren't particularly skilled in industrial production.
"You're too kind. You are a distinguished Continental Congress Representative. It is an honor for me and my family to serve you," Charles replied with a rare respectful bow. "Also, regarding your wish to hire a chemist, I actually have a few friends at Philadelphia College. Many of them understand chemistry, but unfortunately, I talked to them all night, and basically, none of them are willing to go to Pittsburgh."
At this time, the development of chemistry in North America was far less advanced and formalized than on Europe. Philadelphia College, fortunately founded by the great scientist Franklin, was able to train some chemical talents, but they hadn't reached the level of being called chemists.
However, knowing a little chemistry at this time was already very valuable. They generally gathered in economically developed areas, and of course, they were unwilling to go to the remote and impoverished Pittsburgh to develop.
"Is that so? We'll talk about the chemists later. In fact, even if they were willing to go now, I don't have a qualified laboratory to host them. Also, thank you very much; I remember your and your family's help. If there's anything in the future that I can help with, I definitely will," Charles made a verbal promise.
He could slowly consider the matter of chemists, but doctors were more difficult. Medicine at this time was mainly focused on studying human physiology. He had once seen natives selling "witch medicine" on the streets of Philadelphia, and many North Americans were willing to accept it, and the effects seemed to be quite good.
"Then I thank you in advance, Your Excellency!" Charles did not feign modesty either.
This was precisely his goal. For large families like theirs, one can never have too many friends in official circles. If their family were truly only providing free accommodation to some Continental Congress Representatives out of patriotism, then they would be fools.
"Then call the workers in; let me see them."
"Alright!"
The workers were quickly called in. Their appearance was very much like that of blue-collar workers, especially a few of them who even had some coal dust on their bodies, as if they had just returned from firing a boiler. Charles didn't see any problems with these workers. He casually asked about their situations, what they could do, what their previous wages were, and so on.
Except for the steam engine worker named William, he said he didn't build steam engines, but specialized in repairing them for a coal mine in Virginia. However, due to the war going on in Virginia, miners were scarce, and coal sales were difficult, so after the last great battle in Virginia, the coal mine officially ceased production and no longer operated the steam engines. He and the other miners from the coal mine had no choice but to leave Virginia and seek work in the relatively stable Philadelphia.
"Oh, so that means you and your fellow workers are currently unemployed, and the others are all steam engine repairmen too? Does anyone among them know how to build a steam engine?" Charles was a little excited.
His heart was filled with excitement: Perhaps he could hire a complete team of workers and directly start building steam engines. At the very least, he could have them draw up blueprints of existing steam engines, and then he could improve the original steam engines and sell them in Philadelphia!
However, he immediately shook his head slightly. Philadelphia did not produce coal. If coal from Pittsburgh had to be transported to Philadelphia by carriage and ferry, its value would be higher than that of wood. Currently, coal from Virginia was also not easy to transport. Therefore, even with Philadelphia's large workforce and developed industry and commerce, no one would buy steam engines in the short term.
And the subsequent words of the steam engine repairman also made him a little disappointed.
"I'm very sorry, esteemed sir. None of my fellow workers know how to build a steam engine. The steam engine was built by an engineer hired by the owner from England. I am the only one who knows how to repair steam engines, and I usually go down the mine to dig coal, only coming up to repair the steam engine when it breaks down. The others are all ordinary miners hired by the owner."
Charles was speechless.
Just now, listening to Biddle, he thought he was so lucky to have found a steam engine manufacturing engineer in America, which was decades behind Europe in technology. Who knew he was a purely amateur person? Thinking of this, he couldn't help but glare at Charles.
Biddle, however, looked a bit innocent. He was just the son of a financial magnate. Although his knowledge and education were high, he wasn't clear about these scientific and industrial matters. Mistaking a repairman for a manufacturer was not intentional.
At this time in North America, there were a large number of plantation owners with extensive industries; they were the truly knowledgeable upper class. Even if merchants had money, they generally couldn't compare to those big plantation owners.
Except for a few powerful families like the Biddle family, most other merchants even lacked much knowledge, and their usual money-making relied mainly on speculation and various cunning methods.
Biddle knew nothing about steam engine maintenance and construction. Although the repairman had repeatedly stated that he only knew how to repair, not build, before being hired, Biddle still believed that if one could repair, one could build, ignoring the difference between the two and bringing him to Charles as a manufacturer.