Pilar: auge e decadência econômica nos anos finais do século XIX e início do século XX

Abstract

This work has the purpose of analyzing the city of Pilar entering its economic and social aspect, having as main focus the discussion about the reason of its commercial decay, caused from the final years of the 19th century until the beginning of the following century. Pilar was one of the three main cities in Alagoas, including Maceió and Penedo. Rich in its many bangueiro devices, it has about thirty of them. It had its large Pilarense Aviation and Textile Factory, with its 180 workers, being a great source of income for several families, as well as others such as cigarettes and cigars, beverages, etc. Its large local commerce consisted of various establishments such as warehouses, bakeries, pharmacies. A very important fact, which even served as an “awakening” for navigation in the lakes, was the visit of Emperor Dom Pedro II and his wife, Empress Dona Tereza Cristina, on the morning of January 10, 1860, which brought a lot joy for its people, in addition to showing the importance of the city of Pilar. All of its production of sugar and other products from farms, or industrial products in the urban area, in addition to production from the adjacent regions of the Mundaú and Paraíba valleys, was sent to its port and transported to the cities of Maceió, Marechal Deodoro and others regions of the lagoons, destined to various places, even being exported to Europe or North America. The fact is that, with the arrival of the railroad, these goods were diverted to the rails, steam navigation was also insufficient and of poor quality, and the bangueiro mills were losing space to the Plants, not on their land, but in the cities around them. around, installed at the foot of the railway.