Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-01-17
The Grain Businos0 IN WnseII6V

ANSssS " oueCI on MONDAY Nth. 1894
/ ----------1
The Grain Business In wheeling.
There are few people, except those
directly engaged in the grain business of
the city, who know anything ofits extent.
In the prosecution of our inquiries upon
the subject We have been surprised that
such things could be and not excite the
especial wonder of the public. 1t is esti-
mated that there are about $500, 600 actu.
ally invested in the business, including
the money employed by the Touring mills
AMI breweries. During the year just pas
sed trade amounting to notices. than $3,-
100000 was done upon this capital, the
business being of such a peculiar character
that the money is "turned over" nearly
every thirty days. There is O good PROS
pect for large increase in the trade for
the present year, as evidenced by the large~
ly improved facilities for, conducting the
business. The business has increased
considerably more than one hundred per
cent. during the past three years in con.
sequence of the heavy demands made for
| supply OF Government.
In the apparently uuimportant matter of
the manufacture of bags very large busi-
nessis done. Aboutforty thousandbags were
manufactured last year for one house
alone furnishing employment for nearly
one hundred woman. a.
L. Frost s. Co, have removed from their
old warehouse, Nos. 81 and %, Main street,
to the three large and commodious new
warehouses Nos. Is, II and 10, same street
These houses were hnilt by the old firm of
Pryor Frost, for their own exclusive use,
and are designed to have all the recent
Improvements to facilitate the handling of
grain and conveniences for the agricultu-
raj branch, the firm carrying on both
branches of business. These houses run
from Main street to the space fronting the
Baltimore and Ohio depot, 40 feet deep
by 81 feet front and rear, with entrances
on both streets, which greatly facilitates
the receiving and handling of grain, The
present firm of L. G. Frost & Co. are now
putting up their boiler and engine to run
the various machinery connected with
them. The wheat, rye, barley, &C., are
dumped in the sinks in the floor in regular
Chicago style and ruu to the third floor by
elevators, then passed through the smut
machine and separator and carried to the
various graneries by means of screw carri-
ers. When it is sold and to be delivered
it is again run to the first floor by spouts
directly into bags, being thoroughly clean
ed and npUrifed" by the various processes.
The engine also runs an "Illlnois" corn
shelter which will shell an almost
incredible amount of corn in day,
and at the same time thoroughly cleans it
fro2 all dirt and pieces of the cob. There
are " sett of burr stones run by the same
engine, which is intended to grind corn
meal, chop up rye, corn or oats, for feed,
also using up all the screenings, &C., from
the wheat. 1t also drives a patent ''ele-
vator," which runs perpendicularly from
the cellar to the third floor aud stops by
means Of checks at each floor on its way up
or down, and can carry with all ease and
safety ton and half. Should the heavy
wire ropes by any accident break no dam
age can happen, as there are strong ratches
on each side which places an accident be-
yond possibility. This one piece of ma
chinery alone will cost the firm some
$500. These various machines will ena-
BILE the firm to make the most out of the
grain that is in it, besides being an orns-
ment and improvement to tue city. These
buildings and machines have cost large
outlay of money, and attest the energy and
success of both the firms in their business
enterprises, as well as the extent of the
grain business of our city.
The irm of ]. NJ. Matthews & Co., near
the corner of Main and Quincy streets are
also doing an almost incredible amount Of
business in the haudling of grain, chiefly
for the supply of Goysrnment. Theil
ware.rooms are crowded to their utmost
capacity, and the house is constantly be-
seiged by drays and wagons. 1t is estima
ted that this house handles more than E
: million bushels of oats annually, about fifty
, thousand bushels of wheat, twenty lthous
, and bushels of barley, ten thousand bushel
; of rye and fifty thousand bushels of corn
They also handle about twenty thousant
barrels of four. The oats are purchased
in Ohio, Pennsylvania end West Virginia
: the principal portion coming from the for
mer State.
' Besides Matthews & Co. and L. c. FrOs