Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1865-10-27
THE MsNUFAeTCRiNG INTERESTS OF
BALTIMORE.
The Abbott Iron Company

more, vet that after all, the substantial pros
principally on its manufactures. favored a. il
j, with facilities in this line beyond any othel
city approNimating lis size and importance il
The Union. We have instanccd the water
power and the coal and ores which are here
brought into juXtaposition. the facility for the
erection Of cheap and substantial houses ior
operatives and the procurement of food; and
when we find cities like Chicago in possession
Of but one or two of these great requisites III
abundance. drfyimg such disadvantages and
going ahead we must again and again insist
upon the superior advantages of our position.
and if we cannot arouse our own capitalists.
do what we can 10 brin" iii capital and labor
from other sections.
And yet. already we have few establish
lacnts here of which any city might be prond
We paid visit recently 10 the Abbott Iron
Company works in the eastern section Of the
city, and glancing around at the gigantic APP
pliances on hand for the manufacture Of iron
plates, we were glad 10 learn that it is in con
temptation still further 10 enlarge the works.
making them still more available for the needs
OF the whole country he orders received for
their productions being even now largely from
ihc North.
Il i probably not known by the thousands
who pass and rcpass these works daily ON the
route to and from the National metropolis.
that this Is the establishment which furnished
mast RI H.. ,,,,t.ri,l which iii -, u,,,h g..
reyoltoniAr naval warfare. and sci Europe to
thinking of the serious consequences of inter
fcring III our sectional conflict. And yet the
plates for .hr first monitor were prepared ut
lhc Abbott Iron Works and those for most of
this class Of war vessels constructed subse-
pucntly. Possessed of ten feet rollers, capable
Of preparing plates Of almost amy size desir-
able. 1t Is Il treat to see these immense mstru-
mcnts III motion upon the material presented
Tor conversion, the workmcn i'll attendance
appearing as mere Iilliputians alongside Of the
Heavy machinery they 50 deNterou>ly manage
and control.
1t has always been the general impressions
We believe, that the advantages possessed by
Pitt>burg We're superior to almost every seat Of
the iron manufacture in this country for turning
out heavy work; butt to our surprise, we learned
that large numbers of orders came from that
city for the supply Of the largest sized plates
Ollie hundred inches in diameter--theSc
being in frequent demand of late for the manu-
tacturc of kerosene. that vast interest which
has pervadcd in some shape the interests of
IL. ,l,l Ig,,,
The crude material mostly used at the works
j, the production Of our Maryland mines. and
is delivered at the place in that form known to
The trade as pig IRON" Conveyed to the
pudding furnaces" it is turned out is
''muck bar, in the form of wrought iron,
and after undergoing various processes-all
within the same establishments finally goes
TO the various sized rollers for conversion to
any kind Of plates ordered. The capacity OF
the works is estimated at about two hundred
tons per week when in full operation: and the
consumption of coal needful for this vast
amount of work is about ninety tons every
twenty-tour hours. the works running by re-
lays Of hands night and day. The Maryland
iron Is considered amongst The very best
known for plates. it having great tenacitv and
working with remarkable smoothneSs: hence.
the general demand for it, not only on the
part of the Government for its ''iron cads. =
but i'll every direction beside. where il enters
into the construction of steam boilers. and so
on. Some of the plates rolled are thirty feet
long, and two feet wide, a sight to see as one
of these immense glowing red ribbon energies
from the Jaws of the rollers. that ''pre stideea.
ton, which beats the best iugglers who ever
excited wonderment at their facility for spout
Ing fire and ribbons.
And then the huge mae inery for the manu-
fNcturc IN question. Here is a vast fly wheel
TO give momentum 10 the rollers which do this
kind of work. its weight fifty tons. and in
diameter thirty feet: whose terrific revolutions
not only serve 10 roll out plates 100 inches in
diameter but operate shears also. which ct
up plates one and half inches in thickness
a> il these We're mere writing paper.
We are glad to learn that it is in coptempla.
lion to extend and fit the works for the manu-.
tactmc Of railroad iron. branch of industry
that should long >ince-with the superior
facilities afforded here--have found a place
amongst Us. and which cannot fail. with our
excellent raw material. To prove eminentlv u
success 1t is-we repeat-Such establish
mentS a. these that must be the main reliance
in bringing forward om city to take that posi-
non hereafter to he contested in the new de.
Nclopmcnt taking place more strongly than
ever. Whatever can be manufactured for TN.
new and expanding market opening 10 us
South. should be produced here. We want
population, and capital and where men can
get profitable employment. there will thew
east i'll their lot We want the iron and coal
mines OF the State opened up. developed an
hundred fold: and the means of doing it must
be largely sought in making Il market for the
products at this point. With manufactures
and population come schools. churches, good
roads, rapid communication by railroad and
steamer, and all else that points to high en-
hghtenment, and comfort. Let everything of
the kind then he encouraged: aud let none
stint the praise that should be awarded to the
brave and enterprising capitalists, who in a
work so essen tial TO the advancement of the
State are foremost in the good work.