The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-11-08


interests have grown to be n power and
have brought wealth and prosperity to
a OiCy, 1t is pleasing to go back to the
day of small beginnings and coming
down the stream OF time, SEQ how far
to-day SURPRISES the most sRnguine ex-
peCtatIOns of the mon who way back in
the past laid the corner stone upon
which has been built Ats ever increasing
prosperity. With this conviction we
yesterday made a visit to the Iron works
OF Acheson, Bell q Co., above the north
end of the city, now known as the
Wheeling Iron Mill Many years ago.
when the great Iron interest OF
Pittsburgh was in its infancy,
there were men who perceived the adj
VantageS of4Wheeling as n manufacture
ing point, and in 1892 or 1888, Mr.. Peter
ShQenberger, of Pittsburgh, in cOnjunc-
ton with David Agnew, Esq, erected
the mill opposite the town of Martins
vile, for the purpose of manufacturing
bar iron. 1t was the first iron mill ever
built in or near this city, and indeed
was the first ever built south of Pitts
burgh. Under the management of Mr..
Agnew, success attended the enterprise
from the start. AT a subsequent date a
few nail machines were put mp, and
these were the origin of the great nail
interest of Wheeling. Those machines
Rre an antique curiosity when compared
with the improved machinery now in
use. As we have said, the firm were
very successful. Mr.. Agnew, desiring
to enter upon another line of business,
sold out his interest in the mill to Mr..
ShOenberger. Tho mill was 'then
rented by MessrS. Greisemer and
Tallant, gentlemen WHO had been
In the employ of the old firm, and who
run the mill during the years of 1910
and lS4l, but not having means TO run
it successfully discontinued the bust
In 1874 Mr. 10 VnnnnA
property and continued it with great
success. 1t continued in his hands I'M
der different organizations for some
years and always successfully. Mr..
Stevens was succeeded by. Messrs.
Sweeney, Johnson & Co., who also ruin
the mill for some years and made
money. This firm was succeeded by
j. NJ. Todd ~ Co., who failed in the dis
asters of lS57-a season of disaster to
the iron interests OF the whole country.
Until 1862, "A period of five years, the
mill lay idle. A sign board was nailed
on the corner, warning all persons
against trespassfng on the property,
Under the hands of renters the build
ings had become dilapidnted and the
machinery had deteriorated in efficacy
and value. Tho tenement houses were
fast going TO decay and the whole prem
Uses had that depressing air of solitude
80 marked in connection with build
luRa OuC9 lEeLllluH with lll6 uuu AuuuS=
try, SO that 70 those who. passed
1t the warning5{ always seem
ed out of place. 1t did not
seem an inviting place to trespassers,
and foryourselyes we would not have
VentuEed within the limits OF lis crealC-
ing desOlation after night full any more
than we would cross the threshold of
the haunted castles of the olden time.
In 1852, under the active demand Crea-i
ted by the war, the mill was rented by
Norton, AchesOn 81 Co., the then owners
Of the Belmont Mills; for the purpose OF
manufacturing gunbOat plates. It was
oVerhauled and repaired to n consider
did good work and creditable to the
firm.
At the close of the war Mr.. James C,
Acheson and Mr.. Joseph Bell purchased
the mill and all the property connected
with 1t, from the ShOen6erger heirs, and
changed its maine from the Missouri to
the MheNlingIrOu Works. These Ren-
tlGTnen. under the firm name OF Ache
son, Bell q Co., Immediately cOmmenc-
ed operations with the view of making
1t q tirst class mill. They commenced
operation In the manufacture OF bar
and nail rod iron, and while constantly
running the mill have been and are
still enlRrging It's cHpaeity. The Origi-
nal mill was two hundred feet in length
and contained four boiling furnaces,
aud, the rolls and machinery OF CORES.
ponding capacity. They have already
built ten new furnaces, aud will build
two more, making sixteen in all. They
have extended the building two hun
dred feet, and have put up and
They are now extending the building
another two hundred feet with view
of putting up forty additional nail ma
chimes, making n total length of six
hundred feet tThey,Are also Increasing
the capacity of the mill for making nail
and sheet iron, and our readers can
form some idea OF the extent of this In
creased capacity when we tell them
that the engines which is to drive the
sheet aud nail rolls win have cylinder
over thirty inches in diameter and i've
feet stroke. Its fly wheel will be twen-
ty-two feet In diameter; its rim and
arms alone will weigh twenty-seven
tons, and the whole wheel when hung.
in It's place will weigh over forty-tons.
To prepare the iron for nail plate and
sheet iron will require three additional
furnaces.
They will also have new engine of
greatly increased power for rSinning
mendOus engines to work the ma
Chinery. In the erection of louiId-
ings for the nail mnchinerv.
MSssrs. Achison, Bell Il Co., have IN.
cOFporated all the advantages which
their long experience in the business
has made possible. The nails are dis.
charged directly from themRchines into
bines located In the basement of the
building, giving them largely increased
room under a smaller extent of roof
than any other factory In the city. We
cannot, in single article, give an ade-
Quate idea of the Herculean Dor which
has been performed by the company in
the preparations which had to be made
before 18oot OF extensioncO could ematie,
The site Of the new portion of the mill
has been literally excavated from the
hill. In addition to theimpFo4emento OF
the mill itself the company have bnilt
a large number OF dwelling houses
forming a neat little town of them-
selves. Although Z, out of The
city limits they have not been
behind in Rvailing themselves
of all the advantages of the city, Thew
have had gas pipes laid up TO the mill,
and have thus been the means ofintro-
ducing gas light Into many of the
houses In the northern part OF the city,
where the people had heretofore sat Ia
the visible darkness OF tallow din or
greasy oil lamp. This property, when
projected improvements shall /, have
been carried out, Will b6 one OF the
most beautiful mill sites in any portion
of the country. Behind It the great hill
rfsingAlm6sEt to the dignity OF a mouu-
tain IN front the beautiful river and