The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-10-30


wHEELISG IRoS " oRRs.-In the year
1894, Messrs. David Agnew d Co. buiIt
Just north OF the city Limits and at the
upper terminus of the present city rail-
way, an establishment for the manufac-
ture Of bar iron. Their works were
called "the Missouri Iron Mills" and
were the first erected in this locality.
Wheeling was then a small affair, yet
even at that early date it was perceived
that right here were the elements for
extensive and profitable manufactur-
ing, particularly of iron. The mills,
bull: by them, were far in advance OF
any attempt previously made here
abouts in that branch of industry
/ NAssrs. Agnew & Co. continued in the
business for sometime, but whether
fortunate or otherwise, we have not
| learned. subsequently the pro-
perty Was occupied by various
parties, with varying success. They
were all, however, but tenants,
I the fee simple Of the premises being
vested in Mr.. Peter Shosnbsrger, OF
Philadelphia and SO continued till his
Was put into the market and was puF-
chased by Messrs- AcheSon, Bell & Co.,
in 1866, " no are the present proprte-
1 tors. Immediately after purchasing,
the new hrm began the woTk of repair
ing and building additions to the old,
| contracted quarters Of their predeees-
-ors, with the view OF making The man
( ufacture OF nails q speciality, two of the
m-nDers Of the tirms-AessrB. j. C..
Acheson and Joseph Beli-having ac-
Guired large experience in that bust
ness during their connection with the
belmont Mills.
The principal owners of these works
are j. c. Achesou, Joseph Bell, NJ Il.
Cox, Esqrs., the Mes=rs. Brockunier
BEothers, associated with quite num-
Der Of the operatives. In carrying out
The original design o! the present pro-
prietors, the works are engaged excIu-
siyely in the manufacture of nails, al
though they have made the necessary
preparations for making bar and sheet
iron. The company owns u frontage of
nearly one mile on the river, and have
fine landings for receiving pig iron and
shipping their products On their
premises there are thlrty-one comforta-
bic dwellings for their operatives. OF
coal they own 200 acres, a quantity
Sufficient to last them for genera
lions, even at the present enor-
nous weekly CONSUMPTION of ten
thousand bushels. Their conyeniences
Tor transporting this Immense amount
Of coal from the mines, which are in the
hill a hundred feet or more above the
furnaces, are complete. a loaded car
coming down the track by its
own gravity, and taking up an empty
one az the same time. Reaching the
level ofthe mills II is conveyed imms-
diateIy 10 the furnaces In tbs same cars
that bring ii from The hill above; thus
saving all handling. ..-a.4..Esa-
.siesars. Acheson, Bell 81 Co., employ
about 800 men in carrying on their OPP
erations. This number includes boil
ers, nHilers, packers, and persons em-
ployed i'll their blacksmith and cooper
shops. There are 81 nail machines, turn
IuH out 4, 600 kegs per week. We noticed
u peculiarity in The arrangement of the
room (Which is in the second storyD
where the nails are cot. At the feet oil
each mailer, a square hole Is cut
in the floor through which the ma lis
drop into the packing boxes in the base
meDt beneath, avoiding great
amount OF severe labor in this one
handling Of so many hundred tons of
nails each year, by this simple arrange
Lnsnt. rrU E-rg M
Two hundred and ten tons OF pig iron
are used each week, principally fIoIn
Lebanon Valley in Pennsylvania, She
mango and Mahoning iron regions in
Ohio, and from Mount Savage, Mary
laud. There are twenty boiling,
hAll AuItb hGALAnE
working double turn-tthat is. day
and uightl-to keep the nimble
nail machines in motion. In the
basement of the building the nails
are put in kegs and stored in huge piles
awaiting shipment. The entire estab-
| Iishment IS driven by three
powerful engines,-tbe TWO largest tho
production OF the Engine works of the
Messrs. Sweeney. E
Although situated beyond the present
city limits, We found gus. and water
pipes running through all the build
ings, both being supplied from the
works in the city.
Wheeling Iron Works as they stand,
nave cost about $500. 900, and are monu-
ments to tine enterprise of their owners.
The greatest vigilance is exercised that
their productions shall be oil the very
best character, and we are glad to re-
cord the fact that wherever they have
been introduced they have reputation
second to none in the country.