The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-11-09

nail a visit 10 this establishment, situ-
ateh ON Main street, Centre Wheeling
between webster and Biddle. We were
kindly shown through it by one OF the
gentIemanly PrOprietOrs, Mr.. J. X.
MeCourtney, from whom we obtained
some items OF its history which we
propose to lay before our readers this
morning.
In the year 1916 Messrs. j. q a. j.
Baggs erected a foundry on the corner
OF John and Fourth streets, near where
the brick smoke house OF Messrs.
Pryor, HandIan & Co. now stands. he
name chosen for 1t was the one which its
successor, through which we have just
passed, now bears, and which is GER
tHinly more appropriate now than
when located on the north side Of the
creek. The Messrs. Baggs engaged in
the general foundry business, with
what success we DO not pretend TO
state, as that is not material 10
the object in vie% in writ
ing these brief SIX etches. In 1850 they
removed TO the site occupied At pres
ent, and five years thereafter disposed
Of il to Messrs. Cecil & Bro. This firm
continued to manufacture the same
articles that their predecessors had
done, up to the year 1865, when they
sold out TO Messrs. Cecil, Hobbs IL Co.
From the date OF the purchase by this
last firm, they began TO turn their at
tentiOn TO the production OF machinery,
principally the heavier class of Work,
suitable for the outfit of Rolling and
Nail mills, for steamboat and other
large engines.
They keep constantly employed IN
turning out this grade OF machinery,
! between 30 and 40 men,-the foundry
department being under the personal
supervision OF Mr.. David Greer, who
has had 40 years experience in that
branch of the business, and is regarded
! as a first-class workman and the pat
tern department, IN winch tive men are
employed, is in charge Of Mr..
Young, acknowledged to be one
OF the best mechanics in all this region.
We visited both these departments,
and were especially interested in the
pattern rooms, IN which we saw the
curiOusly shaped and cunniDgly de-
vised wooden forms of the principal
castings moulded during the last twenty
years. What we saw in this rOOm has
cost thousands OF dollars to make, and
we felt and remarked that tre in u
few hours might totally obliterate the
toll of years. Such costly treasures
should be fully protected from "A con-
tiugency involving so great II loss.
lishment consist of an old style cupalo
and one OF McKenzie's patent blowers.
Their capacity is Is tons per day, but
ordinarily shout five tons per day are
melted. Pittsburgh coke Is used exclu-
sively, being the best adapted to the
purpose of any that can be procured in
this region.
During the past season there have
been made in this foundry about 200
tons OF boiling, heating and nail
furnaces, which have been principally
for the mills in this city and vicinity.
\ portion, however, has been sent TO
Baltimore, Pittsburg, Sharon, Ports
mouth and Harmar. The firm has Sc
cured the right to manufacture g. ID.
Bakers patent boiling furnace, and
only one other set Of patterns for 1t are
in existence. Among the other work
turned out during the past year
We may mention the engine for
driving the nail machines in the
new mill OF Messrs. Dewey, Vance
& Co.; the engine and outfit Of the Bel
lair Iron Works; the engine running
the nail machinery OF the BenwOOd
Mills, besides various other jobs Of les :
magnitude. The cylinder of the engine
in the "Riverside" mill Of Messrs.
Dewey, Vance IL Co., is huge affair,
being 30 inches in diameter, with six
feet stroke, and weighed 900 pounds.
1t Is one OF the largest ever mhue III
this city, the one in the Bellair mill be-
ing OF the same dimensions.
We saw while there the pattern for
the bed plate of the engine i'll "River-
side" mill-R great mass Of wood fitted
together with all the precision of "a fine
piece of cabinet work. Formerly such
plates were made in sections and joined
with bolts; this one, however, WAS cast
i'll one solid piece, and is said to he the
most difficult casting made here for
years.
The present prOpTietOrs of Centre
Foundry ARE Messrs. 4. J. Cecil, j. X.
McCOuTIney, Edwin HObbE and john
Young. Wherever the machinery man
ufactuTed 10y them has been used, il has
a splendid reputation for strength and
solidity, for durability and thorough
ness OF construction. We are pleased
TO add that their business is rapidly
extending, AS is always the case when
manufacturers are willing to use none
but the best materials, employ the most
skillful workmen, and turn out nothing
but honestly made, first class work.
To meet these requirements for success,
Messrs. Cecil, Hobbs n Co. have devui-
ed themselves for years, and they are
now receiving the reward OF their eN-
ertions.
=~ s-=