The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1868-10-01
From the New York Literary Album.
Hon. Daniel J. 37OrreI.

ii. Scranton, IN connection with the par
ticulars of the founding OF Scranton, Pa,
and the Lackawanna Iron and Coal Com
pany, and we now propose to give sketch
of the Hon. Daniel j. Morrell, of Cambria
Iron Works, at Johnstown, IN the same
State, who is another important man in
the iron manufacturing interest, and an
influential member Of the Fortieth Con-
gress.
Mr. Morren was born at North Ber-
wick, Maine, August 8, 1921, and is
therefore about forty-seven years of age.
He received a common school education,
and settled in Philadelphia in 1885,
Here he followed the mercantile business
as clerk and principal until 1855 when he
entered into the business of manufacturing
iron at Johnstown at the works of the
Cambria Iron Company.
The Company commenced the erection
of the works in 1853 but became finan-
cially embarrassed before they were COM
pleted a lease of the entire property
was made to the firm of Wood, Morrell 4
Co, who not only carried out the original
! plans of the company, but during their
lease greatly enlarged the works and in
creased their capacity. In 1862 the
| company was re-organized, with capital
| of one million five hundred thousand dol
/ lars Since that time it has carried on
| the business of mining and manufacturing
under its charter, and is now the largest
manufacturer of railroad iron in the coun-
try. 1t owns about thirty thousand acres
of land-mostly mineral-has four large
| blast furnaces, rolling mills, machine shop,
! foundry, etc, with numerous dwellings for
| its operatives. The original mill building
was burned down in 1857, and rebuilt the
same year by the lessees. This building
is six hundred and twelve feet long, by
| one hundred feet wide, with cross wings
three hundred and seventy-two feet by
seventy-four feet. In 1868 an additional
mill building, three hundred feet by one
! hundred feet, with a connecting wing
seventy-ff0ur feet by thirty feet, was erect
ed, and In 1865 further extension of the
building, three hundred feet by an aver
age of one hundred feet, was made.
| This immense mill contains forty-eight
double, equal to ninety-six single pudding
furnaces, twenty-four heating furnaces,
seven trains of rolls, four squeezers, and
other machinery to correspond. Its pro
! duction in 1865 was near one thousand
tons per week the extensions and inn
provements have increased its capacity
equal to the production OF from sixty to
seventy thousand tons of finished railroad
iron per annum The stock of the com
pany is largely owned in Philadelphia,
where the office is located
/ 1Ir. Morrell's advent at Johnstown was
a source of great advantage to that place.
He not only raised the bankrupt Cambria
Company into life and carried forward Its
works to completion, but he inspired a
spirit of enterprise on every hand for the
| improvement and growth of Johnstown.
! He served for time in the councils Of the
town, and in 1866 was elected a represen-
tative in the Fortieth Congress. a Ma
tional bank was established and he became
the president He is also vice-president
of the American industrial League, of
which the noted Peter Cooper is president.
Since he has been in Congress, he has
! given great deal Of attention to the pro
j iects OF finance and taxation. He intro
! duced bill to provide for the holding of
gold by the United States Treasury and
the National Banks More recently he
delivered an important and elaborate
speech on the subject of the public fl
nances, taking ground for the increase of
the national bank circulation. This speech
has attracted a great deal of attention,
and no little bitter criticism By those who
differ from its views as to Legislative policy
on the subject.
Mr. Morrell has made his own way IN
life by the force of a strong and honorable
character. A single glance at his counte-
nance gives a vivid insight into his dispo-
sition and purposes. You see that he IS a
man that thinks for himself whose plans
are always the result of reflection and a
sound practical judgment. and that when
entered upon are carried forward with un-
swerving resolution. Probably in the
whole country there is not person with
clearer head for great business enter
prises than Mr. Morrell and certainly
there is not one with more general infor-
nation regarding the iron interest, bank
ing. and the political affairs Of the nation
Almost entirely self taught, he has en-
rched his mind by the lessons of observa-
ton and experience which have been af-
fordcd in his varied career as a merchant,
manufacturer, banker and public man
Mr. Morrell is somewhat portly, stand
inc erect, and showing a good physical
constitution. His head is round with a
full face, and not over large regular fea-
lures. He has small, observing eyes, and
altogether cheerful and agreeable express
sion Of countenance. Intercourse with
him is always Of interest
While he has such important private
concerns, he is diligent in his public du-
ties. No man of the House works harder
in the Committees, and when he speaks he
is listened to with attention, for it is well