Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-12-02

This point, on the Philadelphia and Bal
timore Central railroad, is destined to be the
most important station on the road in this
county. 1t Is the natural ccntering point
for large scope of fertile country. A sec
ton north of this point for distance of
ten miles, spreading out like fan, extends
from the Susquehanna river on the west to
the Octoraro creek on the east, and finds its
natural outlet there for produce and its most
convenient point for supplies. On the south
side, with radius of two or three miles,
sweeping round from the Octoraro creek to
the Susquehanna Ridge, north of Port De-
post, will find Rowlandsyille its most con.
venient point of access, and the trade and
travel from all these portions of n rich agri-
cultural country will, when the proper facil-
tics are supplied, making Rowlandsville
their central point for business. 1t is dcs-
tined to be the seat OF varied and extern
sive business, and there is no more inviting
field in the country for shops, stores and
warehouses. Tho right man with some cap
ital to invest, is the one thing needful the
| place is waiting for.
The Mccullough Iron Company have two
fine rolling mills at this place for the manu-
facture of sheet-iron, which are driven by
the Octoraro creek, the stream still aifording
| greater water power one mile above. The
| company do heavy business at these mills,
which are kept running day and night.
The first rolling mill established here was
by Joseph Roman, an enterprising black
smith from the neighborhood Of New Lon
| don, Chester county,, Pa This was about
| fifty years ago. Mills for the manufacture
of sheet-iron were very different in those
days from the immense structures and heavy
machinery in use at the present time. The
bar iron and coal used in the manufacture of
sheet. iron were shipped to Port Deposit by
vessel, and brought up TO landing near the
mill through tho old Maryland canal, which
was then in operation. This was accom-
plishcd by towing an ark, which was kept
fol, the purpose, with yoke of oxen. One
yoke OF oxen was all the team for draft pur-
poses kept by the original proprietor of the
Octoraro Iron Works. The greater part OF
the manufactured iron was hauled to Port
Deposit by this OK team and hired team of
the same kind The mill ran during the day
only, and the hands were paid from 30 cents
to 81 per day. In addition to the rolling
mill there were saw, flouringand bark mills,
all of which did in those days thriving
business.
AS the age of improvement advanced, and
more perfect machinery, with the aid Of
steam, began to be used in the manufacture
of iron, and the works fell into the hands o.
|
prietor, competition began to demand addi
. tional facilities, In order to make the profits
, that the carrier manufacturers received
Pudding furnaces were then added to III,
works, and they began to be run night ant
day. Finally, J. j. Mccullough Il Co.
since changed TO the Mccullough Iron Com
pany-bought out Mr.. Roman, and sine
then have introduced Important changes, th
most extensive of which was the erection o
a new and first-class mill, which was com
, pleted and put IN operation last summer, an,
i the filling in the floor of the old mill, whc
has been enlarged and made four times il
{ former capacity. All the latest improve
= ments in the manufacture of sheet iron hav
|, been introduced by the company into thei
mills, which are entirely sheet mills, lii
pudding business being all done at the com
: panys works at Northeast.
D Among the most valuable improvements
, and one of which the Mccullough Iron Com
: pany have the exclusive use, is o machin
invented by MIR. Harvey, at present one G
the firm, for the washing of the sheets ate
they have been finished and annealed. Tbi
$ process cleans the iron from all dust an
loose scale, making it pleasant to handl
as Russia sheeting or zinc. These are fe,
. OF the most prominent points of interes
which Rowlandsvile presents, and which
from the natural advantages possessed b.
: the place, there IS every reason to believe
! that the Improvements will, few years henc
as far surpass those of the present day n
they eclipse those earlier establishments
|, E2kt0n Wig.