New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-02-19


In February, 1Si7, two young, sklllful, and
energetic mechanics. John II. and William W Corneh,
began the manufacture OF ron-work for building pur'
poses. little wooden shop at No l43 centre st' WIN
but sin gle assistant and capital Of $1,000 Since that
period and especially Ia the last decade, tho use OF IRON
In architecture has not only advanced with rapid
strides but the Cornell brothers. by dInt OF
integrity enterprise and perseverance, have attained
to liberal fortune and to an honorable place among
artIsan princes" To-day their active capital Is over
million dollars and their payrolls bear the names OF
900 workmen, whose wages amount to more than WV"
weekly he the insignificant foundery OF 1877 has grown
into a fine fycstory iron fronted building. and ex.
banded till il covers two thirds OF the whole block More
over the expansion OF their business compelled lu 1900
the employment Of extensive founderles ana
shops Twenty-Gfth aud Twenty sixth sts''
and the lease. within the Last months, OF the entire
square bounded by Twenty xth-st and Twenty seventh
sts., Eleventh and the North River. To-day the
Cornell Iron University" eight acres furnishes
a regiment Of mechanics with constant employment and
turns every year thousands OF tuns OF iron work
As early rs lsl7 but little used in building, and
the $500 worth OF work furnished by the Cor
nels for Samuel Howlands store Broad st. was the
largest architectural iron undertaking Of tho SEASON.
About this time tho question OF using wrought iron
grders buildings aRItated and in 1913 the Govern
architect. then building the Custom House at
Savannah wrote to the COrnells. asking II they could
depth aud yet strong enough TO sustain an estimated
weight of 900 pounds Hopeless this seemed the re-
turn mail carried offer TO furnish the
Orders, and the work successfully accom-
plished. Next year similar girlers were furn-
ished for Bowen McNameos extensive dry goods store
on Broadway. In 1850, the idea Of making buildings
fire proof by the Of wrought iron beams and brick
arches began be entertained and the Cornels pro
posed plan and executed the work for structure OF
this kind for tho Atlantic and sun Muua! Insurance
Companies. During the next two years they supplied
the iron for the Seamens Savings Bank and the brown
stone Court building in the Park. In 1853, Paul "
spofrord aud others erected large freproOf
sugar refinery, for which the COrnells furnished
$4,000 worth OF work. that being tho largest
amount o, iron ever put building in this country
up that time During this and the five following years
large quantities OF work furnished by the Cornes
for variety Of buildings the city. Iron had now come
to be recognized necessary building material
wherever first class work desired aud large orders
came pouring in In the firm principally occu
pied in erecting A. r. Stewards store Tenth st. which
built entirely Of IRON and IN 1900 and 1861 they filled
extensive contracts with William T. Aston and Clahin
Melleu X CO. besides supplying the iron for the Third
ave Railroad Depot In 1862 and 1903 large amounts OF
iron work furnished to tue United states Navy
Department for war vessels. including especially
the tuirets and turret machinery for the IRON
cads Miautonomah aud Tonawanda In 1865 the
nrm supplied more than $32j.OOO worth for the
stock Exchange. including the burglarproof safes
with complicated locks for the sa!eydepOalt vault
Among the principal structures FOR which the Cornells
have filed large contracts during the last three years are
The Herald Building the Park Bank. the New-iok Life
Insurance Building and the fine stores erected Broad
way by Arnold n Hoyt and Lake * McCreery. The new
yeory fire proof store on unionsquare aud Fifteenth
ST. which the COrneis have nearly completed for Tiffany
A CO.. will probably he the finest specimen OF iron archl-
lecture in the United States There upward of 1900
distinct castings in the walls aud inside columns OF THIS
building, varying III weight from halt pound 10
more than aud including beautiful COrnthian
pitas each composed of more than 20 distinct pieces
The firm - also now employ ca ia gtnE out wv drE1
amount of iron work required FOR Mr. oteHaits Grand
Hotel for wOrking~Omen on Foutth-aye. aud dhrty-
The Cornell founderios Twenty where iron
is converted INTO ar admirable substitute Tor Dck ana
marble. are in a malodOrons manufacturing locality
Astounding in goats and ragged urchips The principal
establishment covers IS city lots extends 425 feet on
twenty and runs 200 feet across the Dock 10
Twenty hfh--. which IL has "a frontage Of $50 feet
This area includes hgh.waed yard for tho storage OF
stacks OF pigIOn and old fasEs trough wooden boxes
which nOlds madel, corrugated iron shed con
tanning heaps Of mOding sand aud compact cluster OF
- brck uuiungs OF various SIZES soho VI tnoul ate
erected and Others worn, battered and smoke stained
The work is included IN four -patternmak
ing, HOdinC, chipping and finishing
Thirty OF forty skilled patternna occupy the Two
ana a dozen more flask makers work IN good sized
shop the ground floor. About thousand feet OF
spruce. worth $50. daily converted INTO hasks ana
about feet OF the best white pine, worth 40 thOu
sand also consumed for patterns Each pattern Is
vanished with mixture OF alcohol and sheHac, anu
brng used is stored away with the $1,000 10000
nthers Which have already been accumulated The finer
carvedl patterns made by firm OF wood workers IN
Cenres and in these cases one OF the hrst castings Is
i'm "A Homework" foundery OF unusual difficulty
and Importance and the Cornells have invested at least
a quarter OF a million dollars in tins branch alone
The used moding is nil ture Of the best Scotch
and American pig. about twohfths beng OF FOREIGN
manufacture. Very little scraPron is used There are
two furnaces with combined melting capacity OF about
tuns The 200 moders begin work IN the morning and
about IN the afternoon inc Dast Is turned on ana te
mods filed. The modine material Is moist
rlsky than dry sand and loan ordinarily employed
A. ALI the castings are hollow an unusual number
of cores These are made of nine parts
white beach sand. with one part damaged hour baked
ia ovens over night. Inc heaviest CASTINGS are
the huge aud unwrldy columns or. Shells which
20 nghthands employed to take out the castings
The morning new set OF hands cleans on the sand
chips the surface OF each piece win chlSe ana onS
handled hammer, smOoths 1t with hre'Orch, ana APP
Plies u Of mineral paint The columns are promptly
cut down Va the required length IN large, selffecdng
double AIDED lahes, and any required planning done
trucks used for moving tue more cunbrous castng
la finishing department. the work Is htted and las
tened together bolts aud just II is TO he
Sc, up M the building. 10 that sometimes whole 'front.'
feet Vide and live stories III extent eS on lhe moor
The most interesting III tins department Is one III
which dozen screw together ab: paint the abhcl
the hollow shells ana the elaborate it5nes CONSTITUTING
the Corinhan capitals. Iron for building purposes Is
@ h dy,aI,r in its favor Increases in exact propOr-
ton 10 the Of ornamentaton Iron architecture
H. metal sn"nd not be cheap, ned and perfected
one principal business building material at least III cities
aud large towns.
steam engine. with two s0horse power boilers. fur
usur, motive power Tor the various machines Ia use.
The ,nrnt. IL also supplied with steam pump
and abundance Of hose. Strike, have been unknown IN
rue history this rn, whose wohnen are pad by the
hour II requires lJ hours 10 mold large column.
and The Cornels get the work all done IN day by cali
ing the day and hall, and paying FOR II at that
falr Beside the Iweuty SHthst fUuuderl the COrnells
ai-o occupy lots tho south side o Twenty lih ST.
stable aud store house Tor patterns. o lots on the
north side Of Twenty -siNthst rs finishing shop and
ward finished ron aud three lots the side
~ the street east ofIeni-aNc Tor the storage Of M
ishcd work. large shop 21 feet square aud story
high has been erected Oh the block west of Eeveuthae