The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-09-20
special Correspondence Of the Bureau
WHEELING, w. VA.
WHEELING, july, 1870.

10 the EthtorS OF the Bureau
This city first assumed the position o
a village in 1916, or thereabouts, a
which time the Wheeling and Belmont
Bridge Company was Incorporated, with
a capital OF 100000. The purpose for
which the company was organized
which purpose was subsequently car
ried into execution, was to erect bridge
across the Ohio river, connecting
Wheeling and Belmont at Bridgeport
on the east side of the river The
structure is ofl0l0 feet span, suspended
on chains Three different times it has
succumbel to the power Of the Storm
King, and has often undergone recon-
struction. 1t is now permanently Sc
cured. The officers and members Of
the bridge company are composed OF
/ the most prominent citizens OF Wheel
ing. The tolls collected, notwithstand-
ing the reverses to which the enterprise
has been subjected by means of the ac-
cidents before referred to, have been
sufficient to amply remunerate the
stockholders. Wheeling, situated as
she was between two fires suffered
much during the war, and without shar.
ing in the spoils, experienced all the in
conveniences and drawbacks incident to
location within helligerent territory
Nevertheless its progress for the past
ten years has been very remarkable. In
1860 It's property valuation was 81 ,091,-
POO; in 1866 it was S3,41000O Its
present valuation, ii is computed, can
not fall short OF six millions The
population is 10000. The manutactur-
ing and mercantile interests Of this city
are very large. \ wholesale business
was done there last wear TO the amoURt
of Sj,2O0,00O, including almost every
variety Of manufacture and trade. The
merchants are wealthy, and. afford
every possible facility TO country deal
ers. The banking facilities are excel
lent. Nine banks, with All aggregate
nominal capital OF 81 ,4OS,0O0, furnish
the sincws of war for the prosecution
of trade. These are mostly private,
consequently the above figures by no
means adequately indicate the amount
of capital actually employed.
Coal is mined in large quantities.
The principal coal bank, three in num-
Der, are owned bv John Nolan, Esq
There are eight others The average
daily product Of all these is 1900
bushels.
Some idea may be had OF the import
ance of Wheeling as a wool market,
from the fact that the two regular
houses engaged in thc purchase Of this
staple, ship annually IA, ,DO0,OJJ
pounds Fonr large factories, namely,
the "Rivcrsde,' the LA Belle the
wheeling, and the belmont, when
at work, give employment TO 1916
hands, upon monthly payroll OF
sos, 500, manufacturing 81, ,DjI kegs
Of nails each year. The incorporated
capital Of these works is $l,jDOO 900
Most OF them employ large surplus
The first on the list manufactures seven
tons of bar iron daily, at their rolling
mills, adjoining the nail factory The
superintendent OF the works is Mr.
James Dudley, also one of the proprie-
tors, man OF work, that is, he wears
working clothes, and knows how to
work when occasion requires it. His
duties, however, at present are confined
to seeing that every one is at his pro
per place, and does his work right
The p'oprietors OF the La Belle are
interested in the furnaces and nailworks
at Stcubenville. the Wheeling
owns and works 80 acres of coal
lands
All OF the works present a similarity
Of appearance, and are OF very nearly
equal capacity.
The Norway Iron Works, located at
the south end OF the city, give employ
ment to 225 men, with a pay-sheet Of
Sl5, $50 monthly. Here are manufactur
ed all classes OF heavy iron work forrail,
roads. The company have recently
erected the large iron bridge at ST.
Charles, Mo, in seven spans, reaching
2,l724 feet The Quincy Foundry,
John Hamilton * Co, proprietors,
manufacture heavy machine castings
The firm are the pltentecs and owners
of the Hamilton PUlverizer, in very
general use in the furnaces and at the
diggings of the far West With
Sweeney u Go. s Steam Engine Works,
conjointly, they give employment TO 22j
men, paving l4,j00 month wages.
The stove works Of Cu!ber;son N
Fisher, and Joseph Bell d Co. employ
so men, and pay 5000 wages monthly
The latter firm also manufacture fire
places, mantels arches, and other
classes of ornamental work The works
of the first firm are known as the Star
Foundry and cover large area OF
ground. The firm are large dealers in
mill and foundry pig iron. The second
member Of the firm is large real es-
tate owner in Chicago and paid very
high compliment TO our real estate
dealers. Three glass works give em
ploymcnt to 600 men, with monthly
pay sheet of s24,600 They are known
as "The Central Glass Works "The
Excelsior and Wheeling Glass
Works, and The South Wheeling
Glass Works The p-oprietors Of
the last named establishment are
J. II. Hobbs, Brockunier & Co. They
make a speciality of the manufacture
of porcelaip. This product they turn