The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-12-24
MANUFACTURES.


The Moline Malleable Iron Works are sit
uated on the west side Of Orleans street,
Moline, and directly southwest of the Iron
Works of Williams l. White. Here the
firm own about two acres Of ground, and are
negotiating for the remainder Of the block.
The works we're established in January,
1870. ard changed hands about two months
ago From the start they have had to
contend against numerous disadvantages
the Malleable Iron W orks at Chicago. Cincin.
natl and Buffalo, N. Y, fighting them tooth
and toe nail, putting prices SO low that NO
profit could be made BY the Moline Works,
and besides they were oramped for room.
However, those obstacles have been over
come and removed, the eastern monopolists
have left the field, and the works are pros
pering.
The buildings, two in number, real estate
and machinery are valued at $4,000. The
works are 80 closely built that it is impossi-
BILE to separate them, the Office and finish
ing shop being the only one entirely distinct
and removed. They are all frame buildings,
and are all single stories, with the exception
of the office. The moulding room is the
largest one in the works, being 40x70
feet, lighted from above by sky-lights +;
here is where the moulding is done, and q
great deal that means. The ealing
room is 1880 feet, and contains . large
brick oven, in which the iron goes through
the annealing process after being kept in
the oven for eight days. and subjected to q
white heat ell that time, it is taken out and
passed into the lumber room, where it IN.
dergoes shining process, by being put
into an iron cylinder, along with a lot of
emery, leather, and several other articles,
and the cylinder made TO revolve. After
tambling it is carried into the finishing
house, and turned, filed and finished. The
finishing house is . two story frame build
ing, the lower floor for finishing, the upper
for an office, and for the storage of patterns.
We were shown patterns, large and small,
and enough to cover six twelve foot boards,
and were told that they were worth $500;
they were all made OF brass, and the fact
of small pieces of brass of various shapes.
They have an engine of Is horse power,
which runs the works at present, bat larger
one will take its place next year. The firm
have q capital of $40, 900 in use at present,
but this has been found insufficient to run
the works Is they should be and will be in
creased next summer. They employ 20
hands, at an average annual salary of 3d.
600. They use none but the best uality of
charcoal pig iron, which is obtained from
o. Inuis and Chicago As they have not
been In operation long enough to tell the
extra amount of material they use annually,
or to give their annual sales, of course our
readers will have to exonse the omission.
They have opened brisk trade through.
out the entire West, with Iowa, Nebraska,
Kansas, Missouri and this state, and already
orders are on their books from states that
have good works of the same kind The
business promises to be one of the best pay
ing ones in the West, and as an instance of
what one years work has done for them, we
would say that they intend starting into the
field next season with double their present
capacity; the works are to be extended to
the sidewalk on Orleans street, requiring an
addition of AZ feet; Is foot addition is to
be added to the entire length ON the south
side. and other improvements are to be
made.
Here is an establishment only year old
that will, in another season, step into rank
as one of the leading manufactures of
Moline. What better proof of the value of
manufactures is needed? With the present
management, this institution will be supply.
ing the entire trade west OF the Alleghanies
in less than FIVE years. Men are at the
wheel who understand the business, and
who also understand the value of their
manufacture to the people of the West, and
they will make these works ell they should
be.