The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-12-20
CHRISTMAS COMING.
Wheeling Past and Present.
EFFECT OF THE NAIL and
GLASS TRADE.
What the City Was and
What it is Now.
What to Buy for the Holidays
and Where to Buy it.
Where Holiday Goods May
be Found.

ate occasion for retrospect and com
psrison OF the old with the new. We
regret that we have not at hand the
materials from which to make COM
parison OF statistics. and our mention
Of the changes that have occurred must
be mainly confined to the period OF ten
years past during which time we hsve
been personally obeervant Of the pros
gress OF the city.
The specialties OF Wheeling are nails
and glass; to these two articles OF COM
merce the main portion Of the prosper
ity of the city is due. Other branches
of trade and other manufactures have
been introduced and have fourished,
but the maip buainess OF the city IS
based upon these two articles, and all
other pursuits have followed in their
train. The advantage enjoyed by
Wheeling in the manufacture Of these
two leading articles is manly
owing to the cheapuess OF coal.
The propinquity OF limestone is
also an important element in the adj
vautageous manufacture OF iron. hav'
ing the coal and the limestone at hand,
our manufacturers OF iron can afford to
bring the ore from distance and UNDER
cell those who have TO transport either
ore and limestone or ore and coal.
In the glass business cheap coal is an
important feature, and our glass worka
can afford to transport their sand and
lead and other heavy articles TO this
place at better advantage than the coal
could be carried to the eand-beds or to
any other locality.
The fret nail mill established with
in the bounds OF the city
was the Missouri Iron Works"
about thirty years ago, on the site OF
the present "Top Mil" or Wheeling
Nail Works. After come years the
Belmont mill was erected; then the
Washington mill then the La Belle
and latest OF all the Riverside.
During this time several changes &C.
CURED in the ownership and names Of
the mills in question, which we cannot
here enumerate. We give only the
names by which the establishments are
now known. From only one factory fol
the manufacture OF nails thirty years age
there have now grown four in active
operation at this time within the limits O.
the city OF Wheeling, without speaking
OF two or three others that have com.
mepced or are about TO commence OPT
rations in our immediate suburbs, Benz
wood, Bellaire and Martins Ferry.
improvements in the manufacture
have more than kept pace with the e.
Establishments, and we doubt not that
the nailers at the "rop Milf to day
would look with critical contempt up
on the best specimen of work produced
by the old Missouri Nail Works
of thirty years ago.
In the glass trade there has been q
corresponding advance. About thirty
years ago Mr.. John L. Hobbs estab-
lish, ed here the first factory for the
manufacture OF flint glass in all this
region OF country. The glass made
was of excellent quality for the times
and for 8 long while he enjoyed a
monopoly OF the trade, his skilled
workmen introducing continually such
improvements as enabled him to keep
abreast with the times. About ten
years ago the Central Glass Company
was formed and, without diminishing
the trade OF the present firm OF Hobbs
Brockunier & Company, has establish.
ed itself IS one Of the most prosperous
and extensive flint glass
firms in the United States
The manufacture OF flint glass by the
Hobbs has largely increased, invoices
being shipped annually to the Canadas
and to the West Indies. while the Gen.
trail Glass Company has all it can dc
in filling the numerous orders received
from all parts Of the United States.
The manufacture Of window glass has
also grown to be very important
branch OF industry in this neighbor-
hood, all of the various establishments
in that line having grown up within
twenty years past.
From the improvement and develop
of these two branches Of industry, the
manufacture of glass and iron, have
sprung the present prosperity OF the
city of Wheeling and all Of the various
manufactures now successfully conduct
ed here. Quietly; without parade
without boastiug; without trumpetipg
abroad; the business of the city has
grown and its population aud wealth
have increased to their present stage.
That the prosperity Of Wheeling
rests upon solid basis no better proof
need be asked for than is afforded by
the events of the past few montha A
financial paaic. such "A has not been