The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-05-07
MARfIa's FERRY LETTER.
MARrlx's FERRY, May 6, 1874.
Editors ofthe Register.

MARrls's FERRY, May 6, 1874.
Editors ofthe Register.
Old Sol for almost the first time in
weeks has let the light OF his ceunte-
nance shine full upon US, Frightening
our hill tops and making glad our val
legs. Small boys are triumphant, and
maternal heads of families are every
where on the warpsth armed with
sundry pals, mops, brooms. rags, and
brushes, while patsr tamilias plauitive-
ly signs for vanished peace, and hath
not where TO set his foot.
Looking from our window this morn
ing and seeing the sparkling water, we
were drawn toward it, and as we stood
on the banks and watched the steamer,
going up and down, and thought Of the
freight of human souls, borne 30 swift
ly along, one moment in sight, the
next gone; here, to-day, Tomorrow
where? We fell TO musing on the tran
STORY nature OF man, how all through
life we have no settled abiding place
but are efer changing, hither and
,hither borne by mighty current We
fight against, but cannot resist, the cur.
rent OF change, all potent and irresisti.
BILE which bears US along, and cleal
over the rapids of death into the sea o.
the great unknown hereafter. Then
heard . voice singing, IN THE life
We want nothing but facts, stick to
facts" and looked around for Mr..
Gradywird, but the gentleman was
nowhere to be seen. but in obedience
to the voice, started in pursuit OIL
facts.
Walking up the length Of First street
we come to the Wheeling Steel Works
where steel is manufactured on new
and greatly improved plan. The meth
cd OF manufacture is at present Sc
cret, known only to R. B. Smith. The
works were incorporated March "a
| 1873, and are run by stock company
the amount Of capital invested being
about $4,000. At present there are
eleven workmen employed, and there
is a capacity OF producing one ton O
steel per day. The business 10 steadily
increasing, and this GUNNER the came
company is going to put up a rolling
mill in connection with the presen
! works with capital oil Sl00,0S0.
| Next in order, on the same eide o
the street, are the Benwood Iron
Works, a branch OF the works in Ben
wood, w. Va, where crude or PHI
Iron is manufactured from the ore
This branch was started in Jan, 1874
| in the present buildngp, though started
eight or ten years ago on the hill By
| the firm of Morton, Mendenhall t. Co
The capital invested is 100000, anc
the number OF employees from thirty
| to thirty-five. the amount OF money
paid out monthly $1,000. There is s
capacity OF manufacturing nine hundred
tons of iron per month.
On First and Hanover streets. anc
next in order are the Excelsior Glass
Works, owned by Sweeney, McCluney
& Co., where general tableware, Gu
and plate glass, are Manufactured
These works were established across
the river in West Virginia, about thirty
years ago, by NJ. Sweeney Il Bro. A
branch has been running here
since 1862, and the entir,
works were moved over in March
1870. The capital invested ID
about 100000, average number OF EN-.
ployees, $50, about $4,000 being paic
out monthly for wages. They mel
about thirty tons of glass per week, snC
the amount OF business done ia sbou
81, 900 per day. These works claim t.
be the largest in the West, with the e1
&C ption OF the Central Works in Wheel
ing, and one OF the largest in the Unitec
| States.
On the corner OF First and Locus
streets is the Foundry, Machine ant
General Repair Shop OF Culbertsop
Wiley & Co., where machinery fol
tbreshing machines, moving machines
agricultural implements OF all kinds
| and machinery Of almost every kind il
manufactured. The business has beer
conducted under different firm names
for about thirty years. The capital in
vested Is about $85, 900, and the sggre'
gate number OF workmen 35; and from
1000 to $4,000 is paid out monthly
for labor. The last year about 100000
worth of machinery was manufactured
here.
Next below on the opposite side o.
First street are the Belmont Agricul-
tural works, owned by c. Swartz d
Sons. These works were established il
lS4S, and increased in capacity and
business steadily until the 9Th Of June
| 1866, when the accumulation Of almost
life time OF labor on the part OF Chas
Swartz was consumed by fire. But by
the indomitable energy of Mr.. Swartl
and his sons Lewis and Theodore, their
remaining means were gathered to-
gether, a new building put up, and the
business successfully continued. They
manufacture threshiug machines and
agricultural implements generally.
Opposite the ferry wharf E. J. Hoyle
& Bro, manufacture agricultural i'm
plement of all kinds and keep a
general repair shop. The works hav.
been in operation for . great many
yeara, and have q capital of $25, 600
They employ eight men at present
though the force is often much larger
The Etna Iron and Nail Works ar.
situated about half way between
Martins Ferry aud Bridgeport. The
works commenced running on January
5sb. 1874, and are owned by a stock
company, with cash capital Of $l75'.
900 and au authorized capital OF 5000,