The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-12-09
LETTER FROM McKEESPORT.
MCkEEsPoRT, Allegheny Co.. Pa,
November 30th, 1876. {

Eli nun ucACESGOhl.
MCkEEsPoRT, Allegheny Co.. Pa,
November Goth, 1876.
DEAR WHICH, believe | have not no
tced you having correspondent from this
part of the great vineyard, and as l have
noticed some things which might interest
some of your readers, since the Centennial
excitement is partly over, l will give you a
few items:
After passing through the city of much
smoke, narrow streets and many steam
boats. you take what used to be Pittsburgh
and Connellsville r ,ilroad. now one of the
many arms Of the Baltimore and Ohio,
which carries you up the Monongahela
river, passing
OBJECTS OF INTEREST,",
among which are the numerous coke fur
naces and coal mines on both sides of the
river, approached by as many inclined
planes, which are almost constantly run
ing their valuable freight. Some three
miles from this town you find the United
States Iron and Tin plate Mill, which EN-
ployS some two hundred and twenty five
men, girls and beys-both sexes being
brought into requiSition here. We found
the managers to be polite aud accommo-
dating gentlemen, allowing us free access
to the works, where the whole process of
Ii =.
extensively, from the pudding furnace TO
the finishing and boxing of the plate,
equal, we think, in appearance at least, to
any imported tin plate. The whole pro-
cess seems to be a perfect system.
We next notice the
STEEL WORKS,
which We're, for some cause, not running.
The greatest curiosity is the ever flowing
WELL which is said to draw water from
Lake Erie. 1t is said to be 900 feet deep
the water from which smells strongly of
gas. We then approach the National Tube
Works, which We suppose excel in magni-
tude any establishment in the United States
They employ seven hundred and twenty
five men, and make ught iron tubes of
every size, from one quarter of an inch to
fifteen inches bore. We found those in
charge to be gentlemen, affording us an
escort through every minutiH of their i'm
mense mills. The process of rolling and
welding the various sized tubes are very
novel and interesting. No one who has
not witnessed the process could form any
idea. One immense furnace for heating
the fifteen inch pipe is heated by burning
gas made from carbon OIL. We did not
feel very comfortable while closely watch
ing the operations of this furnace; although
we were assured by our escort there was
no Immediate danger.
ONE PECULIAR FEATURE
of this immense establishment is that the
pIopelling machinery is out of view, being
below the surface. No belts or straps to
entangle you while viewing the operations
of the many rolls. Their shipments aver
age ninety tons per day, supplying every
country known, except England. A large
quantity is shipped almost daily to the
Pacific Coast. Carboys of singular shape,
solid bottoms, with screw in the tap, to
carry quicksilver from the mines are very
ingenious invention of this company. They
make large quantity for the mines in
California. They have river front on the
Monongahela to ship by steamer or barge
and the railroad track into their warehouse,
employing an engine almost constantly for
eral acres. The Western Union Telegraph
office is situated in their building. Their
orders are mostly by telegraph. Mr.. Flag
Ter is their general superintendent at large
& Co.'S large rolling mills are near the
tube works, where, in addition to every
variety of plain sheet-irou they make their
beautiful imitation of Russia. The pro-
cess of which is very interesting. No one
Is admitted to any of the before mentioned
establishments without pass from the
superintendent of the works. This is the
finest mill and best-arranged we have ever
seen. Every Jnlng goes ike ClOCk-WOfk.
We were next admitted to the manufac
tory of
NARROW GAUGE ENGINES
and cars. 1t is treat to see those little
beauties which figured so conspicuously on
the Centennial grounds i'll Philadelphia;
two of their engines being sold before the
close of the Exhibition, which they had to
duplicate. These gentlemen treated us
with much courtesy and are the personifi
cation of business men. All the establish
ments we have tried to notice as briefly as
possible are in town of 5000 population:
every member of which seem to take an
interest in their surroundings. We are
much indebted to Mr.. S. NJ. Goodwin.
formerly of your county, for his assist
ance i'll getting us into the works, as also
to Mr.. J. II. ilyland, also formerly of your
county, for the same kindness; both of those
gentlemen being acquainted with the super.
lntendents. Yours sincerely,
OCCASIONAL.
THE PEOPLE WANT PRooF-There is
no medicine prescribed by physicians, or