The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-06-19
Steel's Stone Quaries, at Joliet.
From the Chicago Journal of Commerce..
THE STONE BUSINESS.

From the Chicago Journal Of Commerce.
THE STONE BUSINESS.
The most prominent and influential per-
son engaged in this important branch of
industry, in Joliet, is Hon. w. A. Steel.
He has served his fourth term as mayor of
the city and has done more, perhaps, for
its general prosperity than any other of it's
citizens Educated for an attorney-to
which profession he devotes moiety of
his time-in the footsteps of his father
who was our Minister to the Court of ST.
James during the administration Of Pres
ident Polk he, too. devotes his talents
and his energies both to public and private
interests. Father and son are natives of
the Old Key Stone State. The latter was
there educated. Now in his prime, he d.
vides his time between developing the nat
ural resources of Illinois by employing her
sons to quarry its marbles while the other
part Of his time he spends in giving judici-
GUS counsel on all questions Of legal lore.
lie has been 81 years in the west. During
this period he has built railroads in Mis-
souri, and oficiated as cashier and warden
of the Illinois penitentary, when located at
Alton. In every position he has proved
himself superior executive officer During
the war he was not only engaged in the con-
struction Of monitors for the Mississippi
river but as a recruiter for battalion, over
which he held commission as command
er. In every position Mr.. Steel has fully
met the expectation of his friends, and has
enjoyed the confidence of civil, military and
legal digntaries, from President Grant
down to his every day associates.
Notwithstanding these multifarious posi-
tons and enterprises he has planned and
carried forward q great work in Joliet
which has given employment to myrlads Of
laborers and artisans. Your correspondent
can merely jot down these latter results;
The reader will form good opinion of the
quality CT the Joliet stone, which Mr.. 5.
quarries, when informed that it forms the
principal Ingredient in the new state build
ings at Springfield, ILL.,, and Lansing, Mich
the custom houses at Des Moines, Iowa,
Madison, Wis, the marine hospital at
Chicago, and the United States Arsenal at
Rock Island, and some 80 court houses in
northwestern states. To Rock Island
alone Mr.. Steel has shipped 10000 car
loads of this stone. 1t is used for building
purposes, monumental works, and 10 Gem.
etries throughout Illinois, Michigan, Wis
consin, Indiana and Iowa. The strength
of this stone may be conceived when the
scientific man testing it for the government
afhrms that it takes weight of $1,000
pounds to crush one cubic inch of it. Its
specific gravity is two and two ffths :;
weight per cubic foot 1862 pounds; ratio Of
absorption, one and two-ffths per cent. 1t
is recognized by our best governmental and
private builders as most valuable stone
Mr.. Steel gives employment to from SOC
to 375 men and 100 horses, in his quarries.
Through his influence, more than that
Of any one person, the great iron and stee
, works were established at Joliet There
are but two larger steel works in the world
than those of Joliet.
Orders for Joliet stone-dimenslon, flag
ging, rubblo, building and monumental
addressed to W. A. Steel will meet Will
prompt responses.