Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-05-22


of the present management Of the works
may not DO inappropriate; Mr. Bernard
Lauth, the presiding genius, Is n genial,
hearty gentleman Of Franco. German birth,
(born near Strasburg in 1920, and left
there for America in 1891, yet on the
sunny side Of sixty, who, twithstanding
Disadvantages In early life, has achieved
fame and acquired fortune, by the exercise
of his own Inventive genius, energy and
business integrity. When, just two years
following the date of the erection of the
works Of which he is now the owner, he
entered the rolling mill of Shoenberger
at Pittsburg, to pull up the furnace doors
for the heaters at the nominal wages Of one
dollar per week, he probably expected, If,
indeed, he thought at all upon the subject,
10 spend his days as n lAborer. To-day,
with the Goth milestone Of his years yet
In advance Of him he h known over the
1 iron-mGking world as an inventor who
has, by the exercise Of HE unnided
genius, added millions 10 the value Of
the worlds iron product inscribed his
name high upon the roll Of his adopted
country's most useful citizens, aud acquired
for himself position quite equal TO any
demand likely 10 be made upon It by his
family, or his large business interests
From this small starting point Mr. Lauth
made rapid strides in the L.ancfacture Of
iron, and from that time 70 thi. has made
1t the business Of his life. Whiie ho waf
yet boy, butscyentecn ycars Of age, he had
charge Of the rolls in one Of the largest
mills Of Pituburg, aud wAE earning from
fifteen to twenty dollars per day, and when
but twen'y-seven years Old commented
business for himsclf as an iron master, at
Zanesville, Ohio, with means accumulated
from his own earnings.
In 1866 he came back to Piitsburg, built
the great American Iron Works there, ar
terwards took Mesfrs. Jones and Laugh.
lins into partnership with him, and in
1852 sold bis interest 70 them bccauFc his
inventions were demanding his attention
abroad. Aftcr some years spent in Eu-
rope, Mr.. Lsuth returned and reiilsd at
Reading, where be built rolling mill in
which he still owns an interest, and In
1872 formed the company known M Lauth,
Thomas x Co, purchased Howard furnace
and removed to his present residence
there
Mr.. LAuth has given 70 the world no
lees than four important inventions in the
working Of iron, viz: Cold rolled shaft
ing, strengthening machine, the three
high plate rolls, and his wire hoop mill
OF these perhaps the fret ouiranks the
others in importance. Not only all the
shAfting Of the country is made under this
patent, but it 10 applied 10 almost all kinds
Of rolled iron, including even the finger
bsrs Of mowers and reaPcrs, all Of which
are made By this process. The hoop mill,
which IL the last produc, Of Mr. Lauth
fertile brain, has already worked CON-
pletc revolution In the manufacture Of
hoops, which will be the better appreciated
when we state that Il will without the aid
Of any tkilled labor whatever, and with
no attendance, excepting that required to
feed 1t with the heated bars, make hoops
seventy feet long, and at the rate Of from
sixteen TO twenty per minute. Although
tnN .af = l. I,,s
or two old, It's fame is fas, becoming world
wide. One half the patent has been pur-
chased by the Bethlehem Iron Company,
who are running the second machine built
under IT, One has already been shipped
10 Prussia, and others are in course Of
erection 70 follow.
or course Mr.. Lauth could not attend
in person to all the details of his business,
and is fortunate in having able lieutcnants
to second him. His son, John ~ LAuih,
Esq., who inheriA bis fathers business
energy and enterprise, is recognized as
| general manager. A son-in-law, Mr.. VIII
liam Wilhelm, looks after the rolling mill
I and its appurtenAnces, and another son-in-
law, J. A. Comerford, Esq, has, since the
dissolution Of the frm Of Lauth, Thomas
& Co. rendered 1t necessary, abandoned
the practice Of law in the far West, and as
sumed the supcrintendcnce Of the mercan-
/ tile part Of the establishment
| Thus, IL will be seen, = new era has been
marked in the life Of Howard Iron Works,
and with the prospective revival Of the
/ iron trade, which seems soon 10 come, We
predict for IL brilliant and prosperous
/ future.
An appropriate address signed by d.
S. Keller, Esq., and Capt. K G. Checsman
will be found on another page. A meeting
of the decoration committee wss appointed