davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-14
AN IMMENSE AFFAIR.

The progressive spirit OF tho Bellaire
management Is shown by their taking the
lead IN putting into practical execution
the plans oil the local manufacturers In re-.
gard to the manufacture Of steel for their
own useS. Their steel plant was com.
nenCed In 1889 and completed In 1884 II
has a capacity for 800 tons Of steel billets
and slabs per week. The Company has
had difficulty In supplying the demand for
its steel product, aud has been for some.
time behind with Its orders. It's plant is
aa complete and conveniently arranged as
any oil those In this district, and It's product
10 not excelled for quality. The manager
OF the steel department 10 j. W. Cabot.
Tho mill has gradually extended and In.
creased until II Is one Of the most consider.
able concerns In the valley. It's buildings
are oil oil the most approved construction,
mainly Of iron, and include tho best ware
house for tho storage Of nails In this viCin.
ity. The company owns ten acres Of
ground, besides valuable coal tract
reached by q railroad from tho works. II
was the frat nail mandatory here 10 Use
natural gas, Introducing II ag soon as the
Wheeling Company was ready 10 furnish
y, and the result was most satisfactory.
From the start the new fuel proved great
Improvement on coal,
Nearly oil the site OF ten acres originally
purchased from W. q. Barnard is now 90.
Cuplsd by tho Conpany'R extensive works,
including the key factory. It's property
Hes on both sides Of the Cleveland 4 Pitts.
burgh division Of the Pennsylvania Rail.
road and OH the river, the mill having
fine landing where itS product Is loaded
Upon boats. The Cleveland, LorAin 4
Wheeling roads extension 10 now being
constructed through the mills property,
aud II also has convenient access 10 the
u. 4 o. road. Taken altogether no SINH.
lar establishment In the Ohio Valley or
elsewhere can excel II In facilities, e1uip.
inent natural advantages or anything else
that contributes TO the success and growth
Of q corporation Of its utility, .
The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-14
THE LABELLE MILL.
one OF the Pioneer Concerns Trie. u New
Process,

one Of the Pioneer Concerns Tries New
Process.
The LaBells nail works, located at the
head ofThirty-hrat slrsst-cslled "LaBelle'
avenue sometimes-mAuuisCtures steel
nails exclusively. 1t formerly bought ita
pig iron from tho producers, preferring
this course to investing in blast furnace,
It has also bought it's steel recently.
The present LsBslls mill was built in
1852 by Bailey, Woodward 4 Co., the
firm consisting Of % men, prominent
among them being Messra. Bailey, Wood
ward, Linch, Freeze, SpAulding, Doty,
Wallace, Harden and Glass, whose names
are so familiar with the nail industry Of
this section. 1t had 20 nail machines,
eight boiling furnaces and two heating
furnaces, and cost $4,000. It has grown
by degrees until 1t now members l42 ma
chimes in its factory, Its buildings are
convenient and extensive, the original two
acre site Of the mill having expanded into
much more roomy property and the ORR
ginal buildings into mill, forge and ware
The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-14
TuE STANDARD SHEET MILL,
Ono of the Youngest Rnd I'ussIest Concerns
IN the Valley,

SHV Va thV ANNhhH"N "NN AsNNpsN"N NN''NNNsH-
In The Valley.
The latest accession to the iron industry
Of this section OF the Ohio Valley is the
Standard Iron Company, which was orga-
nizsd in 1882, Its mill, located at Alma
vile, across the river, was completed and
began operations in tho Spring Of 1883, and
has probably lost less time, run more
steadily and paid more wages to It's EN-
ployes in proportion to it's capacity than
any other sheet mill in the country, II
has never shut down except for repairs,
and during the strike OF 'S5, 1t Ia just
completing the piping OF all departments
OF it's mill for tho natural gaa. 1t was
owner Of valuable coal property conye.
niently accessible from the works, but
when gas was placed at its disposal 1t shut
up its bank and resorted to the new fuel.
The Standard made q modest start, but
has built up business more extensive
than its facilities, and as consequence is
now obliged 10 run day and night to fill
its orders, stopping no longer from Mor-
day morning till Saturday evening than
The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-14
rlIE NonwAY TAcK 60.
An Important and Promising wlcclin
Mandatory.

An Important and Promising Wheeling
Mandatory.
The Norway Tack Company Is com.
posed Of Isaiah T. Jones, Hiram H. Head
and Theo, Phlnney, Their works are ap
extensive affair, the site extending on
Eighteenth street from Market to Chap.
line, and the main building being Of
brick, fyo stories high. Mr.. G. @. Han.
nan Is in charge Of the office and M,
Charles Davis Of the factory. The com,
pany makes all sizes and kinda OF tacka,
small wire, nails and hob nalls. II has
enjoyed a boom this year, the strike in
the nail factories stimulating the demand
Tor small nails such as they make, Tho
factory employs about thifty.ilye banda,
Moat Of the work Ia done by machinery,
The consumption OF metal reaches from
fifteen to twenty tons Of iron per month.
This Is larger than II sounds, since The
smaller sizes oil taCks run 10000 In a
pound and the average is perhaps / OCO,
The present company dates back 10
1860. Prior 10 that a company having
the same title had been In operation about
four years, but with poor success, their
energies being too dilused. Messrs Jones'.
Head 4 Phinney were experienced tack
manufacturers at Sandwich, Mass, before
they came here. Tho concern here was A
part ofthe latetack combination whiletha
lasted, retiring when the combination dls.
banded this year. Among the future pos.
abilities 10 understood 10 be an enlarge.
ment oil the works to nearly twice Ito pres.
ent capacity, With q view 10 making taOkB
Of soft steel, the advantages OF which In.
dustfy In this locality can be readily seen.
AT present the company uses almost ex.
cluBlvely Norway iron, and their product
has well earned reputation for Tia high
quality In these days when many manu-.
iacturefs have burdsned the markets with
spurious metal sold as Norway iron. The
business Ia even In lie present shape q
considerable item In the sum total Of
Wheeling manufactures, and much more
% hoped from II In The not remote future,
The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-14
A REcoRp or pnospEnlrY.

The old Virginia mill started with forty
machines, an immense equipment in
those days. The Benwood Company In
its early history added ton acres TO It's
original tract, and trebled its coal terri.
tory. Mr.. Norton retired In 1906. Since
that time the Office Of President has been
successfully filed by the late q. OVlebay,
A. W. Campbell, Alexander Lsughlin,
l.. s. D0laplaine and the present inCum.
bent, John g. Hoffman,, ST. Major Lor.
ing has filed tho position Of Secretary
since the organization Of tho company.
Mr.. George Wise Is Assistant Secretary.
by 1896 the capacity OF the mill had
been enlarged 10 % machines. In 1870
the mill was burned, but at once rebuilt
on larger scale, the new factory being OF
fire brick and iron throughout, and one Of
the most admirable mill structures In the
country. The new building was 300xl20
feet In dimensions, aud had 1874 machines.
An additional factory building Of the same
substantial and approved character as the
old, was completed last year, and the
number Of machines increased to l73, with
daily o capacity Of about LOO kegs Of
An illustration Of the almost phenom.
email success which has attended the man.
uiacluro Of nails In Wheeling is furnished
by the fact that the Dsnwood mill, paying,
with other local factories, much larger
wages than competing factories In. the
East, yet declared dividends In the seven
years from 1893 to 1879, inclusive, asgte.
eating over 1856 percent. 0ithese l36 per.
cent were paid In cash and 81 In new
stock, Thifty.fye percent was calculated
on this new stock.
THE BRSwooDs ADVANTAGES.
The management Of the Benwood has
been characterized by that even balance
between enterprise and conservatism
which builds the solid manufacturing
structures which are Wheellng's pride.
None Of the Wheeling mills except the
The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-14

Frank Hearne, Of the Riverside Company,
and other Wheeling nall manufacturers
made The first experiments In the rolling
OF BesBener steel into nail plate and the
cutting from II OF nails. Tho first nail
plaie was rolled al Pittsburgh and cut
Into nails at tho Riverside factory. The
experiment was q distinguished saccess.
AT once corporation oil representatives
Of the leading nall mills here was
formed 10 erect q Bessetner bieel
plant 10 supply all with metal.
Some Of them held back, and the scheme
failed. Then Mr., MCOourtnsy, Of the Bel.
laire mill, commenced the erection o. Q
steel plant. lie was closely followed by
the Riverside Company. Later the Messrs,
Laughlln and their fellow .stoCkholdefg
erected one 70 supply the junction and
The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-14
NrNA IRON AND STEEL COMPANY
A EeighborinG Interest which Reflects
Credit ON the Section.

NelShbOrinE Interest which NenOcts
Credit on the Section.
In her manufacturing history there came
q time when Wheeling could not keep
within her borders all the enterprises
begotten Of her success in manu-
featuring and her unusually favor.
rSble location. Cheaper siteS, per.
sonal preference, the local interests Of
capitalists and landowners, the interests
Of special localities or accident led to the
erection Of extensive and productive mills
on the Ohio side Of the river. Tho Bel.
laire, Laughlln, and Junction nail works,
the Buckeye, Elson, LaBelle and other
glass houses, and the Etna iron works Il.
lustrste this. Yet all these industries, and
others whose mere names make long
list, arc part Of the Wheeling communi.
ty, the result OF her example, benefit 10
all her interests.
The Etna Iron & Steel Company orr.
pinally called the lEtna Iron 4 Nail Com.
The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-14

forty machinea. From that early begin
ming this branch of manufacture has
gTown aud widened until 1t has not only
oulstrippad all other local industries, but
has also plgcei Wheeling above oil COM
petipg points in this line, The following
tabular statement shows the production
bykees OF nails Ia the different States
from 1851 to 1854, inclusive:
The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-14
WIIRTLINala PRopUCTIoN.

The only nail mills in Ohio onlsidc oil
those Just OYER the river are at Ironton,
Niles ard roTIfmouth, Until within o
year there YVES nail mill at Clifton, this
State, but Ills hiss been removed. In the
production Of Ohio in he tabo nine mills
shared. OF three the Bellaire, I.aughlin
aud junction furnished at lORat one.thlri.
West Virginia had ak mills, and Wheel.
ing 1--we, including B4nwool. II perhaps
NAV In necessary to explain that the mills
The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-14

sheets and plates extends from No, 80
gauge to hSli'inch thick, and plates and
the heavier sheets are rolled as wide Rs
fifty inches, The line Of bars embraces
all the aizss and shapes known as meF-
chant bar iron, and many special slzcs,
besides eight, twelve and sixteen pound
Trails and twenty pound street. rails,
These various kinds and shapes OF sheet
and bar are made from both iron and soft
steel. Rolls for giving smooth hnish to
sheets, and shears for accurately shearing
them, have recently been added to the
appliances Of the mill.
THE MANAGEMENT OF THE NILL.
As early as 1854 the lEtns iron had
achieved distinction for good quality,
which was never lost. In that year Mr.,
Baron, the founder Of the BellAire stamp
ing works, who had from time TO time ex.
psrimented with sheet iron from all the
mills with view to securing an iron that
would stand the test Of being stamped into
shape, but had never succeeded, was In
duced to try the EtnR Company's sheet
iron, and was gratihed 10 find that It could
readily be pressed into shape Tor pans and
the like, thus making It possible for the
first time to make such articles from a
single piece,
The first board Of directors consisted OF
W, W. Holloway, A, G. Robinson, Lewis
Jones, T, R, NIotfat, Z. P, Rhodes, Daniel
Davis and L, Spence, and the officers were
W. W. Holloway, President; Lewis Jones,
Manager; W. IL, TallmRn, Secretary.
The board, as at present organized, con-
sists Of W, W. Holloway, Lewis Jones, l..
Spence, Joseph Bell, William b, Simpson,
A, j, Baggs aud W, IL. Tallman, and the
officers are W. II, Tallman, President;
Lewis Jones, Manager; John A. Topping,
Secretary,
Tha names Of the gentlemen composing
the 4Etna Company afford sll the sssur-
anCe that could be desired Of the con.
tinued success Of the establishment, and
in the greater Wheeling to come it may
be relied upon to fulfill It's part as 1t has
done in the past, with capacity, liberality
and enterprise,
The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-14

eral average the country over. There Is
no larger nail works in existence than the
Riverside, Of this city. The Laughlin fac
tory, az projected, will contain two ma
chimes more than the Riverside.
These eight mills with l,20s machines,
have daily capacity OF 1881 kegs Of 100
pounds Of nails each, making the possible
product per week Of five and half days
07,S20, or over 100000 kegs In q year.
The legitimate demand OF tho country In
year lie placed by experts at q little over
100000 kegs, 80 that II would DO possible
for Wheeling to make so percent OF all
the nails used In America.
The estimated capacity has been pro
portionately exceeded here. For instance
In ono week several years ago the TOP
mill factory cut O,S26 kegs OF nails with
1O5 machines, a daily average Of over ter
kegs for each machine.
Without taking careful csnsus Of each
mill II would not be possible 10 give any
exact figures as to tho number OF men en-
ployed by these mills. A conservative
estimate places tho number Of men anC
boys on the pay rolls in the aggregate a
1000,
The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-14

LEADINo rnoDvcT.
Her supremacy rs u Nail Making Point among
the cities OF the world-0ns.Fortlsth
of all the Nails made In the West
cut In Wheeling and Its Vicinity.

o CITY in the world
mo com m u nifty
large or Hmsll, in
America or Europe,
makes as many nails
az Wheeling, The
manufacture Of nails
was begun in Wheel
ing in 1884 with four
teen machines, In
lS47 tho first mill in
\ the West built exclu-
! ,iyeIy for the manu-
isCture Of nails was
erected here with
The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-14
GOOD THING ron THE Town.

"The gas Is a great thing for most Of
your employees, isn't III"
1.-THE gas was hailed with delightby the
men employed at the furnaces. So you
see while some suffer others are benefited,
The sulphur and smoke from coal were
annoying, and no doubt unhealthy. With
natural gaa all this is obyiated. No CRATE
bars are TO clean, no Clinkers to knock
OUT OF the furnace, tho sulphur aud smoke
almost sitting the men in performing this
work. In addition, there will be q great
saving in furnace building. There are SO
many advantages that gas has over coal in
themanuiaCturs ofironth that they cannot be
enumerated. Wheeling is certainly for
tunate in securing the new fuel. II means
the continuance and increased output Of
her present manufactures, and unques-
tionably the erection Of many more"
The Whitaker Company finds lis mar
ket throughout the United States and in
South America, and wherever its product
goes 1t stands with the best. Mr.. N. L.
Whitaker supervisGg closely every depart
ment, though each is in charge Of COM
petent man. Heisone OF the best inform
ed OF American iron masters. Within a
year he has purchased and now operates
in connection with the Crescent large
Bteel works ut Beaver Falls, which estab.
lishment is in charge OF Mr.. Edwin O.
Ewing, Of Wheeling, long connected with
the Crescent,
The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-14
WHITAKER IRON COMPANY.

Tho Crescent NIIIps Steady Growth An Tx
tCnsIve and Complete Sheet Mill.
There is no establishment in the Wheel
ing district, or indeed anywhere, which
shows more sustained prosperity than the
works Of the Whitaker Iron Company,
located on tho south bank Of Wheeling
crock in the heart OF the city. Founded
in 1854 by the Crescent Iron Manufacture
ing Company, the works in 1862 pissed
into the hands OF the present proprietorB,
who, in 1875, were incorporated under the
namo OF the Whitaker Iron Company,
George P. Whitaker, OF Maryland, Presi-
dent, N. L. Whitaker, Of Wheeling, SeCre-
taIyaud General Manager. The Whitakers
we've experienced, driving people. The
war and the flush times succeeding 1t gave
the country taste Of real iron boom, Of
which tho Crescent mill had itR full share.
In the rushing year 1868 the works were
pushed to their utmost capacity turning
cut rails for the Union Pacific railroad.
Tie manufacture Of rails was abandoned
in 1872, and the entire plant was con-
yerted into a sheet iron mill, added to
from time to time a8 business increased
and inventive genius devised new and
better machinery and methods. The works
now run exclusively on iron, black and
galvanized, for which they have a capac.
ity Of 10000 tons per annum.
ALARoE CONCERN.
The works consist Of main building
1OOx5OO feet, the forge department 50xl5O
feet, the galvanizing department 5Oxl5O
feet and the warehouse, 50xl70. In add.
ton to these there are extensive metal
yards and stables. The whole forms an
industrial establishment Of very imposing
appearance and oil very great relative i'm.
portanCe in the industries OF Wheeling.
There are fourteen double pudding fur.
naces, equaling twenty.eight single fur.
naces four heating furnaces; fourteen
sheet and pair furnaces, and twelve anneal.
ing furnaces. There are seven sheet mills, a
mill being what constitutes the rolls nee.
essary for finishing iron for each separate
crew OF workmen, the seven mills embrac.
ing ten pairs Of rolls; one pair bar mill
rolls, called the bar mill; one pair muck
rolls, called the muck mill, and one rotary
squeezer. To keep these mills in motion
thirteen steel steam boilers and eight
engines are necessary. all the latest inn
proved machinery for shearing tho iron
and removing scale can ba seen In the
The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-14

aid, Manager. The mill began operations
In December, 1867, with "a nail machines
The mill had been in operation but Ri1
weeks when 1t WAC entirely destroyed by
fro. The new company, nothing dauntcd
BY disaster which would have paralyzed
the energi6s'ot almost any company under
the circumstances, rebuilt at once, and
were again in operation by June, 1868.
In 1873 the company doubled its capital,
The number Of machines had by that time
increased to 81. The same year an addi-
tional $4,000 was added to the stock and
the erection Of blast furnace commenced.
This was one Of the finest furnaces in the
vicinity.
SUCCESSIVE CHANGES.
Gen. Cowen was succeeded as President
by W, g. Barnard, he by NJ. Sheets, he by
the late o. OglebRy, OF this city, and he
by ]. Il. MCCourtney, the present success.
ful head OF the affair. Mr.. James Wilson,
who has been identified with tho mill
from It's early history, is now Vice.Presi.
dent, and in the absence OF President Nc.
Courtney In Europe is temporarily at the
head OF the company. Mr.. Smith 70.
NAMED Secretary until 1874, when Mr.. A.
D. Hilsorn succeeded him, and remains
in the position yet. Mr.. A. B. Carter ID
Assistant Secretary.
The Board Of Directors Is composed oil
Messrs. MCOourtney aud Wilson, Capt. r.
7. Devrles, General Agent OF the B. 4 y.
company here; L. W. 0glebay, OF Wheel.
ing; Ed Jones, j., William Sharp and W.
g. Barnard. Tho cooperative feature was
long ago abandoned.
The blast furnace, after a striking record
Of produCtiveness, and being repaired
several times, Is now being rebuilt with
greatly increased diameter and capacity.
1t will be able to turn out an average Of
over thousand tons a week. The nail
works has grown to completely equipped
plant Of 1876 machines, with a capacity fol
turning out 1000 kegs Of nails per week
ready for the market. The capital stock
has grown 10 $500,0O0. The furnace Is in
charge Of Ed. Jones, IT,, as manager, and
the nail factory Is under tho superintend.
ence Of Thomas W. Wetherald, an old
mailer identified with the factory since liz
establishment.
The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-14
THE MILLS AvD 7ngIn CAPACITY.

Below ia a carefully prepared statement
Of the relative capacity and production Of
tho mills located or owned in Wheeling,
excluding the Jefferson, spsulding and
Beliont. referred To above.
The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-14

men out OF employment, That Ia to be
regretted, hut entertain no doubt but that
it will ultimately result in good to
the men whom ii will now place at dis
advantage. The sewing machine, when 1t
was invented, met with the same obstacles
as natural gas, 1t being alleged that It
would deatrOy labor and throw thousands
Of women who worked with the needle
into destitute circumstances, II has Just
been opposite. More women find work
in garment-making now than before the
introduction OF the sewing machine, New
styles, patterns, designs, were added to
the list Of fashions rs fast ~ the improve
ments would admit OF, and even faster,
for thoTe is always a demand now for
operators on sewing machines. The same
objections were raised to the threhhing
machines. What would the lail do nowP
No, natural gas will open up new enter
prises. New manufactures will constant
" be added to our varied manufactured
articles and . demand for labor greater
than heretofore will be the reaut."
A SCHEME FOR THE COAL DlddRRs,
"But," Mr.. Whitaker, "what will these
men do in the meRntime?"
THAT is q question l am not prepared
to answer other than so fur as our men are
concerned. l have suggested the organi-
zation Of q cooperative company for the
purpose OF mining and selling coal 10 prl-
vate consumers. 1t is likely come such
scheme will be Cousummated. They urged
our running the mine, as they had no
capital to change the mines by building
coal Chutes. screens, &c, We had no de-
sire to enter into competition with city
coal banks, Rs We were materially benefit.
ted by natural gas while their condition
was the reverse; and feeling kindly toward
the men who had been with Us so many
years, and tho most cordial relations oil.
ways existing, We proposed to build oil
necessary Chutes, furnish them with
mules, cars, de-, which will no doubt be
accepted. This at least will put our
miners in a position as good as, II not bet.
ter than, before the Introduction Of natural
gas into our millG."