The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-14

uOuDtIQi u no ever uHu IN llb nluu as
large an idea as Is embodied in the pres
ent Riverside works. In 1855, after a
career OF indifferent success, The works
suspended, and remained idle until 1858,
when j, II. Pendleton & Go. leused and
started up the mill, making light bar iron
end railroad spikes. In 1859 the works
we're burned, but at once rebuilt, In 1860
they were leased to o U. Dewey, who ~,
ISOLATED with himself j. n. Vance and W.
II. Russell, under the hrm name OF Dewey,
Vance < Co., who operated the mill as
tina "Wheeling Iron aud spike Works"
for q while, and then "a the "JuuialR Iron
Works" The product of the mill, espeC.
tally railroad spikes, was in growing de-
mand.
ENLARGED FACILITIES,
The stimulated trade consequent upon
tho war compelled the firm to enlarge
the mill several times. In 1866 Il WAS de.
cided to build nail mill. N. VIII
kinson, John d. Cnlberlson and q nun.
Der Of other experienced men were added
10 the partnership, and ChaunCey Dewey,
owner OF the works, also entered the firm,
which thus became the possessOrs Instead
Of lessors Of the mill.
Tho company purchased the EoT prop.
erty, adjoining the Belmont mill on the
north, and occupying square. Twelve
thousand dollars was paid for 1t, Ga the
corner Of Main and Twenty.iourth
streets the nail factory was erected, with
the rolling, heating and other departments
adjoining. The work OF construction WIS
most carefully aud thoroughly done, and
was no; finished till December, 1867, " hen
the factory went into operation with
iorty.eight machines. Prior to this time
Mr.. William L. Hearne had come from
New York and invested In the firm, which
now represented S2j0.000 Of capital
The boiling furnaces at the upper works
were increased to twenty-five, aud thess
running double turn increased tho origi.
nal capacity OF the mill nine.iold.
In 1870, forty.two nail machines were
added, making 80 In all.
The Riverside" was the name given to
the new nail factory, but the firm still re-.
NAMED Dewey, Vance & Co. They in
troduced several new ieaturesin nail max.
ing, one Of these being the uss Of fifteen
inch nail pllts. A member OF the firm
also patented valuable improvements in
the arrangements for CIsching aud shov-
ing under nail plate. New ideas in the
blueing OF nails were also originated in
their mill, and soon became general.
The erection OF blast furnace was
commenced at Benwood in 1871 and com.
pleted in 1872. By that time the capital
stock had increased TO over a million dol.
lars. The facilities for doing the immense
business which had grown on their hands
were from time to timo added to, md the
firm was making the name Of Wheeling
iron and nails more widely known than
ever. On the FIRST day Of January, 1875,
the Arm Of Dswey, Vance 4 90. Csased to
exist, and the Riverside Iron Works Com.
pany was organized and assumed control
Of the works, having been duly inCorpo.
rated for that purpose.
THE RIVERSIDE COMPANY.
The corporation still retains the title Of
the Riverside Iron Works Company,
although iron now ioims no part OF its
finished product, The present Board oil
Directors Is composed OF ]. N. Vance, O,
P. Dewey, William L. Hearne, John d.
Culbertson and +. ]. Hearne. Mr.. ]. n.
Vance Is President, John d. Culbertson
Secretary and Treasurer, +. j. Hearne
General Manager. The company's diIer.
emit branches are In charge Of man.
ayers, who are as follows: Steel depart.
ment, Z. L. Wiles; Riverside furnace,
| William OroCkard; S.eubenville furnace,
Frank gpearman; plate mill, Thomas
Murins; nail factories, Il. NJ. BabCock (;
bar mills, coal mines, etc, Is. Wilkinson.
Tie company now produces steel nails
and Gtssl spikes and bar steel. At the
Office Of the company on Main street an
lSTELLiGRSCEE representative was shown
a day or two ago some specimens Of
wrought pipe made out Of Riverside s!eel
skelp. The samples acted on were pinch
pipe, and they were bent and curved into
the shape OF the figure 5 without the
slightest flaw appearing In the weld. This
| is q crucial test, and Mr.. Frank Hearne,
the general manager, had them subjected
10 the further test Of the steam hammer,
and only after repeated flows fractures
appeared In the solid body Of the pipe,
the YIELDS remaining intact. The pieces
tested were Of both butt-Welded and lap.
welded pipe.
This Ia but one Of the numerous uses
TO which mild steel may be applied Ia ad.
ditjon 70 those In which II Ia how employ.
ed. In the pipe experiment, as In the
first nall experiments, the RiveSide has
taken the lead. Mr.. Hgarne Is confident
that Il will eventually take the place Of
Norway and Swedes iron. The more dl.
Yersled the uses 10 which steel can be
applied, the greater the advantage Of
Wheelibg's leading position In The manu-.
iaCture Of the metal, Until within short
lime, when several new Bessemer steel
plants Of largo capacity have been erected
In Pennsylvania and one In Illinois,
Wheeling and Vicinity made considerably
more than half the soft steel turned out
10 the county, aud lie production Is now,
including tho Bellalro and Laughlin and
Junction steel plants, fully half Of that Of
The United States. This state oil affairs
The cly owes 70 the enterprise Of the gen.
tleme1 connected With tho Rlyotsde Com
pany more than 10 any other one GOnCprp,
the RlvRRslDE FURNACES.
The Riverside blast furnace, at Ben,
wood, made the flrst cast oil iron February
| Il, 1879, II Is "a feet high by 10 feet ID
diameter at top Of bosh, has iout Player
By IA Inches 10 diameter, two blowing win ;G Cd.
plneS, one " inch stroke by ~ lnGhsl
diameter and the other ~ inch stoke by
"a inches diameter, and lis average weekly
product 10 1000 tons Of BessemBr pig iron
oil Of which Is consumed In the company
steel plant,
The blast furnace formerly operated b,
the Bleubehvlll6 Furnace Company wa
sold lAAt year Of public sale 10 the River
side Company which al once remodeled |
! throughout and putt In blast March