The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-06-04
JOlNsT0WN,s pIa INDUSTRY.
The Great Cambria Iron Works that Went
Down Ia the Flood,

bonite ore-the pioneer works in tina
locality had already established charcoa
furnaces. The raw material and the pro
duct had to be transported principally
by wagon, In 1900 the working OF orel
began In Johnstown, Crude and prim
tive as was theindustry then, 1t marked
the important epoch which began the
manufacture oiiron in America, It wa
not until 1852 when the Cambria Iror
Company was organized puFposely tC
operate four old.iashioned charcoal fur
naces. Coal, iron and limestone abound
cd, and In 1858 four coke furnaces were
started, and 1t took the three following
years to develop what Is now the great
coke industry,
The iron industry throughout Amer
lea, as well as In the Iron State, was
then in its infancy and struggling fol
existence. From 1852 until alter the
war OF the rebellion came upon every
community, as tho surviving people o.
Johnstown now, as an appalling calam,
ity. The Cambria Iron Company strug.
gled for It's very existence. Then 1t was
that the illustrious Daniel j. Morrell, q
member OF the Philadelphia mercantile
firm, who were the creditors, sprang 10
the front, and said in effect: "You gen.
tlemen should make no mistake about
this. The region In and around Johns
town is pregnant with all the materials
necessary to establish the greatest in.
dustry Of the nation"
He was appointed chairman OF the
merchants whose Investments were al
stake to visit tho place, His report
shrewdly recommended q further invest.
ment aud ut the same time relieve the
Cambria Iron Company from bank,
ruptcy. Faith was placed in him. He
was entrusted with additional funds
The investment, however, in 1856, owing
TO the approach Of a panic, proved a par
tial failure. Mr.. Morrell secured the
formation OF a new company, consisting
OF Richard D. Wood, DanielJ. Morrelf
Edward Y. Townsend, George Trotter
Matthew Newkirk, with others. Their
1t was that Daniel ]. Morrell threw hi
heart and soul into the project. But be
met with more reverses than few. II
1855 there was financial depression. The
year 1857 was one Of the most prostratinI
panics that Pennsylvania had eyel
pissed. The month OF June witnessed
a fire which destroyed tho entire works
notwithstanding that men in double
ranks passed buckets full OF water from
tho Conemaugh to the flames. One
week aiterward, by determination anC
financial ability, the furnaces were agloV
and the rolls wheeled with the familiar
hum.
an 1857 one steel rail was sent t.
Derby, England, laid down on the Mid
land railroad where travel was SO grea
thatiron rails had TO be renewed alinos
every three months. In June, 1873, al
ter sixteen years OF trial, that rail wa
replaced, Then 1t was that Sir Henr,
Bcssemer, civil engineer OF London
who had experimental In gun.Casting
pretended 10 have discovered the pro
cess whichis now called Bessemer.
"In 1S5T-5s William Kelly, OF Louis
Vile, Kentucky" we quote, made a
the Cambria Iron Company's works, th,
first experiment in this country o
pneumatic steel, Kelly preceded Bes
semer beyond the possibility Of doub
in the discovery OF the process, but BeS
amer obtained the patent yet Mr.. Nor
rell achieved the ieat OF avoiding year
OF litigation by consolidating the two
companies and putting the process int
eiICCtual uso.
Priority was awarded Kelly by th
Patent Office, and the American engi
neers, Holley, tho Fritz Brothers, W. X
Jones, oil BraldOck, Hunt and Others re
arranged and improved the Besseme
machinery to manipulate the product
II is here noteworthy to observe thu
the American workmen by their supe
rior energy, intelligence and judgmen
got five times the product made In tn
same time, with substantially tho sam
oonverters used by English workmen.
This result gave q boom 10 American
railways. The companies extended thei
lines, perfected their road.beds, increase,
the speed Of their trains, Quintupled III
power OF their engines Us we'll as tn
capacity OF their cars, so that AmeriC
has the greatest rs well as the least OK
pensive railroad system in the world
Statistics show that In 1894, the crucica
year OF the war there were but $500
miles OF railroad In the United States
while in 1874 the mileage had NOR
than doubled. In 1871 the Cambri
Works sold their steel rails for Sl04. To
day the market quotations show Conclu
siYely what American competition ha
done, and yet give employment wit