Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-28
A THRIVING PLACE,
Whose Industries and Population
Entitle 1t to a City's Mantle.
NEW CASTLE AND TIE BIG CANAL.
A Water Power That Would be Destroyed
by the Proposed Waterway.
ITS OWNER WOULDN'T OBJEcf, THOUGH.
rrRoM OUR SPECIAL ooMNrssIoNER.l

there that the cross-cut junction up the
Mahoning started. The Mahoning crossed
the Shenango by an aqueduct and Neshau-
mock creek was crossed by the same method.
The old dams remain. Somewhat by an in
verse ratio of output of water these valleys
grow in importance.
NeshRnnock is not much of a stream, but
New Castle is considerable of a city. As to
that something further along. Here is
water power that canal might destroy. 1t
is owned by ]. w. Raney, who thinks it
doesn't amount to much. 1t only runs two
of the many manufactures of New Castle.
That is, the -four mill of J. W. Raney;
below town another -four mill.
NOT MUCH OF A POWER.
Formerly the water power was used for
the Etua Iron Works. There wasn't
enough, and there is not enough power even
for these. Mr.. RaneE has to have steam
power in his -four mill, and the lower -four
mill is compelled frequently to shut down.
The Etna Iron Works long since abandoned
its mill race The actual power which is
manufactured by the Neshannock creek
dam does not exceed $50 during the lively
seasons OF the year, and 1t can well be un-
derstood that during periods of drought
there is some trouble In getting half enough
power to run anything at all. Mr.. Raney,
however, will not ask very much from the
State or the National Government for his
water power, although he thinks he ought
to be paid something for it, in case 1t is con-
fscated.
BRIDGES IN PLENTY.
Whether or not it would be necessary to
AXE the Neshannock creek water power
dam, depends largely upon where the canal
will run. The old canal came along
Neshau cock creek. 1t was part of the
Mahon:lg eross-eut. Almost in the center
of the town-beeause, bear in mind. this
town has nearly as many, and 1 do not
know, but think more bridges than have
Pittsburg and Allegheny City-is the old
lock OF the canal. Mr.. Raney owns it, as a
matter OF course, because he owns the dam.
Something of a commotion was created in
Mr. Ranev's mind, but not in that of the
community, when the Town Council de-
cided that the old lock was public nuis-
ance The borough authorities passed a
resolution that if Mr.. Raney didn't remove
it, then under the direction Of the borough
attorney, it should be moved at the expense
of the town and costs charged up TO Mr..
Raney. The latter gentleman was in New
York when he got that word by telegraph.
He had time to telegraph to his own at
torney and get an injunction.
MERELY SMILE.
As am not giving an opinion upon any
facts, but simply trying to get facts, 1 will
not saw ANYTHING about it, but please let me
smile little bit. On the face of the evil !
dence, and upon the top of the dam, or
rather let me say lock, 1 wonder how it can
be 2 nuisance Winter weather and sum-
mer weather NAV perhaps be the solution of
the enigma.
Mr.. Raney has so many interests that
would be benefited BY ship canal, in case
one were built, that be could well afford to |
F, lose his little NeshannOck Greek Dam. He |
is the head of the Etna Rolling Mill CON-
pany, and spends most of his time at the |
Etns Blast Furnace Works, SO that it can |
well be seen that a ship canal would be a |
great benefit to his interests. Mr.. Raney
saws himself that he wants a ship canal. |
He wants something that will give better
shipping fscIlities, without so much regard |
to better freight rates. The Beaver ana
Shenango and the Mahoning Valley, he
says, must have more methods OF getting in
and sending out heavy freight.
BUSINESS OF ONE MILL.
Here is something that gives some idea of
what the Etna Rolling Mill does alone
Coal, 125 tons per daY for 325 days in the |
length of time; limestone, 120 to 150 tons a
day; ores. about $50 tons a day, running |
often as high as 300 tons day; pig iron, $50 |
tons day; output of completed work, mer- |
chant bar iron, not less than 1000 tons a |
year. The works employ $50 hands.
That is one interest Raney & Berger's |
blast furnace-by the way, they call it the |
Rsney & Berger Iron Company-do another |
large business. Six carloads of slack Der |
I'D oh 07T af a,5
iron constitute the incoming freight. This |
does not include about $4,000 pounds of |
limestone per year. The output will be at |
least 250, 600 tons. Is it any wonder, there |
fore, that Mr.. Raney thinks a ship canal |
would be a good thing? Benefit him? Of |
course it would, and he thinks it would be |
benefit to the State, and therefore says that |
there should be State aid.
BUSINESS OF THE CITY.
1t is hardly the proper place to go into de- /
tails of the manufacturing industries of |
New Castle. 1t would take good-sized |
directory to tell how many there are New
Castle is really a thriving and industrious |
village, with the proportions of a city. |
They're not anxious, however, to have a
municipal mantle thrown upon their shoul- |
ders. 1t is sturdy worth upon which they
pride themselves.
Take glance at mere outline, a simple |
enumeration of some of New Castles indus /
tries. First is the Etna Iron Works, Limi- |
ted; not the largest establishment in the vii. |
lage, but one that counts first because they |
spell it with an A nowadays. What the |
Etna Iron Works does has already been told |
in the foregoing. Then here are five blast |
furnaces; pipe mandatory; a blast fur /
mace pipe mandatory; three boiler works; |
one brass works; two breweries (they don't |
make as good beer as in Plttsburg, and that |
is not called the best); three brick manu-
factories; nine dealers in and miners of coal; /
nine different firms OF general contractors,
and builders without number; three engine |
builders and contractors; two fire brick |
works.
A FINGER IN MANY PIES.
j. P. Witherow g. Co. certainly do have |
lots of business, but cart understand whv |
they get on every page of the directory with |
some new business or a new method of /
stating some business that has already been
given. For about the nineteenth time here
they come again-fre brick manufacturers.
Then there are three foundries, not counting
the furnace heating mandatory, two gal
vaniEed cornice works, three gas and steam
filters, four glass manufactures, four ma
chine shops, two marble works, one molding
manufactOry, two nail manufactures not |
counting the fellows which we didn't for.
get chilled and dry sand manufactures,
known IS the Vulcan Iron Company's
works, three sheet iron factories, each doing
an extensive business, one sheet metal |
works, and one distinctive steel manufae-
tory, that OF the Crawford Steel and Iron
Company.
Then there are other manufactures, either
content plated or actually in process of erec-
ton. One of the most important Of these is
the Bessemer wire rod mill, owned by the