Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-30
rrRoN ouR srro1AI co1nnssIoNER. J

in finding out the tonnage of this place, or
Of Wheatland, Pulaski or Sharon. So
much has been said already in the way Of
careful and distinct investigation of the
manufacturing establishments of the Beaver
and Shenango Valleys that anyone who has
been reading these letters has already gained
= fair knowledge of what they are without
going into further particulars of detail
We are now going up the valley of the
Shenango. Middlesex comes first after New
Castle; the borough of Pulaski, with popu-
lation probably not exceeding ], 100, comes
next There is little in Pulaski beside
paint mill. It does not do much business,
and its tonnage is low.
West Middlesex is the name they call this
place I suppose they put in the "West"
to make it look like bigger place. If there
is any other Middlesex east, north or south
I know nothing of such place. 1t is one
of the eecentricities of humanity to seek an
odd name.
THEIR RIVAL INDUSTRIES.
Well. as to Middlesex: There are two
blast furnaces, which do business of some
thing the same tonnage as is done in the
larger blast furnaces of Shsrpsville and
New Castle. mention Sharpsyille and New
Castle together because they are rivals in
trade and in tonnage. There is a word that
does nos mean much, and is often misused,
hut it is the one that strikes me as being par
ticularly appropriate to use here; it is
Sunny" how these Valley towns think 81
am is greater thsn she is. We outsiders
can "smile and smile and be villains still, "
and ret somehow or other stumble upon
queer facts.
AiddIesex has the Erie, the Nypano, the
Lake Shore and q branch of the Sharpsville
Railroad, which gives the town connection
with the Baltimore and Ohio. The Pitts
burg and Western also has branch con-
meeting with Middlesex.
The next town going up the Shenango is
Whestland. 1 don't like to say it. but
Wheatland seems to have gone into period
Of pralaya Anyone who is at all ac-
quainted with the occult sciences, and espec-
ially is a reader of Sinnett, will understand
that pralays is not death. 1cannot imagine
WHY Wheatland should have lost its inter-
est in life and commerce; but the facts are
here.
WHAT IT ONCE WAS.
In this village was located the old fur
mace of Wood & Co., which made great
deal Of iron during the time that it was run
ming with prosperity, but it is now idle, its
stacks have fallen, its ''boshes' are broken,
If ANYBODY knows what "boshes' means,
and it is in such a condition of decay gen.
orally that am inclined to think that it
would be cheaper to build new furnace
rather than attempt to repair the old one.
At Wheatland was also located prosperous
and an active rolling mill operated by Wood
& Co. 1t is still running, and has recently
been reftted for rolling plates for pipe.
Such interests as / have mentioned come
very near covering what Wheatland does
and can do.
Next we reach Sharon, three and three
tenths miles from Sharpsville. It is a big
town, conpactlY built, active and indus
trious. There are no play things allowed
there. No person is permitted to gaze at
the skies and follow Rip Van Winkle ex-
istence on the route of this ship canal, if q
ship canal is ever built
WHAT SHARON Is DOING.
Here are some of Eharon's industries, and
look at what they are and you can gain
some idea Of their tonnage:
First is the Buhl Furnace and Rail
Works. What did I say about the Etna
Iron Works and the Bessemer Nail Rod
Works of New Cssle? NV recollection is
that they did q business of 165, 600 tons q
year incoming and outgoing. The Bull
than 150, 900 tons per year both ways So
much of their raw material comes by the lake /
route and the railroads from the lakes that |
the Buhl Furnace and Rail Works would |
naturally favor any legitimate method by |
which they could get freight. not exactly at |
lower rates, bur when they need to ship, or |
receive shipments. Possibly this idea may |
penetrate the minds of some Of the mortals |
who take courage enough to read these |
letters; however, further along will come |
something else pertaining TO that.
Sharon has the works of Kimberly & |
Son, live firm, an active management, an |
honest method Of conducting business, but |
an establishment that has been unfortunate, |
as we all know.
ONLY VICTIMS OF MISFORTUNE.
hardly think this is the time or place
70 say why such honest people, such earnest
workers as Kimberly & Sons got into the |
difficulties which yet environ them. A
whole lot of us people wonder why we were
born and puzzle ourselves, it we allow
ourselves to think about il. |
why we continue to live. There are acci-
dents Of business, mistakes that we regret
and only find are mistakes when the time
comes that we know an error has been COM
mitted. Kimberly & Sons, would like to
testify, while honest and industrious are
the victims Of misfortune. 1t there is any
justice upon this globe, and I think men
are Just when they consider that other men
are just, this firm will pull itself out OF
very deep mudhole.
The Stewart Iron Company, with two fur
naces, the foundry, boiler and machine
works, the Sharon Steel Casting Company,
the wagon material shops, spokes, felloes,
etc, small steel nail shop and small plan
ing mill constitute the chief industries of
Sharon. But it would not be proper to for
get little mandatory that brings to mind
some stories which we have read.
CHSENs MADE IN A DWELLING HOUSE.
have little knowledge of the methods of
OF chains. Wilkie Collins did
more than even did Charles Read to tell us
something Of those wonderful industries of
which we know SO little, and of which we
could have no practical knowledge. So
much is done BY machinery in this latter
part Of the nineteenth century, and in pro-
gressive America especially. that it sounds
queer to say that one family makes chains
il part Of q dwelling house. That is what
this chain factory is
What small chain factory I hardly
thought america was indulging in that
SORT Of business. Natural gas, steam, coal.
boke. u Of these things which lead up to
1oWedge ana inventive power, it seemed
. would be enough to prevent hand
soSer methods Of manufacture. It does an
pear, however and I judge that it is per
lectiy proper. that there are some things that
cannot be manufactured BY machinery;
some things that have to be done by hand
yet
Now let me say something else. Along in
he community Of which have been speak
ne ran the old Erie extension canal. This