Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-10-28
NEW INDUSTRY.
STEEL LATa WORKS TO SPRING UP IN OUR
MIDST.
4 Novel Business That Is Achieving Phenomenal
Growlh-A Most Ussful Invention, and
how Il Works.

Wheeling has factories and factories,
but there is soon to spring up In our
midst new and novel industry, and
one that is just now having an amazing
growth. In these days of rapid pro-
gression we are having good many
things made of iron and steel, like grid
ers, beams, ceilings and other things,
but who'd have thought OF building steel
and iron laths. But they have come,
aud come to stay. and Wheeling can
congratulate herself upon securing such
valuable industry for this section.
Mention was made few days ago OF
the incorporation of the Bostwick Fire
Proof Steel Lath Company in this city
for the manufacture and sale OF what IS
known as the Bostwick Patent Steel
Lath, product that is rapidly coming
into general use through the United
States, to take the place OF the old
fashioned wood lath on account OF It's
fire proof qualities and cheapness. The
demand for this lath by architects,
builders and the trade in Chicago,
Cleveland, ST. Louis, Cincinnati, Den
yer, Kansas City, New York, Boston,
Baltimore, Detroit, San Francisco, and
other cities and towns throughout the
East and West has been such as to
make it necessary to locate the factory
close by sheet iron mills in order to sup
ply the growing demand for their steel
lath with promptness and TO save
freights.
Mr.. Walter w. Bostwick Of New
York has been in the city for some little
time perfecting the arrangements, and
has now reached point where the es-
tablishment OF the enterprise is ''sure
CO." and operations an large scale Will
begin shortly.
This steel lath is a singular contri-
vance. 1t is made Of sheet iron
with Sits at regular intervals form
ing ribbons which bulge out from
the surface of the sheet. These ribbons
catch the plaster, and hold it firm. In
plastering, either side can be used.
There is no possible chance for the
plaster to fall off, as when 1t passes
through the notches, it Thoroughly keys
itself without any waste. The surface
is smooth and even, and given
amount of plaster will cover twice
as much surface as the wood
lath. In fact, with the
ordinary laths there is enough plaster
wasted, it is claimed, to plaster the
wall with. The steel lath looks odd, but
ID gets there. 1t seems to be one OF
those articles Of commerce that has
sprung into existence providentially 10
fill q long felt want. Any practical
business man after carefully examining
the lath can readily see that 1t is the
lsth of the future. Another cir
cumstance strongly in favor or the
steel lath is the fact that 1t rem
ders the walls fre-proof, the mortar
also preserving the metal as has many
times been indiSDutably demonstrated.
AS every one knows the great dith-
Guilty with wood lathes Is that the plaS-
teriEg cracks or falls off at Intervals.
With steel laths this desideratum Is
amply met. The walls remain smooth,
hard and even for years, and nothing
short of a cyclone can disturb the
eousnimity of the unbroker eXpanse OF
whiteneSs. In plaStering with the new
device there is no waste to the mortar,
and on the whole the steel lath Is even
cheaper than the wood contrivance, as
it saves material and labor and lasts lar
longer, almost indefinitely.
The machines for the manufacture OF
this device are powerful in their way,
vet very compact. They are on the ro-
tary plan. o
The capacity of the machines are 100
feet per day, or nearly twenty tons OF
finished lath. One of these machines is
now i'm operation at the boiler works OF
Cox & Morrison, at the corner of
Eighteenth and Chapline streets, where
for several days many visitors have
viewed the interesting operations.
The building for carrying on the
works will be located on the property
adjoining the Standard Axle Works and
will be 100 by 80 feet, the larger portion
of the structure being used Tor a ware
house. as the machines occupy but
small space. Mr.. BoStwick was at
tracted to this city by the unusual rail-
road facilities, and also to be in the
midst of so many excellent sheet iron
and steel works. As this company con-
troIs the territory in fifteen Of the
Southern and Eastern States, the ad-
yantages of locating at this point can
readily be seen.
The company starts out with cap
itaI of 500, 900, and will meet for the
nnrpose of organizing Tuesday, Novem-
her 10th. There will be seven directors
chosen, and among them will be Messrs.
Walter w. BostTick, Morgan l.. OFT,
John II. Hobbs, and Theodore W.
Phinney.
As an instance OF the local patron
ace that is already flowing in, the hand
some City Bank building will use 10000
sonare feet of these steel laths, and one
or two other buildings are already nego-
hating for the modern appliance.