The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-06-04

SO al large Teulau.
lost OF them have grown and changed
keep upwith the changing times, and
he output in many cases has been en-
rely changed. The manufacture OF
rails, once the leading industry OF the
Whole community, has sunk into COM
,aratiye insignifcance. Steel, in the
I'D days not made in Wheeling, has
lsurped the place OF iron, and to
he manufacture OF glass, always an
important industry, has been added the
,1ually important manufacture OF china
md oueensware. The Wheeling stogie,
nee known from the Atlantic to the Pa
'iic ms Wheelings leading product,
must now take back seat for the chew
ng and smoking tobacco which are
made here and sold in all parts OF the
world. There was q day when silk
manufactured in Wheeling took the
arst prize at q Paris exposition, but silk
q no longer made here. In its place
calico is printed which Is sold in distant
markets as the best OF ALL So it is in
other lines, and a glance at the repre-
tentative individual industries will be
both interesting and instructive.
FIRST IN THE WORLD.
The Wheeling factories were the first
n the world to make cut nails Of steel,
md to Mr.. Frank Hearne was due the
change in thatindustry which amounted
10 a revolution. So to the Riverside
Steel Works is to be ascribed the decided
innovation of making gus and water
pipes and tubes in general OF steel. That
concern, one OF Wheelings Oldest and
her largest iron works, is now one OF the
most extensive steel works in the world.
It includes one Of the largest and best
Bessemer steel plants in the country,
the only steelpipe factory, thelargest cut
steel nail mill in the world, plate mill,
muck bar mill and forge, and two blast
furnaces. Tho steel plant, one blast
furnace, the plate mill and tube works
are located at Benwood, Wheel
ing's nearest southern suburb; the nail
factory, muck mill and forge and the
company's general offices in Wheeling,
and the other blast furnace in steuben-
vile, Ohio. The concern was founded
in 1852 by E. @. Dewey, OF Cadiz, Ohio.
who came here and established a wire
works. In 1865 the mill was converted
by ]. II. Pendleton & Co. into q mill for
the manufacture of light bar iron and
railroad spikes. In the next year the
works were burned, but at once rebuilt,
and year later leased TO Mr.. o. @.
Dewey who, with Messrs. ]. N. Vance
and W. H. Russell, formed the firm OF
Dewey, Vance & Co., so long famed
in the iron industry Of this sec
ton. In 1865 Messrs. N. Wilkinson,
]. D. Culbertson, Chauncey Dewey and
number OF Others became members Of
the company, and the property north
| of the Belmont mill was bought and q
nail factory built. Mr.. William L,
Hearne about this time also entered the
company, and the new works started
up III the latter part Of 1867. The Ben
wood blast furnace OF tho company was
completed in 1872. In 1875 the River.
side Company succeeded the firm, and
il has since had career Of continued
prosperity and growth, until to-day it
holds the proud position Of Wheelings
leading industry. Mr.. ]. N. Vance has
for several years been the president
Mr.. John D. Culbertson secretary and
Treasurer, and Mr.. Frank j, Hearne the
general manager. The works of the
Riverside Company are as complete in
equipment as any in the country and
its product is known fur and wide as
the best in its class.
OTHER IRON WORKS.
Wheeling has within her borders, or
in close proximity, owned by Wheeling
capital and operated by Wheeling men,
thirteen extensive iron works, any one
Of them equal to several average con
Germs OF the kind. In the city proper
are the Wheeling Iron and Nail Com
pany's TOP" mill; the Belmont Com
pany's blast furnace, rolling mill
and nail factory; the River
side plants, already mentioned; tho
Whitaker sheet iron works, the
Wheeling Corrugating Company, the
Caldwell & Peterson Manufacturing
Company and other manufactures less
in size but still OF importance. The
BenYood company, with its offices in
the city and its rolling mill and nail
factory at Benwood and blast furnace at
Martins Ferry; the Etna and Standard
mills Mt .Etnaville, the extensive Bel
lairc works, the Laughlin mill at Mar
-tin!s Ferry, the Rrilliantmill, the Jefler-
son. at SteubenYille, the steel plant and
1 nff..-.a A. "a