The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-12-20
Elwood Seems to Have Received an Ex-
ira Share of Attention from Capitalists,
And the Result has Been the Development Of
Mary Important Industries. Including the
Largest GlssS Plant in the Country.
Alexandria Tells the Same Story ofPros-
perity Brought BY Natural Gas.
One of the Earliest Wells Was Developed in
That Town, and lis Growth in Business and
Wealth Has Been Unusually Rapid.


ELwooD FACTORIES.
They Are Numerous, Employ Many Men and
Call for Large Investments of Capital.
STAFF Correspondence OF the Indianapolis Journal
ELwooD, Ind. Dec. 1S-The story of the
gas belt Is everywhere the same. IL is Q
record Of continued prosperity, differing
only in degree. 1t is almost universally
trae that every town in the belt. where gas
has been developed, has secured, or is now
securing. manufacturing plants. adding
thousands of dollars to Its working capital
aud q large PERCENTAGE of increase to its
population. Eiwood has been no exception
to the rule. and among the smaller towns
of the gas district it has probably received
an extra share of attention from manu-
facturers. The possessor of an industry of
great political significance, the nsme of
the town has come prominently before che
entire Nation. and the distinction it has
acquired in politics has been utilized for
the advancement of it's industrial and COM
mercisl interests.
Eiwood has good railway facilities. both
the Panhandle and the Lake Erie d West
ern depots and freight stations being located
here The factories. while not 80 numer-
Gus as those OF other towns. In point OF
magnitude and value of product. will
bear favorable comparison with any,. Like
every other town of the belt, Elwood's
growth. previous to the discovery of gas.
was slow and uncertain. Surrounded by
a fine agricultural country. the towns
chief business was the shipping of live
stock and grain. and the development of
such resources as it had. The 80 were not
many. consisting, az they did. solely OF
gravel deposits and beds of potter's clay.
They were, nevertheless. q source of con-
siderable income; and now, with the ener-
gies of her people. all newly aroused. will
doubtless take rank among tho profitable
industries of this section.
HER INDUSTRIAL OUTLOOK.
One of the first manufacturing concerns
located here was also one of the most gl-
gantic. This il the celebrated Diamond
plate glass works, said to be- the largest
plant of its kind In the United States. Its
working capital approxlmates g.. 600. 0O0.
and it affords constant employment to one
thousand men. The monthly payroll Of
this factory aggregates S45. O00. This sum
of money alone. put into circulation month
IL in a town of this size. creates an activity
III the money market which. IN ante-gas
days. would have been simply marvellous.
Now 1t 10 but Q factor in the new prosperity
of the town.
Another enterprise of more than local
note IL the George A. Macbeth Pearl Glass
Company. This firm manufactures the
pearl-glass lamp chimney of commerce.,
and operates on o capital of S250.000. There
are $50 persons employed about the works.
This IN ma of fha paflfufinna nnifo mr.
mon throughout the gas region, which
furnishes lucrative employment fer women.
Of the whole Number of persons employed
here. more han half Of them are females.
of $4,000.
The Elwood Window-glass Company has
a capital of 100000. Il employs 1S5 men
and has . payroll of $40, 600 per month
The average earnings of glass-workers are
no more than those of employees in other
trades. The blowers" and "gatherers"
cara wages amounting often TO $500 per
month, and q few of these men in each con-
Germ can dvance the average of the pay
roll to astartling figure.
The NivIson 81 Weiskopf bottle-house 10
another glass factory which has taken ad-
vantage of Eiwood's cheap fuel. 1t manu-
features bottles exclusively and makes
use Of large quantities of native sand In
the production OF colored goods. 1t has o
capital stock of Se0.O GOO. EN- pioys l25 men,
and pays out in salaries S0.0 00 per month.
Another big glass factory IL that OF w.
X. McCloy 60. II operates on u capital
dred men and dlsburses among them
monthly a pay roll a~ggreeating STAG o
The ElwOod iron.works are engaged in
general machine production, making a
capital stock IL 500, 900. and their en-
ployes mum Der $50 men. The monthly pay
roll will approximate Sl5. OO0.
The Elwood Brentwood Company has es-
tablished q large factory for the produc-
tion of brentwood specialties. 1t has fifty
men employed and its monthly payroll is
$1,000.
THE TIN-PLATE-woRKs.
Prominent among the big industrial
plants of Elwood Is her celebrated tin
plate works. This institution has been so
infinitely described and 90 often referred
to that its location. dimensions and outfit
must be pretty definitely know to half
the world. There are some facts concern
ing II, however. which may be noted. IL
has often been asserted that the Elwood
works 10 simply q dipping" plant. while,
as a matter of fact. the mills hero produce
the product from the billet of black tin to
the finished article of
Her output has averaged 1900 boxes
Two more of the same size and capacity
have recently been completed. which will
double the output and increase the number
of employees by at least one hundred men.
The works as they now present themselves
have been pronounced by com petent judges
the most complete plant in the United
States. IL has been thoroughly proven
that the black sheets of TIN can be more
regularly, perfectly and uniformly an
Dealed by the heat of gas fires than by any
other known. Tests as TO tensile strength.
recently made in Chicago. proved the Ell
wood tin thus treated tn be much superior
in this direction to leading brands of for-
eIgn make.
Inc plant at Elwood ia said TO have be-
hind tia capital stock of goo. 600. With it's
two new mills in operation. il employ
800 men who will earn in the aggregate
about S 5000 per month.
Contractors are at work constructing an
electric line OF street railway through the
principal avenues of the town. One-half
the iron Is already IN place, and by the first
Of the year. the lines will DO in operation.
r. l.. a.