Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-12-31
TIE GREAT Industry
Which Has Been Built Up in Sheet
Steel Construction,
Ussd Principally for Ceilings and
Other Interior Work-It was First
Started in This City, About
Twelve Years Ago, and was Then
Gone Into Elsewhere.

The demand for cheaper and newer
kinds OF building and finishing mate
rial of all classes nowadays is some
thing wonderful in the industrial
world. Wheeling is the present home
of more than one Of these manufacto-
ries, and especially so in the modern
continuous steel design work for cell
ings, wainscots, inside walls and finish
of all kinds, and also exterior construc-
ton. About twelve years ago this in
dustry was started. The product then
was simply fiat steel plate work, and
was very crude, having none of the
beautiful design features Of to-day. 1t
was from the first an American indus
try purely, and was first commenced in
this country at this city. From Wheel
ing the manufacture of the continuous
Steel design and finish work has been
established in the cities Of Pittsburg,
Salem and Cleveland, Ohio, Chicago,
Camden, n. j., and other points in the
country, but on a less extensive scale
in the cities named than here. The
new features in this industry are in the
matter of designs used in the plate
and the more general and different use
of the same in all classes of building
and finishing work. The concerns
which are engaged in its manufacture
employ professional modelers and ar
fist designers, whose work is to get up
the designs and models for those who
use the material. These designs take
in all forms and l2ects which can be
used for a tasty decoration of hotels,
residences and stores on the inside or
the finish on the exterior of such
buildings, and which were previously
accomplished by the brush, paper or
plaster paris. Such has been the pro-
gress in this work and in its manufac-
ture that the likeness of great men in
history or any scene that may be pre-
served by the works of art can be
stamped upon the steel finishing mate
rial so that an art gallery and collec-
ton of Of objects can be had easily with
the assistance of the decorator and with
cheapness be always present to beau
tify and make pleasant the interior of
the home. Office, store and hotel. II is
mostly sold to the hardWar, dealers,
but recently builders and contractors
are becoming its purchasers direct from
the factory. 1t is about three times
more expensive than paper, painting,
plaster paris and decorating work Of all
kinds on the inside. and the same is
true of the cost features on exterior
construction. Tt is also more durable
for the uses it serves than other classes
of material at the present time and in
surance premiums are less as a matter
Of fact where 1t is used, as losses from
fire are less liable TO occur where it is
a part Of the material in use. Not only
is this process used for the purposes
named. but for statuary in zinc. those
at the Atlanta Exposition being so con-
structed. In the opinion of builders
and contractors it would seem that the
steel design, finishing and building
product with such new features as are
bound TO be brought forward will enter
very largely into all classes of exterior \
and interior building in the near fu-
ture and to more permanent decree
than at the present time. In other
words that this industry, Ike hundreds
Of others, is still in its infancy.