The record-union., 1898-06-16
THE GAR WANTS HIM.
Irving M. Scott, Who Built the
Oregon.

The battleship Oregon, which broke
four worlds records on her recent phe-
nOmenal trip from San Francisco
around Cape Horn to Key West, is the
work Of an honest man. She was built
at the Union Iron Works, San Francis
co. Cal, by Irving NJ. Scott, who has
just been honored with an invitation
from the CZar to visit him in st. Pc
tersburg, to discuss the construction
of several vessels fof the Russian
navy. Mr., Scott was born sixty-one
years ago, December 25, 1887, at He
bron Mills, Baltimore County, Md. His
father, the Rev, John Scott. Of an old
Pennsylvania Quaker family, and his
mother, Elizabeth Littig, gave him a
priceless heritage-integrity, a passion
for industry and truth telling. This ex-
plains at the beginning why he did not
build his Government a worthless ship.
with defective boilers and rotten ar
NOR
Young Scott was educated at a pub
lie school in Baltimore, finishing his
course at Milton Academy In 1854 he
began his career with Obed Hussey, of
reaper and mower fame. In 1857 he
was engaged by Murray e. Hazelhurst
in the mechanical department of their
Federal Hill engine works. The young
man studied draughting at the Mechan-
les Institute evenings, and became so
expert in drawing that he was trans
ferred to the draughting and designing
department of stationary and fire en-
gines He studied late day and night
during his off hours, and became prof.
cient in German, and by attending lee
lures and mastering the subject Of his
profession soon became an authority
on high-class machinery.
In 1853 Colonel Peter Donahue of the
Union Iron Works, San Francisco, en-
gagged him as special draughtsmaE,
and took him West, where he became a
citizen of California. In 1862 he re-
signed and took up the manufacture Of
mining machinery, designing new and
powerful ore crushers, holsters, stamp
mills and engines peculiarly adapted
for deep mines. He was soon the chief
man of his profession on the coast
became public-spirited reformer in
the true sense, and was made men,
ber of the Committee of Safety, which
position he held for many years.
On October Z, 1868, occurred the hap
piest and most fortunate event of his
life. He married Miss Laura Horde,
a beautiful, accomplished young lady Of
Covington, KY. Again he was wanted
by Colonel Donahue, and returned to
the Union Iron Works as the Superin-
tendent in charge. Two years later
Colonel Donahue retired from active
management, putting Mr.. Scott in his
place as partner. The firms title was
changed to III. J. Booth & Co.
In 1872 Mr.. Scott was nominated
State Senator, and was twice made
member of the Taxpayers Convention,
an important organization for putting
honest and capable men into office, re-
gardless Of their politics. Following
Mr.. Booths retirement, Henry T.
Scott, a brother of Irving, was taken
into the firm, and the establishment.
under the direction of the Scott broth
ers, was greatly enlarged, the plant
becoming the most extensive on the
coast, with a capacity for turning out
anything from a battleship to needle.
Mining machinery in those days was
Of more importance than any other
product of steel and iron. All those
massive, famous mining sngines and
devices that developed the great mines