The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1899-07-07
ABOUT THE BUILDER OF THE
OREGON.

/. OREGON
: Some of the characteristics of Irwin,
NJ. Scott, as well as incidents of tn
upbuilding of the Union Iron Works
are told in -linSlee'S Magazine 70
, April in an article entitled 18th,
: Builder of the Oregon by Charlel
S. Aiken. Here are few extracts A.:
What can he do?" asked Petel
Donahue of San Francisco to the
junior partner of Murray d Hazel
hurst of Baltimore. That was in 1859
Mr.. Donahue had bought fire engine
Of the Baltimore firm, and young
Scott, an apprentice lad of twenty,
two, had asked 10 60 West with the
engine
HE can do anything he agrees to
do" replied Mr.. Hazelhurst.
That settled it. The fair-haired
youth, who had come to the city
from his fathers Maryland farm, five
years before, went West. He did as
he agreed to do, and more. He re.
organized the Donahue foundry, al
ready known as the Union Iron
Works, watched his opportunities,
utilized his Quaker gifts of industry
and perseverance, uniting them to
that nineteenth century motive pow
er-"keep hustling."
He built mining machinery for the
Ccmstock and the big gold mines of
| California, and wheL mining waned
he turned to ship.buiIding. He has
built, includiOg the Oregon, nine
warships for his country's navy, and
has contracts for five more. The es-
Establishment that he went to in 1860,
as Escort to a fire engine that was con-
sidered the perfection of mechanism,
now employs over $500 men, and
fully 1000 people secure from it
direct support. Since incorporation
in 1888, the Union Iron Works has Sc.
| cured contracts aggregating more
than $22, 900, 600, has paid $4,000, 900
| i'll wages, has paid over SIG, 000, 900 in
material, the purchase of tools aud
dividends, and possesses plant today
valued at about 81 100000.
After speaking of his Quaker an
cestry, ami of the old farm and mill
near Baltimore, Md, where his child
hood was passed, Mr.. Scott tells the
writer:
at was old Nick and that mill
that gave HE my mechanical bent.
The miller's name was Nicholas
Merryman, and we were very fond of
one another. | was continually see
ing things and asking why they were
so, and how they came about. l got
so ! could make and fit spoke and
knew all parts of wagon or of the
mill. liked to improve things and
get the most out of them. | remem-
Der looked out for the chickens and
made study so as to get the most
eggs and best results. One day lamb
broke its leg and they were going to
shootit. Itook t,set the leg and SION
had it about all right.
After that they gave me all injured |
calves and lambs, allowing me half |
the profit when sold. In that way
and from chickens l had about sixty |
dollars saved up when l went to |
Baltimore TO make start.
Il used to prune and graft, knew |
just how to make cider, how to smoke |
a ham and how to kill the hogs or |
sheep. knew all about the fish in |
the creeks and used to give the city
sportsmen pointers on how to shoot
the squirrels. l remember objected |
to following old rules. l told my
grandfather l didn't see why those
almanac fellows knew any more about
planting than any one else, and |
figured out the seasons changes for
myself"
Once when an itinerant Methodist
clergyman stopped at the house-for
the farm was the hospitable resort of
all creeds and classes, and, later, safe
refuge for escaping slaves he pictured
in young Irving's hearing the place of
punishment for the wicked as a lake
of birthstone, burning eternally. The
Youngster secured some birthstone the
next day, and upon experimenting,
noted how rapidly it was consumed.
When he next encountered the Clergy
man he annoyed that visitor, as well
AS shocked his devout father, by ask
ing: "lf that lake burns all the time
where does the supply of birthstone
come 'FRONT.' Because it would take an
awful lot to keep it going steadily"
In the fall of 1854, at the age of
seventeen, he went to Baltimore, liv-
ing with an uncle and entering the
factory of Obed Hussey AS an appren-
tice. Hussey was the inventor and
mai ufacturer of the reaping machine
of that day. There he learned details
of iron and wood working, remaining
about four Years.
On December "a, 1860, Mr.. Scott ar
rived in San Francisco, having been
engaged by Mr.. Donahue on a years
The firm was then building the Sagi-
nav for the Government. Donahue
was at the Legislature much of the
time soon after Scott's arrival, and
affairs at the works were at skies and
sevens. Rrodie, the foreman, threat
ened to leave and did leave, and
Scott, without authority, and although
only ngaged as draughtsman, took
entire charge and directed things for
two weeks until Donahue's return.
He introduced system into the
methods and made affairs run along
so smoothly that Donahue was pleased
and made him permanent foreman.
About this time Donahue offered to
increase his wages, but Scott thought
over the matter and declined.
"lt break my years C bntract with
you" he said to ID :nahue, "I'll have
to take what you give. l prefer to
keep my contract, and when it's up
you'll have to pay me what I'm
WORTH
Donahue looked aghast. Your the
first man." he said, that I've ever
known to refuse a raise in pay.h
Results justified Scott's foresight.
AT the end of the year he was re-en-
gagged and was paid just four times
what Donahue had offered him.
When the writer asked Mr.. Scott
about the building of the Union Iron
Works to it's present efficient state he
told of no struggling for lofty ideal.
II just kept pegging along" he
said. LAS near as | realize, it was all
due to my early habit of looking into
things, and going to the bottom of
all problems presented. The habit
taught he not to fear oppos. ton.
since when you sounded the obstacles
they were usually found to be much
less formidable than expected. 1t was
just that way with building up the
works. peggel along, looked into
things as they came up and watching
opportunities. l was satisfied we were
not taking advantage of our manu-
featuring possibilities. l have thought
all along, that our equable climate,
making out. of-door work possible at |
all seasons gave us an advantage
which would more than overcome
most of the advantages OF the East
ern manufacturers. l believe this
yet. The steel plant which we are
now putting in at the works is in pur- |
suance of this idea. This will enable |
US to make much of the material for |
warships that has hitherto been pur- |
chased largely at Bethlehem, Penn |
sylvania. "-San francisco Examiner.