Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-31
PRIDE OF RICHMOND.
THE OLD DOMINION IRON AND NAIL
WORKS COMPANY.
GRlFD OLD INSTITUTION.
Something of Its Romantic Past and
Very Practical Prcscnt--The Great
Plant at Belle Isle Described I'm De-
tsil-70O Men Employed.

IncTe nave Detn indubNfattu III ouF
city during the past twelve months so
many new enterprises which have enjoy
cd tho applause OF the people that per-
chance some OF our good citizens have
overlooked the old and tried institutions
which have for many years given en-
ployment TO hundreds and thousands Of
men. and have stood the test Of hard
times as well as OF prosperity.
Foremost among these time-honored In
stitutions, which decade after decade
have gone quietly along ia our commu-
nifty. yet formed the very bone and sinew
or our commercial life, 10 the Old Dom!n-
Son Iron and Nan-Works Company. We
doubt n there are now residing In Rich
unond fifty citizens who were living in the
year when this great enterprise was first
established. In sooth the birth of the
grand old institution Is 90 remote from
this present day OF progress and me-
chanicai art that We can scarcely realize
IT. age
The works OF the company were estab-
lished on Belle Isle. which has for thirty
years been . part of Richmond. In the
year ISIS. From q small beginning the
enterprise grew continuously. until to-
day II Is one OF Richmond's grandest III
stitutions. In Its past. as now. 1t has
been the mainstay of hundreds Of fsmi-
Les who year after year have derived
their sustenance from the vast sums II
has expended In wages and improve
ments. What citizen is there. DO he Old
or young. who does not associate with
Richmond the operations OF the Old Do
xninion Iron and Nail-Works Company
Day after day It has darkened our skies
x.x{t <ho
night after night II has redeemed our
heavens with the glare Of its fires.
THE PUDDLE-MII.L.
The great puddio-znill at the Belle-Isle
plant can be readily seen from Holly
wood. CANDLES Hill. and other adjacent
parts Of tho city. In tits department are
ten double puddle furnaces. In which pig
iron and castings are melted, boiled. and
converted into wrousht-iron. then rolled
out into long bars. preparatory to work
ing into finished products.
THE MANUFACTURE OF NAILS.
In the plats-mill iron and steel Stats
are rolled into long thin sheets. which
are cut up into narrow strips, and thence
taken on to the .1acent nail-factory,
whore. amidst the roll and ciatter. they
are cut into nails which go all over the
country for building houses, barns,
fences. and q multitude of other things.
In the rolling-mills will be seen great
piles Of iron tied UP with wire. They are
put into furnaces. which suggest the fiery
ordea! to which the Hebrew children We're
subjected. When these piles have the
proper heat they are taken out and rolled
into all shapes and sizes of bar iron. for
wagon tires. shaftinS for mills and fac
tories. window bars. parts of ships, loco
motives. cars. and thousands OF other
uses.
THE HORSESHOE FACTORY.
Tho visitor sees In the horseshoe fac
tory long bars of red-hot iron, bent and
pressed into horseshoes Of all sizes and
shapes that the trade requires. These
shoes go all over this country and into
foreign lands.
At the Old Dominion Iron and Nail
Works are also made tin roofing plates,
the materials for which come from vari-
GUS parts Of the globe--steel from this
country and Wales. lead from the West.
Tin from MALAGA, and palm oil from Syria.
Many OF tho best buildings In the South
are covered with plates manufactured at
tho splendid plant OF this great enter
prise
THE BOLT DEPARTMENT.
The most recent addition 10 these works
is the bolt department. Here rods Of
iron are put into heavy machines. which
upset heads on them, while other ma
chimes cut threads ON the other end. NUS
are cut out Of other shapes and threads
put In them by still other machines.
These bolts are sold In carload lots for
car and bodybuilding principally, but
are used for many other purposes as
we'll
The companys works cover large
space. having about twelve acres under
roof. 1t has ample storehouses, office,
buildings. and yards. All the depart
ments arc connected by a. private rail
road. as the great enterprise has its own
locomotives and cars for this service. So
colossal are its operations that this little
line Is an absolute necessity.
All Of the kegs and boxes used in these
works are made by the company. as II
has a saw-mill and REFRACTORY located
- the timber district of another county.
BUSINESS BOOMING.
It. Is. pleasure to SO through these
works and to breathe the air of thiift
which pefvades the great plant Every
body In busy. The order-books OF the
company are full of orders. and 1t keeps
the officers moving all the time to get
goods ready for shipment. At present
about 700 men are employed. This num-
Der Is quite an increase over the number
employed last year. The volume on tom
mage in 1889 II about 80 per cent. greater
than that Of 1885. and we understand the
expectations for the coming year greatly
exceed these figures.
A WIcLI-EQUIPPED PLANT.
From the foregoing sketch Of the Old
Dominion IRON and Nail-Works. II viii
he seen that the famous institution,
though ripe In years. Is still abreast OF
the times. Indeed, II has, figuratively
speaking. drunk tho tabled waters OF
perpetual youth so vainly sought by
Ponce de Leon. for the present plant of
the company has been equipped with the
best and most modern OF machinery. To-
day II Is thoroughly up-to-date. and must
expand still more. II the business cortin-
ues as 1t has done In the past twelve
month.
The president Of the company, MIR. Ar
thus b. Clarke. Is a young man OF rest
less energy and unlimited enterprise. His
whole time In devoted to the welfare OF
the great enterprise. and both his execu-
tive and creative ability have left their
impress on the works. Mr.. Clarke mas
crown up in the iron and steel business,
and. II the truth be known. loves It. He
takes pride In every tradition OF the Old
Dominion Company. but never allows this
to cause q forgetfulness OF
the fact that he Is the helmsman guiding
= giant enterprise. which Requires The nj
1x.,cf