The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-03-08

Sketch of Sparrow's Point-From G
Farm 1t Has Grown in Few Years Int
GREAT Manufacturing Centre.-With tn.
revival OF the Sparrow's Point Times as fittins
compliment to the prosperity of manufactur
ing business in general and the local stee
works In particular, it may be of interest to it.
readers to briefly review the history of thi:
community, says the Times, published at Spar
rows Point Baltimore county.
.rlfteen years ago Sparrow's Point $50 named
AFTER Solomon Sparrow, the original grantee
from the Lords Proprietary was being TILED
as large truck farm, its chief product being
several hundred thousand heads of cabbages
Across the creek on the north side was
smaller truck farm. Holly Grove had been
only recently abandoned as an excursion
ground. and the land now known as the Spar.
rows Point farm was then in the possession
OF Inc Jones family, of Walnut Grove.
Inc only building of consequence that stood
upon the point was the large brick house which
IS near the shipyard and is now used for the
west End pubicschoo This was built many
years ago by United States Senator Albert as a
ciun house for the entertainment of his friends
while hunting ducks and other game, which
were then abundant on the Patapsco and Bear
EIreek. ftheneighboring farm buildings but
few remain
In 1887 the property was purchased by the
management of the Pennsylvania Steel Com
a steel
manufacturing plant at tidewater, and prepa-
rations were made to erect the works. At the
same time surveys were being made for the
railroad from Colgate Greek, the only com
munication with Baltimore being by the old
carriage road or by water by bugeye or other
sailing craft.
The first industry was the establishment of
brick yard, which was located near the site
OF our present water pumping station, and a
number of rows of shanties for the accommo-
dation of the workmen were built between the
brick yard and the grove, in one of which was
located for few months the Office of the steel
company and the Sparrow's Point store.
Meantime the surveyors had laid out the
street lines, and the building of the store and
dwellings on e street was begun. In the sum-
nIer Of 1887 the old pier was completed and the
foundations of the blast furnace begun. the
material being brought in barges from the
Potomac. The bugeye had been superseded
by the steam launch "Viola," which made
daily trips to Baltimore for passengers and
supplies She was disabled and nearly swamp
ed on her return trip with twenty people dur
ing the great tornado of July 18th, 1887 This
boat in turn was followed by the tug "Can-
ton" which was also used to tow the large
railroad car floats with material for the works.
Meanwhile a small passenger boat, the ga
zelle," mace daily trips from the city in Rock
Creek, calling at the point on her return, and
the larger steamer "Oliver'' began regular trips
twice day, which continued until the open
1859.
7. Before the, close of the year 1887 several
hundred employees were located on the point.
The work of construction progressed rapidly
during the winter and in the following year
the growing town was improved by the intro
duction of an abundant supply of pure water
from artesian wells and the organization of
three churches and the public schools, tele-
phone service to Baltimore being opened early
in1888.
In January 1889, the railroad was completed,
the bridges across Colgate and Bear creeks hav-
ing been finished the previous year, and on
the 18th of February the first passenger train
was run through from Baltimore. Three
trains were on the schedule, and from that day
the travel and the number of trains have
steadily increased till there are now thirteen
trains each way, carrying over 5000 passengers
daily.
put in blast and on the LIST day of August, 1891,
the first Bessemer steel made in Maryland was
blown at the converting plant. A week later
the first rails were rolled in the mills. The
construction of the ship yard soon followed
and in 1892 the tug 'Pennwood' was COM
pleted then in quick succession other tugs
and steam boats. including the Bay Linesteamer
alabama and the Gloucester" for the Bos-
ton route of the Merchants and Miners Trans
portation Company. The year 1892 was also
notable as that of the establishment at Spar
rows Point of the first public school kinder
garten south of Mason and Dixon's Line.
Then ensued throughout the country the
great business depression of the years 1898,
1894; 1895 and 1896. which paralyzed iron and
steel manufacturing, as well as other great in
dustries, during which period the shipyard
was employed on mechanical and structural
work, the building of bridges and frames of
lofty structures, engines, boilers, etc., while
fhofh flrp ont md ho
mills stopped. The number of men employed
was reduced to about one thousand whose
monthly earnings aggregated only $4,000,
many skilled mechanics working at little more
than laborers' wages.
With the revival of business in 1896 and 1897
fireworks resumed operations, and advantage
of the prevailing low prices was taken to enter
theforeign markets in competition with the
British and Continental steel manufacturers
GaS Maryland Steel Company being practical
ly-the pioneer in the movement.)
Ore steamers reappeared at the wharves the
furnaces were put in blast and the railmill was
kept steadily at work on domestic and foreign
orders for rails and billets.
OF the more recent history of the works. the
resumption of shipbuilding at the marine de-
partment the construction of the great float
ing dry dock for the naval station at New Or
leans and the erection of large numbers of
dwellings to accommodate the growth in pop
ulation of the point, it is hardly necessary to
remind our readers, as they are mostly familiar
with the facts. but il is interesting to contrast
the present condition of prosperity with that
of the period when the Times suspended its
publication, the number of men now employed
by the steel company being about 1850 and
the amout of money paid to them weekly was
more than was then paid monthly, with every
indication of long continuance of industrial
activity.
Constituting the New Road Law.-On
Tuesday Mr.. Osborne 1. Yellott, counsel to the