The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-05-09
TO COMPETE WITH
The STEEL TRUST.
Roeblings Said to Have Purchased
Site for Big Plant in East
st. Louis.

A steel wire and rod mill TO cost more
than a million dollars will be built near st.
Louis by the John a. Roebiing's Sons Com
pany of Trenton. n. ]. The site has al
ready been purchased, but the location is
a secret until plans are completed.
This means that the largest competitors
of the American Steel and Wire Company
are coming West TO extend their fight upon
the Morgan syndicate. 1t also means an
addition of hundreds of skilled workmen,
perhaps thousands. to this community.
The John A. Roebling's Sons Company
was the principal builder of the Brooklyn
bridge. Its decision 10 come to st. Louis
at this time gives rise to the report that
the third bridge across the Mississippi River
at St. Louis is to be built shortly.
Organized in 1852 and working up from a
small plant in New Jersey the Roeblings
now have a capital stock of 100000 and
a surplus of $4,000 0.
The company has been in correspondence
with NJ. NJ. Stephens, Mayor Of East st.
Louis, in regard to selecting a site for an
extensive mill. Yesterday the report reached
realty circles and mill men that the
deal had been made.
Mayor Stephens, when asked about the
report, said:
II nave received a letter from the Roeb-
ling company. thanking me for the efforts
l have made to find them a good site. In
the letter they simply state that they have
succeeded. I do not know where the prop
erty is, whether in East St. Louis or on
the opposite side of the river
Have Bought the Property.
James E. Gatewood of the Age of Steel,
at the Fullerton building. said he had been
advised that the Roeblings had completed
their arrangements to come to ST. Louis,
and had actually bought the property.
II have been told said he, that the
mill will be built on the east side of the
river, at a point below Poplar street. but
1 do not know whether that Is really the
place. 1t may be on this side"
The employees of the American Steel and
Wire Company, No. 1915 Papin street, said
they had heard that their competitor had
arranged to come TO St Louis, but they did
not care to comment upon the fact.
Several real estate men. the Mercantile
and the Lincoln Trust agents,
& Holbrook, and other dealers, had learned
that the Roeblings had bought property
for a mill. though they could not saw
through what agent the transaction was
made.
"A large piece of property IS necessary
for a wire and rod MILL" said Mr.. Gate
wood, who Is familiar with this line of
manufactures. "The work Is scattered
and perhaps several acres have been
bought. The investment. 1 believe. will
amount to more than s., 900. COO when the
plant is erected. Perhaps it will be sim
liar to the one at Trenton, n. J."
Would Facilitate Third bridge.
Since building the great Brooklyn Bridge
years ago the Roeblings have put up many
structures of a smaller kind. and in as
sisting to bring a branch plant here. Mayor
Stephens, who is one of the owners of the
third bridge franchise, has realized that
the construction of the proposed bridge
would be facilitated. Beside bridge cables
the company manufactures several grades
of wire, rods and insulated copper wire for
electrical nurnnses