Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1903-12-30
PITTSBURG CORDAGE
IT WAS A FACTOR OF PERRY'S
VICTORY ON LAKE ERIE.
VESSELS oE THE NAVAL HERDS FLEET
WERE EQUIPPED WITH ROPE MAN
UFACTURED IN THE THEN
LITTLE VILLAGE.

UFACTURED IN THE THEN
LITTLE VILLAGE.
| While Pittsburg and vicinity figured
prominently in the early history of the
republic, the city has never laid claim
to any great share of the victories
achieved by Americans in the war of
1872 because most of the engagements
\ of that conflict took place ON the wa
ter. But. an inland town and almost
village, as it was at that time, Pitts
4 burg contributed materially toward
the notable victory of Oliver Fl. Perry
on Lake Erie Sept IS, 1913. In Pitts
burg were manufactured the ropes
that were required in the equipment of
Perry's famous fleet.
| This was the first instance that has
been placed on record of Pittsburg's
having furnished the equipment of a
| fleet of war for the government, but
since that time the Smoky City has al
ways held a prominent place in the
| building of vessels of war. Those craft
| of Perry's, of course, were only wooden
| affairs, and the amount Of iron about
them vas very small. With the evolu-
| ton iii the construction Of war vessels
came also the development Of indus
tries in Pittsburg, so that now, by the
manufacture of armor plate for Uncle
Sans ships, the city still sustains its
| reputation which was started in such
a humble way in 1918 by furnishing
| quantity of rope for Perry's fleet on
Lake Erie.
| The ropemaking industry was begun
in Pittsburg in 1894 and the first one
to engage extensively in the business
was Colonel John Irwin, Revolution
airy soldier, who Yves severely wound
ed in the battle of Paoli. After peace
was declared he started in the business
| in Pittsburg and at the same time es-
| tablished the first ropewalk west of the
| Allegheny mountains. His place of
| business was located on the site for so
many years since occupied by the ia
nous old hotel, the Monongahela House.
Here, where since presidents, kings and
princes have been entertained, the rope
business was modestly begun.
| Colonel Irwin died not long after the
| establishment of his business in the
| city, his death having been the result
| of injuries he sustained in the RevO-
| lutionary war. The business was at
| tended to by Mrs. Irwin, who is said
| to have been a woman of extraordinary
energy and ability. Later her son as
| sisted her, and the business was car
| ried on under the firm name of Mary
| & John Irwin.
| In 1895 the ropewalk was removed
| to the square bounded by Liberty ave-
nue., Third and Fourth streets and Re
doubt alley. The product turned out
| by the Twins was of a good quality
and was in great demand. The bust
| ness grew, and soon it was necessary
to remove the walk to place where
more ground was available. Conse-
quently in 1872 the works were re-
| moved to a site on the bank of the
| Allegheny river near the Point
Soon after this last removal there
came one day to call on Mrs. Irwin a
boyish looking fellow who introduced
himself as Oliver Fl. Perry. He said
that he was building a fleet of war
| vessels on the shore of Lake Erie and
| IQaL lie WOulI require CohoiuCla oio
quantity of cordage to equip his fleet.
| Mrs. Irwin made a contract with the
youthful naval officer. and in due time
| the cordage was all finished and deliv-
cred to Commodore Perry.
The amount of rope in this famous
order was not great compared with
that which is now used in fitting out
| our rnadorn GOO monsterS of shiDS hut
for the day and the place the order
was notable one. When the entire or
der was completed, Mrs. Irwin, who,
though well up in years was still in
terested in business and was intensely
patriotic, gave personal supervision to
the inspection and packing of the goods.
They We're taken by way of the Allie
gheny valley, part way by boats and
part way overland to the famous bay
on the south shore of Lake Erie where
the impatient Perry was busily engag-
ed in getting his little feet ready for
the coming battle which was to mean
so much for the American cause. In q
short time the ropes were all fitted TO
their places, and, the fleet set sail.
What happened at Put-in-Bay on that
famous day of Sept. Is, 1913, is known
to every American. 1t was from one of
his victorious ships, fitted with lrwin's
cordage made at Pittsburg, that the
young commodore sent his immortal
dispatch, 1--WE have met the enemy,
and they are ours"
Perry and his men and his stanch
ships won this notable victory, but the
stout ropes and good cordage made
along Duquesne way in the infant city
. | of Pittshnrc lid their share also. for