The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1911-09-05

tories annually pay out more than
S4.vvc.uru in wages. which adds ma.
terlally IN making Greater Wheeling.
but does not lessen the ardor and pro
gressiNe 81 irit OF our neighbor. whose
motto Is Pull For Martins Ferry.
The first historical name for Mar
tins Ferry was SorEistown. a small
settlement probably founded in about
Use. but it, people were dispos. SEED
by the government and made to move
10 NAeeling.to keep from being eXier-
minated by hostile Indians. But prior
10 this settlement. and before any set
Element at Marietta. given as the first
in Ohio by historians. there was a
settlement NJ Martins Ferry. and "A
civil government established. The
TACT was brought To light by Hon.
JOS. y. Howell, brother OF the
writer and novelist. William Dean
Howell. who WAS horn in this city
Mr.. Howell has in his possession the
facts and dates establishing Martins
Ferry as the oldest settlement in the
state
Town Laid Out.
In 17SS. Absolcm Martin entered
section OF what is now Martins Ferry.
ana IN 1923 laid II out I'm lots and
called the town jefferson. with the in
tention OF having t>c county seat To-
Gated here. and siilinc in This gave
up the idea OF town. under the i'm
preston il WAS 10 near Wheeling To-
ever become "A town. But later his
son Ebenezer Martin was given the
section and he established the town
OF Mart.nsyille. and later became Mar.
fins EnrrN .T -
operating a ferry across the river.
and from the oldest settlement site i'm
Ohio We today have the city OF Mar
TINS Ferry
The First Industry.
The towns first Industry was the
silk industry. from silk worms by the
Misses NcGargle. who cultivated
large grove of MuIticarsa trees.
whose leaves IN" silk worms fed on.
The next industry was thar Of
ihroshinG machine works. and then
q foundry. but m. thrcshing machine
Industry was prosperous and there
were number Of facoricS This
business was carried on until about
sixteen years ago. when the late l..
spence. on" Of the most successful
manufacturers Of thrcshiug machines.
retired from The business Al one
time the cut nail business was the
leading industry Of N" city and was
uu'ii D. WAS Implanted by the wire
uail. Tho l.auEhliu Nail company
operating tho largest cut nail factory
in the world, had its factory here.
ana the building is now occupied by
the WhitakerGlrssncr COMPANY.
Glass factories noUrishpd here Tor a
number OF years. and then followed
IN" location OF diversified lot OF
manufacturing plants. which have
been and are now prosperous
Tin Plate Industry.
The leading industries Of tho CITY
now are The Laughlin Tin Plant and
the Aetna Standard plant of tho
American Sheet and Tin Plate com
pan". Each plant operates - hot
mills. own and operat" their own coal
mines. and employ 200, persons each.
Tn" " litikcrGla~~nc company opcr.
ate siN mill sheet plant. and its pro .
duct rs taken by the Wheeling cor .
rutiiinE company. the two being TO-
r"iicr and IA, latter has lar.e and .
modern plant in tho city. The two
plants employ l.51U. TIL. Riverside
iirluE" company. one ~ tho larrc.f
independent bridge concerns IN this
'-nir\ has modern equipped plant
D. T' ana iS rrosp criuc. also confnm-
= i'c~ increasing rho capacifv. Tho
ii"-hins Glass company operates
modern factory and VIII soon add IAN.
other furnace. doubling IFS capacif.
Do" Stanton Heater rYmpauy. E.-
iurra," OF fh" Wa'el.ur steel a. Iron
CO.. Spcu," Hlrgs coIupary. makers
ui stove, and castings. p"l1s Fouu