History of Stark County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 58

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? ed
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1060

USA > Ohio > Stark County > History of Stark County, with an outline sketch of Ohio > Part 58

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The great fire in Chicago fully demonstrated their splendid heat-repelling qualities. No less than 878 of the Diebold sales were subjected to that terribly trying ordeal, and the record shows that they preserved their contents in- tact and uninjured. Had they never been thus tested in any other instance, this single striking fact would be amply sufficient to convince every one of their strictly fire-proof qualities ; but in thousands of cases have they been tried with equal severity, and with equally success- ful results. Hence there is now no question raised on this seore. Quite as important, how- ever, is the assurance of a safe being abso- Intely burglar-proof. That this can justly be claimed for the safe under notice is evidenced by brief reference to its approved scientific principle of construction. The entire surface is of solid steel of a quality and temper best capable of resistance to hammering and drill- ing. The improved tenon and groove employed renders these safes air-tight and prevents the introduction of wedges or explosive com- pounds ; while by the use of the Burton eut- off spindle. which this company exclusively controls, angular connection is made with the lock, thus obviating direct entrance. The lock itself is thoroughly protected by alternate lay- ers of iron and steel, which are perfect protec- . tion against both powder and drill. Thus is this usually most vulnerable part of the safe rendered absolutely impenetrable. Another of the notable improvements adopted by this com- pany is a patent round-cornered door, of which

they are the sole manufacturers. protected by patent issued in 1877, whereby the strength and inaccessibility of their safes are greatly promoted. All in all, it can advisedly be claimed that for reliability, durability and me- chanical perfection, the Diebold Safe & Lock Co.'s safes are without an equal in the market.

Their line of manufacture comprises bank, store, office and house safes, safe-deposit vaults and vault doors, express boxes and railroad safes, jail and other wrought-iron work wherein superior strength and safety are factors.

A safe-deposit vault for the German-Ameri- can Bank, St. Paul, Minn., has recently been completed by this company. This burglar- proof work has outer walls of solid metal two and a half inches thick, constructed of one slab of the Chrome Steel Co.'s five-ply metal, one of Park Bros. & Co.'s five-ply, one of An- derson & Co.'s five-ply, a fourth of Park Bros. & Co.'s three-ply, and one layer of charcoal iron inside. The corners are perfectly solid- the steel being specially angled for the purpose, so that the would-be burglar has no advantage from a corner seam or joint to start with.

The method employed for making the metal for safe walls may be briefly described as fol- lows : If for five-ply, then three pieces of iron are set in the ingot mold at the proper dis- tanee apart, and the intervening spaces filled with molten steel. The ingot is then rolled into slabs, and is ready for the safe-maker's use. When three-ply is to be made, the same process is followed, except that only one piece of iron is set into the mold. This company make all the locks for their safes and vaults of the combina- tion pattern, and they are pronounced unex- celled in point of safety, it being actually im - possible to pick them, or to throw back the bolts without knowing the combination.

Their largest piece of work was the San Francisco Safe Deposit Company's vaults. The vault of this magnificent safe has dimen- sions of twenty-seven feet in width, thirty-two feet in length, and fourteen feet in height. Its walls are of the best welded wrought iron and steel, three inches in thickness, and compactly knitted together by double rows of conical bolts. The sides, floor and top are overlaid with nine inches of fire-proof cement, with an onter layer of iron-the whole adjusted in heavy masonry. The vault is provided with double doors at either end, the outer ones being

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six inches thick, each made inaccessible to the unauthorized by two of the Diebold Safe & Loek Co.'s Peerless Burglar-proof Locks. The interior of the vault has 4,600 compartments, varying in dimensions, 3,000 of which are for- nished with key locks, separately and distinctly operative, and the remaining 1,600 have su- perior combination locks. This wonderful produet of mechanical ingenuity and skill was awarded to the Diebold Company, in competi- tion with about a dozen bidders, and was com- pleted to the entire satisfaction of the parties for whom it was constructed, at an expenditure of $100,000. Some idea of the magnitude of this contract may be formed when it is stated that no less than forty-seven ears were required to transport these colossal vaults in sections across the continent. The manufacture of this monster specimen of mechanie art may well be (lenominated one of the signal achievements of American skill and enterprise.

The Merchants' Safe Deposit Vaults, owned and controlled by the Merchants' National Bank of Chicago, are probably, next to the San Francisco vault, the largest in the country, and were constructed by the Diebold Co. This magnificent vault is one of Chicago's objeets of interest, and is inspected by visitors with many expressions of confidence in its impregnability, and the utility and convenience of the safe de- positories. These vaults have a capacity for over 4.000 safe deposit boxes. A large ma- jority of the banks and corporations of Chicago use the Diebold safes, as do also the American and United States Express Companies, the North-Western and other railroads. and the lead- ing merchants, prominent among which are Fiehl. Leiter & Co .; C. M. Henderson & Co .; Hibbard, Spencer & Co .; W. W. Kimball, and hundreds of others. The Palmer House has a strong and at the same time beautiful and unique safe, made especially for Mr. Palmer, upon plans furnished by the company. But it would be impossible to give a list of all the patrons of this company. Suffice it to say, that where contracts are awarded on the opin- ions of disinterested experts, the Diebold safe generally gets the preference, for then all the strong points receive due consideration.

The numerous new nses to which steel is now being put. as is indicated by the rapidly- increasing demand for this metal, go to prove that we have already crossed the threshold of

the " steel age." Stimulated by this angment- ing demand on every hand for fine grades of steel for almost innumerable purposes, the en- terprising and progressive steel manufacturers of this country have of late years perfected and introduced new and improved productive processes, whereby they are enabled to make a far better quality of steel than they were capable of producing ten, or even five, years ago. . So great has been this improvement, ment, that latterly the finest grades of the out- put of American steel works have received the unqualified indorsement of the most experi- enced and exacting users of this metal in their industrial operations-those who, a few years since, had really believed it to be impossible for our home manufacturers to make such a quality of this article as would compare favor- ably with the fine Sheffield and other long-time famous foreign steels. But what is the situa- tion in this regard at present ? The answer is a most gratifying one. To-day our manufact- urers of saws, tools, cutlery, and many other products requiring the highest grade of ma- terial, are employing exclusively steel of American make, as it proves fully equal to the best foreign produet, and, consequently, has almost entirely supplanted the latter in the do- mestie market.

Canton enjoys the eredit of having one of the most complete manufactories of steel in the country-the Canton Steel Works-of which Messrs. Bolton, Bulley & Co. are the proprie- tors. The premises occupied by these works have an area of about two and a half aeres. very conveniently situated on the line of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railway. with switch-track connection with both that and the Valley Railway, and will have direct connection with all the railroads now under construction to this city, thus atfording them first-class receiving and shipping advantages in every direction. Their buildings comprise an iron-elad rolling-mill, sixty-four by two hun- dred and seventy feet, with an addition sixteen by one hundred and fifty feet, used as a boifer room. The open-hearth melting-shop is thirty by eighty feet. crucible shop thirty by sixty- five feet. and warehouse thirty-six by eighty- five feet ; open-hearth shop twenty-nine by seventy-one feet, machine-shop. laboratory and other adjuncts admirably adapted for the sue- cessful prosecution of this industry. The mo-

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tive power is supplied by four steam engines, with combined capacity of 700 horse. The mechanical equipment is of a superior order. embracing all the modern improved appliances needful for the expedite and economic produc- tion of the finest steel. There are two mills, one twenty-inch and the other twelve-inch, with a solid foundation composed of 165,000 brick under the twenty-inch mills and engines. Three steam hammers, one and one-half .. one- half, and one-fourth tons, are employed. together with many ingenious and expensive tools and devices for the varied processes required in the several stages of manufacture. Among these is a Pratt & Whitney (Hartford) Hollaway's machine for entting shafting to exactly uniform lengths a very valuable apparatus. One of the notable conveniences of this model estab- lishment is a system of tramways traversing in all directions the mills and yard, upon which the raw material, product in process of manu- facture and finished goods are transported with great facility. The capacity of the melting- shops is fourteen tons every twenty-four hours, double turn. There is a well-appointed ma- chine-shop for performing necessary repairs, and in every department a scene of the most intense activity is presented. The reporter took a tour of inspection through the shops. and was impressed with the perfect conven- ience of arrangement apparent on every hand, and the thorough system established through- ont the works-important factors in the suc- cessful management of so extensive an industry as is here carried on. The fine laboratory of this concern is under the immediate charge of Mr. R. H. Bulley. one of the firm, who is an expert chemist. and possesses an intimate knowledge of the science of steel working. They have the most approved appliances for making both crucible and open-hearth steel, but are at present producing only the latter, as by this process they are enabled to manufacture a quality of steel which excels the crucible in every partienlar.

Mr. Ogden Bolton, of this tirm, has secured letters-patent upon an important improvement in the manufacture of steel by the open-hearth process, the same consisting in first charging the carbon on the bottom of the open hearth, and charging the blooms or soft steel or any part of them on top of the carbonaceous matter previous to fusion, so that the iron may melt

on the surface of the carbon and become ear- burized as it percolates through it. By this process the carbon is packed in boxes or canis- ters and charged on the bottom of the open hearth, and then the blooms or soft steel there- on.

When the mass is melted. after or at the time molten metal is tapped from the furnace, ferro-manganese or spiegeleisen is added. By this new method is attained the production of high grades of steel, suitable for tools, ete., for which the more expensive crucible steel lias heretofore been exclusively employed. It is a carburizing, not a decarburizing, process. whereby a grade of steel is produced equal in quality to the best English tool steel. Messrs. Bolton, Bulley & Co. manufacture the various descriptions of the fine cast-steel, including pat- ent rolled machinery steel, oil and water tem- pered spring steel, round and square edged tire steel, gun-barrel and set-screw steel, and tool steel, making the latter a specialty, as also patent polished machinery steel of superior quality and finish. All these goods have achieved an enviable reputation wherever they have been used, and are in constantly increasing demand. This firm produce several grades of steel, uni- formly tempered for special purposes, designat- ed by colored labels. The "Canton " brand (yellow label) is best suited for the hardware trade, answering for machinists, blacksmiths, etc. The " Canton Soft " (blue label) is adapted for oil-well jars. and tools subject to constant concussions. The " Canton Hard" (dark red label) is only required for taps. dies, reamers. lathe tools, and other work necessitating a strong. hard edge. The " Canton Extra Hard " and " Canton Choice " are designed for specific purposes. Their warehouse is pronounced to have the most convenient and advantageous storage facilities of any similar concern in the country. There is a systematic arrangement and classification of the different grades and brands produced. so that they are enabled to supply orders with perfect accuracy and great dispatch. Here they keep in stock some 150 to 200 tons of well assorted finished product. The present capacity of these works is 3,000 net tons per year, giving occupation to 140 skilled mechanies. Their annual output on present basis of operations reaches 8400.000 in value. They have an extensive trade in all sections of the country, especially in the West, selling a large amount of goods in Chicago. Their superior

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spring steel is used by four of the largest manu- facturers of springs in the West. A warehouse list of their varied product, containing full directions as to ordering any required descrip- tions of steel, is furnished at request.

The Canton Wrought Iron Bridge Company, a large and successful establishment, was orig- inally put in operation about fifteen years ago. and was a partnership concern up to 1871, when it was incorporated under the State laws, with a capital of $106.000. This com- pany have built more highway bridges since they started than any other works in the country. They have erected about 3,300 spans, varying in length from 20 to 301 feet, and in width from 6 to 120 feet, aggregating over 33 miles in length. This work has been erected in twenty-five different States and the Dominion of Canada, and includes nearly all forms of truss, arch, swing and plate bridge and iron piers. The material they use in the construction of bridges is specially manufact- ured for them under the most rigid speci- fications, as to tensile strength and quality, and is critically tested on its arrival at the shops. Their bridges are built on scientific principles, approved by long and thorough ex- perience, and the utmost caution is exercised in their erection. In all the work they have executed, there has not been a single case of failure or accident, under protracted usage for road travel or excessively trying tests. Such an exceptional record is certainly worthy of consideration.

Their facilities for accurate and reliable work are unequaled by those of any similar estab- lishment, and enable them to complete con- tracts with great dispatch. The skilled work- ing force of the t'anton Wrought Iron Bridge Company average 150 men, and their product last year aggregated $500,000. Officers : D. Hammond, President ; JJ. Abbott, Vice President and Chief Engineer ; C. H. Jackson, Treasurer and Secretary.

Mr. P. P. Bush, proprietor of the well- known Novelty Iron Works. is a practical ma- chinist of long experience, and was formerly established in business in New Haven. Conn. In 1871. concluding to locate at a point easy of access to the great Western markets. he fixed upon Canton as an advantageons place for the prosecution of his industry, and in that year removed his tools and fixtures to

this city. taking the shops formerly occupied by the Canton Malleable Iron Works, where he has ever since transacted a successful business. At these works are constructed in the most faithful and scientific manner, several styles of stationary engines, mill machinery, and archi tectural iron work, for which the shops have admirable facilities and appliances. In these lines they supply chiefly the local trade, selling largely to the towns and eities in Stark and adjoining counties. Mr. Bush owns the largest stock of patterns in Northern Ohio, and hence his peculiar advantages for executing with dis- patch every class of work in the stated depart ments. lle is now putting iron fronts into two new buildings in Canton, and is kept quite busy on first-class contracts, giving employ- ment to an average of thirty-five skilled me- chanics. His product in 1879 amounted to 865,000. The foundry has a measurement of 60x160 feet. and the machine shop 60x60 l'eet. These buildings are situated in close proximity to the railroads, thus affording unsurpassed shipping facilities. The most widely-known of Mr. Bush's manufactures is the " Imperial " job printing press, which possesses some important features of advantage over any other press in the market. Its peculi- arities of construction and mechanism are : All the working parts are built upon horizontal steel bars, capable of sustaining a tensile test of fifty tons cach, without liability to fracture. The impression is made with a powerful tog- gle, giving a dead dwell on the impression, while the entire force of the impression is ex- erted upon these steel bars. No springing of the platen or bed is possible, and a square. uniforin impression is insured, the power being applied directly behind the bed, thus obviating all slurring. The tension of the rollers is easily regulated by a single nut on the spring. so that the pressman can adapt the pressure to any sized form. The press runs easily and smoothly, and can be speeded according to the dexterity of the feeder. Its superior simplicity. strength, power, ease and economy of running. and facility of making-ready, are recommend- ations which every practical job printer will appreciate. A novel feature about this press is that there is not a cam in the entire mechan- ism ; the first and only jobber ever made on this principle. The device for giving motion to the inking-rollers is also new. All the mo-

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tions are direct, there are no springs, nothing likely to get out of order, and the press is the acme of simplicity. The fraternity will do well to correspond with Mr. Bush regarding this wonderful and most snecessful invention.

The proprietors of the Canton Spring Works, Messrs. D. Cobaugh and II. L. Kuhns, have met with signal success during the past two years in the manufacture of carriage, wagon and seat springs of unsurpassed quality and finish. They succeeded to the spring business of Ballard, Fast & Co., and by dint of incessant perse- verance, practical skill and good management, have built up a trade of which they have rea- son to be proud, and which redounds to the credit of this thriving, industrial city. They employ only the best quality of material, with thoroughly experienced workmen in every de- partment, and every requisite mechanical device to secure the most economical and perfeet pro- duction of their uniformly excellent goods. The importance of the proper strength and safety of vehicle springs is generally appreci- ated, and in this connection we have to say that the Canton Spring Company practically and critically tests every spring before it leaves the shops, thus making sure that no faulty or defective goods are ever placed on the market by them. The Canton springs have attained an extended celebrity, and are in such active demand that it is found difficult to keep up therewith, rendering it necessary to increase the producing capacity of the establishment in or- der to supply the rapidly growing wants of their patrons, who are located as far West as California, east to Baltimore, throughout Ohio, and in all parts of the Northwest and South- west. Everywhere that these goods have been introduced and put into practical use, there is only one expression in regard to them that they possess great tensile strength, elasticity and durability, and are equal to the best in regard to quality, style and workmanship. These works employ eighty skilled artisans, and pro- duced last year springs to the amount of 135 .- 000, which at current prices would foot up to about $200,000. In 1879, they used between 1,300 and 1,400 tons of steel, a large portion of which was made in this city, it being of unsur- passed quality for this purpose. The main building has dimensions equivalent to 300 by 40 feet, and there is a switch track running into the yard. affording first class facilities for re-

ceiving materials and shipping product to all parts of the country.

In a long time we have not seen a more con- venient and useful contrivance than the patent revolving book-case manufactured of different styles and patterns by Mr. John Danner, of this city. During the last five years he has made these cases, and so highly appreciated and popu- lar have they become that a large and finely ap- pointed establishment is required to produce them in sufficient quantities to supply the ever increasing demand from all parts of the conti- nent and even foreign countries. Already over 6,000 of these serviceable and beautiful articles have been sold, and are in constant nse by law- yers, clergymen, physicians, business men, public and private libraries, courts, public institutions, reading rooms, literary and musical societies, publie offices, etc. These revolving book-cases are far more convenient than the ordinary book- case, occupy but little space, and hold more books than any other receptacle of equal pro- portions ever devised. The books on either of the four sides are readily accessible to any one sitting at a table, or before the fire, without moving his chair or rising. These cases re- volve on an entirely new principle, whereby a slight pressure of the hand will bring either side to view. The mechanism is so simple and durable that it is not at all liable to get out of order, while the case is so substantially con- structed that it will last a lifetime. These ar- tistically finished cases are made in the most faithful and workmanlike manner, of the best selected Western ash and black walnut, and are an ornament to any library or parlor. The cases are made of any desired size and style of finish, with wood or marble top. Mr. Danner exhibited one of his elegant revolving cases at the Paris International Exhibition in 1878. On the top of the case was a large model of an American schoolhouse. The exhibit was made under the auspices of the National Bureau of Education, and nothing in this department was so much admired for its beauty and utility. Its appreciation is shown by the fact that it was honored with the award of a gold medal.

For a long period of twenty-one years the re- putable firm of H. W. Werts & Co. have been engaged in the manufacture of fine carriages in this city. For this purpose they occupy two spacious buildings-a neat and substantial brick structure, corner of Seventh and Poplar

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streets, of three stories above the basement, with dimensions of forty-five by one hundred and fifteen feet, and the wood department. of two stories, frame. thirty-five by seventy-live feet. These works are fitted up with all the modern conveniences and mechanical devices calculated to facilitate manufacturing opera- tions on an extensive scale. The basement of the main building is used for storing finished work. On the street floor is a tastefully fitted up business office, leading off from which is a commodious repository, where may be seen on exhibition a fine stock of light carriages of graceful proportions and elegant finish. In the rear part is the smith shop, and on the next floor above is the trimming department and a large storage wareroom. The third story is occupied for painting and finishing purposes. In all their work they use only the most carefully selected materials, consulting especially the re- quisites to that degree of lightness, which is compatible with proper strength and great dur- ability. With this desirable end in view, they employ steel axles, steel tires, the best stock for wheels, English and French upholstering cloths that will not fade, and never any split leather. All their trimmings are first-class, and the paint and varnish used are the best and most durable the market affords. It is not suf- ficient for them to turn out goods that look well on the surface ; but the work all through, even to the smallest particular, is performed in the most painstaking manner, with the greatest care that nothing shall enter into the construction of their vehicles which shall prove in service otherwise than the finest and best. By this means Messrs. Werts & Co. have succeeded in establishing a reputation of the highest order. which they are assidnous in permanently main- taining. They give employment to some twenty- five workmen, most of whom are thoroughly ex- perienced in their respective trades, so that while all the material used is of the best quality the workmanship is correspondingly excellent. Their average annual production of fine car- riages is about 130, valued at $30,000.

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History of Stark County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 58

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? ed Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey Number of Pages: 1060

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? ed
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1060