History of the Ohio falls cities and their counties : with illustrations and bibliographical sketches, Vol. II, Part 40

Author: Williams, L.A., & Co., Cleveland
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : L. A. Williams & Co.
Number of Pages: 680

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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.

in those days was very scarce and exchange was the rule with the merchants. On one of his business trips to New Orleans Mr. Paxson died of yellow fever in that place. Mr. Eastburn's health at this time was in a delicate condition and the business was closed up, the goods being disposed of at auction, the son-in-law of Mr. Paxson, Mason C. Fitch, being administrator. At the sale while Mr. Eastburn was bidding on a book against Fitch, he became so much excited that he dropped down in the room and died in a few minutes. He had been sick some time with chills and fever, and was much reduced in strength. He was about thirty-five years of age, with no family. This ended the first mercantile venture in New Albany.

Elias Ayers was also one of the first mer- chants of the place, and came here from Louis- ville, where he had been in the same business. His store was located on Main street near that of Messrs. Paxson & Eastburn. Mr. Ayers was here in the mercantile business many years, and became wealthy, very influential, was identified with all the material interests of the place, and was considered a large-minded, liberal-hearted gentleman; being much associated in later years with educational matters, and a liberal contrib- utor to all educational and benevolent institu- tions, not only in New Albany but other places.

Mr. Oliver Cassell, who came to New Albany in 1826, and who is yet a resident, says at that date New Albany was not much of a town. It consisted of a cluster of houses on Lower Fourth street and in that neighborhood-the bulk of the town being below State street. Straggling houses, however, extended as far as east as Upper Fourth street, beyond which point it was all woods; the woods including all the eastern part of the city, now the most beautiful part. The business was mostly on Main street, between Lower First and Upper Second streets. There was also a little business on State street. The principal business firms at that time were Elias Ayers, James R. Shields & Brother, Alexander S. Burnett, after- wards mayor of the city, and James Brooks, all on Main street. These all kept what was then known as country stores; that is, they carried general stocks-everything needed by a miscel- laneous community.

Steamboat building was also largely engaged in for that early date. Peter Tolone and Martin

Himes were the principal men in the business. Morton & Cox, from Cincinnati, established the first foundry here some time prior to 1826, as it was in full blast at that time, though, as a matter of course, not doing a large business. This es- tablishment was the pioneer of a business that has since been much extended, and which at present gives employment to a large number of hands and a large amount of capital. They erected a building for their purpose on the cor- · ner of Front (River) and Bank streets. It was a frame building about 40x60 feet in size. They manufactured castings and machinery and did a repairing business.

Mr. Thomas Collins, who came to the city in 1827, says the merchants at that time were Elias Ayers, near the corner of Pearl and Main, on Main street; William Drysdale, on Main, below Upper Second; William and Jefferson Conner, on north side of Main, between Upper First and Second; Alexander S. Burnett, on the north side of Main, between State and Upper First; Henry B. Shields, north side Main, between State and Upper First; Hale & Fitch, southwest corner of Pearl and Main; James R. Shields, south side of Main, between Upper First and Second. These were all engaged in the dry goods and general merchandising business. The only drug store was kept by Robert Downey on the northeast corner of Pearl and Main streets. Those en- gaged in a general grocery and produce business were James Comby, on Pearl, between Main and Market streets; Dorsey & Stephenson, on the south side of Main, between Lower First and State streets; James Lyons, on the southwest corner of Market and Pearl, and Henry B. Wil- son on the southwest corner of Main and Second streets. Charles Woodruff was engaged in the hardware business on the south side of Main, between Lower First and Second streets, and Bartlett Hardy kept stoves and iron castings next door to Woodruff's. These were about all that were engaged in the mercantile business at that time, and all these carried more or less mixed stocks.

A year later Ralph and Crovel Richards es- tablished a dry goods store at the southeast corner of Upper Second and Main streets, and James Conner one of the same character on the south side of Main, between Upper First and Second streets.

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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.

Henry Bogert was among the first business men of the place, settling here in 1814. His daughter, Mrs. Waring, still resides here.

STAR GLASS WORKS.

John B. Ford probably has the honor of originating the manufacture of glass in New Al- bany. Prior to his appearance in New Albany Mr. Ford was a resident of Greenville, in Green- ville township, where he was prominently con- nected with various enterprises for the building up of that village. His residence there being in close proximity to the great sand bed that lies in Washington county near the Floyd county line, probably led to inquiries by him concerning the manufacture of glass from this sand, and culminat- ed finally in the establishment of the glass works of John B. Ford & Co. in 1865. He was a good talker and succeeded in persuading some capi- talists in New Albany that this sand bed should be utilized, and that New Albany was a most ex- cellent point for the manufacture of glass. They secured a block of ground on the river bank be- tween Upper Ninth and Tenth streets, upon which they erected a frame building and began the manufacture of window glass. The works were soon disposed of for some reason to Messrs. Samuel Montgomery and Henry Hennegan in whose hands they burnt down in 1866. This firm soon rebuilt the works and resold them to Mr. Ford, taking the steamer Dexter in the trade. The manufacture of glass at this time was not a success, however, owing probably to lack of both experience and capital, and the works were soon abandoned.

In February, 1867, Mr. Ford having secured help in the way of capital again established the works on a very much larger scale than before. These works were known as the New Albany Glass works. John B. Ford & Co: purchased ground on the river bank between Eleventh and Thirteenth streets, where the firm erected some very extensive buildings. The following extract from a directory of New Albany, published in 1868, gives a fair idea of the extent of these works:

New Albany Glass works, John B. Ford & Son, proprietors, were established in February, 1867, and occupy six build- ings, three of which are brick. The one used in the manu- facture of window glass is sixty-five by eighty-five feet; an- other for cutting the same is fifty by one hundred and fifty- four feet; then there are two buildings each twenty by one hundred feet, one used for a warehouse, and the otber for

silvering and finishing plale-glass mirrors; then another ware- house forty by one hundred feet, and a bottle-house sixty-five by eighty feet, which is entirely new. The firm employs one hundred and twenty hands, four teams, and consumes in their year's work (ten months) one hundred and sixty-five thousand bushels of coal; five hundred tons of soda ash; one thousand five hundred tons of sand; nine thousand bushels of lime, and six hundred barrels of salt. This does not include the stock in use in the manufacture of hollow ware. Value of manu- factured goods $300,000 per annum.

It will be seen from the above that the New Albany Glass works were established on a some- what extensive scale. In 1873 Mr. Cottom thus. writes of these works:

The New Albany Glass works have suspended, and part of the buildings converted to the use of other manufacturing com- panies. They were upon an extensive scale, and the last year operated employed a capital of $100,000, gave employ- ment to one hundred and sixty-five work men, paid in yearly wages $75,000, and turned out an annual product of the value of $250,000.

In 1872 the buildings and grounds of the New Albany Glass works passed into the hands of W. C. De Pauw, and became a part of the Star Glass works, which had been established by Mr. De Pauw. The Star works thus became the only glass manufacturing establishment in the city, and so remains to-day. With the addition of the grounds and buildings of Messrs. Ford & Co. it became one of the most extensive establishments of this character in America. In 1873 Mr. Cot- tom thus writes of these works:

They cover an area of fifteen acres with their buildings and necessary grounds, and manufacture the best quality of plate. glass, in all respects equal to the very best French and En- glish plate, and also window glass, fruit jars, and bottles. The manufacture of plate-glass in America is yet an experi- ment so far as it relates to profitable returns upon the very large investment of capital it requires to operate such works. There can, however, be little doubt that the experiment now making in New Albany in the manufacture of first quality of plate-glass will prove successful, inasmuch as the capital em- ployed, the extent of the buildings, and the amount and superiority of machinery used, will compare favorably with the like conditions in the extensive plate-glass works of Europe.

The buildings of the Star Glass works are as follows : Main building 580 by 115 feet in dimensions, containing eight smoothers and eight polishers, twenty-one furnaces and ovens, cutting and picking-rooms and offices; one building (in the course of erection) 300 by 125 feel in size, for a cast- ing-house; one building 40 by 50 for ovens for roasting and calcining gypsum, and for crushing and pulverizing emery and limestone, and a warehouse 260 by 46 feet. The Plate- glass works have a capacity for the production of 1,000 feet per day of the finest quality of polished plate, 92 by 180 inches in size. The window glass houses, two in number, are 60 by 80 feet in size. There are two bottle and fruit jar houses, each 60 by 80 feet; one flattening-house, 80 by 130 feet; cutting-house, 20 by 80 feet; pot-house, 40 by 100 feet; mixing-house, 40 by 40 feet; sand-house, 50 by 50 feet;

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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.

house for grinding fruit jars, 20 by 30 feet ; warehouse, 30 by II0 feet; steam box factory, 70 by 130 feet; store-house, 16 by 16 feet; office, 20 by 40 feet.

Four large steam engines. receiving power from eight large boilers, are required to run the machinery for this vast es- tablishment. These extensive works have a capital $550,000; employ 250 operatives; annually pay $125,000 in wages, and the value of their products the past year was $720,000, and will probably considerably exceed $1,000,000 for the year 1873. These works are the only ones of importance in America at present engaged in the manufacture of polished plate-glass. W. C. DePauw, the wealthiest and most enter- prising capitalist in Indiana, is president of the company.

Regarding the manufacture of glass at these works the following is taken from the Ledger- Standard of 1877:

The Star Plate-glass works of New Albany, Indiana, are the most extensive and elaborate on the American continent, em- bracing three divisions of glass-making, viz: Polished plate, window glass, and fruit jars.

The works are established on what was originally supposed to be an abundantly large property upon the bank of the river, but which has since been added to, until the present area-which is as completely covered with buildings as is safe -includes about fifteen acres and even this has not proved sufficient, but to use a common expression is still growing.

The plate-glass department, which includes the melting furnaces and annealing ovens, the beds on which the glass is forined into plates, the ovens for re-calcining the plaster of Paris, the ovens for calcining and preparing the polishing material, the rooms for grinding and preparing the emery, the grinding, smoothing and polishing rooms, the cutting rooms and the plate-glass warerooms, are all contained in one building.

Glass is the result of the combination by fusion of silex, pure sand with an alkali, and some ingredients for purifying, coloring, or tem pering. These materials are subjected to an intense heat in fire-clay vessels called pots, which are placed in huge furnaces, where they can be closely watched. When the fusion is complete the glass-blower inserts the lower end of a straight hollow iron rod into the molten mass, to which a portion of the waxy material adheres. Now withdrawing the rod, he blows a huge bubble of glass. By constantly twirling the rod and other manipulations only understood by the blowers, such as inverting it in the air, swinging in a circle, etc., the brittle bubble assumes the shape of a long evenly formed cylinder, or huge bottle, the neck being fast to the rod. Now, by heating the other end, while the thumb closes the mouth-piece, the bottom of the bottle is softened, the air in the cylinder is expanded, and the glass opens at the other end. A few more twirls and the cylinder is ready to be sepa- rated from the rod. This is accomplished by rubbing the junction of the glass and rod with a small bar of cold iron, tbe sudden, uneven contraction breaking the glass at that point. Another separation is made at the shoulder or neck, by encircling the cylinder with melted glass. A perfect cylin- der or tube of glass is thus left, from ten to fourteen inches in diameter, and from sixty to seventy-two inches in length. This is now split from end to end on the top, and carried to the flattening oven, when it is placed upon a revolving table. The heat softens the glass, which soon assumes the form of a flattened sheet, and is carefully smoothed down by means of a long-handled block of wood. It is then placed in a cooling oven or "leer," where it gradually cools, and it is

then cut with diamonds into the required sizes for window panes.

The fruit jars are handled similar to window glass, except that it is blown into iron, moulds. When the bubble is of the proper size, the blower places it within the open mould, closes the latter by stepping upon a lever, and blows with sufficient force to perfectly fill all the indentations of the mould, at the same time withdrawing the pipe sufficiently to . weaken its hold upon the jar. Removing the foot the mould opens, and the jar is raised by the pipe. A V shaped recep- tacle lies near by, with an iron edge at its farthest extremity, into which, with a dexterous movement, the jar is dropped, the thin glass being broken by the iron edge. The assistant now steps forward with a rod, attached to which is a metallic case, and this is slipped over the jar. The jar is now ready for the annealing oven, and from thence is taken to the filers, who rasp off the rough edges from the top, when they are wheeled to the grinding room and run through the grinders, then washed, and are ready for packing, preparatory to ship- ment.

Plate-glass is properly poured, or cast glass. A smooth iron table with adaptable guides for size and thickness re- ceives the melted glass, as it is poured in mass from the pot. A hugh, heavy roller then travels the length of the table, and the mass is uniformly spread like dough under a rolling pin. It is now pushed upon a traveling table, wheeled to and slid into the annealing oven, to remain until properly cooled. It is now "rough plate." It then goes through the process of grinding, smoothing, polishing, cutting, etc. This completes it as polished plate. Many similar establish- ments started in this country have failed in attempting the manufacture of polished plate-glass. Men of large means and possessed of abundant brains, have experimented for a number of years and lost fabulous sums of money, and after all were obliged to abandon the enterprise. The science is new in this country; but it has been left to W. C. DePauw to demonstrate the fact that polished plate-glass can be made equally successful here as in Europe. Mr. DePauw has in- vested fully a'million dollars in his enterprise and it is gener- ally understood that he has at least succeeded after years of incessant toil and investment, to make as good plate-glass as may be found in the world.

His employes are the most experienced men that can be found, his machinery and appliances the very best, and with the same facilities (and in some instances better) that Euro- pean manufacturers have to make their polished plate, Mr. DePanw duplicates theif glass and sells it to the American market at a cheaper rate than the imported glass is offered. The reward that the gentleman so richly deserves is certainly not far off if it has not already arrived.

Important improvements are constantly going on about the glass works. A new dock has been built to admit the large coal and sand barges that are being constantly unloaded to supply the furnaces. Over two hundred and fifty inen are employed about the different departments, each person mov- ing under the direction of experienced directors, a hive of in- dustry that is seldom seen, even in cities of large metropoli- tan proportions.

The following from the Courier-Journal of August 24, 1881, gives a picture of the present Star Glass works:

DePauw's American Plate-glass works of 1881 is not what it was a year ago. It has been increased from year to year until now the buildings cover twenty-five acres of ground.

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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.

The greatest manufactory in New Albany, or in Indiana, is DePauw's American Plate-glass works, owned and operated by W. C. DePanw. Take the glass works out of New Al- bany and every man, woman, and child who works for a liv- ing would feel its loss. The merchant who sells his goods to the workman, and the farmer who sells to the merchant would all feel it sensibly. But it is hard to tell whether this loss would be greater than that of Mr. DePauw him- self, whose money and business tact are used in every great . enterprise in this city. Constantly improving his manufac- tories, never curtailing their capacity, he is, beyond doubt, a great benefactor to New Albany, and the nerviest business man in Indiana. Always helping to start some public im- provement, or great enterprise, he invests his money as fast as he earns it, giving the workman employment and remun- eration for his services. Mr. DePauw has stock in every manufactory in New Albany, and he has frequently invested in enterprises which other men would dare not touch, and in most instances has made money.

The largest of his enterprises is the New Albany Star Glass works, which annually pays out inore money than any institution around the Falls, keeping hundreds of men em- ployed, and distributing its wares to all parts of the world. The class of workmen engaged are mostly mechanics, who do much to build up a city, erecting neat little homes here and there.

Although Mr. DePauw has an interest in all the great manufactories of New Albany, he takes particular interest in the glass works, this property being his own. The works employ from 1,500 to 2,000 men. The capacity is 1,400,000 feet of polished plate-glass per annum, 150,000 boxes of window glass, and 30,000 gross of fruit jars.

MILLS.

The early mills of New Albany have been mentioned in another chapter, Trublood's "little log mill" on Falling run being the first. Water-power mills being the only ones that could be brought into use during the very early days of New Albany, not many were erected in its immediate vicinity on account of the want of good water power. True, the falls would fur- nish good power of this kind, but the cost of utilizing them was too great for the limited purses of the pioneers. Silver creek and Falling run both furnished sufficient water for running a mill a portion of the year, and upon these streams the earliest mills were built. Abner Scribner was the first to introduce steam for milling pur- poses, but his first mill was not a success, as will be seen elsewhere.

A steam flouring mill was erected in 1847 in the city, which is still running, and is known as the

STATE STREET MILL,

now owned and conducted by Augustus Bradley and I. P. Leyden, who purchased it two or three years ago of J. F. Leyden & Co. The mill is a

large three-and-a-half-story brick, and cost, with all necessary machinery, about $75,000. It is 80 x 120 feet in size, and was erected by Marshall & McHarvy. It has four run of buhrs and a capacity of turning out about two hundred bar- rels of four in every twenty-four hours.

The next mill erected in the city was the

PHOENIX MILL,

in 1848, Lee & Hoyle proprietors. Its dimen- sions were 80 x 80 feet, four stories in height, with four run of buhrs and capacity about the same as the State Street mill. The third mill was erected in 1856, and is yet in successful operation. It is known as the

CITY MILL,

Peter Mann proprietor. This mill is located on State street, between Market and Spring, and when first erected was a very fine brick mill with three run of stone. It was destroyed by fire December 4, 1870, but Mr. Mann immediately ·built in its place the present fine brick mill, four stories and a basement in height, and again be- gan operations in August, 187r. The present mill has five run of buhrs. The machinery was remodelled and reconstructed in 1881, and it is now one of the finest mills in the city. It turns out about one hundred and ninety barrels of what is known as general reduction, patent process flour every twenty-four hours. It has three pairs of rolls, one porcelain roll, one chilled iron roll, and one corrugated brand roll.

· THE NEW PROCESS MILL

of McDonald & Co. was established in 1877, by Morris McDonald, Lewis Hartman, and F. W. Armstrong. This is a frame mill located one block west of the present depot of the New Albany & Salem railroad. Warehouses for this mill have been established at 169 and 171 Pearl street, where its products are on sale. The mill was formerly a slate mill, but this business be- coming unprofitable the building was furnished with the most improved machinery for the manu- facture of flour. It has four run of buhrs, and turns out about one hundred barrels of flour daily. The dimensions of the building are 50 x 60 feet on the ground, and three stories in height.

Mr. Cottom writes as follows regarding the milling interests in 1873:

The Louisville, New Albany, & St. Louis Air Line road passes through the very best wheat and corn growing counties

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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.

of Southern Indiana and Southern Illinois; the Louisville, New Albany & Chicago railroad passes entirely through the State from north to south, penetrating a famous wheat growing country ; the Jeffersonville, Madison, & Indianapolis road and its branches reach into the central, eastern, and northern counties of the State, all excellent wheat growing counties; while the Ohio river taps every county on the lower borders of Kentucky, Indiana, and a portion of Tennessee,and its tributa- ries reach far up the valleys of the Wabash, Green, Cumberland and Tennessee rivers. Thus New Albany is placed in speedy and cheap communication with the best wheat and corn growing sections of the West. There are already five large mills in New Albany-three flour and two corn mills. The flour mills have a capacity as follows: Phoenix mill, R. P. Main proprietor, 212 barrels in twenty-four hours, consum- ing 1,050 bushels of wheat, and operating a capital of $50,- 000. State Street mill, of J. F. Leyden & Co., with a capac- ity of 200 barrels in twenty-four hours, consuming 1,000 bushels of wheat, and operating a capital of $60,000. The City mill of Peter Mann, with a capacity of 250 barrels in twenty-four hours, consuming 1,250 bushels of wheat to the twenty-four hours, and operating a capital of $70,000. If these mills were run to their full capacity six days in the week for fifty weeks in the year, it would give an annnal prod- uct of 202,600 barrels of flour, which at $7 per barrel would amount to $1,418,200 as the value of the product, aside from offal; and to manufacture this would require 990,000 bushels of wheat per year, allowing five bushels to the barrel of flour, which at $1.25 per bushel would cost $1,272, 500, leaving a profit (not counting the offal) of $145,700, or an equal average to each mill of $48,566.66. The two corn mills turn out an annual product of not far from $25,000. With the advantages in favor of the milling business at New Albany, that interest must largely increase.

COTTON AND WOOLEN MILLS.

The first cotton mills in New Albany was started in 1820 by Messrs. Badger & Jarvis, both from the East. A man named Garside was the practical man about this mill, but the busi- ness was not a success at that time. This mill was located at the corner of West First and Market streets, on ground afterwards covered by Wesley Chapel, and at present occupied by Dr. August Knæfel's drug store, and Mr. Frank Smith's clothing store. The mill was, in its day, the pride and boast of the. New Albanians, and the manufacture of cotton fabrics, it was thought, would become an immense business in New Albany. The machinery for cotton manu- facture in those days was very crude as compared with that of the present day, but that of this New Albany pioneer mill was sufficient for the produc- tion of cotton cloth and cotton yarns. The ma- chinery was propelled by bull power. A large in- clined wheel known a tread wheel, and elsewhere described, was used in place of the steam power of to-day. Upon this wheel a pair of bulls or oxen were tied to an upright post, and furnished

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History of the Ohio falls cities and their counties : with illustrations and bibliographical sketches, Vol. II, Part 40

Author: Williams, L.A., & Co., Cleveland Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : L. A. Williams & Co. Number of Pages: 680

Author: Williams, L.A., & Co., Cleveland
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : L. A. Williams & Co.
Number of Pages: 680