Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 15

Author: Hazen, Aaron L. (Aaron Lyle), 1837- comp. and ed. cn
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1058

USA > Pennsylvania > Lawrence County > New Castle > Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th > Part 15

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November 6, 1871, the stave factory con-

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nected with the keg works was destroyed by fire, but was immediately rebuilt. In the fall of the same year the "Moffatt fur- nace" was purchased, enlarged and added to the works. The name was changed to "Little Pet."

In 1872 extensive fire-brick works were erected, having a capacity of 20,000 bricks per week. In this same year, also, the com- pany purchased all that part of the canal lying between the south line of the city and the Neshannock Creek.

The erection of the "Rosena Furnace," 22x77 feet. was also commenced about the same date, and rapidly pushed to comple- tion. It was "blown in" on the 3d of June, 1873, and has continued in blast till the present time, being now a part of the Carnegie Steel Company's plant, and the only part of the old Shenango Iron Works that is now in existence.

In 1874 the old (stone stack) "Sophia Furnace" was entirely remodeled and en- larged, after having been in blast six years upon the same lining.

In December, 1876, the "Shenango Iron Works" occupied about twenty acres of ground, located in the Fourth Ward of the city of New Castle, and consisting of three blast-furnaces, with a capacity for pro- ducing 50,000 tons of pig-metal per annum ; two rolling-mills, with twenty-seven boiling and eleven heating furnaces ; five trains of rolls; a nail factory, with fifty-five ma- chines, and a capacity of 10,000 kegs of nails per month; a spike-factory, with three machines ; nine steam and three blow- ing engines ; eleven hot-blasts ; eight steam- pumps; twenty steam-boilers; five power, and one steam-shears; a stave and keg manufactory, with a capacity for making 300,000 nail-kegs per annum; two fire-brick yards, with a capacity of 1,000,000 bricks annually, and a red-brick yard, which manufactured yearly several million bricks. The firm also owned and operated about four miles of railway tracks for the delivering of stock and the removal of products.

About 700 men were directly employed, when the works were in full operation. In- directly about 300 more were employed in mining coal, iron, limestone, etc., making an aggregate of about 1,000 men, and rep- resenting a population of at least 3,000 people deriving their livelihood from the Shenango Iron Works. The pay roll of the concern frequently reached $45,000 per month, without taking into consideration the large sums paid out for stock and ma- terial of various kinds - coal, iron, lime- stone, lumber, etc. Mr. George C. Reis, since deceased, had charge of the financial department.

Subsequently the business began to grow unprofitable, and after the death of Wil- liam H. Brown, who was perhaps its prin- cipal and heaviest stockholder, the plant, except the Rosena furnace before men- tioned, was dismantled and sold. There was no insolvency ; every creditor was paid, the business being closed out simply for the reason above mentioned. Its place has since been more than filled, in the indus- trial life of New Castle, by the extensive concerns now in operation.

AETNA IRON WORKS.

In the fall of 1838 a rolling-mill and nail factory were built by James D. White, the contractors being James H. Brown, late of the firm of Brown, Bonnell & Co., of Youngstown, Ohio, and Mr. S. Wilder, a gentleman formerly extensively connected with the manufacturing business of this vicinity. The establishment, when com- pleted, included one train of rolls run by water-power, two heating furnaces and eight nail machines. The nail plates were rolled from blooms manufactured in Juni- ata County, Pa. There were at that date no blast furnaces in this region. Mr. White operated these works until the fall of 1839, when his failing health led him to visit St. Thomas, in the West Indies, but without any beneficial results ; he died at St. Croix after a short sojourn, and was buried there. After his death the works remained idle

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until the autumn of 1840, when Mr. White's administrators leased them to Messrs. Brown, Higgs & Wilder, who operated them for a little more than a year, when they were sold to Crawford Brothers & Ritter. The new firm were men of exten- sive means, but had little experience in practical manufacturing. Messrs. Brown & Wilder being experienced in the busi- ness, a co-partnership was soon after formed between them and the late purchas- ers, and the firm became Crawfords & Co.

This arrangement continued until 1848, when Mr. Wilder purchased Brown's in- terest, the latter gentleman taking an in- terest in the Shenango Iron Works, then known as the "Orizaba Iron Works." About 1842 the firm had abandoned water- power, mostly, and substituted steam, put- ting in a fine large engine. In 1846 a new nail-factory, of stone and brick, was erected, and the number of machines in- creased from eight to thirty; and the firm also added a bar and guide-mill. About the year 1845 a charcoal blast-furnace was erected near New Wilmington by Craw- ford, Powers & Co. The Crawfords sub- sequently bought out Powers and put it in as stock, and it was operated in connection with the works in New Castle. The firm also purchased the "Mahoning Furnace," at Lowellville, Ohio, built by Wilkinson, Wilkes & Co., of Buffalo, N. Y., about 1847. It is claimed that this furnace was the first to use raw coal for smelting purposes in this region.

In 1850 a chartered stock company was formed under the name of the "Cosalo Iron Company," of which A. L. Crawford was president and William P. Reynolds, secretary (afterwards succeeded by James Crawford). This firm continued to do business until the latter part of 1857, when the stock company was dissolved. In 1856 the company made a contract with the Cleveland and Columbus Railway to fur- nish 10,000 tons of compound rail, and the Lowellville furnace was purchased with a view to manufacturing the pig-iron for the

job. While filling this contract the nail business was suspended and the machinery was sold to the Sharon Iron Company.

After the completion of this large con- tract the company built thirty new nail ma- chines and again commenced the manufac- ture of nails, spikes and bar iron, and con- tinued the business until about 1858, when, as stated before, the stock company was dissolved, and the works were purchased by the Crawford brothers, including the Lowellville furnace. Mr. Wilder took the New Wilmington furnace, but it proved un- profitable and was abandoned about 1860. Mr. Wilder soon after removed to Cleve- land, Ohio, where he spent two years, sub- sequently returning to New Castle. The Crawford brothers continued business until 1864, when they disposed of the works to Dithridge & Co., of Pittsburg, who rechris- tened the establishment the "Lawrence Iron Works." In 1872 Dithridge & Co. sold the works to a firm from Syracuse, N. Y., who called them the "Onondaga Iron and Nail Works." During their proprie- torship several new nail machines, a num- ber of trains of rolls and a new engine were added, and the factory was also enlarged. In March, 1874, the works were leased by Kimberly and Carnes, of Sharon, and soon after the two companies were consolidated.

The Aetna furnaces, two in number, were erected by the "Lawrence Iron Company" about 1867. Their capacity was about forty tons each per day. They were run by the company until 1872, when Mr. Samuel Kimberly purchased and operated them until the consolidation with the Syracuse Company, after which they were run in connection with the "Aetna Iron Works." They are the only part of the old Aetna plant now in operation, being owned and operated by the Republic Iron Works.

The Aetna works consisted of two blast furnaces, twenty-one boiling furnaces, five heating furnaces, a muck-bar mill, a nail- plate mill, a merchant-bar mill, a guide mill and fifty-three nail machines with sufficient rolls for all sizes of iron and nails. The firm

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employed in the aggregate, when in full running order, about 300 hands. The busi- ness was finally abandoned because of im- provements and changes in modern manu- facturing methods, and is now remembered only as among the notable enterprises of former days.

BRADLEY, REIS & CO.

In 1873 a stock company, of which R. W. Cunningham was president, and William Patterson secretary and treasurer, estab- lished what was known as the New Castle Iron Works. Mr. S. Wilder, a heavy stock- holder, superintended the erection of the buildings, but did not continue long as a partner, disposing of his stock in the fall of the same year in which the works were erected. In July, 1875, Messrs. Bradley, Reis & Co. purchased the works, and, in 1876, erected a mill for the manufacture of cold-rolled iron. The works consisted of one blast furnace, and a plate and sheet- iron mill, with three trains of rolls. The average product of the works was about twenty tons of muck-bar iron per day, which was all manufactured into merchant iron on the premises. In 1878 the firm ex- perienced financial reverses, but made an arrangement with their creditors and con- tinued business until 1883, when an ex- pensive accident to their furnace threw them again into difficulties, and the busi- ness was closed out, the works being pur- chased by Geo. W. Johnson.

The following, taken from a past issue of a local paper, refers directly to this matter: "Bradley, Reis & Co., iron manu- facturers, went into bankruptcy on August 16, 1878, and badly crippled the Neshan- nock Iron Company, owned by the Reis brothers and Peter L. and German A. Kim- berly. The account of the failure from which we make this report does not give the assets or liabilities of the company. The secured creditors were forty-five work- men, whose claims ranged from $3 to $45; treasurer of Lawrence County, $1,400; Mrs. Lucinda Taylor, $12,490; First Na-

tional Bank of New Castle, $16,796; Patter- son's bank, securities, $60,600, and $12,400 in notes. The unsecured creditors were very numerous. The collapse of the Nesh- annock and the Bradley & Reis Company was sorely felt by nearly all our business men, who had assisted the manufacturers in keeping the works in operation. Fol- lowing the above, George C. Reis, who had indorsed commercial paper to the amount of $400,000, also went into bankruptcy, and turned over all his property to pay debts, but it was not sufficient to meet the de- mands."

NEW CASTLE MANUFACTURING CO.

The original of this extensive establish- ment was put in operation about the year 1866 as a bolt and nut factory, with An- drew B. Berger as president. After a short experience, finding the business did not come up to their anticipations, the works were metamorphosed into a foun- dry and machine-shop. A large foundry building was erected in 1868, the machine- shop was enlarged, and most of the nut and bolt machinery taken out, and about 1871 the change had become complete. The works were subsequently enlarged from time to time, until they were among the most extensive in the country. The business was mostly confined to the manu- facture of machinery for rolling-mills and blast-furnaces. The works had a capacity, when in full running order, for the employ- ment of about 300 men.

NESHANNOCK IRON COMPANY.

This formerly prosperous concern was put in operation in 1872 by a company con- sisting of George L. Reis, W. E. Reis, P. L. Kimberly and G. A. Kimberly, for the manufacture of pig-iron exclusively. The capacity of the works, when in full run- ning order, was 18,000 tons per annum, Lake Superior ores being exclusively used. This company was disastrously affected by the failure of Bradley, Reis & Co., as pre- viously referred to, and subsequently dis-

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continued business. The furnace, com- monly known as the "Red Jacket," is now owned and operated by the Carnegie Steel Company.

CROWTHER IRON COMPANY.

These works were put in operation in August, 1873, the buildings being erected in June, 1872. The manufacture was con- fined to common pig iron and Bessemer steel metal. The capacity was about the same as that of the Neshannock Iron Com- pany, or 18,000 tons per annum. The com- pany was unsuccessful and went into bank- ruptcy in August, 1878. In the final set- tlement of the case the creditors received 10 per cent of their claims.

ELLIOTT-BLAIR STEEL COMPANY.

This company had its origin in 1891, when George and Noah W. Elliott, prac- tical steel manufacturers, established in New Castle the Elliott Bros.' Cold Rolled Steel Plant, the business being continued under the name of Elliott Bros. for several · years. Subsequently, when T. C. Elliott became interested in the concern, the ca- pacity of the plant was increased, and in 1898 the present company was formed. The company employ 100 men and are en- gaged in the manufacture of fine cold rolled steel, bicycle, sewing-machine and general work, their annual capacity being 7,000 tons. They have an adequate and well- equipped plant at the corner of Taylor and Mercer Streets, and are one of the repre- sentative manufacturing institutions of the city. The president and general manager is George D. Blair; N. W. Elliott is gen- eral superintendent ; George Elliott, super- intendent of the rolling department, and T. C. Elliott, superintendent of the annealing department.

AMERICAN SHEET AND TIN PLATE COMPANY.

The establishment of this giant industry in New Castle was due in chief measure to the enterprise and personal exertions of Mr. George Greer, the present district

manager. The fact that New Castle from 1890 to 1900 increased in population from 11,200 to almost 29,000, and subsequently to that of a city of 40,000 or more, is largely due to its tin industries. The growth of this company has been already briefly alluded to at the beginning of this chapter. The New Castle enterprise had its origin in 1892, a company being then organized with George Greer, president; Charles Greer, secretary, and W. S. Foltz, treasurer, for the purpose of erecting a tin plate plant. They first erected a four- mill plant with a bar-mill in connection. The works were put in operation October 26, 1893. This company was known as the New Castle Steel and Tin Plate Company, and the mill was sometimes known as ""Greer's Tin Mill," Mr. Greer being the leading spirit of the enterprise. In 1897 the Shenango Mill, which is the largest mill of its kind in the world, was erected by cer- tain gentlemen representing the Shenango Valley Steel Company, namely, William Patterson, John Stevenson, W. E. Reis and others.

Before the Shenango Mill was completed the New Castle works were purchased by the American Tin Plate Company, organ- ized in 1898. They took possession imme- diately, placing Mr. Greer in charge both of the New Castle and Shenango works, with instructions to complete the work on the latter, effect an organization and put the mill in operation. This was accom- plished in May, 1899, since which time, with the exception of a few brief shut- downs for repairs or other reasons, they have continued in successful operation.

In spite of initial discouragements the New Castle plant was enlarged until it included twenty mills. The Shenango works when completed contained thirty mills. Thus there are now in New Castle fifty mills engaged in this important industry, employing an army of 3,500 men, and pay- ing out $200,000 monthly in wages. Both works are equipped with the latest and most improved machinery for the produc-

ERSAL

UNIVERSAL SANITARY MANUFACTURING COMPANY.

PENNSYLVANIA ENGINEERING WORKS.

SHENANGO TIN PLATE COMPANY.

CARNEGIE STEEL COMPANY.

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tion of the best quality of finished tin plate. The New Castle works occupy about four- teen acres of land, while the Shenango works are located on a tract of forty-four acres. The storage capacity at both works is over 500,000. Two thousand three hun- dred tons of black plate are made every week when the mills are in operation. Mr. Greer has succeeded in building up a very superior district organization, keeping in close touch with all the superintendents, foremen and employees of the different mills, and being acquainted with all the numerous details of manufacturing, finish- ing and shipping, as well as with the state of the world's markets with respect to the demand for the various brands of tin plate A gratifying degree of harmony exists be- tween the officials and employees from the superintendent down, which has helped to attract a superior class of workmen, and the two plants taken together are not only the pride of New Castle, but are among the largest and most important institutions of the kind in the entire country.

PENNSYLVANIA ENGINEERING WORKS.

This extensive concern was incorporated in November, 1899, with a capital of $500,- 000. It is engaged in blast furnace and steel plant construction, general machine and plate work, the manufacture of ma- chinery and castings, boilers, etc., its two foundries having an annual capacity of 35,000 tons, in addition to which the com- pany buys about 2,000 tons of product. The capacity of its boiler works is 4,000 tons, the total annual capacity being 41,000 tons. When the concern was first estab- lished in New Castle it took possession of the old James P. Witherow works, which were subsequently enlarged to about dou- ble their former capacity. It is now one of the three or four largest plants in New Castle. The machine shop is a steel build- ing 82 feet wide by 280 feet long, and the entire plant, which is one of the finest of its kind in America, covers over six acres. The foundry is 350 feet long by 60 feet

wide. The Engineering works makes a feature of heavy castings, their loam cast- ings having a high reputation. Another specialty is the manufacture of all kinds of caustic pots and pans, linings for cinder cars, long plungers and cylinders, together with bells, hoppers, etc. The iron is sup- plied from three cupolas of twenty, eight and five tons respectively, and the stock yard is large enough to accommodate about 5,000 tons of pig iron. The boiler shop is a steel building, the main part of which is 60x300 feet. In it are two 15-ton trav- eling cranes, together with a variety of other powerful and modern machinery. The riveting tower near by has two hy- draulic riveters for pipe and ladle work. There is also a steel building 73 feet wide by 125 feet long, equipped with horizontal punches, where the structural and flanging work is done. The forging depart- ment is 73 feet wide by 60 feet long, and is equipped with two steam hammers and ten forge fires, together with jib cranes, heating furnaces, etc. The boiler plant is located across the street from the operating department and consists of 500 H. P. of boilers and one generator of 150 K. W. capacity and an- other of 75 K. W. capacity. Here also are located the air compressors which serve the pneumatic tools in the boiler shop and other departments. The various depart- ments are connected by narrow-gauge tracks, while spurs from the various trunk lines furnish independent shipping facili- ties to all. In the engineering department some fifteen to twenty skilled engineers and draughtsmen are employed.

The company has done some notable work, not only in western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio, but also in many more distant points throughout the country. They have constructed a number of blast furnaces, besides doing a large amount of other extensive and important construction work of various kinds. The present offi- cers of the company are: Edward King, president and treasurer; E. N. Ohl, vice-

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president ; C. L. Baldwin, secretary ; E. W. Bedel, general manager; W. H. Shupler, general superintendent; J. K. Furst, en- gineer. The office and works are at the corner of Jefferson and Nutt Streets.

FOUNDRIES, MACHINE-SHOPS, ETC.

R. W. Cunningham, a former New Castle merchant, erected a frame building, and put an iron-foundry in operation in 1839, which was quite an extensive establish- ment. A general foundry business was transacted, and the works turned out large numbers of plows, stoves and a great amount of mill-gearing. A machine-shop was added in 1847. Mr. Cunningham also had a warehouse situated on the slackwater of the Neshannock, opposite his foundry, where he did a large forwarding, commis- sion, freighting and general produce busi- ness. The grain business in those days was quite extensive, and in the best year (about 1841-42), as many as 1,000 bushels were received daily and shipped princi- pally to Cleveland, Ohio, by canal. The firm was R. W. Cunningham up to about 1844, and from that date to 1853 George W. Jackson, of Pittsburg, had an interest, under the firm name of R. W. Cunningham & Co. From 1853 to 1865 Mr. Cunningham conducted the entire business in his own name. In the last-named year several of the employees became partners, after which the firm was Cunningham & Co. In connection with the forwarding business, the firm handled large amounts of ground plaster. A mill for grinding the raw ma- terial, which was obtained mostly from Canada, was erected by the new firm in 1844-45, and from that date the plaster was purchased in the lump by the cargo at Erie, brought to New Castle by canal and manufactured here. This business was continued for a number of years until the steadily diminishing demand for the ma- terial caused its abandonment. The part- nership was dissolved after Mr. Cunning- ham's death and the machine shop disman-

tled and sold. The real estate is still owned by some of the Cunningham heirs.

LAWRENCE FOUNDRY AND MACHINE SHOP.

In 1848 a small foundry was started by Messrs. Pearson, McConnell & Co., who carried on a general business for about two years. The firm then became Quest, McConnell & Co., who operated the estab- lishment until 1855. During their occu- pancy a large brick machine-shop was built. In 1855 the firm again changed to Quest, Westerman & Co. This firm car- ried on business until 1857, when another change took place, and it became Quest, Shaw & Co. This firm continued the busi- ness for about ten years, when the name was changed to Quest & Shaw, who contin- ued it until 1872, when the business was subsequently continued for some years by Shaw, Waddington & Co. The works were conveniently located between the old canal and the Neshannock Creek.

NEW CASTLE AGRICULTURAL WORKS.

An establishment, under the above name, was put in operation by a stock company, consisting of Luther Woods, the Phillips brothers, John Elder and A. B. Smith & Son, in 1869-70, the original capital being $40,000. The works were located in Union Township, opposite the northwest portion of New Castle. The entire establishment was fitted up with the latest and most ap- proved machinery, calculated for an exten- sive business. Manufacturing was com- menced in the spring of 1870 and carried on for about two years, with every prospect of ultimate success, when, in the month of February, 1872, the entire works and ma- chinery were destroyed by fire, entailing a loss of about $60,000, on which there was an insurance in various companies of $20,- 000. The firm manufactured mowing and reaping machines, and sulky horse-rakes. The original capital of the company was all absorbed in the buildings and machin- ery, and the loss fell so heavily upon them

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that the works were not rebuilt. Among the best machines manufactured by the firm was the "Lawrence Mower," invented and patented by A. B. Smith, of Rochester, Beaver County, Pa.

NEW CASTLE STAMPING COMPANY.

This large concern-one of the most im- portant in New Castle-is engaged in the manufacture of high-grade enamel ware and now commands an extensive trade. The company was incorporated in 1901 with a capital of $200,000. Its president is Mr. George L. Patterson, who is also vice-pres- ident of the National Bank of Lawrence and an active member of the Chamber of Commerce. Mr. J. C. Kirk, the vice-pres- ident, is also president and manager of the New Castle Forge and Bolt Company and is prominently connected with the Chamber of Commerce and with various local inter- ests. Lee M. Raney is secretary and T. F. Morehead treasurer-both prominent busi- ness men of New Castle, connected with various important local enterprises. The company has one of the best equipped fac- tories in the world, their large plant being located at the foot of Swansea Avenue, in the Seventh Ward, and occupying six and a half acres on the line of the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburg, Pittsburg & Lake Erie, and Pennsylvania systems. It con- sists of two large buildings, with a score of smaller ones constructed of brick and iron. The enamel is made according to thoroughly tested German receipts and is applied by the most up-to-date American methods. About 200 or more skilled work- men are employed. This industry, since its establishment, has grown to large pro- portions, and is now an important factor in the sum total of New Castle's industrial activities.

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Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 15

Author: Hazen, Aaron L. (Aaron Lyle), 1837- comp. and ed. cn Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold publishing co. Number of Pages: 1058

Author: Hazen, Aaron L. (Aaron Lyle), 1837- comp. and ed. cn
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1058