Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 16

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 16

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STANDARD WIRE COMPANY.

The Standard Wire Company, whose works are located at No. 135 South Mill Street, was incorporated in 1906, with a capital of $300,000. It is engaged in the

production of steel wire mats, coat hang- ers, jumping ropes, pot lifters, carpet and upholstery beaters, folding nursery fend- ers, elevator enclosure work, bank and of- fice railings, etc. The annual capacity of the plant is about 150 tons, and sixteen men are employed. The president is Jonas Kaufman, with John E. Norris vice-presi- dent and manager, and Hugh M. Marquis, secretary and treasurer.

NEW CASTLE FORGE AND BOLT COMPANY.

The New Castle Forge and Bolt Com- pany, with plant at 243 Elm Street, was incorporated in 1901, with a capital of $75,000. Within less than a year the vol- ume of business on hand necessitated an increase of capital to $300,000, and it was so capitalized in January, 1903, new build- ings being then erected and installed with the most modern and expensive machinery. Included in the plant are one large brick and steel building 342x80 feet, one steel building 374x60 feet, a chain shop 48x80, machine shop 80x30, power plant 84x80, and gas producer house 75x25 feet. All the departments have switches connecting with the Pennsylvania, Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg R. R. systems. The plant is devoted to the manufacture of forgings, chains, bolts, nuts, rivets and heavy hard- ware, the annual capacity, not counting car forgings, being 500,000 pounds. About 150 men are employed. The officers of the con- cern are C. J. Kirk, president and general manager; J. F. Donahue, secretary ; E. E. Whitaker, treasurer, and M. E. McCombs, superintendent.

AMERICAN CAR AND SHIP HARDWARE MFG. CO.

The American Car and Ship Hardware Manufacturing Company, brass founders, was incorporated in 1901 and is engaged in the manufacture of push-buttons, car trimmings, trolley work, fuse boxes, ship lights, etc., 100 men being employed in the works, which are located at the corner of Mill and Mechanic Street. C. H. Johnson is president of the concern, with Charles

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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY

Matthews, secretary; T. H. Hartman, treasurer, and J. W. Patterson, general manager.

FRANK C. DOUDS & CO.

Frank C. Douds & Co., founders and ma- chinists, are engaged in the manufacture of iron and brass castings, engines and en- gine supplies, boiler injectors, jet pumps, etc., the factory being located at No. 214- 230 South Mill Street. The firm is com- posed of Frank C., Smith H. and Ralph A. Douds. They employ about fifteen men and are doing a good business.

NEW CASTLE ASPHALT BLOCK COMPANY.

The New Castle Asphalt Block Company is a prosperous concern engaged in the manufacture of compressed asphalt blocks for street paving and other similar work. It has a capacity of 2,500,000 blocks annu- ally and gives employment to about fifty men. The superintendent is H. E. Warden and the office and works are located near Big Run bridge.

NEW CASTLE ICE AND STORAGE COMPANY.

The New Castle Ice and Cold Storage Company, located at No. 111 South Beaver Street, was incorporated in 1901. The con- cern manufactures 130 tons of artificial ice daily, giving employment to eight men. J. D. Drum is superintendent.

CARRIAGE AND WAGON MANUFACTURE.

This branch of industry is now repre- sented in New Castle by some half dozen concerns. About the first establishment of the kind was that founded by Pearson & Co. in 1868. They first established on She- nango Street, near the river, a shop for the manufacture of agricultural imple- ments, but after a few years, not being suf- ficiently successful in that line, they changed their business to carriage and wagon-making, and so continued until June, 1873, when they sold out the busi- ness to T. W. Smith, of Mercer, who car- ried it on for about two years. On his

death, which took place soon after, the stock and tools were sold to A. R. Har- desty.

Since then various firms have been en- gaged in the business, some quite success- fully. Those now conducting operations in New Castle are L. D. Baughman, at No. 60 E. South Street; Henry Drescher, 316 N. Liberty; C. G. Gaston, 20 N. Shenango Street; J. B. McClaren, 1 White Street; Adam Onstott, 119 S. Cochran, and J. J. Sayre, 20 E. South Street.

FURNITURE.

Manufacture of furniture was started by James Mitchell and Calvin Miller, about 1869, in the building formerly occupied by Euwer's oil works, and continued until the fall of 1871, when Miller sold out to Mitch- ell. Subsequently Wilson Mitchell, a brother of James, took an interest in the business, the firm becoming Mitchell & Co., which co-partnership continued until the fall of 1873, or the beginning of 1874, when the brothers dissolved and sold out to Samuel Dunn, who took his son into part- nership. The firm manufactured all de- scriptions of furniture, making a specialty, however, of extension and breakfast tables. The lumber was purchased principally in Lawrence, Crawford and Mercer Counties, and consisted of mostly black walnut and cherry.

This industry, like some others that were formerly scattered, is now chiefly concen- trated in certain cities, like Cincinnati, In- dianapolis, Chicago and Grand Rapids, Michigan, where all the facilities in the way of large capital, cheap and abundant material, and a steady market are found par excellence.

WOOLEN MANUFACTURE.

About 1886 MeKarns & Love erected a mill in New Castle for the manufacture of woolen goods. When first put in operation it contained only one set of machinery, but a second set was afterwards added. The firm carried on the business until 1873,

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when MeKarns sold his interest to Love, who took his sons into partnership, and continued it under the style of H. Love & Sons.

PAPER MANUFACTURE.

In 1868 Job and William H. Harvey es- tablished a paper mill in a stone building on Neshannock Creek, within the present limits of the city of New Castle, and en- gaged in the manufacture of sack paper. Job Harvey operated it one year, when he associated, as a partner in the business, Mr. Alfred McKarns. A brick factory, 35x30 feet, was erected in 1876, and de- voted to the exclusive manufacture of flour sack paper, twelve men being employed. The daily production, when the works were running, was 1,800 pounds, 3,500 pounds of old rope being consumed daily in the manufacture.

The mill was burned in 1883 and was re- built in 1885 by the Standard Paper Com- pany of New Castle.

In 1887 the Dilworth Paper Company, of Pittsburg, bought the plant and water- power privileges from the Standard Com- pany and have since conducted the busi- ness. The capacity of the mill is now 4,000 to 16,000 pounds per twenty-four hour day. The product is sugar bags, glazed hard- ware wrapping paper, and manila papers. In May, 1908, the storage shed for raw materials was completely destroyed by fire, but is now being replaced by a struc- ture 45x154 feet. The mill has a battery of three boilers of 200 horse-power each ; a Corliss 300-horse-power engine, and a 150-horse-power Erie slide valve engine. It has also three water wheels. The di- rectors and officers of the mill are all Pitts- burg people.

PLANING MILLS AND LUMBER ESTABLISH- MENTS.

The earliest lumber business in New Castle was started by Dr. Pollock and his son-in-law, Joseph S. White, about 1840. The doctor's son, Hiram, afterwards pur-

chased his father's interest, and in connec- tion with Mr. White carried on the busi- ness. It subsequently passed through a number of different hands, and was contin- ued successfully for many years.

G. W. Crawford & Son also did an ex- tensive business in lumber, doors, sash, blinds, and all kinds of building material, the beginning of this establishment being a barrel factory started by Joseph Kissick about 1864. Mr. Kissick sold to Richard- son & Gorley in October, 1865. This firm changed the business to a planing-mill, and about three months subsequently Richard- son sold out to G. W. Crawford his in- terest in the business, which was conducted under the firm name of Gorley & Crawford until 1871, when Gorley sold to Crawford, who took his son into partnership and the firm was afterwards for many years G. W. Crawford & Son. About the year 1900 the business was purchased by G. Jameson and H. S. McGown and it is now conducted under the style of Jameson & McGown. It is now in a flourishing condition.

The Mahoning Valley Lumber Company is one of the most extensive establishments of this kind now existing in New Castle. The company was incorporated in 1898 with a capital of $15,000. Its extensive plant is located at the corner of Wayne Street and Swansea Avenue, occupying 120 feet frontage and being 208 feet in depth. It embraces a large planing-mill, fitted up with the most modern machinery and ap- pliances. The officers of the concern are gentlemen well known throughout business and manufacturing circles in this section. Mr. G. D. Duff is president and A. E. Kerr secretary and manager.

Another up-to-date concern of this kind is the New Castle Lumber & Construction Company, whose office, mill and yard are located at 55-75 S. Mercer Street. The firm gives employment to seventy-five or more skilled hands. They manufacture all kinds of mill work and every description of building material. The company was es- tablished about 1894, and is now under the

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control of Andrew Dietterle, Henry Coo- per and J. Cam Liebendorfer. Contracts are taken for all kinds of roofing, spouting, plastering and the construction of build- ings. The firm is a prominent factor in the building trade in this vicinity.

The Shenango Lumber Company also stands high in the list of New Castle's im- portant industries. Its plant is situated at the corner of White and Neal Streets, the present members of the firm being James Cunningham, who has been with it for about nine years, and H. M. Moore. They have a well-equipped planing-mill, handle all kinds of lumber, and manufacture every description of builders' supplies.

The Kline Lumber and Construction Company was incorporated in 1901 with a capital of $15,000. Mr. Harry Kline, the president and treasurer of the company, is one of New Castle's best known and most influential manufacturers. The plant of the concern, located at White and Neal Streets, covers more than three acres, and comprises a well-equipped planing-mill, store houses and sheds, and ample yard fa- cilities connected with the Pennsylvania tracks by switches. The company also has a branch yard and store at West Pittsburg. They handle all kinds of lumber, sewer pipe, lime, cement, building tile, slate and tin roofing, and builders' supplies gener- ally. They are also general contractors and builders, plumbers, and roofers. The company has had a very successful career since its establishment seven years ago.

The Acme Lumber Company is one of the old established concerns in this line of business in New Castle. Under its present title it was established about seven years ago by R. W. Henderson and J. M. Eng- lish, they buying out the interests of E. M. Hamilton, who for nearly a score of years had conducted an extensive and successful business at this location. The company does a large wholesale and retail trade in the handling of coal, lumber and builders' supplies. They have an adequate and well appointed plant, including a large planing-

mill. The company is at present composed of John M. English, Jesse M. Smith and Walter S. Taylor.

The Lawrence County Lumber Com- pany, a large concern, was originally or- ganized in 1898, but in 1901 was reorgan- ized, the new officers being C. S. Paisley president, and J. W. Hays, secretary-treas- urer and manager. The company are gen- eral contractors and builders, deal in and manufacture all kinds of lumber and mill work, do slate and tin roofing, and sell hard and soft coal, paints, oils, glass, plaster, and all kinds of builders' hardware.

The concern of Wallace Bros. was started about 1887, by Mr. W. E. Wallace, who erected lumber yards and conducted the plant for a number of years. He then took into partnership his son, M. Louis Wallace, the firm becoming W. E. Wallace & Son. In 1900 he retired and the firm be- came Wallace Brothers, the members being Messrs. Frank W. and M. Louis Wallace. The mill and lumber yards of the firm are located at the west end of Wabash Avenue, and cover about two acres or more. The mill is fitted with improved wood-working machinery and is connected by switch with the B. & O. Railroad. The firm deal in and manufacture all kinds of lumber, lath, shin- gles and cabinet mantels and all kinds of contractors and builders' supplies.

Another prominent firm engaged in the lumber business is that of McConahy, Mar- tin & Co. They are extensive dealers in lumber, stone and builders' supplies and have been engaged in business under their present style about four years, being suc- cessors to William McConahy. Their yard is located at No. 100 Croton Avenue.

In addition to the above mentioned firms, the R. W. Henderson Lumber and Coal Company, composed of Robert W. Henderson and M. E. Sewell, carries on a prosperous business in lumber and coal at 167 Grove Street, while there are three flourishing wholesale concerns-the Gailey Lumber Company, G. G. Stitzinger & Co .. and M. A. MeLure-engaged in the distri-

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bution of white pine, Norway spruce, oak, poplar, cypress, red cedar and other kinds of timber used by the builder, carpenter or cabinet-maker. W. H. Cox & Co., located in the Wallace Block, are also doing a suc- cessful business in hardwood lumber.

NEW CASTLE BOX COMPANY.

The plant of the New Castle Box Com- pany, Limited, is located at No. 900 N. Cedar Street, on the Pennsylvania Rail- road tracks in the Seventh Ward, covering about six and a half acres of ground. This concern furnished the boxes in which is packed the tin plate made at the American Sheet and Tin Plate Company's works. It also supplies the lumber and crating for the pottery and glass factories at New Cas- tle. This is now one of the most flourish- ing manufacturing concerns of the city. The factory has a large capacity and the company pay out more than $50,000 a year in wages. Mr. H. P. Mellwraith is the ef- ficient manager for the company.

GAILEY FIBER PLASTER COMPANY.

The Gailey Fiber Plaster Company, whose plant is located at Nos. 161-165 Grove Street, is one of the important con- cerns in this line of business in this section. It was organized in 1903 and is composed of Messrs. John A. and Robert C. Gailey. The plaster manufactured by the company is made of wood fibre and is used exten- sively by the leading builders and contract- ors. The members of the company are well known in the business circles of New Castle and are thoroughly practical men in their line of manufacturing.

LIMESTONE.

The extensive quarries of limestone in the vicinity of New Castle, situated about one mile southeast of the Court House, were first opened for extensive operations in 1866 by Messrs. Green & Marquis, who worked them for about two years, when the firm changed to Green, Marquis & Co. This latter company worked them until

1873, when the firm name was changed to Green, Marquis & Johnson. Later Mar- quis purchased Johnson's interest and he is the present proprietor.

This stone is of two varieties : the upper fourteen feet, or gray limestone, is all that is considered valuable. Below this stratum is one of blue stone, from three to five feet in thickness, which sometimes furnishes a fair quality of building stone. The work- able stone is extensively quarried and is used mainly for fluxing purposes in blast- furnaces. It averages 90 per cent. car- bonate of lime. Lying immediately under the limestone is a thin stratum of coal, about one foot in thickness. Sixty feet be- low this vein of coal is another, averaging about eighteen inches in thickness, and be- low this is a bed of fire-clay, twelve feet thick. Sixteen feet below the clay is an- other vein of coal, about four feet thick. These coal veins are not, however, valuable enough to repay the labor of working them in this immediate vicinity.

BESSEMER LIMESTONE COMPANY.

The Bessemer Limestone Company, of Bessemer, Lawrence County, now has the largest crushing plant in western Pennsyl- vania or eastern Ohio. They are engaged in the production of crushed and screened limestone of all sizes for flux, macadam, ballast and concreting, daily capacity of the concern being 2,500 tons of broken stone. The largest branch of the business is the shipping of fluxing stone for blast furnace use. The main office is in Youngs- town, Ohio.

NEW CASTLE ELASTIC PULP PLASTER COMPANY.

The New Castle Elastic Pulp Plaster Company, whose place of business is at No. 153 Grove Street, was incorporated in 1900 with a capital of $100,000. The concern employs eight men and has an annual ca- pacity of 3,390 tons. It is in a prosperous condition. L. M. Uber is president and R. L. McNab, secretary, treasurer and gen- eral manager.

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GLASS MANUFACTURE.

A small establishment for the manufac- ture of glass was put in operation in Sep- tember, 1848, by Messrs. Henderson & Mor- ris, the works having been commenced in the fall of 1847. The original works were operated in the primitive way, only one furnace being used for melting and blowing purposes. They were confined exclusively to the manufacture of American window- glass. Messrs. Henderson & Morris car- ried on the business until July or August, 1851, doing a prosperous business. The sand-rock was obtained on the premises, and the clay for manufacturing the melt- ing pots was imported from Germany.

In 1851 a company was organized under the name of the "Croton Glass Company." The original proprietors were stockholders and members of the new company. This company continued the business until about 1860, when it was dissolved, and the works were operated in the interest of the New Castle Savings Bank (which had purchased them), by Crowther, Watson & Co., until 1863, when Mr. A. Arbogast purchased the property. He operated the works until 1867, when they became the property of C. Ihmsen & Sons, of Pittsburg, and the business was carried on by this firm until July, 1868, when Mr. O. C. Ihmsen became sole proprietor, and continued the business until his death, in September, 1869. The business was carried on in his name until January, 1870, when his brother, C. Ihm- sen, Jr., leased the works, and operated them until October 28, 1870, when they were totally destroyed by fire. They were rebuilt in the spring of 1871 by the admin- istrators of the Ihmsen estate, and oper- ated until August, 1875, by C. Ihmsen, Jr., after which they were idle until April 1, 1876, when they were leased to Mr. Forbes Holton. About 900 boxes of finished win- dow glass, of all sizes, from 6x8 up to 40x60 inches, were produced weekly, about eighty hands being directly or indirectly em- ployed. The plant is not now in operation. In March, 1866, a stock company was

formed for the manufacture of glass, works being erected on the west side of the Shen- ango River in Union Township. Business was commenced in August following, and was carried on until the last of December, 1868, when a large portion, including the buildings for flattening, finishing and pack- ing, the office, etc., were destroyed by fire. Several of the stockholders were opera- tives, and difficulties sprang up among the interested parties, which eventually caused the abandonment of the business. The plant passed into other hands and was changed and successfully operated for a few years. The concern manufactured American window glass exclusively, 100 hands being employed, and about 1,000 boxes of an excellent quality of glass being turned out per day. The works sub- sequently went out of operation.

The glass manufacturing industry is now well represented in New Castle by the American Window Glass Company, which is engaged in operating the Shenango and Lawrence factories. The concern has an annual output of 30,000 boxes of 100 feet of glass each. About 400 men are employed in the works.

POTTERY.

About the year 1862 an establishment for the manufacture of stoneware was started in New Castle by Messrs. Hill and Harmon. It was thus operated for about seven years, when William Hill became sole proprietor and continued the business until 1882, when he closed it out. The principal articles manufactured by Mr. Hill were stone crock- ery, terra cotta, stone pumps, piping, chim- ney-tops and flower-pots.

NEW CASTLE POTTERY CO.

The New Castle Pottery Company was organized about 1901 and incorporated, with D. C. Wallace, president, F. E. Davis, secretary and treasurer. A plant was erected near Grant street and the Erie and Pittsburg Railroad and consisted of six kilns. The company manufactured vitrified

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hotel ware and employed several hundred men. They got into financial straits, how- ever, and the concern went into the hands of a receiver. Every creditor was paid. The plant was purchased by a syndicate of the original stockholders, but no further steps have as yet been taken to reopen it.

SHENANGO POTTERY COMPANY.

In 1901 the Shenango China Company was incorporated, the stock being taken by local capitalists. A plant was established at Emery Street and the Erie & Pittsburg Railroad, having a frontage of 500 feet along the railroad and 130 feet in width. The company engaged in the manufacture of semi-vitreous china, both plain and dec- orated, about 150 skilled hands being em- ployed. Among those prominently connect- ed with the concern as officers or otherwise were Eugene N. Baer, W. G. Dunn, Andrew Fleckenstein, and D. T. McCarron, the last mentioned being entrusted with the active management of the business.

Subsequently, in January, 1905, owing to financial embarrassments, a receiver was appointed, and in the same year the,com- pany was reorganized and incorporated under the name of the Shenango Pottery, with a capital of $150,000, the officers being E. N. Baer, president; Edwin F. Norris, vice president ; J. E. Whittaker, secretary, and E. E. McGill, treasurer. Directors, E. N. Baer, E. F. Norris, E. E. McGill, Andrew Fleckenstein, M. S. Marquis, and W. E. Wallace. The company has since en- joyed a prosperous career. They have a six-kiln plant with a capacity of $225,000 worth of plain and decorated vitrified china. About four hundred people are given employment in the works, and the product is shipped to all parts of the coun- try. The present officers of the concern are M. S. Marquis, president, C. C. Robingson, vice president, W. E. Wallace, treasurer, J. E. Wallace, secretary; and Andrew Fleckenstein, E. E. McGill, E. F. Norris and E. I. Phillips, directors.

UNIVERSAL SANITARY MANUFACTURING COM- PANY.

Another large and important concern is the Universal Sanitary Manufacturing Company, which was incorporated in 1901, with a capital of $100,000, and with the fol- lowing officers and directors: C. J. Kirk, president; Edward King, vice president; J. W. Knox, treasurer; T. F. Morehead, secretary ; and James Simpson, Geo. Greer, and John Reis, directors. In 1907 R. C. Patterson was elected in place of Mr. King and at the same time Mr. John H. Clappin in the place of Mr. Greer. Its immense plant located at New Castle Junction, a picture of which may be found on another page of this volume, covers more than eight acres of ground, and consists of five kilns and several buildings, all of which are fitted up with the most modern machinery, making it one of the best equipped fac- tories in the United States. The company manufactures a full line of vitreous china, closets and lavatories in all styles and shapes, together with basins, plumbers' earthenware, etc. One hundred people are employed, and the product turned out in- cludes the very latest patterns, embodying all practical improvements, some of the sets and pieces being the invention of Mr. James Simpson, the highly capable super- intendent of the works. The company's trade extends to almost every part of the United States and Canada.

NEW CASTLE PORTLAND CEMENT COMPANY.

This extensive concern was incorporated in 1901, with a capital of $800,000, and is engaged in the manufacture of fire brick, red and paving brick, ground fire clay, crushed limestone for flux, concrete and ballast. They are also wholesale and retail coal dealers. The works have a ca- pacity of 2,500 tons of limestone, 500 tons of fire clay and 100,000 tons of brick. The company's business offices are in the Law- rence Savings and Trust Building, while they have a yard office at No. 236 South

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Mill Street. This company is the successor to the Marquis Limestone and Clay Com- pany, and is doing an extensive and pros- perous business. Edwin N. Ohl is presi- dent, Charles Greer, vice-president, and Edwin F. Norris, secretary and treasurer.

OTHER INCORPORATED COMPANIES.

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Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 16

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