History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 105

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1158

USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I > Part 105

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Cigar Factories .- William Sacks started the manufacture of cigars at Catasauqua about 1865 and carried on the business until 1911. He em- ployed several hands. He was succeeded by his son William, who has continued the business until the present time.

Charles Myers started about the same time and continued for twenty years. He was suc- ceeded by Charles Schweppinger, who carried on the factory until he died, in 1910.

John G. Sacks has conducted a factory in the borough from 1890 to the present time. He em- ploys from three to six hands and produces an- nually about 200,000.

Morris Huff carried on a factory from 1890 to 1912.

Crane Iron Works .- The Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company was organized in 1818, and after operating their coal beds and canal for 20 years, in which time they had increased their production and transportation of 1,000 tons, in 1821, to 224,000 tons, in 1837, they quite natur- ally considered the propriety of encouraging the establishment of industries along the Lehigh river for the consumption of their coal. They, there- fore, in 1838, offered the valuable water privi- leges of the river from the Hokendauqua dam to the Allentown dam to any persons who would expend $30,000 in the erection of a furnace and run it successfully for three months by the ex- clusive use of anthracite coal.

This offer led to the organization of the Le- high Crane Iron Company, which included mem- bers of the Coal and Navigation Company, and, in the Fall of 1838, Erkskine Hazard (one of the leading spirits of the Iron Company), went to Wales for the purpose of securing a com- petent person to come to the United States in their interest and superintend the erection of furnaces. He there met George Crane (pro- prietor of the Crane Iron Works at Yniscedwin) who recommended David Thomas, an expert em- ployee, and they called to see him.

At first, Thomas was reluctant to leave his native land, but, influenced by a liberal offer, besides the consideration that his sons would have better opportunities in America than they could hope for in Wales or Great Britain, he consented, and on the night of the last day in the year 1838, he entered into an agreement with Mr. Hazard.

It should be mentioned in this connection that Solomon W. Roberts went to Cardiff, Wales, in 1836, as an inspector of rails which were or- dered by the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company, and other railroad companies. He vis- ited the Crane Iron Works in May, 1837, and then informed his uncle, Josiah White, of the successful use of anthracite coal in the manufac- ture of iron there. He returned in November, bringing the details of Crane's plans and specifi- cations illustrative of the process. He was asked to take up the manufacture, but declined and recommended one of Crane's associates. In ac- cordance with his recommendation, Erskine Hazard, of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company, went to Wales in November, 1838, and Hazard secured the services of Mr. Thomas.

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

In the Spring of 1839, Samuel Glace, while inspecting the canal along Biery's Port, noticed a number of men standing on the east side of the canal, which led him to think that there might be a leak in its bed, and so he asked the lock- tender, Jonathan Snyder, who they were. He then recognized Owen Rice and Frederick Biery, and they introduced him to the strangers as gen- tlemen from Philadelphia. Shortly afterward, he received orders from Mauch Chunk, to ascer-

when the other machinery arrived, the projectors of the works were as badly off as if none had been sent.

There was not at that time a foundry in the United States large enough to cast such cylinders as were needed. There were small foundries at Allentown and Bethlehem. The company ap- plied to the Allaire Works of New York, and the Alger, of Boston, but neither of them could bore a 5-foot cylinder without enlarging their works,

CRANE IRON WORKS.

tain if there were any quicksands along the canal at Biery's Port. These were the men who se- lected the site for the furnace where the first iron was made in America with the use of an- thracite coal, which proved a commercial success.

Mr. Thomas sailed from Liverpool on May 13, 1839, and reached New York June 5th. He brought with him his whole family. Before leaving England he had made the blowing ma- chinery and castings for the hot-blast, and all were shipped except the two cylinders, which were too large for the hatches of the ship. So,

which they were unwilling to do. Mr. Thomas then went to Philadelphia to the Southwark Foundry of S. V. Merrick and J. H. Towne, who enlarged their boring machinery and made the required cylinders.

Fire-brick were imported from Wales, none being manufactured in this country, and in Au- gust, 1839, ground was broken at Craneville (now Catasauqua) for the first furnace.

After many difficulties and discouragements, the furnace was finally blown in at five o'clock July 3, 1840. The ore was two-thirds hematite

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BOROUGH OF CATASAUQUA.

to one-third New Jersey magnetic. It was blown with two-and-a-half-inch nozzles, and the blast heat was 600 degrees.

The first run of iron was made the 4th of July, and proved a great success. From this time its manufacture by anthracite was success- fully conducted at the Crane Works, and con- tinuously except for the slight cessations common to all manufacturing establishments.

Furnace No. I, in which the success of the new discovery was first fully demonstrated in this country, was 42 feet in height, with 12 feet bosh. It was operated by a breast-wheel 12 feet in diam- eter and 24 feet long, geared by segments on its circumference to a spur-wheel on a double crank, driving two blowing cylinders, 5 feet in diam- eter, with a 6-foot stroke, worked by beams on a gallows-frame. The motive power was the water of the canal, the difference between the upper and lower levels of lock No. 36. The furnace remained in blast until its fires were quenched by the rising waters of the flood of January, 1841, a period of six months, during which time 1,088 tons of pig iron were produced. The largest output for one week was 52 tons.

The furnace was blown in again after the freshet May 18, 1841, and continued in blast until August 6, 1842, producing in this time 3,316 tons of pig iron.

Mr. Thomas had been looked upon as a vis- ionary and the remark was made by a leading charcoal iron-master that he would eat all the iron Mr. Thomas made with anthracite coal.

Other Furnaces Erected .- This successful operation led the company to put up one furnace after another to supply the increasing demands of their trade, until they had six in operation, as follows: 1842. Furnace No. 2, 45 feet high; 14 feet bosh. 1846. Furnace No 3, 50 feet high; 18 feet bosh. 1849. Furnace No. 4, 50 feet high; 18 feet bosh. 1849. Furnace No. 5, 50 feet high; 18 feet bosh. 1868. Furnace No. 6, 60 feet high; 17 feet bosh.

The first load of iron ore was brought to the works on April 30, 1840, by Henry Hoch. It was hematite from the mine of Jacob Rice in Hanover township, Lehigh county. One was brought during the first year from the mine of Nathan Whitely, near Breinigsville, in Upper Macungie township; and one from the mine of John Kratzer, in South Whitehall township. In 1842, the celebrated Goetz bed was opened in Hanover township, Northampton county, and the first ore was taken to the Crane furnace.

The first magnetic ore was brought from the Mount Hope mine in Morris county, N. J., in 1840.

In the erection of the furnaces no machinery was used. Trees were cut down and set up as poles, to which ropes and chains were fastened and these held scantling in place at intervals; planks were laid as a floor on this scantling and on this floor heavy stones were pulled up to the masons on small two-wheeled carts with long handles.

A large blowing-engine was afterward erected, because the water-wheels were not powerful enough to furnish blast for all the furnaces, even though a small engine had been erected at an earlier date. This necessitated more room, and Bridge street (which ran in a direct line to the Canal) had to be vacated and located as at present.

Canal Bridge Moved .- The question then was how to remove the canal bridge to the new loca- tion, and Samuel Glace; an experienced superin- tendent on the canal, solved it. He waited until the boating season was over; then he placed two empty boats under the bridge and drew the water from the canal, which put the boats on the ground; then he placed long blocks on the boats and covered them with planks; then the water was let into the canal, which raised the boats and put the bridge up in the air and then the bridge was easily drawn to its new position.

Public Interest .- The manufacture of iron was quite a curiosity, and down to the Civil War, for a period of 20 years, the works were visited by many people of prominence, including Sir Morton Peto, Simon Cameron, Horace Greeley, and Dom Pedro (Emperor of Brazil). The bridge house was at times crowded with people, and it became a custom of the villagers to come to the evening cast.

The teams which brought iron ore from the mines were sometimes more than two miles in length, reaching from the Crane Iron Company scales out to Eberhard's quarry on the Mickley road. The roads in the county were frequently made impassable to the farmers and this recon- ciled them to the proposed C. & F. R. R. The magnetic ore was brought from New Jersey in loads and hoisted on an inclined plane by horse- power and then piled up in front of the furnaces 60 feet high.

The coal was brought by boats and piled up on the site of the new canal, opposite the Bryden Horse Shoe Works, in immense quantities. In the winter season it was placed on barrows, then taken on huge scows to the furnaces, ready for use. This was done night and day during the entire winter. On one of the midnight trips, Hugh Dougherty was missing, and found drowned. His funeral was the first Catholic

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

funeral in town. The interment was made at Easton.

Immense quantities of coal were also hoisted by buckets and piled in great heaps on the site of No. 6 Furnace (which was torn down in Feb- ruary, 1914.) The opening of the L. V. R. R. and C. & F. R. R. changed this, and many costly improvements had to be made to meet these new conditions.

The six furnaces operated by the company for many years have been reduced to two. The men employed vary from 300 to 500.

The company erected numerous small two-story brick and frame dwellings in the First ward of the borough for the convenience of its workmen, numbering altogether 95, put up at the same time as the furnace. It has also 5 dwellings in the Second ward, 3 in the Third, and one in the Fourth; total assessed, 104.

Iron Curiosities .- At the laboratory of the Crane Iron Works there are two interesting curiosities on the north side of the building which look like the mouths of two projecting cannon. They were placed there in 1907 as mementos. They are abandoned tuyeres, which had been in the furnaces, through which the hot-blast was forced. The one next to the pavement was in the first furnace, erected in 1840.

The company made an assignment in 1893; a re-organization was effected under the name of the Crane Iron Works, and it passed under the control of the Empire Steel and Iron Com- pany. Its main office was at Philadelphia from 1839 to 1895; then it was transferred to the Front street office at Catasauqua, opposite the furnace, where it continued until 1908, when it was removed to the Empire Steel and Iron Company building on Bridge street.

The Empire Steel and Iron Company removed its offices from New York City to Catasauqua in 1900, locating in the Crane Iron Works office building, and continued there until 1908, when they were transferred to the superior three- story brick building on Bridge street, which the company erected at a cost of $20,000.

Besides the Crane Iron Works, other com- panies, controlled by the Empire Steel & Iron Company, with offices here, are the Mt. Hope R. R. Co., and the Victoria Coal and Coke Co., of West Virginia.

Leonard Peckitt, president of this company since 1899, became chief chemist of the works in 1888, and since 1890 has been prominently iden- tified with its management.

Fire-Brick Works .- David Thomas, Oliver A. Ritter, and Samuel McHose embarked in the manufacture of fire-bricks at Catasauqua in 1868, and they continued together until 1873,

when Thomas became the sole owner. Then his sons, Samuel and John, and son-in-law, Joshua Hunt, associated with him to continue the busi- ness. They traded as the Lehigh Fire-Brick Co., and manufactured all kinds of fire-bricks for furnaces, ovens, arches, jams, boshes, and cupo- las. Upon the decease of the senior partner, in 1882, the company was incorporated; and in 1903, when a re-organization was effected, it was re-incorporated with the same capital, $60,- 000.

In 1872 the plant was destroyed by fire and immediately rebuilt. The stone buildings put up then are still in use. They are situated along the canal, between the Wint Planing Mill and the Bryden Horse-shoe Works. Two kilns are in operation, and the annual production is one and a half millions. The directors and officers are L. H. McHose, president; Charles T. Evans, secretary and treasurer, and D. G. Dery.

Foundries .- Union Foundry and Machine Co. was started in 1851, by John Fritz and Brother, who established a plant at the south- east corner of Front and Pine streets for the purpose of carrying on a general foundry and machine business, and here the first foundry was put up in the Lehigh Valley for the production of cast-iron columns, which came to be shipped to all parts of the United States.

The plant was sold to William Michel and David Thomas, and afterward David Thomas became the owner. In 1869 Thomas sold it to Oliver Williams, David Williams, and William Hopkins, and they operated the works success- fully till 1882, when they enlarged the buildings to meet the demands of their increasing business. They carried on the plant until 1891 ; then Hop- kins sold his interest to the partners, and shortly afterward they were incorporated with Oliver Williams as president, and his nephew, J. Arthur Williams, as secretary and treasurer. In 1901 they were obliged to locate elsewhere so as to secure larger quarters. They accordingly es- tablished a plant along the north side of Race street, between the river and the canal, on 7 acres of ground, and here they carried on busi- ness for four years, when the company failed, and Leonard Peckitt purchased the plant.

Catasauqua Casting Co .- After the Union Foundry plant remained idle for two years a new organization was effected in 1907, which was called the Catasauqua Casting Co., and placed under the management of Frederick Conlin, for the manufacture of all kinds of castings. It was continued in operation until 1912, when it sus- pended, and since then the plant has been idle. The employees numbered from 100 to 150.

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BOROUGH OF CATASAUQUA.

Davies and Thomas Foundry is situated in the Third ward, along the main thoroughfare, and the extensive plant covers 20 acres of ground, with the Catasauqua creek running through the premises.

This great and successful enterprise was start- ed in 1865 by Daniel Davies, and associated with him were his son, George, and William Thomas, who traded under the firm name of Davies, Thomas & Co. In 1868, the Thomas interest was purchased by his partners and they carried on the business until the father died in 1876; then James Thomas (a brother-in-law of George Davies) purchased this interest in the works and the partnership of Davies and Thomas Co. was formed for the continued manufacture of general foundry and machine work, vertical and horizontal engines, car castings, and appli- ances for furnaces, mills, and mines. The plant comprised a number of brick buildings, covering a floor space of 35,000 feet. Five vertical en- gines were required to supply the motive power ; the employees numbered from 175 to 200; and to facilitate its extensive shipments it was con- nected with the Central R. R. of New Jersey.

In 1894 the business was incorporated with a capital of $300,000. The estimated value of the plant in January, 1914, was $500,000, and in a general way the buildings have become four times what they were in 1876, with the em- ployees numbering from 250 to 500, depending upon the conditions of the trade. Their pro- ductions are sent to all parts of the United States and to Canada.

This company is recognized as the pioneer in the manufacture of iron plates for lining tun- nels under rivers by the shield method. Since 1905, it has supplied the extensive tubes for the sub-aqueous tunnels which have been put into suc- cessful operation from New York City to Jersey City, to Long Island City, and to Brooklyn ; and it is now engaged in supplying the plates for a very extensive sewer at Brooklyn in the Corona District. These tunnels are admittedly marvel- ous accomplishments as great pieces of en- gineering; but this company in supplying the tunnel-plates is equally worthy of special rec- ognition, because their production required the most exacting manipulation of materials, besides the nicest discrimination in successfully meet- ing the extraordinary demands of the contract; and this success secured a great distinction for the borough of Catasauqua.

In this connection it may be mentioned that the foundry was not fitted for such a great un- dertaking, but had to be changed to suit the oc- casion. These changes were designed and made by James Thomas, and he was encouraged in the

new enterprise by the children of his deceased partner, George Davies, which evidences the su- perior and courageous spirit of the company, and their complete success merits all possible praise.

The directors and officers of the company are: Leonard Peckitt, president.

Harry E. Graffin, secretary and treasurer.

Hopkins Thomas, general manager.

George Davies, Rowland D. Thomas. Of these George Davies and Harry E. Graffin (his brother-in-law), are the successors of George Davies, deceased; Hopkins Thomas and Rowland D. Thomas are the successors of James Thomas, deceased, and C. R. Horn, general agent at New York City, is a son-in-law.

George Davies died in 1894; James Thomas died in 1906.

McIntyre Foundry .- Robert J. McIntyre was foreman for a time in the New York City Iron Works, where he learned under his experienced father the business of putting up structural iron buildings, and then he filled the position of su- perintendent of the Union Foundry Co. at Cat- asauqua for nine years. In 1893 he leased the foundry of the Crane Iron Co., which was sit- uated at the foot of Willow street, along the canal, east of the furnace, and there he pro- duced all kinds of rolling-mill, furnace, and arch- itectural castings, besides filling orders from the Crane Iron Co. He carried on the business for three years, then removed to Allentown.

MILLS.

CATASAUQUA

MAUSER AND CRESSMAN MILL.

Garages .- The first garage at Catasauqua was established in April, 1911, on Pine street, at Railroad alley, by Nicholas J. Dungan and William H. Wentz for repairing automobiles. It is a one-story frame building, built in octa- gonial form, on a lot 90 by 100 feet, and is equipped with the necessary machinery. Wentz sold his interest to Philip Lynch, in July, fol- lowing, and since then the garage has been car- ried on under the name of Lynch and Dungan.

In 1913, Preston H. Kratzer also opened a

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

garage in connection with his motor-car works.

The residents of Catasauqua have shown a great appreciation of the automobile for busi- ness and pleasure purposes. About 130 auto- mobiles were in the borough in January, 1914, many of them of a costly style.

Grist-Mill .- A grist-mill was erected at the mouth of the Catasauqua creek about 1752, and it was operated by the waters of this creek, but it is not known who built it and first engaged in the milling business.

In 1782 John Benezet, of Philadelphia, sold the land (then embracing 300 acres) to David

Frederick operated the mill from 1801 to the time of his death, in 1845. Then Solomon Biery (Frederick's son) and Thomas Frederick be- came the owners and carried it on ten years. It was a small stone building, run by an overshot water-wheel.

In 1855 William Younger and Milton Berger (who were cousins) purchased the property and conducted the business under the name of Berger & Younger until 1871, when Berger died and Younger became the sole owner, and during this time it is believed the water power was secured from the canal. Younger improved the plant by

WAHNETAH SILK MILL.

Deshler, of Allentown, but there was no men- tion made of a grist mill. In 1785, however, in the assessment list, Deshler is mentioned as the owner of 350 acres in Allen township, including a grist-mill, which is the first record evidence of this mill. It is also mentioned as "Deshler's Mill" on the Howell Map of Pennsylvania, which was published in 1792. He died in 1796. Subsequently Jacob Newhard became the owner of it, and in 1801 he (and his wife Mary) con- veyed it to Frederick Biery and his brother, Henry. Soon afterward Henry sold his in- terest to Frederick and removed to New York.

enlarging and introducing a large turbine water wheel, and he developed the business to a re- markable degree, thereby enhancing the value of the property. He continued the business until 1891, when he was obliged to make an assign- ment for the benefit of creditors, and the Nation- al Bank of Catasauqua (which had given him much financial assistance for a period of twenty years) was obliged to buy the mill and all the property connected with it. This was sub-di- vided by the bank and sold off in parts to dif- ferent parties. The grist-mill and adjoining property was purchased by George S. Mauser, in

581

BOROUGH OF CATASAUQUA.

1895, for his son, Franklin B. Mauser, and son- in-law, Allen H. Cressman, and they have since carried on the milling business under the name of Mauser & Cressman in a successful manner. It was burned down in 1898; then the land was sold to the firm, and they rebuilt the mill and equipped it with modern machinery. The water- power from the canal, until 1895, was supplied through a channel two by four feet; then it was enlarged to 6 by 14 feet, to meet the demands of the trade. The daily production was increased to 200 barrels. This is the first industrial site in the borough.

Included with the mill property is a fine two- story cut-stone dwelling, which was erected by Frederick Biery in 1830. It is still in a good state of preservation and reflects the superior workmanship of the masons and carpenters of that period, four-score years ago.

Horse-shoe Works .- In 1882 Joshua Hunt, Oliver Williams, and P. F. Greenwood associ- ated together for the purpose of manufacturing forged horse-shoes under a patent of George Bryden from Hartford, Conn. They erected a one-story brick-building on the northwest corner of Railroad and Strawberry alleys ( the site being now at the rear of the American Mechanics' Hall), which they equipped with necessary ma- chinery, and they traded under the name of Bryden Horse-Shoe Co. They had in use two forge-hammers, employed 30 hands, and produced daily three tons of horse shoes under the man- agement of Mr. Greenwood. The bar-iron was received from the Catasauqua Rolling Mill, with which Williams was prominently identified.

They continued there until 1889; then the company established a larger plant, north of Chapel street between Front street and the canal, and placed it under the management of Jacob Roberts, an experienced mechanic, from Pough- keepsie ; and there the plant has been continued with increasing success until now, with gradual enlargements to meet the demands of the trade. It has come to be recognized as one of the larg- est plants of the kind in the world,-the build- ings covering seven acres of ground, the daily production being from 40 to 50 tons of horse- shoes, and the employees numbering from 250 to 300. When the plant was first established on Front street, the capital was $100,000; but this has been increased until now it is more than $600,000. The development and success of this great enterprise at Catasauqua was mainly at- tributable to the superior management of Mr. Roberts, from the time he took charge of it, in 1889, until he died, in 1906.

During the Boer War of 1899-1900, this com- pany supplied the British War Department with

a carload of horse and mule shoes weekly; and since then the company has received orders from that government.

The shoes are made in many varieties and shipped to all parts of the world.

Oliver Williams was at the head of the enter- prise until he died in 1894. He was succeeded " by George E. Holton (his son-in-law) who served as president and treasurer until his de- cease in 1913. Mrs. Holton, the widow, has since officiated.

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History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 105

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1158

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1158