History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 90

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1474

USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > Washington > History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century > Part 90

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William P. Tyler, who located with the plant and died in Washington, and N. E. Whitaker, of Wheeling (died December 28, 1909), were most prominent in the affairs of this company. The latter is still the president, and C. A. Bumpus, the secretary and treasurer, has been a continuous factor in the success of this plant.

The Washington Carbon Works was formerly situated on South College street, opposite the Atlas Glass factory. It was organized in 1887 with a capital stock of $200,000, and from this beginning grew rapidly until their plant consisted of two large factories, a storage room, office, experimental laboratory and testing room, and was one of the largest, if not the largest, independent carbon factories in the United States. It employed 175-200 men. The chief office was in the Westinghouse building, Pittsburg, with branch offices in other cities. This plant was destroyed by fire several years ago and the lot is now used by the Atlas Glass factory, although no build- ing has been erected.

The McClure Tin Mills, at the intersection of the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Connecting Railroad, is a large and modern plant well adapted to the manufac- ture of charcoal iron redipped roofing plates, and terne plate, and is in every particular up to date.

No trouble is found in securing a market for the out- put, which goes into all sections of the country. Better- ments to the extent of $5,000 were made to the plant within the year and it is expected that still more money will be expended in that way this year.

The MeClure Company employs on an average 285 men and has an annual pay-roll of $150,000.

It is only within the past seventeen years that the manufacture of tin and terne plate has received the impetus necessary for the creation of a great industry. The plant of the local company was among the first to be built in this country for the manufacture of tin plate, the market for which had hitherto been controlled by the Welsh manufacturers. At the time of the first revival of this industry in the United States it was scarcely believed that the American manufacturer could compete with the foreign product even with the tariff to foster it. The course of years has, however, proved that the American product could not only compete with the Welsh product on its own ground but that it was su- perior to that product. This plant was established in 1897 and was first known as the Washington Tin Plate Mill.

The Griffiths Tin Mill is located on the Connecting Railroad in the Gordon Valley. This works turns out a superior grade of roofing tin, made with a pure charcoal iron base. The number of employees averages 100, and the annual pay-roll is given as $100,000. W. H. Griffiths, the proprietor, is one of the most widely and favorably known tin makers in the country and his product has

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

always found ready market. The articles of incorpora- tion of this company were issued upon the 14th of No- vember, 1901.

These mills are distinguished by the fact that they are the first mills in the United States in which tin plate was made from charcoal iron. It is now thirty-two years since the old method of making tin plate from charcoal iron seemingly went out of date and was replaced by the method of making tin plate from mild steel. The mild steel for use in the manufacture of tin plate was easier to make and very much cheaper, but it is alleged not nearly so durable as that made by the old method.

The Jessop Steel Works, a branch of the famous Eng- lish firm, whose make of steel is known as the best throughout the world, is located on the Connecting Rail- road. The number of employees at the present time is 300 and the weekly pay-roll $4,000, or $208,000 per an- num.

The plant began operations in 1902, the product being high grade sheet steel, which goes into the making of saws, plows, fine shovels and smaller implements. During the year just ended the company expended $10,000 in bet- terments, comprising a warehouse, machine shop and blacksmith shop. A gas producer has been erected to be used in emergencies.

In 1902 the Jessop Steel Company located at Washing- ton. The reason for the locating here of this branch of the great English firm was that it was desired to intro- duce their product into North America and therefore this plant was incorporated under the laws of Pennsyl- vania, it being conducted separately from its parent firm. The capital stock was $250,000, and president, S. Jessop Robinson.

The Findlay Clay Pot Company, located on the Con- necting Railroad, began business in 1902 and has steadily increased its output. The average number of employees is thirty-five and the annual pay-roll amounts to $22,000. About one-third of the hands are skilled mechanics.

The local plant is a branch concern, the main works of the company being at Findlay, Ohio. By locating in Washington the company sought a central point in what is a large and important glass producing district, and the increasing demand experienced from year to year shows that the move was a wise one. Being centrally located secures an equalization of reight rates on shipments. The output of this works is clay pots and clay blocks, 1,000 of the former having been manufactured the last year.

The president is C. H. Lambie, and Charles Crisbin is secretary and treasurer.

M. Ryan Boiler and Iron Works-M. Ryan started his boiler shop on West Chestnut street near the Chartiers depot in 1886. Boilers of every description are made to order, special attention being given to those used in

the oil fields. From ten to twenty-five employees are kept engaged.

B. D. Northrup Machine Shop-The machine shop and brass and iron foundry of B. D. Northrup, located at Third street and the Pennsylvania lines, is one of Wash- ington 's substantial manufacturing concerns. The busi- ness has grown steadily and the products of the works go into all the oil fields of the United States, the pro- prietor being widely and favorably known to nearly every one engaged in that business.

The average number of employees at the Northrup works is twenty-eight, with a monthly pay-roll of about $400, or over $20,000 annually.

B. D. Northrup established business in Washington in 1888 in the old foundry building where the Second U. P. Church now stands. Two years after he removed from this location to the corner of Maiden and Franklin streets. Since then the plant has been removed to its present location. Northrup manufactures a general line of oil well supplies, valves, pumping outfits, and does a general branch of iron foundry business, besides repair work of all kinds. The proprietor has a branch shop at Sisters- ville, W. Va., which is equipped for doing general ma- chine work, and is also used as a supply store for the West Virginia oil fields, the goods being manufactured at the main factory in Washington.

Zahniser Brothers & Sten-In Washington we have a number of reliable firms whose efforts are devoted to the. production of machinery and machine work, and of these one of the best known is the house of Messrs. Zahniser Bros. & Sten, which was established in the fall of 1895, and which has since built up an important trade through- out the country.

The firm occupy premises near the Chartiers depot, which are their own property and which comprise a build- ing 50x120 feet in dimensions. The shops are fitted with a full equipment of machinery and appliances suited to the operation of the work in hand, especially of the manufacture of oil drilling and fishing tools. Most of these supply the western Pennsylvania and West Vir- ginia oil fields. About sixteen men are employed an- nually and $1,200 paid out in wages each month.

The M. R. Zahniser foundry is located in the heart of the factory district along the Connecting Railroad. The number of men employed is fifteen and the annual pay- roll is $10,000. At this foundry are made all kinds of castings, which are supplied to the factories of Wash- ington, Pittsburg, Canonsburg and Waynesburg.

A number of special castings are made at this foundry which are covered by patents.

Although the company has been doing business for some time previous to the location of its plant on the connecting railway, it was not until 1902, when the

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

concern moved from the old location to that now occu- pied, that it began extensive operations.

The plant was first located near the Chestnut street depot of the Pennsylvania railroad in a building owned by W. Forgie and which was leased by the proprietor of the foundry, M. R. Zahniser.

This lease first went into effect in 1899 and the com- pany enjoyed a good business for three years in this building. At the end of this period the business was purchased by the present owners and the plant was moved from the old location to that now occupied. This foundry was for a time called the Washington Foundry.

Davin Oil Well Tool Works and Repair Shop-The oil well tool works and repair shop is now operated by J. J. Davin. It makes a specialty of oil well tools, and a salesroom is maintained at Sistersville for the dis- posing of many in that field. The firm name was former- ly Davin and McClure, but several years ago the entire business was taken over by Mr. Davin.

The number of employees averages about ten, and the annual pay-roll is in the neighborhood of $10,000.

Sucker Rod Factory-The Chapman sucker rod, invent- ed by Gideon Chapman, and manufactured in Washing- ton for many years past, is known and used throughout the oil fields of the United States. Mr. Chapman came here and introduced the business in 1889. While the plant is not a big one, yet from the character of the work in making the rods a few employees can turn out an enormous number in a year. The product of this plant will be in demand so long as oil is produced. The hickory of which the rods are made is secured from Ohio, Indiana and Missouri, and according to the workmen that from the latter state is of a much superior quality.

National Wrought Iron Annealing Box Company-One new manufactory was added to the Washington district last year, namely, the National Wrought Iron Annealing Box Company. This concern removed to Washington from Anderson, Indiana, and has erected one of the finest factory buildings in the southwestern part of the State, at West Washington B. & O. station. It will employ about fifty men, and has a pay-roll of $50,000 a year. The constructing of the plant gave employment to a large number of Washington workmen, and it is certain to prove a valuable addition to the town.

The Gardener Convertible Steam and Gas Engine Company, located along the Pennsylvania lines in the Ty- ler Ward, was organized in October, 1904. The capital was $50,000, most of the stock being held by local peo- ple. The gas engine manufactured was the invention of William Gardener, and Frank M. Gardener was the manager of the plant. Many improvements were made and the new gas engine met with much favor, but the financial depression of the recent year caused a shut-

down of the works. The factory is now being conducted / by a receiver.

Petroleum Iron Works-The plant of the Petroleum Iron Works Company was formerly situated on Second street and the Chartiers railroad. This establishment manufactured oil, water, gas and grain tanks with a specialty of pipe line and refinery work. The company was founded by C. H. Todd and J. S. Cullinan in 1894. In the shops an average of 125 hands were employed, while about 200 were engaged in the field work. The annual pay-roll reached $150,000. This company in 1907 removed from town to Sharon, Pa.

Beaver Refining Company-The Beaver Refining Com- pany, Charles A. Wales, president, and Eugene A. Kel- ly, secretary and treasurer, refiners of oil and manu- facturers of over 100 by-products. This plant has the wonderful history of running night and day continuously without shutting down for twenty-seven years, and under the same ownership.

Capitol Oil, Paint and Varnish Company-The Capitol Oil, Paint & Varnish Company, which began operations in 1905, is one of Washington's youngest manufacturing industries. The works are located on the Pennsylvania lines in the Tyler Ward. Seventeen employees draw $12,000 in wages per year.

This company, as its name indicates, manufactures all kinds of paints, oils and varnishes, but makes a specialty of high grade house paints. One of its lines which is having a large sale is Japan lacquer, which is used chiefly for interior household work. A very gratifying fact to the management last year was the growth of the home trade for its products, the increase being over 300 per cent.

The Donley Brick Company, whose works are located along the B. & O. Railroad, in the eastern section of Washington, made and marketed 3,500,000 bricks during the past year, the plant being in operation about nine months. This company began business in 1902, and em- ploys an average of thirty hands when running full, with an annual pay-roll of $10,000.

The building bricks and paving blocks are marketed. chiefly in Washington and the surrounding country, al- though the company's product is of such quality that outside points are gradually demanding them in increas- ing quantities. During the past year 100 carloads were shipped to Wheeling, Pittsburg, Washington, D. C., and other cities.

A recent addition to the output is a specially made chimney block, the market for which promises to rapidly grow large. This block is used for the construction of smoke stacks.

Tombstone and Marble Works-William J. Howarth came to Washington and engaged in the marble business

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

with his brother, Joseph, about the close of the Civil War. Since his death, which occurred recently, the busi- ness has been conducted by his widow.

Thomas Armitage has been engaged in supplying marble work in the county. Recently J. H. Kurtz, who formerly was the manager of the William J. Howarth granite works, has opened a shop in the same line of business.

Zelt Brothers' Flour Mill-Zelt Bros., Adam and Al- bert, owners and operators of the Washington Flouring Mill, employ ten hands and pay out $8,000 in wages annually. This firm began business twenty-two years ago, purchasing the mill which they still control and which is one of the oldest flouring mills in continuous operation in Washington County. The capacity of the plant has been much enlarged since the present firm acquired charge and at present 125 barrels of flour can be turned out every day. And not only is this done, but the product is of such quality that a ready market is found for it in Washington and the surrounding sec- tions.

The Zelt brothers also operate the mill owned by the Gantz heirs. This is located on the little lot near the Chestnut street station, where oil was first struck in Washington, which gave rise to the name "Gantz sand."

Home Dressed Beef Company-The Home Dressed Beef Company, composed of three of Washington's best known residents, began business in 1903, and its trade has shown a very gratifying increase every year. The company's place of business is located on Woodland avenue, in Tyler Ward, and is modern and up to date in every respect. It is the aim and purpose of the man- agement to kill for their market only the very choicest grades of corn fed animals, and to this end their buyers are continually on the lookout for the "top of the market" cattle, hogs and sheep. The number of em- ployees in this concern is eight, and the annual pay-roll, $3,500.

Young Packing Company-One of Washington's busi- est "workshops" is the plant of the E. J. Young Pack- ing Company, located on Chartiers street and the Penn- sylvania lines. This business was founded in 1895 by E. J. Young, who recently located on the Pacific coast. At the beginning the business was conducted on a some- what modest scale, but it expanded rapidly, until at the present time eighteen employees are kept steadily engaged at killing the hundreds of beeves, hogs, sheep and calves needed to supply the company's trade. The place is kept in good condition and the product finds a ready market in Washington and surrounding towns. The weekly pay-roll runs over $200, or in the neighborhood of $10,000 per year. The present proprietors are G. M. Cameron & Sons.

MacConnell's Buggy Company-It was in 1872 that John F. Berthel began carrying on the carriage making business on Jefferson street. A fire there destroyed the plant and in the spring of '98 he occupied the present quarters on North Franklin street formerly used by Hays and Wilson in the same business. About ten or twelve men are constantly employed in the manufacture of buggies and wagons. Among the special wagons manufactured are oil wagons, many of which are shipped to Kentucky, California and Texas. On the death of Mr. Berthel re- cently the name of the firm was changed to the MacCon- nell Buggy Company.

Washington has no liquor licensed saloons, but the need is supplied as far as possible by three breweries. The annual output of one of these breweries last year was 25,000 barrels. Much of the capital stock is owned by local men.

Jackson's Carriage Factory-J. Dallas Jackson started the enterprise of manufacturing carriages in Washing- ton in 1873. In 1896 a three-story brick building was erected on East Wheeling street. Carriages, wagons, and buck wagons are made the specialty, being light work. Since the death of J. Dallas Jackson, the con- cern is known as the J. Dallas Jackson Sons, and later as the J. Dallas Jackson Son Carriage Factory.

Forgie's Plaining Mill-W. Forgie came to Washing- ton in the time of the early oil development in this county and drilled the first well on the Shirls farm. While drilling that well he realized the necessity of some improvements in the apparatus for drilling oil wells, and invented the tool wrenching jack and improvements in the bull wheel and sand reel, the gudgeons of which had always given a great deal of trouble. After com- pleting the well Mr. Forgie began the manufacture and development of these improvements and met with very great success. His inventions have revolutionized that part of the business. Consequently the plant has grown quite extensively, and, owing to the large amount of lumber necessary for the construction of these oil well appliances, he has developed the lumber and planing mill business in connection. He gave more attention to the lumber business later on and increased that part of his business gradually until he had an excellent trade and one of the finest and largest stocks of lumber in this section. A disastrous fire swept away many thousands of dollars' worth of this lumber besides a planing mill, tool shop and machine shop. However, Mr. Forgie re- built to some extent his planing mill and continued the lumber business, to which he added the business of supplying mantels and tiles.

Walker & Slater, contractors, are located at 87 West Wheeling street. They began business in April, 1887. This firm succeeded that of Walker & Klieves, who had

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

carried on the same business at the same location for twenty years prior to 1887. Mr. Walker, of that firm, was the father of the member of the present firm.

Walker & Slater employ an average of twenty-five hands throughout the year, and have an annual pay-roll of about $25,000. They have built some of the finest houses in Washington and prepare plans, furnish esti- mates and sell lumber at retail for building purposes.

The Vester, Stewart & Rossell Company, contractors and lumber dealers, whose works are located in the Fourth Ward, secured contracts during the past year which amounted to over $200,000. Some of this work is still uncompleted, including the Hospital for Insane at Woodville, Allegheny County, and which will amount to $120,000. With the exception of some mill work which went to New Castle the balance of their work was done in and around Washington. The company employs an average of thirty-five hands and pays out annually $28,000 in wages.

April 1, 1795, the first postmaster was appointed for Washington. The government has kept an office here ever since. Hugh Wylie served a long period covering from 1803 to 1828.

Thomas Morgan was next to handle the mail until in 1839 Samuel Workman was appointed.

Robert Colmery and Jonathan D. Leet equally divided the period from 1840 to 1849. James McDermot, a war veteran of 1812, David Acheson and George W. Aiken served about four years each until Freeman Brady took charge, June 3, 1858. This being a political office, Brady's position was filled by the reappointment of McDermot at the beginning of the war in 1861.

The veteran of 1812 gave place to a crippled soldier of the war of the sixties, William C. Wylie, son-in-law of U. S. Marshal, Gen. John Hall, and was followed by James S. Stocking, another maimed soldier. They served from July 7, 1865, to October 7, 1886, when a Demo- crat, James S. Brady, took charge four years.

Another war veteran, William H. Underwood, served from 1890 to March 29, 1894, when he was succeeded by Edgar L. Brady, a clerk of long experience, who has continuously been in the postoffice until the present time. After four years as postmaster, Mr. Brady became clerk again upon the reappointment of Mr. Underwood, who served until the close confinement began to tell upon his health, when he was relieved by the appointment, July 7, 1906, of the present postmaster and experienced clerk, David A. Templeton.

During the first seventy-five years the place of keep- ing the office was close by the court house, or at farthest, scarcely a square away. In 1870 the new town hall building erected for town purposes, and with a central postoffice room in view was opened, and the people re- ceived their mail at the southeast corner of the present

court house square for a generation. It was a con- venient location and an agreeable arrangement to have the postoffice, the town library and reading room and the entrance to the town hall auditorium all approached through the same waiting room. Waiting for the mail to open was a favorite half hour of the evening, and many went for pastime, to short visit their neighbor, or perhaps their sweetheart.

The necessity for a new court house and the crowded postoffice quarters drove the office to the Morgan build- ing, below Maiden street, on January 7, 1903. It had been opened awhile in the Rentz building, East Wheel- ing street, and again in the town hall after its removal in the fall of 1897.

It was decided to build a federal building. The ap- propriation for the purpose of a site and post office building for Washington, as made by the U. S. govern- ment, was $80,000. The lot has a frontage of 120 feet on West Maiden street, and extends back a distance of 150 feet along Brownson avenue. The site on West Maiden street was sold to the government by Clark T. Bartlett for $18,000.

The contract for the building was let in the fall of 1904 and the handsome new Federal building was finished and the postoffice was removed into it on June 22, 1906. The building cost over $60,000.

The present postoffice, located in the Federal build- ing, has a most up-to-date equipment and gives employ- ment to the postmaster, his assistant and nine clerks. There are fifteen city carriers to serve the patrons of the office, one of these using a horse and wagon. Ten rural carriers deliver from the local office. The two sub-stations, one in the Tyler Ward and one in the Eighth, were opened January 2, 1907, and the reports have shown a steady increase of business each quarter. November 1, 1908, a third sub-station was established in J. C. McNulty's Drug Store (now Holbert's) on North Main street was opened to the public.

About the year 1900 the postoffice department dis- continued between seventy and eighty of the rural offices in the county and in their stead established eighty rural free delivery routes. The daily paper now reaches nearly every hamlet in the county, and its influence is greater than ever before.

An idea of the increase of mail business in Washing- ton in twenty years can readily be seen. In 1888, two years before there was local free delivery, and before the rural carriers, the postmaster and three assistants handled all the mail and the total receipts did not equal $12,000. The receipts in 1900 were $25,550.09. Since then they have increased each year until in 1908 they were $47,883.09, an increase of $22,333 in eight years.

Market House-A town meeting in 1795 decided that a public market house was needed. Alexander Addison

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and Dr. Absalom Baird were appointed to procure sub- scriptions. A building was erected on the notheast cor- ner of the court house square. In 1840 the market house was removed to the south side of the public square and in 1866 it was destroyed by fire. Four years later it was replaced by a Town Hall.

Town Hall-While the proposition of erecting a town hall was agitated upon various occasions, beginning in 1842, the citizens were opposed to such until 1868, when the matter was submitted to vote and carried by a de- cided majority. On February 16, 1869, legislative action authorizing the commissioners to lease a portion of the public ground to erect thereon a town hall to be used as a postoffice and for other public purposes, was ob- tained. J. Kerr, of Pittsburg, was architect and An- drew Brady contractor. The corner stone was laid with becoming ceremony on September 18, 1869, by President U. S. Grant. The town hall is a substantial brick edifice of the Franco-Italian style. The second floor comprised the opera house of the town and many celebrities of the day appeared. The town hall stood formerly just south of the old court house on the same lot. When the new court house was erected in 1899, the town hall was moved to its present site on the corner of Brownson and Cherry Avenues and the postoffice was continued for a time in the building. The basement is occupied by the lockup and police office. The first floor is occu- pied by the Citizens' Library. The second floor is still used occasionally for meetings, but it has not been used for an opera house for several years. The town council hold their meetings in what was the auditorium. The borough secretary and borough engineer occupy the rear of the first floor.

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History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 90

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1474

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1474