Standard history of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Part 22

Author: Wilson, Erasmus, 1842-1922; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926. cn
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Chicago : H.R. Cornell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1192

USA > Pennsylvania > Allegheny County > Pittsburgh > Standard history of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania > Part 22

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(g) Commercial Journal, November 21, 1857.

(h) The year 1856 was remarkable for continued low water, which explains the small amount taken out and shipped.

(i) Commercial Journal, January, 1859. Statistics prepared at a meeting of steamboat and railroad men.

CHAPTER IX.

MANUFACTURES-FIRST INDUSTRIES-BOAT BUILDING-DISTILLERIES AND MILLS- THE NAILERS-O'HARA'S GLASSWORKS-MISCELLANEOUS MANUFACTURES-THE COTTON INDUSTRY COMMENCED - INDUSTRIES OF 1808-12 -STATISTICS- WONDERFUL PROSPERITY DURING THE WAR OF 1812-HARD TIMES OF 1817-21-THE TARIFF-COMPARISON OF THE MANUFACTURES OF 1815, 1817 AND 1819-RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED-OPPOSITION TO IMPORTATIONS-EFFORTS OF HENRY BALDWIN-PUBLIC ACTION TO SECURE RELIEF-BANKRUPTCY AND RUIN.

Undoubtedly the first manufacturing carried on here was the brickmaking, stone cutting and log sawing connected with the construction of the forts, redoubts, officers' quarters, etc., of Fort Duquesne and Fort Pitt. Brickmakers came with the army of General Forbes, in November, 1758, and not improbably with the French army of Contrecœur, in April, 1754, and others no doubt came with the first few families to arrive here in 1760, or soon afterward. The two sides of the second Fort Pitt which faced the land were revetted with brick. The officers' quarters consisted of a long brick building, later used as a malt- house. The upper stories of the Grant redoubt of 1760 and the Bouquet redoubt of 1764 were also of brick; so was the archway over the gully which drained a pond on Liberty Street. At a little later date other buildings of brick were erected. Soon after the breaking out of the Revolution the British commander at Fort Pitt, Major Charles Edmonstone, acting under orders from General Thomas Gage, sold all the materials composing Fort Pitt and other Government structures here to Alexander Ross and William Thompson. The bill of sale enumerates 1,244,160 brick, besides the brick in the Government House, square and cut stones in the walls of the fort, 2,026 pickets, 4,250 feet of walnut scant- ling, 499 feet of plank, 16 double frames of barrack-rooms, 2,380 feet square tim- ber, 2 redoubts, 8 stacks of chimneys (more brick?) and a square log house fifty feet long. This lumber .and cut stone mentioned with such particularity in this bill of sale were manufactured here, and, therefore, brick-kilns, saw- mills and stone-quarries must have been the pioneer manufacturing establish- ments of Pittsburg. No doubt rude gristmills and rude distilleries were built and put in operation at the same time. Previous to the year 1770 Jonathan Plummer erected the first distillery building in Pittsburg. It stood a short distance above where the arsenal is now located. In October, 1770, George Washington stopped here and drank some of the whisky made by Mr. Plummer.

In 1784 Craig, Bayard & Co. set in operation a distillery here as partners of Turnbull, Marmie & Co., of Philadelphia, and also built a sawmill up the Allegheny and salt works down on the Big Beaver.

The Gazette said: "This town must in future time be a place of great manu- factory; indeed the greatest on the continent, or perhaps in the world" (a). The editor went on to say that the carriage of all kinds of freight across the mountains from Philadelphia was sixpence for each pound weight, and that this fact alone would soon compel the inhabitants here to do their own manufacturing. He continued: "The manufacturing them will therefore become more an object here than elsewhere. It is a prospect of this, with men of reflection, which

(a) Gazette, August 26, 1786.

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renders the soil of this place so valuable." Evidently it may be concluded from the last sentence that land in and around Pittsburg at that early day (1786) was, by comparison very high.

An important consideration should be borne in mind in comparing old manufacturing establishments and conditions with those of recent times: That the union or association of means and efforts was then almost wholly lacking here. It is true that the citizens of this place had come from the East and were familiar with industrial enterprises where wealth and skill were united for the accomplishment of larger and better results in manufactures; but the develop- ment of such associations at Pittsburg was slow and on a limited scale. Individ- uals and families were almost wholly independent of their neighbors and con- temporaries in the struggle for life. Families raised their own food and made their own shoes, caps, clothing, or, at least, could do so, and, in a large measure, did so. A little money was necessary to pay taxes and to buy land; but even these requirements were thought burdensome and unrighteous by those West- ern Pennsylvanians who instigated and maintained for a time the whisky insur- rection of 1794, and they were numerous in and around Pittsburg. There can be no doubt that the salvation of the farmers here was due to the freedom of the exchange of commodities. But the manufacturers did not fare so well. They were forced to find a market that would yield them a partial supply, at least, of cash, because their employes were dependent upon money with which to procure supplies. However, this was at a later date. Individuals did the earliest manufacturing. There were coopers, silversmiths, tanners and curriers, tailors, cabinet-makers, shoemakers, weavers, spinning-wheel makers, nailers, reedmakers, brewers, potters, wheelwrights and many others, some having a few journeymen or apprentices to help them. No doubt the early manufacturers, so far as they found a market in this vicinity, received a considerable quantity of produce for their wares, their greatest source of cash being from settlers passing through here and destined for homes farther west. These required nails, axes, knives, cloth, spinning-wheels, and many other articles made or for sale here, for which they left cash.

Even the earliest settlers here, and those who immediately followed them, looked with supreme confidence upon the future of Pittsburg as a manufactur- ing center. It was realized that this point would never become a great agri- cultural district; but here was coal, stone, timber and clay, and near by was iron; and here were the great rivers ready to convey to the bustling markets of the world any manufactures which might be sent adrift down their eager currents. Canals and railroads were unknown, but Pittsburg was as certainly connected by water with West Indian and European markets as were Balti- more, Philadelphia and New York. It thus came to pass that when, in 1786, it was reported that Congress contemplated relinquishing to Spain for twenty- five years the trade of the lower Mississippi, including New Orleans, great alarm was manifested by local manufacturers and property holders, and earnest remonstrances were forwarded to Congress (b).

In 1783 Jacob Haymaker rented of John Ormsby a house and an adjoining boatyard on the bank of the Monongahela, "nearly opposite to the town of Pitts- burg," where for upwards of five years he carried on the business of boat-building "with great success." These were, no doubt, keel and "Kentucke" boats.

In 1786 John Scull, editor of the Gazette, began to print and keep for sale various kinds of legal blanks-bonds, declarations, judgments, arbitration bonds, powers of attorney, apprentices' indentures, servants' indentures, war- rants, summonses, etc. In the spring of 1787 he printed and sold "the A B C

(b) Gazette, 1786.

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with the shorter catechism, to which are added some short and easy questions for children." He also printed spelling-books. In 1788 he printed "The Pitts- burg Almanac, or Western Ephemeris."

In August, 1786, Hugh Ross established a rope factory, or "ropewalk," as it was termed. His factory was long one of the notable industrial insti- tutions of early Pittsburg. In February, 1788, he agreed to give "good encour- agement to boys who will bind themselves to learn the ropemaking business." Hugh Gardner and John Cowan opened a bakery in 1786. Freeman & Sev- eren, about 1785, began cabinet-making and upholstering. John and Daniel Craig commenced the business of manufacturing hats and caps from beaver, fox, raccoon and muskrat skins, in 1786. Gregg & Barker manufactured, as well as sold, jewelry of various sorts.

In 1787 John Perry conducted a boatyard and sawmill at the mouth of Turtle Creek. Turnbull, Marmie & Co. also built many boats here during the years from 1784 to 1788 inclusive. Adamson Tannehill was advertised as a vintner here in 1788. The manufacture of spinning-wheels was carried on exten- sively at this time. Thomas Chambers made saddles in the winter of 1788-9. John Ormsby made brick on the south side of the Monongahela, but early in 1789 offered his kiln for rent; also his ferry; "firewood and pit coal handy, good ponds and floors ready and clay handy." He had been here for more than twenty years and may have assisted in making the brick for Fort Pitt and contiguous buildings.

In 1787 the distillery of Isaac Craig was in successful operation and afforded the neighboring farmers a steady and excellent market for their rye, barley, corn, etc. In 1788 Daniel Elliott operated a sawmill one mile below the Point. He bought rafts from up the Allegheny and advertised to saw on shares. In 1787-8 Marmaduke Curtis manufactured hats, and John Blackburn began the same business in 1788. Late in 1788 Alexander Craig began to build boats on the South Side near the old Ross ferry, of which he had control. Lieut .- Col. Stephen Bayard conducted a large boatyard on the Youghiogheny, six miles above its mouth, where he made a large number of keel and "Ken- tucke" boats. Large quantities of potash were made here, six hundred bushels of ashes making a ton of potash. The following extracts, taken from the Gazette, indicate the spirit of the times:

"Andrew McIntire, Windsor-chair maker, has commenced business in Pitts- burg near the upper end of Front Street, where he makes all sorts of Windsor chairs in the most approved manner, and is determined to dispose of them on the most reasonable terms, March 8, 1788" (c).

"This country offers at present the most unbounded encouragement to the artificer and laborer .. The reward which the mechanic meets with is greater than at any former period. One pair of shoes which costs IIS 3d will buy 180 pounds of wheat, which will furnish 120 pounds of flour; the shoes will also procure more than 60 pounds of good beef or pork. The necessaries of life are uncommonly low and the workmanship of the industrious artisan, whether shoemaker, carpenter, tailor or smith, is most amply and deservedly rewarded. We want people, we want sober and diligent tradesmen; hatters, buttonmakers, ropemakers, weavers, etc., will be most welcome and will essentially promote our prosperity. We should employ our own workmen instead of foreigners, those of our own town or county in preference to those at a distance from us. I wish this state would give a bounty of forty shillings to every mechanic or laborer who arrives in it from Europe. Population and industry are the true causes of national greatness" (d).

(d) Gazette, April, 1789.

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HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.

The General Assembly, in 1789, passed a law authorizing the State Treas- urer to subscribe for the use of the Commonwealth one hundred shares of ten pounds each for the encouragement of manufactures and the useful arts (e).

In 1792 there were here I clock and watch maker, 2 whitesmiths, 2 coopers, I skin dresser and breeches-maker, 2 tanners and curriers, 4 cabinet-makers, 5 blacksmiths, 5 shoesmiths, 2 hatters, 2 weavers, 3 saddle-makers, I maltster and brewer, 2 tinners, 3 wheelwrights, I stocking-weaver, I ropemaker; total, 37; total number of families, 130 (f); estimated population, 600.

The town made very little increase in its number of manufacturing estab- lishments until after the whisky insurrection in 1794. This event advertised the place so widely, and distributed so much money here, that mechanies and families began to arrive. The incorporation of the village as a borough, in 1794, no doubt added to its attractions, as better order within the municipality might be expected.

The glassworks of General James O'Hara were established in 1797; and, owing to the wealth and force of the man, may be considered the most important industrial enterprise up to this time, not excepting boatbuilding and brewing .. In faet, the real industrial growth of the borough and its existence as a manu- facturing center within the knowledge of Eastern cities must date from the establishment of this enterprise, and not from the erection of the McClurg foundry in 1805, nor the steam engine works or cotton mills of 1808-10. The fact that a man of such prominence would pour out his wealth to the extent of many thousands of dollars on an enterprise so difficult, hazardous and unprom- ising must be conceded to have added immensely to the general opinion of the fixity and stability of Pittsburg's pioneer industries. It is declared that the glassworks were first projected in 1795, but if so there is nothing to show that they were in operation before 1797. Mr. Craig wished to locate the works at the upper end of Allegheny, where a better site could be obtained, but was finally obliged to go to the South Side, where two buildings were erected. William Eichbaum, who had been superintendent of glassworks on the Schuyl- kill, was employed to superintend the erection of the works here. At first Isaac Craig was associated with General O'Hara, but for some reason, prob- ably not known now, he drew out on September 1, 1804, and the doughty General was left alone to reap all subsequent fame and profits. Cramer's Almanac of 1804 values the products of these works for 1803 at $12,500. The same authority fixes the value of the products for 1807 at $18,000. In 1803 the products consisted of window-glass, bottles, pitchers, jars and decanters. The General had won another decisive victory in the wilderness of the West. In May, 1802, while Mr. Craig was yet associated with him, they advertised to give $100 for the discovery of elay fit for melting-pots for their works, if found within one hundred miles of Pittsburg and within ten miles of the Monon- gahela or Allegheny river. They also advertised for potash, pearlash and alkaline salts. In April, 1804, they quoted the following goods and prices:

Window-glass- 7x 9 inches $II per box.

Window-glass- 8x10 inches. 12 per box.

Window-glass -- 10x12 inches. 13 per box.

Hollow-ware-Gallon bottles. $4.00 per doz.

Hollow-ware-Gallon bottles. 2.40 per half doz.

Hollow-ware-Quart bottles 1.60 per doz.

Hollow-ware-Pint bottles. . 1.20 per doz.

Hollow-ware-Porter and elaret. 1.33 per doz.

(e) Act of April 2, 1789.

(f) American Museum or Universal Magazine, March, 1792, Vol. XI.

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HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.

The following advertisement appeared in the Gazette:

"The proprietors of the Pittsburg Glass Works, having secured a sufficient number of the most approved European glass manufacturers and having on hand a large stock of the best materials, on which their workmen are now employed, have the pleasure of assuring the public that window-glass of a superior quality and of any size from 7x9 and 18x24 inches, carefully packed in boxes containing 100 feet each, may be had at the shortest notice. Glass of larger sizes for other purposes may also be had, such as for pictures, coach glasses, clock faces, etc. Bottles of all kinds and of any quantity may also be had, together with pocket flasks, pickling jars, apothecary shops furniture, or other hollow-ware, the whole at least twenty-five per cent. lower than articles of the same quality brought from any of the seaports of the United States. A liberal allowance will be made on sale of large quantities. Orders from merchants and others will be punctually attended to on application to James O'Hara or Isaac Craig, or at the store of Messrs. Prather & Smiley in Market Street, Pittsburg. June 29, 1800."

In 1798 Thomas and Samuel Magee manufactured beaver, castor and roram hats at Front Street and Chancery Lane, and were still in business in August, 1802. In 1798 Joseph McClurg conducted a tobacco factory. He advertised for leaf tobacco and offered ""good encouragement" to wholesale purchasers of his goods. Joseph White owned a wagon, chair and (later) coach factory on Third Street, opposite General Gibson's, in 1798. James Doran, in 1798, conducted a dyeing establishment in colors-blue, green, yellow, red, black, brown, drab, olive, etc., on linen, cotton, woolen and silk. Wells' boot and shoe factory was in successful operation in 1799. Zadoc Cramer advertised in March, 1800, that he would soon open a bookbindery.

In October, 1798, William Eichbaum advertised that he would pay one shilling per bushel for wood ashes, and a generous price for potash, delivered at the glassworks opposite Pittsburg.

In 1798 James Morrison was engaged in making carpenters' planes and cabinet-work near the St. Andrew's Bridge. John McLeod, ropemaker, died in 1800. John Hammond and a Mr. Wells conducted a boot and shoe factory on Market Street in 1800. William Cogan manufactured cigars, snuff and tobacco two years later. James G. Ramsay, brushmaker, advertised that he would pay 20 to 25 cents per pound for hogs' bristles. In 1802 Matthew McKown was struggling to make stocking weaving a success.

In the spring of 1799 the United States galley, "Senator Ross," was launched on the Allegheny River. It had a twenty-four-pounder on the bow and a swivel on the quarter deck. After being made ready for duty she fired a salute, which was answered by the guns of Fort Fayette. She left for the Mississippi River April 22d, firing a parting salute as she entered the Ohio River.

In 1801 George Cochran was engaged in making chairs in Pittsburg, and Hugh Stevenson attempted to weave all styles of stockings, but was not successful. In 1802 Cramer's Almanacs were offered for sale at fifty cents per dozen. One of the first issued (1801) would now (1897) command nearly as many dollars. Dobbins & McElhinny conducted a cabinet-maker's and upholsterer's shop in 1802. For several years previous to 1803 John Davidson and William Hays conducted a tannery on quite an extensive scale for that day, but in Janu- ary, 1803, they dissolved partnership. James Caldwell also operated a tan- yard here in 1801-3.

In 1801 William Cecil made and sold ladies' buckskin and plush saddles, gentlemen's plain burr spring and inlaid saddles and bridles, saddlebags, port- manteaus, valises, traveling canteens, holsters, light horse caps, fire buckets,

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HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.

etc. In 1803 Ensell & Tart conducted a brush factory on Front Street near Market. They advertised for bristles, and stated that they kept for sale brushes made of the best Russian bristles.

Samuel Haslam, from Bolton, England, began carding and spinning both wool and cotton in 1803 at the lower end of Wood Street. He advertised to country customers that he would card promptly and pack goods in boxes or baskets for carriage. In his advertisement he says he hopes none will come by way of speculation into his works without leaving twelve cents and a half.

In April, 1803, John Sumrall and Joseph Mccullough removed from Mckeesport and opened a boatyard on the "Point" in Pittsburg. O'Hara & Coppinger, in 1802-3, conducted a brewery, the junior partner having learned the business in Europe. They offered four shillings and sixpence for barley, and advised farmers to raise more, as they would want 10,000 bushels in 1803. Thomas Bracken and James Bracken, who had been potters here, dissolved partnership May 25, 1803, and the former continued the business alone after that date. He kept on hand a good supply of earthenware at his dwelling house on Front Street near St. Andrew's Bridge. Following is the first notice of a strike that appears in print:

"Pittsburg, December 19, 1804. This notice is intended to inform the traveling journeymen shoemakers of Pennsylvania, or of any other State, that the journeymen of this town made a turnout for higher wages. Two or three of their employers had a meeting, and having a number of apprentices thought proper to advise the other master shoemakers to raise the boarding from $1.50 to $2.25 per week. We think it our duty to give this notice to all journeymen shoemakers that they may be guarded against imposition .. The following are the prices which we turned out for, viz .: Fine shoes, 80 cents; coarse shoes, 75 cents; women's slippers, 75 cents; boottees, $2.00; long boots, $2.50; coffacs, $2.50. N. B. We would not advise any journeymen to come here unless they want a seat of cobbling" (g).

In October, 1806, Pittsburg contained about four hundred houses, above two thousand inhabitants and about forty retail stores. Among the manufac- tures were glass, nails, hats and tobacco. "The manufacture of glass is carried on extensively," says Ashe, "and that article is made of an excellent quality. There are two establishments of this sort, one for the coarser and one for the finer kinds" (h).

The cotton factory of Peter Eltonhead was established in 1804. He was assisted in his enterprise by subscriptions from the citizens. In May, 1804, these citizens met at the tavern of David Davis to adopt a mode of collecting the subscriptions and of applying the same to the commencement of opera- tions. A committee consisting of George Robinson (treasurer), John Johnston, James Kervin, Thomas Cooper and James Robinson were appointed to perform this service. In June they reported substantial progress and announced that they would soon have the factory ready for operation, at which time they would call on subscribers for two-fifths of the amount of their subscription. They stated that one carding machine was then ready at Eltonhead's fac- tory (i). Previous to this (April 24, 1804) Mr. Eltonhead announced that he would furnish and put in operation in any part of the United States carding machines, drawing frames, roving frames, water spinning frames, twisting frames, mules of from 60 to 216 spindles each, looms for weaving cloth of any width with the flying shuttle, and warping mills for either linen, cotton or

(g) This was, no doubt, the first strike inaugurated in Pittsburg.

(h) Travels in America, Ashe, 1808.

(i) Gazette, June, 1804.

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HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.

woolen (j). Mr. Eltonhead had learned his trade at Manchester, England, and seems to have been more of a promoter and superintendent than owner and capitalist.

George Sutton, in 1809-10, had a snuff mill in operation, and about 1810 Peter Maguire & Co. established a factory for snuff, cigars and spun tobacco. They began with one hundred hogsheads of tobacco. William Blair, in 1809-10, established a brushmaking business, but found it difficult to obtain a supply of hogs' bristles. Farmers did not save the bristles of the few swine they killed. The great herds of hogs were driven to the Eastern markets. William Price, who was engaged in making clay smoking pipes in the fall of 1807, began at a little later date the manufacture of delf warc, and found suitable clay in this vicinity for excellent yellow ware. The chains used by the town of Frankfort, Kentucky, for its big bridge of 700 feet were manufactured by Thomas Hazleton, of Pittsburg, of inch-and-a-half square bar, the two chains weighing twelve tons (k). In 1808 Scott & Armitage established an extensive cotton factory on the Monongahela above Suke's Run, comprising 234 spindles, operated by horse- power. In 1810 this and Kerwin's were in complete operation, making dimities, checks, chambries, jeans, etc.

"But the manufacturing of cotton cloths at this place," says the Navigator, "does not seem to come so naturally into view as that of woolens. For the latter, we have the raw matcrial growing on the backs of animals, than which a better country cannot be found for raising and improving their breeds. And there are eight months in the year of our climate much better calculated for woolen than cotton suits" (1).

"Among the numerous articles manufactured for exportation are window- glass, green bottles, jars, white flint glass of all kinds, decanters, tumblers, cut glass, beer and porter bottled and barreled, saddles, bridles, boots, shoes, tin and copper warc, stills, weavers' reeds, metal buttons, snuff, cigars, twisted tobacco, chairs, cabinet-work, carpenters' planes, ctc." (m).

In the fall of 1807 the following manufacturing establishments were in operation here:

One cotton manufactory (Kcrwin) having a mule of 120 threads and I spin- ning jenny of 40 threads, and a wool carding machine under the same roof; I glassworks (O'Hara's), on the opposite side of the Monongahela for green, and one on this side for white glass (Bakewell & Co.); 2 breweries; I air furnace (McClurg's); 4 nail factories, one of which made 100 tons of cut and hammered nails annually; 7 coppersmiths, tinplate workers and japanners; I wire-weaving and riddle factory (Wickersham); I brass foundry; 6 saddlers and harness- makers; 2 gunsmiths; 2 tobacconists; I bellmaker; 3 tallow chandlers; I brush- maker; I trunkmaker; 5 coopers; 13 weavers; Io blue dyers; I combmaker; 7 cabinet-makers; I turner; 6 bakers; 8 butchers; 2 barbers; 6 hatters; 4 physi- cians; 2 potteries of earthenwarc; 3 straw bonnet makers; 4 planemakers; 6 mill- iners; 12 mantua-makers; I stocking weaver; 2 bookbinders; 4 house and sign painters; 2 portrait painters; I mattress-maker; 3 wheelwrights; 5 watch and clock makers and silversmiths; 5 bricklayers; 5 plasterers: 3 stonecutters; 8 boat, barge and ship builders; I pumpmaker; I looking-glass maker; I lockmaker; 7 tanyards; 2 ropewalks; I spinning-wheel maker; 17 blacksmiths; I machinist and whitesmith; I cutler and toolmaker; 32 house carpenters and joiners; 21 boot and shoe makers or cordwainers; 5 Windsor- chair makers; 13 tailors; I breeches-maker and skin-dresser; 12 schoolmasters; 4 schoolmistresses; 33 taverns or public inns; 51 mercantile stores; 4 printing

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Standard history of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Part 22

Author: Wilson, Erasmus, 1842-1922; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926. cn Publication date: 1898 Publisher: Chicago : H.R. Cornell & Co. Number of Pages: 1192

Author: Wilson, Erasmus, 1842-1922; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926. cn
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Chicago : H.R. Cornell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1192