Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/378

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COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

Company, (jcorge W*. M iles continuing as su­ perintendent of the furnaces. John G. H ilcr w as made manager of the new rolling mill, and Joseph H . Springer m anager of the old Rough and Ready mill. T h e panic o f 18 7 3 interfered with the long continued success 01 this plant and on A pril 2, <873, the National Iron Company w as adjudi­ c a t e a bankrupt and Andrew II. Dill, Esq., w as made its assignee. T h e plant of the .National Iron Company w as sold by Andrew H . Dill, Esq.. M arch 2, 1874. and purchased by Edw ard Crompton, who the same day conveyed it to the Hancock Steel & Iron Company, a corporation com­ b e d o f a number of the Hancock heirs. Dt . j . D. Gosh w as president; Benjam in G. Wekrh, secretary, treasurer and general man­ ager. T h is company w as in existence but a few months when the mortgage, made by the National Iron Company to Jam es Pollock and Benjam in G. W elch, trustees, was foreclosed and the plant sold A u g. 9, 1879. to A lfred Creveling. 'I’he Glendower Iron W orks was incorpo­ rated A u g. 2. 1879, with A lfre d Creveling as president, H enry L ev is as treasurer and George W. M iles as general manager. A lfred C reveling immediately conveyed to the Glen­ dower Iron W orks the whole of the prop­ erty sold to him under the mortgage o f Jam es Pollock and Benjamin G. W elsh, trustees, and once more the works were started and fo r a considerable time made things busy in (hat portion o f (he town, in the manufacture of rails and skclp iron. A large mortgage had l)ccn placed by the (ilendowcr Iron W orks iqion (his plant, and in 18S5 default was ntade in the interest and the mortgage was foreclosed, the projicrty being sold. Sept. 19. 1885. to H. S . Pierce, fo r $29,000. .Mr. Pierce sold the property. Dec. 14. 1886. to I. X . (jricr. T h e Mahoning Rolling M ill Company w as incor|X)rated Ja n . 13 . 1887. with A bram S. Patterson as presi­ dent. I. X . G rier at once conveyed the prop­ erty to this corporation and the Mahoning Rolling .Mill Company operated the plant un­ til i 8<>3. On Dec. 2(>th o f that year a receiver w as apj)ointcd fo r the company and the plant w as oi>crate<l for some time by different les­ sees. first by Prank H . B u h l: in 1896 by C . H. Erick, lessee: in 1897 by P. P. H ow e: in 1898 by Howe ami P o lk; and finally,!*cb. 17. l8i)8, the plant was sold to F. P. Howe. R u fu s K. Polk. M ary E. Frick, Thom as J. Price and W illiam G. Pnrsel. known as "H o w e & Polk.” During these operations, after the mill had

gone im o the hands of the receiver, stru c tu ra l tubing was manufactured under paten ts held by W illiam C. Frick and 'Iliom as J. P rice. I n i s enterprise proved very su ccessfu l and very profitable, and in 1902 a p atrn crsh ip was formed, composed o f Thom as J. P ric e, Dan M. C u rry, M ar)’ E . F rick and W illiam G . P u rscl. In 1903 the interest o f M ary E . F r ic k w as purchased by Thom as J . Price, Dan M . C u r ry and W illiam G . Pursel, who continued (h e p art­ nership under the name o f DanviUe S tru c tu ra l Tubing Company. .Mr. Curr)' died in 1906, after which T h o m a s J . Price and W illiam G . Pursel acquirctl the entire interest, and they have since conducted the business. T he plant produces stru ctu ral tubing o f special shapes fo r bedsteads, sp rin g mattress sides, agricultural implements, tro l­ ley bracket irons, fence posts, etc. T h e business at present is most su ccessfu l, a fte r a long and persistent contest, and (he ]teopIe o f l)anvillc congratulate them selves that at last this important property has been placed on a firm and lasting basis and prom ­ ises employment fo r years to come to those who dc{>cnd upon the plant fo r their liv e li­ hood. T he property has been greatly im ­ proved, and in its entire operation, when ru n­ ning full, employs about four hundred men. C o -o p tra ih r Iron and S teel W orks The Co-operative Iron and Steel W orks was incorporated in 1870. A m ajority o f its stockholders were practical workmen and at once entered into the employment of the coni|K»ny. T he corporation bought six acres o f b n d o f Jaco b Sechler, adjacent to the canal on East M arket street, opposite Foust street, and .It once commenced the erection of the mill, which w as completed in November. >871. The main building of the plant w as 75 by 15 3 feet. It housed eight piuldling furnaces, one series o f 18-inch rolls, which derived motive (Hiwcr from an engine o f nx> horse jx>wcr. A neat brick office building added attractiveness tn the plant. F erry Deen w as (lie first president, and L. K. Rishel. secrctar>’ and treasurer. T he di­ rectors were John Grove, Wilson M. G ear­ hart. Sam uel M ills. .M. D. I.. Scchler. .-V. j.mmcrrnaii. I.. K. Rishel. F erry Deen. L C. Rhodes, F ctcr Baldy. J r ., D. M. Reese. E. J. Curtis, l-alcr Peter Baldy. J r .. became presi­ dent. John D. W illiam s was general manager of the mill and S.imucl M ills was Iwss roller. In November, 1883. the name w.a.s changed to the Danville Steel Company. T his com-