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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY - 457 CHAPTER XIX INDUSTRIES AND BANKS THOMAS R. MORGAN, SR.-ALLIANCE WORKS ESTABLISHED-THE GREAT PLANT TODAY-THE AMERICAN STEEL FOUNDRIES PLANT-THE REEVES BROTHERS-THE TRANSUE-WILLIAMS COMPANY-THE ALLIANCE MACHINE COMPANY-THE MCCASKEY REGISTER COMPANY-THE ALLIANCE BREWERY-THE BRICK INDUSTRIES-ORGANIZATIONS OF BUSINESS MEN-FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS OF ALLIANCE. A picture of the great industries of Alliance always commences with a sketch of the Morgan Engineering Company, the creation of Thomas R. Morgan, Sr., inventor and engineer, and of his son, Col. W. H. Morgan, who has been president of the great industry since the death of his father September 6, 1897. THOMAS R. MORGAN, SR. Thomas R. Morgan, Sr., was a Welshman, with all the thoroughness, ability and honesty of the race. As a boy he worked in a mine, received a few years of schooling, served his apprenticeship in a large machine shop, advanced to a foremanship, and in 1865 came to the United States. He held numerous responsible positions in various iron works of Pittsburgh and other manufacturing centers of Pennsylvania. In 1868 he commenced to manufacture steam hammers and other special machinery at Pittsburgh, and in August, 1871, moved his business to Alliance. ALLIANCE WORKS ESTABLISHED The firm of Marchand & Morgan, under which the original iron works were conducted, continued until 1877, when Mr. Marchand retired and was succeeded by Silas J. Williams, the firm name then becoming Morgan-Williams and Company. In 1884 the Morgan Engineering Company was organized as its successor, and the industry has since expanded under that style. Its products have been largely the designs patented 458 - RESIDENCE OF COL. W. H. MORGAN HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY - 459 by the founder of the company, with continuous and important improvements. Mr. Morgan was a member of the American Institute of Mechanical Engineers, the American Institute of Mining Engineers, the Iron and Steel Institute, and the Society of Mechanical Engineers of Great Britain. He was one of the city's most energetic and enterprising citizens and did all in his power for its advancement, was a member of the Council, president of the City Savings Bank, president of the Board of Trade, vice president of the Mutual Electric Light and Power Company, and trustee of Mount Union College. Mr. Morgan was instrumental in organizing the Solid Steel Company, which subsequently became the parent concern in the combination known as the American Steel Casting Company. He was president of the Solid Steel Casting Company until 1889, when he disposed of his interest in this concern to J. K. Bole, of Cleveland. Thomas R. Morgan, Sr.'s, indomitable energy was undoubtedly the most potent agent, not only in the upbuilding of this great works, but also in the betterment, advancement, prosperity and welfare of the City of Alliance. Andrew Carnegie said of him upon hearing of his demise, "Our country loses one of her foremost men of affairs." THE GREAT PLANT TODAY The little plant established by the senior Morgan in 1871 has expanded, under his guidance and the management of Colonel Morgan, to a great establishment covering fifteen acres. Willis H. Ramsey, the secretary of the company, has been identified with the business for many years and is considered Colonel Morgan's mainstay. The list of manufacturers turned out by the Morgan Engineering Company, which go to all accessible parts of the world, includes steam, hydraulic, electric, pneumatic and power machinery for government, railway, iron, steel and engineering works. Gun and mortar carriages, steam hammers, overhead electric traveling cranes, locomotive, gentry, jib and derrick cranes. Hydraulic presses for forging and other purposes, punching, shearing, bending, flanging and rivetting machines. Patented vertical and horizontal changing machines, ingot extractors, feed tables, Morgan's reversible electric controllers for series wound motors for all purposes. Hydraulic valves, valves for high and low pressures, special machinery for quick handling of material for Bessemer and open hearth furnaces and rolling mills and for any modern purpose. The foregoing sketch by no means tells the entire story of the large operations of the Morgan Engineering Company, and the part taken by 460 - HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY the Morgan family in its development ; and for further enlightenment the reader is referred to other pages. THE AMERICAN STEEL FOUNDRIES PLANT The local plant of the American Steel Foundries, which is also a large employer of labor at Alliance, is the result of the efforts of Thomas R. Morgan, Sr., S. J. Williams, J. K. Bole and S. T. Wellman, the latter two gentlemen at the time of organization being located at Cleveland. Mr. Wellman at that time was at the head of the Otin Steel Company, at Cleveland, and it was he who conceived the idea of building a steel plant for producing castings. He interested Thomas R. Morgan, Sr., S. J. Williams and J. K. Bole, and as a result, the company was organized under the name of the Solid Steel Company. The first start in the operation of the plant was made in the summer of 1882; capital at that time being $100,000. The plant in this city, the Standard Steel Casting Company, at Chester, Pennsylvania, and the Pittsburgh Steel Casting Company were the first institutions of this kind in the country, so that the works at Alliance may be regarded as among the pioneers in this particular industry in the United States. The Solid Steel Company made their first steel with the open hearth furnace process, having one furnace with a capacity of 31/9 tons. This was changed later to a 5-ton furnace. The open hearth process was continued for six years and in 1889 the Mittis process was installed, but as this process did not prove successful for castings, it was discontinued after about a year. In 1890 the Bessemer department was installed with a 3-ton converter, and this company was the first plant and in fact the only plant in the country, to use the Bessemer process for steel castings in a commercial way. In 1892-93 a large new Bessemer plant was built, costing over $100,000, and about the time this plant was completed the Solid Steel Company was absorbed by the American Steel Casting Company. The costly Bessemer plant, erected by the old company, was never operated by the new concern. The American Steel Casting Company continued in business until 1902 when it was consolidated with the Franklin Steel Casting Company, of Franklin, Pennsylvania ; Sargeant Company, of Chicago ; the Shickle, Harrison & Howard plant, at East St. Louis ; the American Steel Foundry Company, of Granite City, and the Reliance Steel Casting Company, of Pittsburgh, under the name of The American Steel Foundries with general offices at New York. The offices were afterward moved to Chicago where they are now located. During the life of the American Steel Casting Company, many improvements were made in HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY - 461 the local factory. New buildings were built, the open hearth furnaces were rebuilt and the entire plant placed on a basis which it had never enjoyed before so far as extent of production was concerned. When the local plant became a part of the American Steel Casting Company, additional open hearth furnaces were installed and the entire product made on the open hearth basis. At different times the plant has been devoted to the manufacture of all kinds of steel castings, but of late years has almost confined itself to the manufacture of the Janney automatic car coupler, the first practical device of the kind ever used. It was patented by R. E. Janney, of Chicago. These couplers are pushed to all quarters of the world which are open to trade and commerce. Harry L. Allen, superintendent of the local plant, has held his present position for about ten years. THE REEVES BROTHERS The Reeves Brothers works, founded in 1893, represent large manufacturers of such structural specialties as oil tanks and refineries, blast furnaces, standpipes and water towers, boilers, grain elevators and steel buildings ; in fact, they turn out both heavy plate and light sheet construction and install their products ready for use. The proprietors of the industry are Englishmen, its founder being George Reeves, who started a boiler shop at Niles, Ohio, in association with his three brothers, Jabez, Jonathan and Jeremiah. Jabez and Jonathan soon sold their interests, and George and Jeremiah remained as equal partners until 1891. In the meantime they had bought a bankrupt rolling mill at Canal Dover, of which Jeremiah Reeves became active manager. In 1885, two years afterward, the Reeves brothers organized the New Philadelphia Iron and Steel Company, operated the plant there until 1887, in order to protect themselves as creditors of the former Ward Iron Company, and in the year named became sole owners of the plant. They developed the Canal Dover, Niles, and the New Philadelphia plants together until 1891, when they dissolved partnership, Jeremiah taking over the Canal Dover works, and George Reeves, the plants at Niles and New Philadelphia. The latter then received his son, A. G. Reeves, into partnership. The New Philadelphia concern was sold to the American Sheet Steel Company, of New Jersey, in 1900. The history of the Alliance industry begins with the year 1893, when arrangements were made by George Reeves and the citizens of Alliance to move the Niles plant to Alliance, which was done in 1893 and 1894. The works was burned down in May, 1900, rebuilt and put in operation again early in 1901. On July 15th, following, it was again destroyed by 462 - HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY fire, but undismayed by misfortune it was decided to again rebuild larger than ever, and in September contracts were let for the erection of all steel and brick buildings, which were not completed until October, 1902. George Reeves—doing business as Reeves Brothers—incorporated the concern under the laws of Ohio under the name of The Reeves Brothers Company, with a capital of $200,000. George Reeves, his sons and daughter as stockholders, organized by electing George Reeves president, A. G. Reeves vice president and treasurer, James A. Reeves, manager, and Arthur A. Reeves, secretary, and commenced business in October, 1901. After the buildings were completed machinery and other things had to be rearranged and by 1906 over 250 persons were employed. The plant has some of the heaviest and largest tools in existence, including bending rolls, punches and riveting machines. The works are equipped with electric cranes, electric light, hydraulic and pneumatic plants and appliances and powers. The present officers are : George Reeves, president; A. G. Reeves, vice president ; A. A. Reeves, treasurer ; W. L. Walthour, secretary. THE TRANSUE-WILLIAMS COMPANY The Transue-Williams Company, manufacturers of drop forgings, originated in the partnership of Messrs. Silas J. Williams, Frank Transue and 0. F. Transue, formed in 1895. The industry started in a small way, the practical head of the enterprise being 0. F. Transue, who had formerly served as superintendent of the Whitman-Barnes Company of Akron. In 1898 the business was incorporated under its present name, with a capital of $100,000 and the following officers : Frank Transue, president ; S. J. Williams, vice president ; F. E. Mussel, treasurer ; 0. F. Transue, general manager. THE ALLIANCE MACHINE COMPANY The Alliance Machine Company was organized in January, 1902, with a capital stock of $200,000. Its specialty is the manufacture of cranes. Its capital has been increased to $500,000, but its officers remain as at the time of organization, viz: W. H. Purcell, president ; W. J. Fennerty, vice president ; G. W. Shem, secretary and chief engineer, and M. S. Milbourn, treasurer. THE MCCASKEY REGISTER COMPANY The McCaskey Register Company was organized in 1903 to manufacture the account register invented by P. A. McCaskey a year earlier. HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY - 463 The concern was originally capitalized at $30,000, with C. C. Baker, as president; J. A. Long, vice president, and R. S. Kayler, secretary and treasurer; P. A. McCaskey, general manager. The building of the Fawcett Industrial works was first occupied and business was commenced on a very small scale : but the industry has grown into a large one and the original capital increased to $100,000. The officers now serving are: A. G. Riley, president; S. S. Coates, vice president and general manager; S. G. Zimmerman, secretary and treasurer. THE ALLIANCE BREWERY The Alliance Brewing Company, incorporated in 1905, operates a large plant. including bottling works, at East Summit. THE BRICK INDUSTRIES The brick interests, which are important, are represented by the Alliance Clay Product Company and the Alliance Brick Company. Both building and paving brick are the chief product of the plants. The Clay Product Company was organized through the efforts of Ross Hue, of Alliance, and the Business Men's Association. Many years ago he built the Fairmount Children's Home with brick which he made from clay obtained in that neighborhood. Many of the older residences and business blocks of the city were built with brick made in this vicinity. In the course of his long experience with clay conditions in and about Alliance, Mr. Rue discovered an immense bed of superior shale, underlaid with coal and fire clay, on the Kimmel farm just outside the city limits. Knowing the possibilities of the clay business, Mr. Rue took the matter before the Business Men's Association. The association secured two ear loads of the materials and sent the same to a modern brick plant at Washington, Pennsylvania, to be made into brick under the direct supervision of a. committee from the association. This test resulted so favorably that the Business Men's Association appointed a committee to endeavor to interest Alliance people in the organization of a company to develop the new field. The effort was entirely successful, over seventy citizens of the community subscribing to the capital stock of the company, which was incorporated in September, 1905. During the first three months after organization, committees of the stockholders visited various brick plants and manufactories of brick making machinery throughout the country, with a view of adopting the most approved methods of manufacture for the proposed brick plant. Incorporating the best features of the most successful plants in their 464 - HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY plans, the directors placed their contracts in the early spring of 1906, and the actual work of construction began about the middle of April. The Alliance Clay Product Company has a long-term lease on thirty acres of clay and shale land, its plant being located between Mahoning Avenue and the Pennsylvania Railroad, in Mahoning County about a quarter of a mile from the southeastern city limits. The present officers of the company, which has a capital of $200,000, is as follows : B. F. Weybrecht, president ; John Eger, vice president, and J. B. Wilcox, secretary and treasurer. The Alliance Brick Company was organized in 1909. Its business is capitalized at $300,000, with the following officers : F. A. Hoiles, president and manager ; R. M. Scranton, secretary and treasurer. ORGANIZATIONS OF BUSINESS MEN Several of the industries established at Alliance within the past few years were installed largely through the efforts of its representative business and commercial organizations. There have been several of these bodies, such as the Alliance Business Men's Association, formed in 1907 ; the Alliance Board of Trade, which followed in 1909, and the Chamber of Commerce, the latest organization. FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS OF ALLIANCE Alliance is a banking, as well as an industrial center ; as a matter of course, banks and manufactories go together, neither being able to exist and grow without the other. It is significant, as bearing out that statement, that the great engineering company founded at Alliance by Thomas R. Morgan, Sr., was established only a year previous to the organization of the city's oldest bank, conducted under the name of the Alliance Bank Company. The Alliance Bank Company was incorporated in 1872, and ten years later was established as a state institution. It is capitalized at $100,000. Frank Transue, president of the Transue-Williams Company, is also head of the bank, of which H. F. Bohecker is cashier. The First National Bank was chartered in 1887. It has a capital of $100,000 and the following officers : A. L. Atkinson, president ; F. K. Fetters, cashier. The City Savings Bank and Trust Company was organized in 1892. It has a capital of $50,000. W. H. Ramsey is its president ; S. L. Sturgeon, cashier. The Industrial Savings and Loan Association, which was formed in HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY - 465 1889, is officered as follows : Dr. J. Armstrong, president ; T. C. Uran, secretary. The Alliance Building and Savings Company, incorporated in 1898, has the following officers: John Eyer, president ; C. C. Davidson, secretary ; R. M. Scranton, treasurer. The People's Bank was organized in 1907. It has a capital of $50,000, with the following officers: D. W. Crist, president ; W. A. Thompson, cashier. The foregoing are the leading financial institutions of Alliance upon which its business houses, its manufactories and individuals depend for the conduct and development of their various interests ; and their reliance is well placed. |