History of Lake, Porter, and LaPorte, 1927County history published by the Historians' Association . . . .

Source Citation:
Cannon, Thomas H., H. H. Loring, and Charles J. Robb. 1927. History of the Lake and Calumet Region of Indiana, Embracing the Counties of Lake, Porter and LaPorte: An Historical Account of Its People and Its Progress from the Earliest Times to the Present. Volume I.  Indianapolis, Indiana: Historians' Association. 840 p.

HISTORY OF THE LAKE AND CALUMET REGION OF INDIANA 

CHAPTER XXVII.

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT.

EXPANSION OF INDUSTRY IN THE CALUMET DISTRICT -- HISTORY OF IRON AND STEEL -- STEEL WIRE -- STEEL TUBULAR PRODUCTS -- TIN PLATE -- PRESENT DAY CONSUMPTION OR ITON AND STEEL -- ORE DEPOSITS -- WAGES PAID IN EUROPE AND AMERICA -- GARY INDUSTRIES -- SAFETY SANITATION AND WELFARE WORK -- HAMMOND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT -- EAST CHICAGO -- INDIANA HARBOR INDUSTRIES -- CROWN POINT AND WHITING INDUSTRIES -- LAPORTE COUNTY INDUSTRIES -- MICHIGAN CITY -- LAPORTE -- PORTER COUNTY INDUSTRIES -- VALPARAISO -- CALUMET REGION INDUSTRIES DURING AND AFTER THE WAR.

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The industrial growth of the Lake and Calumet Region in recent years is unrivaled in many important features in American industrial history and its favorable location fully described in the story of Gary insures for many years to come that it will be the center of the major developments in the production of iron and steel. Now recognized as the heart of our greatest basic industry, its industrial stability is laid on a most secure foundation and its many economic advantages assures a constantly increasing number of manufacturers of various lines of steel products finding it advantageous to locate their plants in such a favorable environment for collateral industries. While the important developments of recent origin have been confined almost entirely to the Calumet District of Lake County it is apparent that in the not distant future major developments may be looked for along the Lake Shore in Porter and LaPorte counties and abundant evidence exists which indicates the southern shore of Lake Michigan from Chicago to Michigan City will become the greatest industrial district on earth as it is now the leading center in iron and steel. It was in the early ‘90s that the possibilities of the Calumet Region began to attract the attention of manufacturers and largely through the progressive development efforts of C. W. Hotchkiss and his predecessors, described in the story of East Chicago, interest became centered in the great manufacturing advantages of the region. Shortly after the beginning of this century the establishment of new industries followed each other in rapid succession and in the diversity of manufactured products it is unrivaled by any industrial center in America. The establishment of the world’s largest refinery at Whiting by the Standard Oil Company laid the foundation for the Calumet Region becoming such an important center

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of the oil industry and it has attained distinction as a great refining center, a terminal of great pipe line systems, the largest inland oil shipping port and the heart of industries producing steel tanks, pipe lines and nearly every other material used in the production, transportation and refining of oil. The production of pig iron is one of the basic industries and the Calumet Region is producing approximately 8,000,000 tons. The Universal Portland Cement Company’s cement plant in the Calumet Region is the largest plant in the world and is now being doubled in size. The cement company has its own harbor at Buffington to receive limestone, slag and other necessaries used in the production of cement and the Illinois Steel Company has its own harbor in Gary, where over 4,000,000 tons of ore and stone were received the past year. The port of Indiana Harbor in East Chicago is an invaluable aid to the manufactur-



ing districts of Hammond, East Chicago and Whiting and its tonnage rivals or exceeds the Harbor of East Chicago. Twenty-three steam railroads including belt line connection with all the trunk lines and seven electric lines furnish unrivaled rail transportation advantages, while paved roads insure motor truck transportation being expeditious, efficient and economical. Seventy-five million dollars was expended in 1926 in the development of industrial plants in the region and hundreds of millions will be spent in the next few years, the power plant of the State Lime Generating Company (Insull interests) alone costing about §75,000,000. The percentage of growth in population in the past twenty years in the four cities in the Calumet Region, Gary, Hammond, East Chicago and Whiting, is unrivaled excepting by a few cities in the country, the estimated population at present being 210,000, compared with approximately

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in 1905. Before giving a detailed story of the many industries in the Lake and Calumet Region of Indiana it seems proper to review the history of iron and steel and their importance to our civilization and the conditions existing which caused this district to be the most important steel manufacturing center in the world.

IRON — In chemistry, ferrum, iron, is a metallic tetrad element found nearly pure or alloyed with nickel in meteorites, but generally found in combination with oxygen and as a carbon. It is widely diffused in rocks and in nearly all earthy matter and often forms the chief coloring matter of clays, soils and sand. Pure iron which is now produced electrolytically from ore or pig iron in fairly large quantities, is somewhat unlike the ordinary commercial forms. It is grayish-white in color and relatively soft when compared with steel of high carbon content. The many valuable properties possessed by iron which distinguishes it from all other metals will be noted in succeeding pages.

STEEL— Those most familiar with the subject hesitate to give a definition of steel and owing to the many varieties of iron now classed as steel, a concise and wholly satisfactory definition is well nigh impossible. Steel may be defined in a general way as a variety or condition of iron capable of being melted or cast, hammered or welded, and of being tempered or hardened and softened. It is thus in its properties intermediate between malleable and cast iron and in its composition it also occupies a middle place between these two varieties. The proportion of carbon contained in the metal is the chief element in determining its character, cast iron containing generally from 2.5 to about 5 per cent of carbon, steel having from .05 to 1.80 per cent carbon, and the proportion in malleable iron varying from .016 up to about .34 per cent. Other circumstances, however, enter into and determine the nature and quality of any of the kinds of steel but to which extended reference cannot be made here.

THE MASTER METAL — Iron has been well called the master metal and its Importance to humanity and civilization is graphically described by Campbell and Francis in The Making, Shaping and Treating of Steel, published by the Carnegie Steel Company, from which we quote as follows: “A little reflection shows iron to be as vital to modern civilization as air and water are to life; and it has become so common that, like air and water, its true importance is lost sight of by most people, who look upon its abundance as a matter of course and value it accordingly. No other one metal has contributed so much to the welfare and comfort of man. There is scarcely an article used in our daily lives that has not been produced from iron or by means of it. Consider bread as an example. Plows made of iron turn the soil, harrows of iron level it, and drills of iron sow the seed; machines of iron harvest the wheat and thresh it, rolls of iron

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crush the grain to separate the flour; engines of iron bring the flour to our homes, where it is made into dough in iron pans and baked in an iron stove; finally the bread is sliced from the loaf with an iron knife and served to us at a table made with iron tools. It has no exact substitute in nature, and without it many of our modern conveniences would have been impossible of development. The railroads, the automobile, and the watch are three of the most notable examples of such conveniences. No other metal is capable of giving the great range in physical properties that make iron available for an almost unlimited number of purposes. Thus, from our towering skyscrapers, our massive bridges and our immense ships, where, as great beams, cables, and plates,' it supports loads almost greater than the mind can conceive, we can trace it even to our parlors, where, as invisible hairpins, it may support milady’s tresses and, as the strings of her piano, it sends forth at her magic touch sweet sounds of melody. One property which it possesses to a far greater degree than any of the other metals is that of magnetism. This property is so pronounced in iron and so slight in other metals that, from a practical viewpoint, iron and one of its compounds may be considered as the only magnetic substances. Hence our modern magnetic and electrical appliances are dependent upon this one metal; and we find it forming the essential parts of the dynamo, the electric motor, the telegraph, the telephone, wireless telegraph, the compass, and a large number of other instruments of less importance.” But little thought is necessary to show that iron is the foundation of progress and the wonderful development of America in the past fifty years would be impossible without the high standing which the art has attained in this country. We are the largest per capita consumers of iron and steel in the world and to enumerate all the uses to which it is put in this country would require a volume in itself. Our railroads with approximately 250,000 miles of track are the most important factors in the consumption of iron and steel through rails, bridges, cars and locomotives. Bridge building not only for railways but for highways, spanning small streams and rivers, uses very large quantities of steel. The lightness yet strength of our bridges have not been equaled throughout the world. Heating stoves, furnaces, radiators, hot water and steam pipes are another outlet of importance and the newer type of art household heaters are wonders in beauty and efficiency. In the construction of public and private buildings the use of iron and steel is steadily increasing and the skyscrapers of today would be impossible without steel frame construction. We use large quantities of iron in water, sewerage and illuminating gas pipes and oil well refinery pipe lines. Wire rope, telegraph and telephone wire, wire fences, electrical machinery of all kinds, heating and power plants in manufacturing establishments, and agricultural machinery and implements annually consume enormous quantities of iron and steel. Our consumption of tinplate, which thanks to the

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McKinley high tariff became an established institution in America, has been for many years the largest in the world. Portable and stationary steam engines in mining, lumbering and agriculture, machine equipment and the thousands of mechanical tools and appliances in use in the industrial plants throughout the country, add greatly to the consumption of the metal. Cut nails, wire nails, spikes, and the small tools of the tradesmen, scales, balances, letter presses, safes, sewing machines, typewriters, adding machines, bicycles, firearms, cutlery, metal furniture and thousands of other things in daily use — a large number of which are the products of American inventive minds — constantly call for large annual quantities of the metal. The automobile industry which has now reached mammoth proportions and one of the most important in America, has been a material influence in increasing the production of iron and steel in recent years. For some time but little wood has been used in automobile construction and the newer types of automobiles are using all steel bodies which will be standard in a few years. Wherever we turn in our household we are confronted with the extent to which the use of iron and steel has entered into our home life. Shank’s Iron in All Ages, to which we are indebted for other information, quotes from Ure’s Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures and Mines a most comprehensive description of iron which follows: “Every person knows the manifold use of this truly precious metal. It is capable of being cast in molds or in forms; of being drawn out into wires of any desired strength or fineness; of being expanded into plates or sheets; of being bent in every direction; of being sharpened, hardened or softened by pressure. Iron accommodates itself to all our wants, our desires, and even our caprices; it is equally serviceable to the arts, to sciences, to agriculture, and war; the same ore furnishes the sword, the ploughshare, the scythe, the pruning-hook, the needle, the graver, the spring of a watch or of a carriage, the chisel, the chain, the anchor, the compass, the cannon and the bomb. It is a medicine of much virtue and the only metal friendly to the human form.” It will be noted in the story of the development of iron and steel which follows, that from the dawn of history the nations and races with advanced knowledge of its manufacture and use, were the dominating forces and leaders of civilization in every period down to the present. The use of iron can be traced to the earliest ages of antiquity and abundant evidence exists that iron was in use in Egypt, Western Asia, India and even China, from ten to twenty centuries before the Christian era and the generally accepted theory of a copper or bronze age before iron, now finds but little favor as the discoveries constantly being made by modern antiquarians, literature of ancient writers and even the Bible itself, offers abundant evidence to the contrary. The most satisfactory proof exists that the Egyptians, whose civilization was among the earliest of which we have any exact

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knowledge, were at an early period familiar with both the use and manufacture of iron and many writers assume, as but small deposits of iron ore have been found in Egypt proper, that the Egyptians derived their supply of iron from their Asiatic neighbors, it not being a moot question that iron was known to the Chaldeans, the Babylonians and the Assyrians, who were contemporaries of the early Egyptians. Excavations made in the ruins of ancient cities in Western Asia, Egypt and India, have brought to light many articles of iron, some of them at least having been buried more than 3,000 years. Many of them show excellent workmanship and an advanced knowledge of the treatment of iron which became lost in later centuries. It is certain that the art of casting bronze over iron, which in recent years has been introduced in modern metallurgy, was known to the Assyrians. Among the most recent discoveries (1926) showing the early use of iron, are clay tablets found in excavations in the ancient city of Kanesh, under the modern city of Kulteppe, in the country once known as Cappadocia in Asia Minor. The tablets show that Kanesh, 4,000 years ago, was a then world center of trade and was the heart of the Hittite and preceding civilizations. From these tablets it is learned that the Hittites developed the iron mines near the Black Sea and one of the Hittite kings was about to send a shipment of pure iron to Pharoah Raameses the Second, who had asked for it and that an iron sword had been sent to the Egyptian king as a gift. It is quite possible from this and other evidence, that it was from the Hittites that the Phoenicians obtained their knowledge of iron which they disseminated in their trading voyages throughout the Mediterranean, although other traders who made long journeys by land to Kanesh must have also been instrumental in spreading the knowledge of the art developed to such an extraordinary extent by the Hittites who, from these recent discoveries, may be said to be the founders of the industry. Some of the articles uncovered in the capitals of former mighty empires of Europe and Western Asia show that a knowledge of iron and the tools made therefrom must have been a powerful influence and aid in acquiring and maintaining dominance over other nations, and giving proper credit to Alexander’s wonderful genius, it is recognized that superior iron and steel tools and equipment were most important factors in aiding Alexander and a few thousand Greeks in conquering the then known world. Excavations in India brought forth iron and steel tools probably 3,000 years old, made of a true steel called Wootz, and of a quality rivaling the best steel produced by present day methods. It was and still is manufactured by a process of great simplicity, similar to that by which crucible steel is made. It was from this famous steel produced in both India and Persia that artisans of Damascus made the famous Damascus swords ages ago and the cutlers of India are still manufacturing a high-grade sword

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from the native steel. The art of working in iron and other metals. for which the Greeks were famous in the days of their dominance centuries before Christ, is said to have been obtained from the Phoenicians about 3,500 years ago and it was carried by the Greeks through their colonies into many other countries. Aristotle, who lived in the fourth century before Christ, has left us an account of the manner in which the Greeks of his day converted wrought iron into steel which is some evidence that they may have been also familiar with cast iron. Homer, who lived eight or nine hundred years before the Christian era and many other Greek writers of a later period, made frequent mention of iron and steel, and the evidence existing shows it must have been a very advanced art with the Greeks. Herodotus, who lived 500 years before Christ, speaks of the iron ores of Elba, which are said to have been worked by the Greeks even 200 years before. Many of the early Greek writers speak of the tempering of iron in water and also mention various steel products, particularly swords and other weapons of war, the superiority of which in the hands of the Greeks at Marathon caused other Mediterranean countries to discontinue the use of weapons of bronze. That the Greeks attained great proficiency in the use of steel and particularly in the manufacture of small tools is shown by the testimony of many writers who mention files, augers, chisels, stone cutting implements, razors and surgical instruments. It was the Greeks and Etruscans who taught the Romans how to make steel and steel products and the Romans made great advances in the art. They were the first to work the iron mines of Corsica, where iron is still made in small quantities and the iron workers of Corsica who were making iron in recent years used a forge identical in character with those used on the island when Rome was founded. About the fourth century before the Christian era, the Romans began to make swords and javelins of steel but they had been making agricultural implements at a much earlier period and they developed many new tools and implements of iron which were in common use among the tradesmen of Rome in the second century before Christ. The gates of Rome were made of iron and clamps of iron were used to bind together stones in the Coliseum. Wherever the Roman power extended, the use of iron and steel was developed, although much territory over which Rome assumed sway was acquainted with and had used iron and steel implements and particularly those territories which had previously come under the influence of Greek and Carthagenian culture. Italy has always made wonderful progress in the development of iron and steel and from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century, Milan was widely celebrated for its iron and steel products and particularly arms and armor. Hungary, Austria, Spain and France were early acquainted with the use and manufacture of iron and steel products. Spain early came under both Greek and Phoenician influence and Greek and Phoenician

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colonies are said to have been responsible for the development of iron and steel in Spain. The Carthagenians, who for a short time succeeded the Greeks in Spain, obtained two-edged swords of Spanish manufacture, which they used against the Romans at the battle of Cannae, in the year 216 before Christ, where it is said no helmet or shield possessed by the Roman soldiers but was cut through by the Spanish swords. Toledo was famous for its manufacture of steel swords even before the Roman conquest of Spain but the industry was greatly developed under Roman influence and Spanish swords, manufactured in Toledo and other places in Spain, became standard equipment for Roman armies. Toledo blades continued to be manufactured in larger quantities in succeeding centuries and their fame was world wide. After the sixteenth century, the business began to decline and now only a few swords are made there. The fall of the Roman Empire did not seriously effect the iron industry of Spain, which continued to develop and flourish. The Catalan forge, which received its name from Catalonia in Spain, was introduced in every civilized country which produced iron and was used to. some extent in America in the early part of the last century. Germany and England took leadership in the industry from Spain in the latter part of the eighteenth century although the quality of iron and steel made in Germany and England did not equal that of Spain. The Belgians were producing iron as early as the time of Julius Caesar, but no important development took place until the tenth century and it is claimed that blast furnaces were in operation in Belgium before 1400. In the latter part of the sixteenth century Belgium was a large producer of iron and steadily continued to progress in the industry to the present day. Iron and steel does not appear to have been very early developed in Germany, although some of the Teutonic tribes are known to have possessed weapons of steel about the beginning of the second century. While it is known that some iron was produced there in the eighth and ninth centuries, the industry did not especially flourish until the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth centuries when it became firmly established, and like in Belgium steady progress was made in the industry until the present time. The famous Krupp Steel Works at Essen, Germany, was founded in 1815, by Friedrich Nicolai and Friedrich Krupp, under the firm name of Nicolai and Krupp, for the purpose of making cast steel. Friedrich Nicolai retired from the firm shortly after the business started and it was continued by Friedrich Krupp. After his death in 1826, the works were operated by his wife and his oldest son, Alfred Krupp, the latter subsequently assuming entire control. After his death in 1887, the control came in the hands of his son, Friedrich Alfred Krupp, at whose death a daughter became the sole owner. While the use of iron and steel was known in Austria at a very early period, there was no development of the industry to any extent until

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the eighth century and no pronounced advance was made until the past century and particularly until recent years. It is definitely known that iron was manufactured in Sweden in the eighth century but not until recent years has there been any great development in the industry, although Sweden is particularly favored with desirable ores. There is abundant evidence that the use of iron must have been known in England to some extent at a very early period, as the Phoenician traders called at British ports at least six centuries before Christ and among other products obtained tin from Cornwall. When the Romans invaded Britain, brass and iron rings were in use as money but it does not appear that either brass or iron were manufactured there at that time — brass and iron being obtained from traders in exchange for tin. Like in all countries which came under their sway, the Romans encouraged the manufacture of iron and iron products in England and it is said that considerable quantities of iron were manufactured during the fourth century. Remains of some of the old iron works which served during that period still exist in many sections of England. The Anglo Saxons, who succeeded the Romans, used tools and weapons of iron, although there is no evidence that they developed the industry to any extent during their ascendancy. For a number of succeeding centuries it may be said that iron and steel were manufactured only in a limited way but, under Edward the Third in the fourteenth century, great advances were made and, from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century, England kept pace with or was in advance in the development of the industry. Just prior to the World war, England, Germany and France were the dominating forces in the industry in Europe but the developments in America gave it world leadership which it is likely to maintain.

AMERICA — There is little evidence if any that the mound builders or any other aboriginal inhabitants of America possessed a knowledge of the use and consequently of the manufacture of iron. Our present knowledge of the Indian inhabitants of Mexico and Peru who were the most advanced of the natives known to the early explorers shows they were acquainted with the use of copper but not of iron. Sir Walter Raleigh in 1585 made the first discoveries of iron in North Carolina and it is known that iron ore was shipped from there to England in later expeditions and brought a good price in the market. The first attempt to manufacture iron in this country was made in 1619, by the Virginia Company on Falling Creek, a tributary of the James River about seven miles below Richmond. The iron works were destroyed by the Indians in 1622 and there is little evidence that any iron was ever produced there. The first successful iron works was established on the Saugus River near Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1644 and the industry was developed to a considerable extent throughout the New England colonies even against the active hostility of English

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manufacturers and tradesmen who tried to prevent its growth as they were more successful in doing in Ireland with other industries. It is claimed that there were four furnaces in blast in the colony of Pennsylvania in the early part of the eighteenth century, one being located at Colebrookdale in 1720 and one in Durham in 1727, but Samuel Higley of Simsbury, Connecticut, and Joseph Dewey of Hebron, Connecticut, are generally credited with having first manufactured steel at Hebron in 1728. Iron was found generally throughout the Colonial territory and in the newer western territory acquired with the Revolutionary war, and in a small way was manufactured generally throughout the country, attaining its greatest development in Western Pennsylvania since the Revolutionary war and which in later years became the heart of the industry. Experiments in new methods of treatment, which were constantly being conducted at the various plants, resulted in many valuable discoveries and inventions, and one destined to revolutionize the industry was the invention of the so-called Bessemer process by William Kelly, an iron master of Eddyville, Kentucky, who was one of the owners of the Eddyville Iron Works. So successful were Mr. Kelly’s experiments in producing refined iron of an excellent quality that he induced the Cambria Iron Works at Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to build a converting vessel similar to that now used in the Bessemer process. The experiments with the new converting vessel were successful and Mr. Kelly was able to convert crude pig iron into refined plate metal by blowing into it for about 15 to 25 minutes. Henry Bessemer, an Englishman of French descent, was conducting similar experiments to Mr. Kelly’s at a slightly later period but he failed to produce any successful results in the manufacture of steel prior to 1856. At that time he was joined by Robert F. Mushet of Sheltanham, England, and it was Mr. Mushet’s discoveries which brought about the manufacture of steel by the Bessemer process. Mr. Mushet realized very little material advantage from it but enormous profits went to Bessemer and other associates. When Bessemer attempted to obtain a patent in this country in 1856, he was confronted by a claim of priority of invention by Mr. Kelly, the justice of which was conceded as he was unquestionably the discoverer of the pneumatic principle of the Bessemer process in 1847, several years before the experiments by Mr. Bessemer. Many valuable improvements and discoveries by American engineers, particularly by Alexander Holley, George Fritz, Robert W. Hunt, and William R. Jones, and by Thomas and Gilchrist in England and others abroad, greatly widened the field of usefulness of the process, and it was not long after it was generally adopted until America obtained leadership in the production of Bessemer products. The open hearth process, through the invention by Dr. Charles William Siemens — a German resident of London — of the Siemens regenerative gas furnace, is another astonishing development in

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the industry in which America also attained leadership and the Bessemer and open hearth processes have made possible the present wonderful output of steel. Few people realize how much the world owes to the great minds who have been developing the steel industry in the past century and the results which have accrued to the world in so many directions through their efforts — in fact the great mechanical discoveries and inventions during the past 100 years, which have contributed so much to human happiness, have been coincident with and made possible through the increasing knowledge of iron obtained through new methods of treatment, which have disclosed new virtues and qualities and the adaptability of iron to many and varied uses, undreamed of a century ago. The rise in power, wealth and influence, and the dominating position of America today among the nations of the world and which is properly credited largely to our inventive genius, demonstrated in so many directions, would be impossible without the great knowledge of iron developed in the labratories and mills of this and other countries which have made possible the practical application of American discoveries and inventions.

STEEL WIRE — One of the most important products of iron which is being extended into manifold uses is that of steel wire. In general, wire is a term that may be applied to any metallic shred, thread or filament, or to any exceedingly slender rod or bar of metal having a uniform cross section. Wire is of very ancient origin. According to such recognized authority as the “Making, Shaping and Treatment of Steel” published by the Carnegie Company, gold wire is mentioned in the Bible in connection with the sacredotal robes of Aaron and it has been among the important discoveries found in excavations made in ancient cities. Evidence has come to light showing that wire was used by the Assyrians and Babylonians more than fifteen hundred years B. C. and a necklace which was found at Denderah, bearing the name of the Pharaoh who reigned in Egypt about 2750 B. C., was composed in part of wire. The method of manufacture is not known and the specimens of ancient wire found have been flat and probably produced solely by hammering. From evidence existing, it is believed that the art of wire drawing was known more than one thousand years ago and that the chain armor used by the knights of that period may have been made of drawn wire. It was a commercial product in France late in the thirteenth century, in Germany in the fourteenth, and in England — the fifteenth century. The first wire drawing mill in this country was built by Nathaniel Miles at Norwich, Connecticut, in 1775, and several other mills were started during the next twenty years, two of them in Pennsylvania. It does not appear they could have been prosperous as their operations were discontinued and in the early part of the nineteenth century there was no wire made in America. The year 1831 marks the beginning of the steel wire industry in this country,

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a plant being established by Ichabod Washburn of Worcester, Massachusetts, who in partnership with Benjamin Goddard founded the firm of Washburn, Moen & Company. It was a success from the start and the products of the firm had a wide market. During the latter part of the nineteenth century, the manufacture of steel wire and also wire made from copper and brass increased by leaps and bounds, and at the present time the various manufacturers of steel wire products have an approximate output of 3,500,000 gross ton, or about one-twelfth of all the steel produced in this country. More than one hundred articles in common use consume large quantities of steel wire and its use in new ways is constantly increasing.

STEEL TUBULAR PRODUCTS— The use of iron and steel for tubes is of comparatively recent origin. The ancients used tubes made of wood and earthen ware and the Greeks and Romans made tubes of lead and bronze. From the “Making, Shaping and Treating of Steel” we learn that hollow cylinders of wrought iron or steel were used in the manufacture of guns in the latter part of the sixteenth century and tubes or pipes made of cast iron were used in the construction of the water works at Versailles, France, in 1685. In 1812, an Englishman named Osborne invented machinery for doing the bending and welding which was formerly done by hand and he was followed by James Russel, another English inventor, in 1824, with still further improved methods of manufacture. Following closely on Russel’s work was an invention by Cornelius Whitehouse which is the basis of the present day butt-weld process, making it possible to produce tubes of superior quality much more cheaply than ever before. In 1832, Morris, Tasker and Morris established the first shop for making buttweld pipe in the United States in Philadelphia and four years later built the Pascal Iron Works. Their success led to the establishment of other plants in Eastern Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts, but it was not until 1860 that the manufacture of tubes by the buttweld process began west of the Alleghenies. The development in the manufacture of welded tubes led inventors to turn their attention to the production of seamless tubes and while some of the processes were practical and successful, the methods were costly and therefore prohibitive. Up to 1887 wrought iron had been the only material used for welded pipe and tube, but in that year Thomas J. Bray of the Riverside Iron Works of Wheeling, West Virginia, began making butt- and lap-welded pipe of soft Bessemer steel and proved that steel was actually superior to wrought iron for this purpose in a great many respects. Bray’s discovery proved sensational and as a result the industry grew by leaps and bounds until today the production of steel tubular products in the United States exceeds 3,000,000 gross tons and combined with steel wire consumes one-sixth of the entire production of steel in this country, and the importance of the

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industry will be recognized when it is considered that some industries are wholly dependent upon steel pipe or tube. Gary with its varied steel products is rapidly becoming one of the leading centers in steel tube manufacturing.

TIN PLATE — Tin plate is a sheet of steel or wrought iron that has been coated with tin. Tin itself is soft and malleable, possesses little strength and by comparison with wrought iron or steel is very expensive, costing at the present time about ten times as much. Tin alone is not strong enough to withstand hard usage, but tin plate is adapted to so many and varied uses that it has become one of the most important of industries. Tin is an ideal coating for sheets of steel or iron, being a white lustrous metal that scarcely tarnishes in the air. It makes a sheet of lasting beauty and tin plate may be pressed, stamped or bent into almost any form, without causing the coat of tin to break or peel off, if the plate has been properly coated. Since even a thin coating is capable of withstanding all the atmospheric agents that cause iron to corrode so rapidly, it becomes a protector to the iron or steel which it covers and although tin itself is lacking in the qualities necessary for general use, when covering the iron and steel beneath it, a combination results that is ideal for innumerable purposes. Tin is a rare and precious metal and found in quantities in only a few places in the world. It was to Cornwall, England, nearly three thousand years ago that the Phoenecians came for tin, but the long years of operation of the English mines have nearly exhausted them and today the principal sources of the world’s supply of tin are the Malay Peninsula, the Island of Banca, Australia, and Bolivia, South America. “Straits Tin,” so called, is the principal American supply and comes from the Malay district. In the “Making, Shaping and Treatment of Steel” we find that the tin plate industry is supposed to have originated in Bohemia in the latter part of the thirteenth century, but that it is almost certain the art of coating tin was known and practiced about the time of Christ. For years after the tin plate industry was established in Bohemia, the secret of the process was zealously guarded but it is said that in the early part of the sixteenth century the Duke of Saxony sent an agent to Bohemia disguised as a priest, who obtained sufficient information on the process to enable the Duke to begin the manufacture of tin plate in his own country, and Bohemia and Saxony became the principal sources of tin plate for a long period. It was used for many purposes and particularly for making body armor, shields and roofing parts for churches and other public buildings. England used considerable tin plate imported from Saxony and Bohemia and, having iron mines and the greatest tin mines in the world at that period and the use of tin plate increasing in England, led to efforts to discover the secret of the process of its manufacture. About 16G0, Andrew Yarrington went to Saxony and

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succeeded in obtaining sufficient knowledge of the manufacture of tin plate to enable him on his return to England in 1665 to experiment with success and in 1670 was able to produce commercial tin plate. Many existing conditions tended to interfere with the development of the infant industry and it was not until 1720, when Major John Hambury established his tin plate works at Pontypool, Wales, that a pronounced advance was recorded. Many improvements in manufacturing was introduced in these works, the substitution of rolls to do the work formerly done with hammers being one of the most important, and it is said that John Payne and Major Hambury together are responsible for this change in methods which proved the greatest step in advancement in the history of tin plate, and put Wales in the lead as a producer. They constructed a sheet rolling mill in 1728 and the rolled sheets were far superior to hammered sheets, being more pliable, more uniform as to gauge and could be made of much greater rectangular dimensions, and also produced at a greatly reduced cost. Constant improvements were made in methods of manufacture and for the succeeding 175 years Wales was able to lead the world as a producer of tin plate. In 1890 she had the world’s market practically to herself and 70 per cent of her output was exported to America.

Attempts to manufacture tin plate in the United States was undertaken in 1873 at Wellsville, Ohio, and at Leechburg, Pennsylvania, and in 1875 a plant was started at Demmler, near Pittsburgh. The difficulties and expense encountered in the establishment of a new industry combined with the low duty imposed on foreign tin plate caused the closing of the American works and no further attempt to establish the industry in our country was made until about the time of the passage of the tariff act of October 1, 1890, in which the previously existing duty on tin plate was more than doubled. As soon as this bill became operative in 1891, the manufacture of tin plate was resumed at the Demmler Works and plants were established at Elwood, Indiana, and other places in Pennsylvania and Ohio. The industry grew at the most astonishing rate, due largely to the invention of automatic can-making machinery, which was in successful operation shortly after 1890 and, at the present time, tin cans and containers take about two-thirds of the tin plate manufactured in this country, the total production of which now exceeds 30,000,000 base boxes. Gary is rapidly assuming a leading role in tin plate production and further facilities for its manufacture are contemplated in this new center of iron and steel.

PRESENT DAY CONSUMPTION OF IRON AND STEEL — The extension of the use of steel into new channels has been one of the striking developments in the industry of late years. Going back into history for the purpose of comparison we find the production of steel rails in 1887 was 2,000,000 tons, or 75 per cent of the entire production of finished steel in that year.

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For the past five years the average production of steel rails was 2,500,000 tons, or only 9 per cent of the average annual production of rolled -steel products in the same period. The increase in steel rail production was only 25 per cent since 1887, but the total steel output increased over 1000 per cent. The present production of steel tubular products which was in the infancy stage in 1887 is now actually greater than the production of steel rails. One of the greatest expansions in tonnage since the World war is that of sheets. In 1919 the production was 2,100,000 gross tons of black sheets and in 1925 was 4,100,000 tons. The sheet steel trade extension committee now advises that there are 800 articles in common use in which sheets are now used or can be used. Among many new uses for sheets the steel house is coming and its influence should be felt in the near future. Hot rolled strips increased in tonnage 140 per cent since 1919 or from 500,000 to 1,200,000 tons. The present day consumption shows that 45 per cent of the steel used is in products not connected with railroads, construction or automobiles, and the great future expansion in production may be looked for in the many products which constitute this 45 per cent and in the development of new uses for the metal. When the United States Steel Corporation was formed in 1901 they had a percentage control on some items of production of as high as 65 per cent, but in the years that have elapsed this percentage of control has decreased in many lines to 40 per cent. With this percentage factor in mind, the growth of the steel company will show the growth of the iron and steel industry during the past 25 years. In 1902 the steel corporation paid $2,391,465 in taxes, but in 1925 they paid $50,923,191. In the same period the gross business of the United States Steel Corporation increased from $560,510,479 to $1,406,505,195. The number of employees increased from 168,127 to 249,833, or approximately 50 per cent, but the pay roll increased from $120,528,343 to $456,740,355. The average yearly earnings per employee were $717 in 1902 and $1,828 in 1925. In 1902 the average earnings per employee per day were $2.33 and in 1925 the average was $5.88. The Steel Corporation has advanced the wages of labor time and again, always on its own initiative and without solicitation from the workmen. Only twice since it was organized in 1902 has it been compelled to reduce the labor scale and then under the severest stress and only after dividends on the common stock had been reduced or passed out altogether.

ORE DEPOSITS — While there is a vast number of mineral species that contain iron, there are only a few that are of any importance commercially, because in most cases, either the iron content is too low to justify the extraction of the metal or the mineral itself does not occur in sufficient abundance to make it available for use as an ore and in only a few sections in America have there been found ore deposits of sufficient size and with favorable transportation facilities so the mining of these deposits could

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be conducted on a very large scale and meet the demands of the present day iron industry. It is evident that the economic importance of an ore deposit depends to a great extent upon its size and location. Thus, an ore that is very desirable from a standpoint of chemical composition and physical condition may be so located as to be practically inaccessible or, granting it can be made accessible, the amount of ore in the deposit may not justify the expense of obtaining it. On the other hand, a poor ore may be so conveniently located that it may be concentrated at a profit. With the exception of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company, which obtains its ore from the Birmingham district in Alabama, all the constituent companies of the United States Steel Corporation and nearly all the other large steel companies not allied with it, depend upon the Lake Superior district for their ore and approximately four-fifths of the entire iron ore output of the United States now comes from there and for a long time to come it will continue to be the most important source of ore supply. The ore occurs in isolated areas around Lake Superior in the states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota and a part of the Canadian Province of Ontario. Within the borders of the United States, the six principal areas of the Lake Superior district in which the ore bodies are found are the Marquette, Menominee, Gogebic, Vermillion, Missabe and Cuyuna ranges. The Marquette Range is on the southern shore of the lake a short distance from the city of Marquette, Michigan, and was first opened in 1854. The Menominee Range is a short distance south of the Marquette Range and was first opened in 1862. The Gogebic Range is not far from the shore of the lake and partly in Wisconsin and partly in Michigan and quantity shipments were first made in 1884. It is said that from 140,000,000 to 150,000,000 tons of ore have been shipped from each of these deposits since first opened. The Vermillion Range located in northeastern Minnesota was opened in 1884 and about 50,000,000 tons of ore have been taken from it. The Missabe Range and Cuyuna Range were the last of the great ore bodies of the Lake Superior district to be discovered and opened. The Cuyuna Range is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, about 100 miles west of Duluth. Approximately 20,000,000 tons of ore have been taken from the Cuyuna Range and some of its deposits have been found to contain a very high per cent of manganese and are being worked for their manganese contents only. It is from the Missabe Range that the great ore shipments are made in the Lake Superior district. It is located in Minnesota northwest of Lake Superior and extends in an east and west direction approximately 100 miles, the iron formation being found on the southern slope. Approximately 700,000 long tons of ore have been taken from this great deposit since it was opened in 1892 and the greater part of the pig iron produced in this country comes from the ore in this deposit. Underground methods of

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mining are employed almost without exception in the Marquette, Menominee, Gogebic and Vermillion Range deposits as the ore bodies extend to great depths but while some underground methods of mining are employed on the Missabe Range, the ore bodies are, as a rule, flat-lying with occasional large areas of out crop and therefore open pit mining is general and in this method the steam shovel is an important factor. The ores from this district must be transported from 300 to 1,000 or more miles, depending upon the location of the mines and the furnaces and the usual transportation method is a short railroad haul from the mines to the lake port and then by modern ore carrying boats to lake destinations where furnaces are located or to other ports where reshipment of the ore is made by rail to furnaces located some distance inland.

WAGES IN THE IRON AND STEEL INDUSTRY — In addition to better working and housing conditions and other advantages possessed by workmen



in the steel plants of the Lake and Calumet Region it is interesting to note the wage advantages possessed by employees in American iron and steel plants generally by comparison with wages paid in European countries. J. C. Bowen of the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor, made a recent survey of wages paid and hours of labor in the iron and steel industry of Germany and England and as reported in the Iron Age found that in Germany it was difficult to make a comparison with American wages on account of physical di(Terences in the character of equipment used in both countries. Occupations in prominent departments of the industry were selected by Iron Age from the report and what was believed to be a fair comparison was arrived at. Nearly all of the American employees in the industry are on an eight hour basis while in Germany most of the employees work ten hours, so that the figures in the table are based on a theoretical ten hour day with the exception of the blast furnace department, in which department the workmen in both countries work eight hours.

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                                                                                    Per Cent
                                German        American                of American
                              (Maximum      (Average                       Wage
                                 Wage)            Wage)                  Over German
Blast Furnace
Blower                       $2.33             $7.21                           209
Keeper                        2.07               4.61                           123
Blooming Mill
Roller                          3.99             14.98                           275
Shearman                   2.12               8.12                           283
Laborer                       2.27               4.51                            99
Plate Mill
Roller                          3.71            13.64                            268
Shearman                   2.98              7.83                            163
Bar Mill
Roller                          5.52            17.00                            208
Heater                         4.57             9.54                            109
Laborers                      2.07             4.11                              98

GREAT BRITAIN — As reported by Iron Age, the survey by Mr. Bowen on the wage scale in Great Britain shows a sliding scale arrangement whereby wages go up or down with the selling price of the product and the wages reported are based on the price of the product at the time the report was made. It was found that the American employee received from 75 to 125 per cent more than was paid the British employee and in some cases the American wage was three times that paid in Great Britain.

                                            British            American            Per Cent
                                             Wage               Wage               Increase
Blast furnaces                        $1.44               $3.12                    116
Open-hearth furances               1.64                3.53                    115
Puddling mills                           1.60                2.84                      77
Bar mills                                  1.79                3.40                      90

While wages for skilled workmen in both America and Great Britain are very much higher than for common labor the ratio of difference of the amount paid is about the same as for common labor, the American employee getting from 75 to 125 per cent more on an average per week. The highest wage shown at three blast furnaces visited in England was $27.83 for a full-time week, the stack being hand charged. The highest paid by the mechanically charged furnace visited was $26.38. Other wages paid in England at blast furnaces were staggers, $18.49 to $20.64; blowing engineers, $19.44; pumpmen, $14.72; stovemen, first, $19.44; coke filler, $16.38 to $23.05; hoistman, $23.21; coke crane driver, $17.73;

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and turbo driver, $16.56. Labor union officials gave the wage per shift for puddling from $3.54 to $3.85 and for the helper $2.12 to $2.31.

FRANCE AND BELGIUM — In France and Belgium wages were always low even as compared with Great Britain and Germany before the war and were not considered a suitable living wage before the war. French and Belgium wages in the steel industry have risen as expressed in francs but the gold value of francs have fallen more than the increase in the number of francs paid so that in these countries a laborer cannot buy



nearly so much with a day’s pay as before the war. On the other hand there is at present full-time work in the industry in both countries which was not the case before the war and the annual wages of an individual laborer at this time may be higher than before the war by working 40 per cent more days per year. At the present time the average hourly rate in France and Belgium is between three and four francs or from $1.00 to $1.25 per day.

GARY — It may be said that nearly all of the principal industries in Gary are directly or indirectly a part of the United States Steel Corporation, whose investments in Gary must be well over $150,000,000. It has been well said that the fires in the great steel mills are never extinguished and there is no hour of the day but a shift of employees are steadily at work, each group or shift working eight hours and 90 per cent of those employed are men. The principal United States Steel Corpora-

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tion plants are operated by the Illinois Steel Company with 15,000 employees; the American Sheet and Tin Plate Company with 6,200; The American Bridge Company with 1,200; The National Tube Company with 2,500 and the Universal Portland Cement Company with 2,000. Other subsidiary companies like the Gary Heat, Light and Water Company and the Gary Street Railway Company have 300 additional employees. Im-



portant industries not connected with the United States Steel Corporation are the Walter Bates Steel Corporation with 125 employees; Schleicher Inc., with 300; Gary Screw and Bolt Company with 500; Kernchen-Arex Ventilator Company with 100; the Union Drawn Steel Company with 500 and the Anderson Company with 75 employees. The total factory operatives in Gary number well over 30,000 and the annual payroll of the industries above mentioned and including the Elgin, Joliet

790

and Eastern Railroad and the Calumet Gas and Electric Company with a total of 2,000 employees approximate $60,000,000. The story of the steel plants in Gary has been one of continuous expansion and during 1926 it is said that $18,000,000 was invested by the United States Steel Company in new construction and improvements. It is unofficially stated also that more than $30,000,000 will be invested in a construction program beginning this year of which amount $10,000,000 will be expended for the expansion of the plants of the American Sheet and Tin Plate Company and large sums will be invested in new tube mill construction and equipment. The American Bridge Company manufactures structural steel; The American Sheet and Tin Plate Company, sheet steel and tin plate; the Gary Screw and Bolt Company, bolts, nuts, screws and rivets; The National Tube Company, steel tubing; the Union Drawn Steel Company, cold drawn steel; while the Illinois Steel Company manufactures rails, bar mill products, rounds, squares, hexagons, ovals, flats, bands, tire and vehicle spring steel, strip steel rolled structural shapes, tie plates, splice bars, concrete bars, nut ats, window sash and fence posts, rivet, bolt and screw stock, drop forged steel, rolled steel wheels, axles, coke, tar, ammonia liquor, ammonia sulphate, napthalene, motor benzol silvent naphtha, pure benzol, pure toluol, pig iron and blast furnace products, open hearth steel, billets, blooms, slabs and sheet bars, and plates. The plants of the United States Steel Corporation collectively produce more steel than any other steel producing center on earth having recently passed the Pittsburgh district in production. Of the approximate 47,000,000 tons of steel produced in this country about one-sixth is produced in the Calumet Region, more than two-thirds of which is produced in the Gary plants.

AMERICAN SHEET AND TIN PLATE COMPANY, GARY PLANTS — The American Sheet and Tin Plate Company’s Gary Mills are located on the lake front at the head of Buchanan Street. They are reached over a concrete road built, maintained, and lighted by the company. A private car line is leased to the Gary Street Railway. Cars running on these tracks which take the men to and from work carry more passengers than any other branch of the street railway system.

The property consists, of approximately 210 acres, and the buildings cover approximately 50 acres. Ground was broken for these mills March 9, 1910; the first mill was started June 1, 1911; and the last unit was completed in 1919. The two plants consist of: 2 plate mills, 4 jobbing mills, 16 sheet mills, 48 tin mills, 10 galvanizing pots and 96 tinning pots. These plants employ approximately 7,000 operatives.

The mills require approximately 800,000 tons of semi-finished steel annually, which is converted into plates, black and galvanized sheets and tin and black plates. The product is used for innumerable purposes,

791

among which are freight and passenger cars, buildings, automobiles, furniture, containers, cans, etc.

The buildings are of the most modern design for the manufacture of the various products, with auxiliary buildings such as two emergency hospitals, rest rooms, wash rooms, and restaurants where meals are served at cost. The hot mill building is the greatest in length of any owned by the steel corporation.

Very little ordinary labor is used in the sheet and tin mills, since these lines of activity require practically all skilled labor. The monthly payroll is approximately $1,000,000.



The American Sheet and Tin Plate Company supports a community house which is open day and night. Two full time welfare workers are employed, one is a field nurse who investigates each case of sickness, gives instructions in nursing, bedside care, and does general welfare visiting among the employees of the company. The second worker is at the house, which is a model home for the average workman. She gives instructions in sewing, cooking, and housekeeping to the children of the neighborhood and to the many mothers who come to her with all kinds of troubles and cares. A Boy Scout troop meets in this house. The supplies and equipment are furnished by the company.

THE GARY SCREW & BOLT COMPANY — The Gary Screw & Bolt Company was founded in 1912 and incorporated in the same year; in 1925 it was reorganized and in the same year absorbed the Continental Bolt and Iron Works of Chicago. The general officers are now in the Peoples Gas Build-

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ing of Chicago, and the concern is affiliated with the Pittsburgh Screw and Bolt Company. The three plants, Gary, Pittsburgh, and Chicago, have the largest capacity of any similar industry in this country. The Gary plant alone employs between 450 and 500 men, and has an annual capacity of 50,000 tons. The line manufactured embraces bolts of all descriptions, finished and unfinished.

WALTER BATES STEEL CORPORATION — This new acquisition to the industrial life of Gary was in January, 1926, at which time Walter Bates finished the construction of his new plant dedicated to the manufacture of steel products. Mr. Bates is the son of the well-known A. J. Bates of East Chicago, who for many years has manufactured the Bates Steel Truss and other internationally known products. Walter Amos Bates is the president of the Gary concern, and Luke D. Stapleton, Jr., of New York, is vice president. It employs about 125 persons, and the demand for its products has been so great that further building extensions have been made necessary. It enjoys the unique distinction of having the only electrically heated galvanizing kettle in the world and does much of the galvanizing work for other concerns in this region. The products include steel towers and poles used by public utilities, and a general demand has been created due to important features contained in these items which are absent from those of competitors.

SAFETY, SANITATION AND WELFARE WORK — This work on the part of the United States Steel Corporation and its various subsidiary companies is conducted through committees on safety, sanitation, housing conditions and medical and surgical practices. In each plant workmen’s safety committees are organized consisting of members from the rank and file of the mill, and plant departmental and special committees composed of foremen, master mechanics and skilled workmen, who study and investigate particularly such problems as relate to the safety of the employes. While the work of the United States Steel Corporation in safety, sanitation and welfare work includes all the plants and mines of the company, this story particularly has reference to the plants in Gary, where the greatest care and attention is given to prevent accidents. Safety meetings are regularly held by the employes and the elimination of every possible hazard is studied and prevented against wherever possible. Much attention is given to cleanliness and orderliness in the conduct of work, which are important factors in the prevention of accidents, and inspection committees are constant in their watchfulness to remove hazards and perfect safety conditions. The accident prevention activities inaugurated by the United States Steel Corporation in 1906 have resulted in 80 per cent reduction in disabling accidents in all their plants and mines, and in this connection the Gary plants have an excellent record for safety. Should an accident

794

occur, the injured employe, no matter how trivial the injury may be, is sent to the emergency hospital, where he receives prompt attention. If the injury proves of a serious nature, the employe is immediately removed to the Illinois Steel Company’s Hospital for treatment. This wonderful hospital institution in Gary provides centralized hospital service for ail subsidiary companies of the United States Steel Corporation in the Gary district. The building is a fireproof structure and has accommodations for 126 patients. In the Gary plants the most modern sanitary facilities have been provided for the convenience and comfort of the employes and much study and care has been given to safeguarding the health of the employes and their families. Comfort stations with adequate toilet facilities, including washing faucets and basins, showers, lockers and sanitary drinking fountains, are installed in the plants; recreation rooms have been established and lunchrooms and kitchens provided. The restaurants at the Gary plants are models of cleanliness and sanitation, where



the most wholesome food is sold at cost to the employes. A supply of pure wholesome drinking water is provided which is inspected periodically and the water analyzed and great care is taken to prevent possible pollution by surface water or otherwise. The best of sanitary methods are employed in the cooling and distribution of drinking water. The plant buildings for employes are provided with overhead hanging arrangements or lockers, and contact of the clothing of one person with that of another is thereby prevented. Through the adoption of sanitary methods and practices, physical conditions in the plants have been raised to a high standard and occupational disease and ordinary illnesses among the workers have been minimized. The services of visiting nurses are provided to improve the general health and increase the happiness of the employes and their families. The principal duty of the nurses is to give instructions in those things which will enable the employes to better their condition mentally, physically and materially. While the services of the nurses are free, they are not permitted to visit the homes of the employes

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on no condition unless requested to do so by a member of the family. They are as a rule most welcome in the homes of the employes and through their experience and training are of great aid in giving instructions and advice in matters of household sanitation, economical purchase of home necessities, care of children — especially in infancy — and the numerous and perplexing problems confronting the mother. Conducting day nurseries for the purpose of taking care of the children of widows who are obliged to do domestic and other types of work in order to support their children are among the many duties performed by the nurses. For the benefit of the wives and children of the employes, and particularly the foreign born, housekeeping centers have been established, where special instructors conduct classes in the preparation and cooking of food, the care and feeding of infants, dressmaking and many other subjects of



importance in the home. Besides providing object lessons for the wives and children of the employes in demonstrating what may be accomplished in their own homes with particularly the same layout and equipment, these practical housekeeping centers afford an excellent opportunity for the women and children of the employes to mingle socially. Many clubs for women, for boys and girls, with distinct and special aims, have been organized as a result of meetings in the housekeeping centers. The United States Steel Corporation has been particularly active in promoting both indoor and outdoor centers of health and recreational activities. The Jackson playground, the East Side Park and Gleason Park in Gary are conspicuous examples of the work in this direction, where outdoor sports and recreational activities are indulged in and where employes’ outdoor picnics and gatherings are held. Educational work has been conducted for years among the employes in Gary for the purpose of increasing the

796

efficiency of the workmen by teaching the fundamentals and more advanced principles involved in their individual lines of work, thereby increasing their earning power and guiding them along paths of quicker and deeper reasoning and leading them to positions of increasing responsibility in all departments of the mills. The educational courses are offered to meet the needs of employes who are desirous of advancement whether he is a graduate of a university or is without special school advantages. The organization of Good Fellowship clubs is encouraged by the steel company at their plants. The Good Fellowship Club of the Illinois Steel Company at Gary has a large membership, the management being entirely in the hands of the members. In addition to extending relief in cases



of sickness and disease among the members of the club, it conducts many social activities, which are largely attended. The problem of providing good housing accommodations for employes was early given attention in Gary, where dwellings were erected with every modern comfort and convenience and sold to the employes by the steel corporations at cost or leased to them at low rental rates, and where time was necessary for the payment of the home, the employe was given advantage of the long-time home-owning plan. Under the stock subscription plan of the United States Steel Corporation a great many of the employes of the steel plants in Gary have become stockholders in the United States Steel Corporation, and inasmuch as there are a great many employes with long years of service, Gary will soon have a large number of beneficiaries of the pension plan of the United States Steel Corporation. It would take volumes to enumerate all the modern, progressive, humane provisions of treatment instituted in Gary by the United States Steel Corporation for the benefit

797

of their employes and their families. To any one familiar with the old conditions existing throughout the country where steel plants or raw materials are located, it is a revelation to visit the City of Gary and note the high standard of employes’ homes, with modern facilities, parks and playgrounds. A careful and concerted study has been made in the best methods evolved by modern experiments in science, economy and sociology as applied to industry in order to contribute in the largest measure to the happiness, health, comfort and efficiency of the employes and their families, and promote loyalty to the institution of which they are a part. From 1912 to 1925 the United States Steel Corporation has spent in its safety, sanitation and welfare campaign a total of $158,188,043, and of this amount Gary has received a generous share. When the campaign was started in 1906, Judge Gary, in behalf of the finance committee of the Steel Corporation, promised that any reasonable request for funds to insure greater safety for the men in the mines or mills or to better their condition would never be refused, and this promise has been sacredly kept.

HAMMOND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT — The phenomenal growth of Hammond in the past thirty years, from a village to the present modern municipality, is due to its splendid situation for the development of industries, which year by year have increased in number, and many of which have become of outstanding importance in their line of products. Not only is the number of industries a noticeable factor in a study of the industrial situation, but even more striking is the diversification which gives to Hammond a measure of stability not enjoyed by many other industrial centers. Going back to the foundation of the village, we find the usual small industries associated with the early life of a community and others which came into being when the Hammond Packing Company plant was established. Only one of these developed into a large business, a small albumin factory established by J. M. Hirsch near the old Hohman Street bridge in 1874, which was the predecessor of the Hirsch-Stein Company’s large glue and fertilizer plant, and now the United Chemical & Organic Products Company. The efforts of M. M. Towle and James N. Young in the late ‘70s and ‘80s to promote the industrial growth of Hammond resulted in the establishment of Tuthill Spring Company Works, a vinegar works, the Hammond Buggy Company, the East Chicago Steel Works, the Kingsley Foundry, the Chicago Steel Manufacturing Company, the Chicago Carriage Works, and the Hammond Corn Syrup Works. They aided also in the establishment of the Chicago & Calumet Terminal Railroad and the Western Indiana line, their interests in which were later purchased by Gen. J. T. Torrence and others of Chicago, who were then taking an active interest in the development of Hammond and the East Chicago territory. The Chicago Steel Manufacturing Company operated both steel works and nail mills, which were burned in 1904, the business

798

being later reorganized. The railroad strike in 1894 was a blow which retarded the development of the region for some years. It was a period of general stagnation in the business of mining and manufacturing all over the country and Hammond was one of the centers of the disturbances resulting from the strike of the American Railway Union. The civil officers were unable to maintain order in Hammond and the President sent United States troops into the territory, who, with 800 State Militia, guarded the railway tracks and stations and trains in transit, in order to permit the operation of the United States Railway Mail Service. Conflicts between soldiers and strikers were frequent, and it was several months before civil order was completely restored. The advantages of Hammond for manufacturing were becoming known, and in a few years the railway employes’ strike was almost forgotten and some important industries were established in the city. The removal of the Hammond Packing Company to Chicago in 1901 was a severe loss, but in 1904 the industrial development went forward by leaps and bounds without any extended period of relaxation to the present day. Lack of space prevents an extended account of the various industries, but a short story of some of the important ones follows:

American Steel Foundries — In 1897 the Simplex Railway Appliance Company began manufacturing a line of railway equipment which developed into a great industry. In 1913 it became a unit of the American Steel Foundries and it is one of the sound substantial manufacturing establishments in the Calumet Region, employing 750 men, and manufacturing brake beams, bolsters, clasp brakes, springs, and other car and railway equipment. The plant is located on the north bank of the Grand Calumet, between the Indiana Harbor and the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Belt lines, which with their own track connections give the American Steel Foundries excellent railway facilities to their sources of material supply in the region and to all of the various railway trunk lines.

The W. B. Conkey Company — The large printing and publishing plant of this progressive company was located in Hammond in 1898 and greatly accelerated the growth of the city, and for nearly thirty years has been one of its most important industries. Its transfer from Chicago to Hammond gave it many advantages in operation while retaining its opportunities of doing business in the great metropolis, which was only a few miles away. Its business has widened and extended, and it is today one of the largest printing and publishing plants in the world. The business is entirely located on the ground floor, in the midst of parks and gardens. Modern, progressive, humane provisions of treatment were inaugurated to insure happy and contented employes, who now number about 1,200, and as would be expected they are an intensely loyal organization to their employers.

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F. S. Betz Company — In 1904 the F. S. Betz Company established a plant on the north bank of the Grand Calumet which has developed into the largest plant in the world for the manufacture of hospital and surgical supplies and now having more than 250 employes. Its plant is of large size and of the most modern type of construction, and the output of the company includes surgical, dental and veterinary instruments, orthopedic apparatus, wooden limbs and braces, and nearly everything needed in a modern equipped hospital or in the office or laboratory of physicians, surgeons and dentists. The Betz products, which amount to several millions annually, are known and used in medical practitioners’ offices and hospitals all over the civilized world. Its founder, F. S. Betz, after a wonderful career of success in developing the business from a small beginning, recently retired from its management, having sold his interest.

Straube Piano Company — The year 1904 also saw the establishment of the Straube Piano Company plant, which moved from Chicago to share in the economic advantages for manufacturing possessed by Hammond. The company now has about 300 employes, in a modern plant, with excellent railway facilities, being located on two railroad lines. The business has expanded steadily since its foundation because of the excellence of its product, which commands a wide sale, and is one of the solid business institutions of which Hammond is proud.

Standard Steel Car Company — The largest industry in the City of Hammond, the Standard Steel Car Works, was established in the western part of the city in 1907. Its yards, mills and factories cover nearly a square mile and it has 3,000 highly paid employes. It manufactures freight and passenger railroad cars of every type, and the growth of the industry from its foundation is responsible in a large measure for the phenomenal increase in the population of Hammond.

Illinois Car and Manufacturing Company — Another important industry to Hammond is the Illinois Car and Manufacturing Company, the business of which has steadily expanded since it was founded. For a number of years special attention has been given to the manufacture of freight cars, and a large volume of business has been developed in this line. At present the company has about 800 employes.

American Maize Products Company — The diversity of products manufactured in Hammond, as shown in the preceding story of some of Hammond’s solid industries, was still further added to in 1908 in the establishment of the American Maize Products Company. The company manufactures corn syrup, sugar and other corn products, in one of the most modern equipped factories for the purpose, and has nearly 200 highly paid employes.

Wanner Malleable Castings Company — Another industry of vital importance to Hammond is the Wanner Malleable Castings Company, which was established in 1914 and has 400 employes.

800

Enterprise Bed Company — A well established industry in Hammond is that of the Enterprise Bed Company, which for many years has been manufacturing bed springs, day beds, and porch hammocks, and it is one of the largest establishments in the United States for the manufacture of the above class of products. At the present time nearly 150 men are steadily employed in the plant.

Miscellaneous Important Industries — Other important well established industries in Hammond are the Central Railway Signal Company, which has 150 employes and manufactures railway fuses and torpedoes; the Federal Cement Tile Company, with 150 employes, and which makes cement tile roofing; the Hammond Dairy Company, with 100 employes; the Steel Car Forge Company, with 180 employes; the Taylor Chain Company, which manufactures iron and steel welded chain, and which has 100 employes. In recent years, through the activities of some leading citizens in Hammond, notably Peter B. Meyn, a prominent banker, Hammond has been steadily adding to its industries. Not a year goes by but a number of promising manufacturing enterprises locate there, and some of those established within the last five years have already demonstrated their ability to expand and be a vital force in the industrial welfare of the city. Among the industries which have located since 1918 are the Apparel Manufacturing Company, with 250 employes, which manufactures athletic underwear; the Camel Company, which manufactures railroad car parts and now employs 500 men; the Chicago Clothing Manufacturing Company, with 75 employes, which manufactures men’s clothing; the Kingley Shirt Company, with 150 employes; the LaSalle Steel Company, which manufactures cold drawn steel and which has 150 employes; the New York Car Wheel Company, with 200 employes, which manufactures car wheels; the Union Metal Products Company, which manufactures railroad specialties and has 100 employes; the Union Tank Company, with 250 employes, which manufactures tank cars; the Queen Anne Candy Company, with 450 employes; and the Pratt Food Company, which manufactures poultry feed and has 100 employes.

A full list of the wonderful diversified industries of Hammond, with the character of goods manufactured and the number of employes, follows:

                                                                                    Number of
                                                                                     Employes
Aldobilt Company, railroad specialties                                    30
American Maize Products Company, corn syrup, sugar, etc.   160
American Steel Foundries, brake beams, bolsters, clasp
    brakes, railway equipment, springs, etc.                           750
Apparel Manufacturing Company, athletic underwear             250
Auto-Craft Works, auto painting, trimming, tops                       9

801

Beatty Machinery and Manufacturing Company, punching
    and shearing machinery, general machine work, tools
    and dies, structural and miscellaneous iron work                60
Betz (Frank S.) Company, hospital and surgical supplies        250
Calumet Baking Company, bread                                          60
Calumet Products Company, soap products                             5
Calumet Roofing Company, slate and felt roofing                   15
Calumet Sheet Metal Works, furnaces, gutters                         7
Camel Company, railway supplies                                       500
Central Lumber and Mill Company, mill work                          25
Central Railway Signal Company, railway fuses and
    torpedoes                                                                      150
Champion Auto Equipment Company, auto bodies                   50
Champion Corporation, agricultural implements                      30
Chapin & Company, animal and poultry feed                          50
Chicago Clothing Manufacturing Company, men’s clothing       75
Concrete Units Company, concrete blocks                              18
Conkey, W. B., Company, printing and binding books,
    catalogues                                                                   1,000
Damascus Crucible Steel Castings Company, steel pipe
    weldings, balls                                                                  45
Enterprise Bed Company, bed springs, day beds,
    porch hammocks                                                             120
Esshom, Frank, Company, stepladders and washing
    machine parts                                                                   25
Federal Cement Tile Company, cement tile roofing                 150
Great Lakes Warehouse Company, storage                             50
Great Western Smelting and Refining Company                       ---
Hammond Bedding Company, mattresses                               10
Hammond Brass Works, valves, brass, bronze, and
    aluminum castings, machine work                                      90
Hammond Concrete Block Works, cement block and
    building tile                                                                      13
Hammond Cornice Works, furnaces, gutters                             5
Hammond Dairy Company, dairy products                            100
Hammond Foundry Company, general foundry                        50
Hammond Machine and Forge Works, machine and
    heavy black-smithing                                                        10
Hammond Modern Baking Company, baking products              35
Hammond Monument Works, monuments and Headstones         5
Hammond Plating Works, nickel, copper, brass plating and
    galvanizing                                                                        4
Hammond Pure Ice Company, ice                                          15
Hammond Shade and Awning Company, shades, awnings,
    draperies                                                                         18
Hammond Welding Works, repair work on broken metal parts    3
Hoess Brothers, general machinists                                        18
Hydrox Ice Cream Company, ice cream                                 18
Illinois Car and Manufacturing Company, freight cars             800
Illinois Interior Finish Company, lumber specialties                  20

802

Indiana Laboratories Company, analytical and consulting
    chemists                                                                            3
Indian Refining Company, gasoline and oils                              5
Indiana Sanitary Pottery Company, closet bowls and tanks       50
Indiana Herb Company, herb medicines                                  ---
International Steel Grip Company, steel grips                          12
Jersey Mail Company, ice cream manufacturers                       10
Jones & Laughlin Steel Company (projected; have
    1,300-acre tract in North Hammond)                                   ---
Kalman Brothers, corrugated bars                                          25
Katz Brothers, upholstered furniture                                       ---
Kingley Shirt Company, shirts                                               150
Lake County Printing and Publishing Company                         72
LaSalle Steel Company, cold drawn steel, screw steel
    shafting, alloy steel                                                          150
LaVendor Cigar Company, cigars                                            70
Linde Air Products Company (see Prest-O-Lite)                        ---
Majestic Iron and Steel Company, scrap iron                           15
Marland Refining Company, petroleum products                       65
Marvel Company, vacuum cleaners                                         50
Metals Refining Company, smelting, refining                           125
National Livestock Remedy Company, medicines                      10
New York Car Wheel Company, car wheels                            200
Nevado Cigar Company, cigars                                                2
Norris Grain Company, oats, corn, etc.                                    12
Northern Indiana Gas and Electric Company, gas and
    electrical service                                                              630
Nowak Milling Company, poultry, stock feed                             40
Paige & Jones Chemical Company, boiler feed water
    treatments, Zeolite water softeners, pressure sand filters      35
Portland Concrete Machinery Company, concrete mixing
    machinery                                                                         ---
Popper Iron Company, iron and steel scrap                              40
Pratt Food Company, chicken feed                                         100
Prest-O-Lite Company, acetylene                                            23
Queen Anne Candy Company, candy                                     480
Rennolds Equipment Company, general machinists                   12
Roxana Petroleum Corporation                                                ---
Safe Seed Company, seed                                                     15
Star Sheet Metal Works, furnaces, gutters                                 6
Standard Steel Car Company, railroad cars of all types,
    freight and passenger                                                    3,000
Steel Car Forge Company, forgings                                       180
Straube Piano Company, pianos and players                          300
SiFo Products Company, roofing and shingles                           12

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Swift & Company, packers                                                      40
Taylor Chain Company, iron and steel welded chain                100
Tower Manufacturing Company, sheet iron specialties for
    grain handling                                                                    20
Union Metal Products Company, railroad specialties                 100
Union Tank Car Company, tank cars                                      250
United Boiler Heating and Foundry Company, structural
    steel fabric and erection, castings, patterns, tanks, etc.        165
Viking Engine Company, general machinists, Ford
    piston implements                                                              10
Wanner Malleable Castings Company, castings                        400
Weller Metal Products Company, sheet iron specialties for
    grain handling                                                                    75
Wolff Manufacturing Company, plumbing, heating and
    mill supplies                                                                       35
Winer (M.) & Son Manufacturing Company, overall
    manufacturers                                                                    25

EAST CHICAGO-INDIANA HARBOR INDUSTRIES — The industries of East Chicago have an assessed valuation exceeding $100,000,000 and are now paying annually to their 25,000 or more employes from forty to fifty million dollars for labor. The valuation of the manufactured products exceeds $300,000,000 a year. This is a wonderful story of industrial progress in less than a quarter of a century and is the result of an ideal location with harbor facilities on Lake Michigan, railroad connections to all parts of the country, raw materials only a short journey away, and an inviting foundation prepared by C. W. Hotchkiss and his predecessors — more fully described in the history of East Chicago — and which afforded such facilities to the development of industry that some of the leading concerns in America established plants there. The stability of the industrial situation in East Chicago is apparent at a glance. Steel and allied industries are strongly represented in East Chicago, the oil industry is firmly established there, and just over the eastern boundary line is the Universal Portland Cement Company’s plant and a long list of East Chicago products are regularly shipped to every market in the world. The diversity of products is remarkable and included in the list are pig iron, castings, rivets, structural steel, plates and sheets, bolts, nuts, pipes, poles, gasoline, kerosene, gas and fuel oil, lubricating oils, refined wax, asphalt products, candles, grease and also pipe line, refinery and tank car equipment. In addition is a varied list of railroad supplies which includes axles, superheaters, rivets, cars and miscellaneous castings. Many of the East Chicago plants are controlled by the giant corporations of America, still further adding to industrial stability, as their resources assure every facility for low-cost manufacturing and the development and maintenance of markets for the products. Sentiment had no relation to their location in East Chicago; only desirability from every standpoint of manufacturing and marketing was the reason for the establishment

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of their plants. Anaconda Copper, Standard Oil, United States Steel, Sinclair Oil, Republic Iron and Steel, Grasselli Chemical, U. S. S. Lead, American Steel Foundries, Inland Steel, Cudahy Packing Company, General American Tank Car, Roxana Petroleum, Republic Iron and Steel, and Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company are among the corporations with millions of invested capital and most modern plants in the East Chicago



industrial section. With the favorable manufacturing conditions existing, which assure the permanency of their industrial activities, their presence insures community stability, continuous growth and regularity of pay rolls. An invaluable asset of the City of East Chicago, Whiting and Hammond is the Indiana Harbor ship canal which connects the waters of Lake Michigan with the Grand Calumet River. The year 1926 was a record-breaking season for the Indiana Harbor port, the principal raw material received being iron ore, limestone and coal, and the shipments

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were gasoline, refined oil and steel. The official figures show the total tonnage to and from the port to be 6,235,747, and of this total there were tons of gasoline and refined oil shipped from the refineries, and 30,295 tons of steel from the local mills. There were 784,847 tons of stone brought into the East Chicago mills from Michigan ports, as well as 3,044,233 tons of ore, and 1,646,372 tons of coal passed through Indiana Harbor via the water route. Lack of space prevents a comprehensive story on all of the East Chicago industries, but a brief story of the most important ones follows:

Graver Corporation, East Chicago — The Graver Corporation, the pioneer industry in East Chicago, was organized in Lima, Ohio, in 1857, and moved to East Chicago in 1888. The original name of the company was William Graver Tank Works, and for a number of years its business was limited to tank building alone. In the early days of the company tanks were crude, clumsy affairs of heavy iron with a filling material between the joints. William Graver, who founded the industry, conceived the idea of building tanks of light weight steel having metal to metal joints sealed by forcing the metal together under the caulking hammer. It was a successful form of construction and led to the building of tanks of varying capacity from 500 gallons to 80,000 barrels. The smaller tanks are built completely in the shop and shipped ready for use, while the larger tanks are fabricated at the Company’s plant and erected where they are to be used. The progress of the Company for years has been notable and their products are now grouped under four main headings: Tanks, General Steel Plate Construction, Oil Refinery Equipment, and Water Softeners and Filterers. William Graver, Sr., the founder of the industry and now deceased, was president of the concern until his death in 1915. The active heads at the present time are his sons, J. P. Graver, W. F. Graver, P. S. Graver, A. N. Graver, and H. S. Graver. Their business capacity is shown in the wonderful success of the Graver Corporation of East Chicago, which is one of its important industries, with 500 skilled, well paid employes.

American Steel Foundries, East Chicago — This great industrial concern, with eight steel casting plants, is the largest manufacturer of steel castings in the United States. Their plants are divided into two groups: The specialty plants, which manufacture the various railroad specialties, and the miscellaneous plants, which manufacture a general line of steel castings. The Indiana Harbor Works belongs to the miscellaneous group and manufacture castings from over 35,000 different patterns, weighing from a few ounces to twenty-five tons. The East Chicago plant has the largest capacity of any miscellaneous steel foundry in America, and fifty-seven of the company’s 165 acres in East Chicago are used for production purposes. The plant has the most modern equipment, including

806

a research laboratory, and has every facility for the production of the highest class castings at low cost. The Indiana Harbor plant employs 800 men. The general manager is F. A. Lorenz, Jr.

The Hubbard Steel Foundry Company, East Chicago — In 1909 J. W. Hubbard and Albert Pack of Pittsburgh foresaw the great future of the Calumet Region as a steel center and decided to locate a steel foundry in the East Chicago district. A year later they purchased the old Davidson Iron Foundry as a foundation for the Hubbard Steel Foundry Company which they formed. New buildings were erected and an open hearth steel furnace was installed, and at that time it had an annual capacity of 3,600 tons of rough steel castings. From this foundation the plant has grown steadily and is now the largest foundry in the Calumet district, operating four departments and having an annual capacity of

tons of steel castings, steel, alloy and iron rolls. With the growth of the steel industry has come a demand for more mill equipment, and to help meet this demand the Hubbard Steel Foundry Company erected and equipped a large machine shop in 1925. This important addition to the facilities of the company greatly increased their business for rolling mill equipment. Industrial cars are also a new product for which an excellent demand has been created, and the company also manufactures a line of tube mill machines, mill tables, billet pushers, pinch rollers, furnace equipment and an extended and varied line of mill machinery. To manufacture these products the company has had to install some of the latest and largest types of machine tools in use in the Chicago district. The business is in direct charge of J. T. Osier, who is vice president and general manager. R. W. Freeland, who is manager of the plant, has had years of experience in the steel foundry industry. He formerly was manager of the American Steel Foundry, and later superintendent of the Edgewater Steel Company of Oakmont, Pennsylvania. H. DeWitt Reed, a graduate of the Eastman Kodak organization, is another member of the official family of the Hubbard Steel Foundry Company. Mr. Reed is an engineer of attainment, having largely specialized in combustion engineering. James Thompson is another member of the official staff and is broadly educated in technical phases of manufacturing. The great success of the Hubbard Steel Foundry Company, and especially in breaking into new fields, shows the high engineering qualifications of the officials in charge of the industry. The company employs 850 men.

Green Engineering Company, East Chicago — This successful industrial institution is another of the pioneer organizations in East Chicago, having been organized in 1897, to manufacture a mechanical stoker for the burning of bituminous coal. The first plant of the company was located at Harvey, Illinois, but later they removed to Chicago, where they remained for six years. The demand for their product having greatly increased,

807

they secured a location in East Chicago in 1905, enlarging their plant from time to time. When they first located in East Chicago they had thirty employes, but now 200 men are required. The plant is now a subsidiary of the International Combustion Engineering Corporation and the product is quite diversified. Burners and dryers for the Lopulco system of pulverized firing; structural fabrication for air pre-heaters; Coxe-Green forced draft and self-contained stokers; combustion arches, coal and ash hoppers and conveyors are now regular products of the plant. Great strides have been made in the combustion field in the last ten years, in which the International Combustion Engineering Corporation has been the leader and new methods and equipment are materializing rapidly. The Green plant is now fabricating the equipment for a low temperature carbonization process of coal in pulverized form which will recover practically all the by-products in coal which are now wasted. The “combustion” steam generator, which is one-third the size of the present type of boiler of the same capacity, is a recent development at the plant. L. W. Klein, the vice president and general manager, before coming to the Green Engineering Company, had years of service with the Robert Hoe Company, manufacturers of printing presses, and later with the Cox Travelling Grate Company as superintendent. He has been general manager and vice president of the Green Company since 1924.

Sinclair Refining Company, East Chicago — Ten years ago, in 1917, a group of men trudged through drifting snow and facing an icy wind to inspect a barren stretch of land on the water front near the Whiting refinery of the Standard Oil Company of Indiana. They were representatives of the Sinclair Company, which had been formed through a consolidation of several large oil companies, but whose activities had been confined largely to Oklahoma and Kansas. Harry F. Sinclair, the directing head of the organization, who in a few years had become an important figure in the oil industry, had determined to build an organization international in its scope of operations, and one of the first moves in this direction was the building of a refinery in the East Chicago industrial area. A pipe line was completed from Oklahoma to East Chicago and the refinery has steadily grown since first established. The first unit was placed in operation in March, 1918, and its capacity was 5,000 barrels daily, but by June, 1924, had attained a capacity of 20,000 barrels daily, which has since been materially increased. The East Chicago plant has employes and an annual production of 2,000,000 barrels of gasoline, 800,000 barrels of kerosene, 1,000,000 barrels of gas and fuel oil, and i;200,000 barrels of miscellaneous oils.

The Superheater Company, East Chicago — One of the leading concerns of East Chicago, the Superheater Company, began its manufacturing operations in 1913 at the corner of One Hundred Fifty-first Street and

808

Railroad Avenue. The company was organized in New York in 1910, but did not engage in active manufacturing for several years. From the beginning the company devoted itself to engineering problems involved in the use of steam, and on that account is primarily classified as an engineering organization. It designs and builds superheaters and other apparatus to suit particular conditions of operations. In the years following 1913 and including 1920 much attention was given to the development and application of superheaters to locomotives, new and old. The character of this service has been such that more than 75 per cent of the locomotives of the United States and Canada have been equipped with superheaters designed and built by this company. It is of interest to note that statistics show an increase in annual railroad tonnage hauled in the past ten years of more than 50 per cent. Statistics also show that the coal consumption of the railroads of the United States has increased scarcely 10 per cent in this same period. Much of this saving is attributed to the use of these superheaters. The local plant has been greatly enlarged since it was built. In 1916 the capacity of the plant was doubled and an office building erected. In 1918, to care for the pressing need for locomotives for the A. E. F. in France, a second large manufacturing unit was added, and in 1924 a third building was erected to house the activities of the company in the development of the locomotive feed water heater as well as the exhaust steam injector. In 1920 the company entered the stationary power plant field. In the past five years many large and important central stations have been equipped with superheating apparatus designed and built to meet definite conditions of operation. For example, the huge River Rouge plant of Henry Ford is driven from a central power plant, the steam for which flows constantly through an East Chicago product on its way to the turbines. The Hell Gate station for supplying power to a large portion of New York City is equipped with superheaters made in East Chicago; the power plant of the Inland Steel Company in East Chicago has found them useful features in reducing the cost of power. The company enjoys a world-wide patronage, which includes China, Chili, Australia, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa. The development of the locomotive feed water heaters in 1921 afforded a new market; this was designed to utilize the exhaust steam normally thrown away at the stack. The company also manufactures the Metcalfe exhaust steam injector, which performs a similar service as that of the feed water heater. A complete foundry equipment is maintained to manufacture bronze castings for special purposes. The home office of the company is at 17 East Forty-second Street, New York City; the organization maintains sales and service offices in Chicago and Montreal, and has representation in New Orleans, St. Paul, Denver, Memphis, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Boston. The company is interested also in

809

the Superheater Company, Limited, at Montreal, with a plant at Sherbrooke, Quebec. The Superheater Company, Limited, of London, with a manufacturing plant at Trafford Park, Manchester, and the Compagnie des Surchauffeurs of Paris, with a manufacturing establishment at Montigny, France. The local plant covers 2 1/2 acres and 250 men are employed.

George B. Limbert Company, East Chicago — One of the growing industries in East Chicago is the George B. Limbert Company, manufacturers of pipe fittings, and which began business in a modest way in a small pipe cutting shop on Jefferson Street, in Chicago, where George B. Limbert, assisted by a friend, laid the foundation of the present business. It was not long until additional facilities were necessary in Chicago to carry on the business and larger quarters were secured and an office and sales force developed. Valves and other steam specialties were added to the lines manufactured, and with an increasing demand for the products, Mr. Limbert journeyed to East Chicago in 1903, where he established a branch factory. A line of semi-steel and cast steel fittings was gradually developed for which an important demand was created and additional facilities from time to time became necessary to take care of the growing business. In 1916 a fire completely destroyed nearly all their working patterns, but nevertheless in a short time the business was again active. A second fire in 1920 completely destroyed their machine shop, with the result that modern buildings were erected and the latest and most improved machinery installed. Following the completion of the new plant Mr. Limbert died and the company came under the management of John D. Purdy, Jr., president; D. C. Showers, vice president; M. R. Paulson, works manager, with A. Peterson as his assistant, and Frank R. Lynch in charge of sales in the Calumet Region. The general direction of the company’s affairs is conducted from the main office in Chicago and a complete sales force covers the Central West territory. In the past few years the industry has grown to be one of the largest pipe and fabricating establishments in the Middle West and has thousands of successfully operating installations in all classes of industry. The East Chicago plant, in charge of Superintendent Maurice R. Paulson, is recognized as an exceptionally well managed institution.

Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company, East Chicago — In 1923 the properties of the Steel and Tube Company of America at East Chicago were purchased by the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company of Youngstown, Ohio, and through the extent of its properties, the variety and quantities of its products and its sound financial condition, it is one of the most important industries in the East Chicago district. The Steel and Tube Company of America became a factor in the East Chicago industry through the purchase of the Mark Manufacturing Company, and when it disposed of its interests to the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company

810



811

it had become an important manufacturer of wrought steel pipe, plates, billets, coke and coke by-products, and already it is evident that the new company is destined to become one of the greatest industrial factors in the entire Calumet Region. The Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company was organized in 1900 by James A. Campbell at Youngstown, Ohio, with a capital of $600,000, and it has had a remarkable career of success. Through development and acquisition the company today has total resources of about $275,000,000 and has plants in eight states, operating twelve manufacturing establishments and a great variety of products. For years it has been noted for the great personal interest which it took in its employes through housing projects, relief associations, hospitals, welfare and home sanitation work, and it was one of the earliest of the steel companies to give great care and attention to safety programs for its employes in its mines and mills. It has had a well established policy of development, investing a large percentage of its earnings in plant improvements and extensions, and the result of this policy is shown in the expansion of its Indiana Harbor works, where it is said $12,000,000 to $15,000,000 in all will be spent in the present program of new construction and development, a substantial part of which is represented in finished construction in 1926 and 1927. In this construction program at the Indiana Harbor works is the new sheet bar and skelp mill, which will produce sheet bars for the twenty-four-stand tin mill now nearing completion, and skelp, from which pipe is made, for the pipe mill. It employs approximately men, which number will be substantially increased when the present construction program is finished.

Inland Steel Company, East Chicago — In 1893 the Inland Steel Company was organized for the purpose of operating a rail re-rolling mill at Chicago Heights, Illinois, the rails being re-rolled into merchant bars and small shapes. While engaged in this work the officials saw the growing need for steel in the Central West and decided to build an open hearth steel plant in the East Chicago territory now known as Indiana Harbor. Fifty acres of barren waste was purchased and the original plant, which included four open hearth steel furnaces, a blooming mill, a bar mill, eight sheet mills and a jobbing mill, was constructed. G. H. Jones was president, and Messrs. R. J. Beatty, L. E. Block and P. D. Block were vice presidents at the time the plant opened for business in Indiana Harbor, and they are still directors of the company. The company began business in the Indiana Harbor plant in 1902, and before the close of the year 19,434 gross tons of steel ingots were produced, and this was followed by a production the second year of 62,088 gross tons. The product was of a high quality and was soon in great demand, and a rapid expansion of the plant followed. Being firmly established by 1907, the company met the need for pig iron by building its own blast furnace on a nearby site,

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and two additional open hearth furnaces were constructed, as well as a continuous bar mill and a sheet bar and billet mill. To meet the increasing demand for its product, additional expansion took place in the next few years, the company adding two more open hearths, eight more sheet mills and another jobbing mill, until in 1910 the annual production was 303,090 gross tons. With its 1910 equipment, the company was still unable to take care of the demand for its product and the company acquired additional land and erected new mills, including a spike, bolt, nut and rivet factory, and also power plants, machine shops and other equipment. Its present annual capacity is 1,600,000 gross tons of steel ingots, more than eighty times the production of its initial year, 1902. The works have an excellent location, having a frontage on the southern shore of Lake Michigan and the Government ship canal. Its original ownership of fifty acres has been increased to more than 600 acres, a part of which is used as a residential section for employes. More than 7,000 men are employed at the Indiana Harbor works, and it is the most important of East Chicago industries. In January, 1924, the company purchased the entire capital stock of the Milwaukee Rolling Mill Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and changed the name to the Inland Steel Company of Wisconsin. The Wisconsin plant consists of ten sheet mills, a galvanizing department and all necessary equipment. The original Chicago Heights plant has been greatly enlarged and modernized and produces about 50,000 tons of finished products, one of the most important of which is steel fence posts. The company owns a large majority of the stock of the Inland Steamship Company, which operates two ore boats of 10,000 tons capacity each for the transportation of ore, coal and limestone. It is well provided for raw material for many years to come, having secured ten iron ore properties in the Mesaba and Cuvuna ranges in Minnesota, and on the Gogebic Range in Michigan. It also owns four coal properties located in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Illinois. With that keen foresight which has distinguished the management from the inception of the company in providing for the future, the officials also secured 800 acres of land in Porter County, Indiana, fronting on Lake Michigan, and about seven miles east of Gary, an exceptionally fine location, and held for possible future expansion. The general offices are located at the First National Bank Building, Chicago, and sales offices are maintained in the principal cities of the Central West. The company occupies a most advantageous position, controlling its own ore properties and ore boats, produces an almost complete line of steel products and is most favorably situated for either water or rail shipments. In many respects the company is one of the most remarkable successes in the history of steel manufacturing in America and is a wonderful example of business ability and foresight combined with progressive ideas and sound judgment. In the creation of this wonderful monument of

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industry in East Chicago, in addition to the founders, great credit is due John Walter Lees, formerly general superintendent and president since 1920. Mr. Lees has been actively identified with the steel industry since he was twelve years of age. He learned the trade of roller and rose to the position of superintendent of the steel mills at Joliet. In 1903, when the Joliet plant was absorbed by another company, he came to Indiana Harbor, serving as general superintendent of the Inland Steel Company. Mr. Lees was succeeded as general superintendent by William A. Maxwell, Jr., who entered the service of the Carnegie Steel Company at Homestead, Pennsylvania, in May, 1912, in a minor capacity, and later became superintendent of the open hearth department. In 1919 he went with the Midvale Ordnance Steel Company, but in 1920 moved to Indiana Harbor to succeed Mr. Lees as superintendent of the Inland Steel Company.

General American Tank Corporation, East Chicago — In 1901 Max Epstein and David Copeland, Sr., organized the German American Car Company for the purpose of repairing refrigerator cars and located the plant in the stock yards district of Chicago. A year and a half later a location was obtained in East Chicago, and Mr. Epstein, having a vision of the possibilities of a tank car, began tank car building as well as repairing at the East Chicago works. In cooperation with the Graver Corporation, which made the tanks, and the German American Car Company building the under frame and trucks, the company in 1904 instituted its G. A. T. X. tank car line, which was the foundation for what is now the second largest tank car line in the United States. The company remained at its original location in East Chicago until 1910, when their present site was obtained and a force of 200 men employed in building and repairing tank cars. In 1915 the business had grown to such an extent that more land was purchased on the west side of Euclid avenue and buildings were erected and sufficient equipment installed so that the company could build all of its tanks, a percentage of which had been previously built by other concerns since the company began business in East Chicago. In 1917 the company changed its name to General American Tank Car Corporation, with a subsidiary known as the General American Car Company. In 1919 nearly the entire plant was destroyed by fire, but Mr. Epstein promptly erected modern steel structures as nearly fireproof as possible and included a modern car building plant. In addition to their tank car line, the company now proceeded to manufacture all types of railway freight train cars, and as their first orders for 3,000 cars proved very satisfactory to the railroad companies, continued and larger orders followed, and two years later the company was manufacturing refrigerator cars, beef cars, automobile cars, all-steel coal cars and gondola type coal cars, as well aa tank cars and stock cars. At this period a plant was established at Warren, Ohio, which has been devoted entirely to the manufacture of tank

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cars, this line no longer being manufactured at East Chicago. While the company’s business at present is largely new equipment, a constant monthly tonnage of fabricated parts are furnished to the railroads for repairs to their own cars and there is also a considerable volume of business in the sale of specialties for tank cars. The remarkable growth of the business is shown by the number of men employed at the present time as compared to 1917. At that time 200 employes were sufficient for the conduct of the business, while now 2,500 to 3,000 men are busily engaged. At no time since 1920 have less than 1,500 men been employed. A milk car of the refrigerator type was designed in 1922, in which are installed two steel tanks, glass lined, with a total capacity of 6,000 gallons of milk, which solved the question of handling milk in bulk between the farmers and the dairies. The wonderful efficiency of this type of milk car was shown recently when one of these cars left Marshfield, Wisconsin, loaded with 6,000 gallons of milk and arrived at Miami, Florida, a distance of 1,800 miles, with a change of only 2 degrees in temperature. The East Chicago plant covers an area of about eighty acres, with approximately twenty miles of track, and has a capacity of 10,000 cars a year. In addition to their East Chicago and Warren, Ohio, plants, the company also has large car repair plants at Tulsa, Oklahoma; New Orleans, Louisiana; Fort Worth, Texas, and Wichita Falls, Texas. The general offices are located in the Illinois Merchants Bank Building, Chicago. The officers are Max Epstein, president; L. N. Selig, assistant to the president; David Copeland Sr., Elias Mayer, LeRoy Kramer and J. M. Sweeney, vice presidents; J. G. Woodard, treasurer; and Henry Donovan, general superintendent. Besides operating approximately 1,200 tank cars under leases, the company also operates an express refrigerator line and is also engaged in designing and manufacturing tenders for locomotives.

U. S. S. Lead Refinery, East Chicago — This company was one of the earlier industries established in East Chicago, having located there in 1905. A continuous career of expansion has marked its progress since its establishment and it is now an important industry in the city. Neither accident or chance determined the company in locating in East Chicago, and it was only after a careful survey of what appeared to be the most desirable section of the United States, was East Chicago selected as the best and most advantageous point at which to locate a lead refinery. The business of the company is the refining of lead bullion, which is the product of smelted lead ores. The smelting operations are carried on largely in Utah, Colorado and Montana, where lead ores are produced. The product of the smelters contains various impurities and in the refining process at the East Chicago plant the impurities are separated from the lead, with pure lead as a final product. The process is an electrolytic one and is used at but one other plant in the United States. At present the

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monthly output of the East Chicago plant is 3,000 tons of pure lead. The plant is a model of the highest type and is a self-contained unit, generating its own power and every operation is performed, with the exception of producing the raw materials. Valuable by-products are obtained in the refining process, including bismuth and hydrofluoric acid. Another product of the plant is a chemical solution used extensively by railroads to eliminate weeds along the right of way. A solution for hardening concrete floors is still another product of the company, for which an increasing demand has been created. The company employs approximately 200 men, including an exceptionally highly qualified staff of engineers.

Champion Rivet Company, East Chicago — C. C. Sheldon, a veteran of the rivet manufacturing business, came to East Chicago in 1912 to supervise the erection of the East Chicago unit of the Champion Rivet Company, and has since served as superintendent of that branch. The company manufactures steel and structural rivets for boilers, tanks and ships, and has an annual capacity of 500,000 kegs of 100 pounds each, with 100 highly skilled and well paid employes.

Calumet Foundry and Machine Company, East Chicago — William H. Klepinger, who founded the Gary Foundry and Machine Company, took over the East Chicago Foundry Company plant in 1919 and renamed it the Calumet Foundry and Machine Company. The products of the company are patterns and gray iron castings, and in addition they do a general line of machine work. The annual capacity is 6,000 tons of castings, and they have 100 employes. The company has had a great career of success under Mr. Klepinger’s management and his great business ability and active interest in a “Greater East Chicago” naturally led to his selection as president of the Chamber of Commerce in 1926. Associated with Mr. Klepinger is Charles A. Creahan, formerly in the steel department of the Pullman Car Company and later with the Preble Machine Company of South Chicago. In 1916 he came to the Gary Foundry and Machine Company as secretary and is one of the present directing heads of that company.

Indiana Box Company, East Chicago — This well established institution has 150 employes and manufactures crates, box shooks, and tin plate boxes, having an annual capacity of 15,000,000 gross feet. Prominent in the affairs of this company is J. L. J. Miller, formerly with the Tin Plate Mills at Elwood, Indiana.

Bates Expanded Steel Truss Company, East Chicago — This company was organized by A. J. Bates, Sr., in 1914. Mr. Bates enjoys a national reputation as an inventor and was for years engaged in the manufacture of wire fencing, having invented the first machine for the manufacture of barbed wire fence, and later the Bates Expanded Steel Truss. While

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the manufacture of the steel truss is a large part of the business of the company, a department is devoted to fabrication and galvanizing. The truss is used for floor joists and on railroad ties and solved the major problems of wire fencing. Not only have the products a large national sale, but also have a large foreign market. Additional products of the company are one-piece steel electric poles and steel transformer towers, and there is an annual production of 124,000 poles and 1,600 towers.

Cudahy Packing Company, East Chicago — One of the most important plants in the City of Chicago is operated by the Cudahy Packing Company, which largely manufactures packing industry by-products, but also maintains refrigerator car and car repair shops. The plant has approximately 650 employes and an annual capacity of 55,000,000 packages of cleanser powder, 2,340,000 pounds of soap powders, 1,750,000 pounds of oil soap, 1,000,000 pounds of (refined) glycerine, 52,000,000 powder container cans, 830,000 .wool skins (cleaned), 3,300,000 pounds of wool (recovered), 156,000 cases of laundry and toilet soaps, and 10,000 cases of scouring bars.

R. R. Lavin & Son, East Chicago — This concern refines into pure products discarded brass, copper and tin. The company has been making wonderful progress under the superintendency of Walter King, and since he has become one of the directing, heads of the organization the output has increased to approximately 1,000 tons per month. The company has a small number of very highly skilled employes.

Union Iron Products Company, East Chicago — This company manufactures culverts and traffic signs, has an annual capacity of 250,000 feet of corrugated metal culvert and 75,000 traffic signs, and employs approximately fifty men.

United States Reduction Company. East Chicago — This concern smelts and refines aluminum and white metals, with an annual capacity of 25,000 tons. About seventy-five employes are engaged in the operations of the company.

Roxana Petroleum Corporation, East Chicago and Hammond — This corporation is a subsidiary of the so-called Royal Dutch Shell Company, whose trading stations are found in nearly every part of the civilized world. It has more than 100 subsidiary companies, and wherever there is oil you will find the business flag of the Royal Dutch Shell group. The origin of the company goes back about a century to a poor Jewish family whose children amused themselves on a beach in one of the English coast cities by collecting pretty shells. On returning home the children glued the shells to the outside of their picnic lunch boxes, which gave them such an attractive appearance that the father, who was a curio dealer, decided to make some shell-covered boxes and offer them for sale as souvenirs. A demand was almost instantly created and rare and colorful shells were

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obtained as far distant as Japan and the East Indies. So great did the business develop that the family found it profitable to acquire their own ships and, in addition to obtaining shells, engaged in general trading activities, and the Shell Transportation Company became one of the largest firms in England engaged in foreign commerce. The Royal Dutch Oil Company was in need of transportation facilities and a union of interests took place, from which has developed one of the largest oil corporations in the world. The advantages of the Calumet District for the location of oil refineries did not escape the attention of the Roxana Petroleum Corporation, and it purchased 400 acres of ground along the Calumet River and a fifty-acre dock site on the canal. Pipe lines are under construction from Wood River, Illinois, where the company has already an established station, to their new oil refinery in East Chicago, also under construction. Warehouses, machine shops and miscellaneous smaller buildings have already been completed and construction work is now largely concentrated on the erection of stills, pump houses, loading racks and other facilities used in connection with the various refining processes. An office building, gate house building, including hospital and washroom facilities, and seven residences for the refinery operating staff will be completed in the spring of 1927. When completed the new refinery will represent the latest in modern engineering and the design will be consistent with the last word in refining methods. The pipe line will deliver crude petroleum from the mid-continental fields of Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas and Arkansas, and the present units under construction will have a capacity of from twenty to twenty-five thousand barrels of crude oil daily. Power equipment wherever feasible will be operated by electricity and every modern device for the loading and refining of the products is being installed. In the construction operations 1,000 men at present are employed, and it is said the investment of the corporation in East Chicago and Hammond (the property of the company being in both cities) will be $32,000,000 when the present construction program is completed.

Bartles-McGuire Refinery — This new organization, which is becoming a factor in the refining and distribution of oil, has taken over the property of the Consolidated Oil Refining Company and it is said that the plant will be greatly enlarged and improved. The Consolidated Oil Refining Company had a force of eighty employes and an annual capacity of barrels of gas, 280,000 barrels of kerosene, 420,000 barrels of gas oil, and 300,000 barrels of fuel oil.

Republic Iron and Steel Company, East Chicago — Another of the important steel corporations which has one of the oldest established plants in the East Chicago district is the Republic Iron and Steel Company, which has approximately 700 employes and manufactures iron and steel bars with an annual capacity of 85,000 tons. The East Chicago plant is in

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charge of J. D. Bladholm, general superintendent, with years of practical experience, and who had previous service with the American Rolling Mills of Muskegon, Michigan, and other mills. Mr. Bladholm was formerly superintendent of the Portland Iron and Steel Company of Portland, Maine, and in 1909 became associated with the Republic Iron and Steel Company, being transferred to East Chicago as general superintendent in 1918.

International Lead Refining Company, East Chicago — This company owns sixty-three acres at the Canal and One Hundred Fifty-first Street, and is a refiner of lead, with an annual capacity of 60,000 tons. Approximately 130 employes are kept busily engaged in the operations of the company.

Anaconda Lead Products Company, East Chicago — This company is a subsidiary of the International Lead Refining Company, has fifty-five employes and manufactures white lead, with an annual capacity of 3,600 tons.

Standard Forgings Company, East Chicago — This industry has been firmly established in East Chicago for many years. It has approximately 700 employes and manufactures marine, railroad and automotive forgings, with an annual capacity of 160,000 tons.

Interstate Iron and Steel Company, East Chicago — The business of this company has been established in Chicago for more than fifteen years, the plant being located between One Hundred Forty-first and One Hundred Forty-fourth streets, west of the main canal of the Grand Calumet. The company has approximately 1,050 employes, is a large manufacturer of bar iron and alloy steel, having an annual capacity of 125,000 tons. The official staff is composed of many veterans in the iron and steel business, among them being J. E. N. Olson, who is now serving as works auditor.

O. F. Jordan Company, East Chicago — A study of the manufacturing industries of East Chicago shows nearly every kind of railway equipment manufactured. This company manufactures special railway equipment, with an annual capacity of 50 railway spreaders, 50 ditchers, 60 bank slopers and 100 snow plows, and employs approximately 50 men.

E. B. Lanman Company, East Chicago — One of the later additions to the many industries in East Chicago is the E. B. Lanman Company, which has approximately 150 employes and manufactures wrought washers, hot pressed nuts and carriage hardware. The annual capacity is 85,000 kegs of 200 pounds each.

Linde Air Products Company, East Chicago — This concern has thirty employes and manufactures oxygen. The annual capacity of the plant is cubic feet.

Metal and Thermit Corporation, East Chicago — This company recovers metals, has approximately 200 employes, and an annual capacity of 50,000 tons of steel scrap and 800 tons of pig tin.

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Hyman Michaels Company, East Chicago — This company also recovers metals, has fifty employes and handles scrap iron, new and relaying rails, and has an annual capacity of 100,000 tons.

Famous Manufacturing Company, East Chicago — The great diversity of products manufactured in the East Chicago district of the Calumet Region is shown in the preceding story of the industries, which diversity is further noted in the products of this company. It has approximately fifty employes and the principal output is baling presses, although other lines of agricultural implements are also manufactured. The annual capacity is 2,600 presses.

Grasselli Chemical Company, East Chicago — One of the oldest industries in the Calumet Region is the Grasselli Chemical Works, whose first factory was located in East Chicago in the spring of 1893. The first few years a large portion of the output of the company was sold to the Standard Oil Company of Whiting, but the business has greatly broadened and the company now has a wide line of heavy chemical products which includes chemically pure acids for laboratory and drug stores; silica of soda, sold to soap and paper manufacturers; muriatic and sulphuric acids, used by iron and steel manufacturers and oil refiners; chloride of ammonia, purchased by tin plate factories; chloride of zinc, used by railroads for the preservation of ties; acetic acid; salt cake for the manufacture of glass; battery zinc, purchased by telegraph and telephone companies, and many other products required in manufacturing processes. The company has approximately 1,000 employes, and the annual capacity is 250,000 tons. Its products have an unlimited market. Grover Cleveland Hansen is general manager.

Edward Valve and Manufacturing Company, East Chicago — Again we call attention to the wonderful diversity of manufactured products of the East Chicago district. This company has 1,500 employes and manufactures electric washing machines, valves and electric furnaces; has an annual capacity of 25,000 washing machines, 2,400,000 valves, and 150 electric furnaces.

Harbison-Walker Refractories Company, East Chicago — This company has approximately 250 employes and manufactures silica fire bricks for coke ovens and open hearth furnaces. The annual capacity of the plant is 27,000,000 bricks, and the products of the firm have a wide reputation for excellence.

Chicago Flexible Shaft Company, East Chicago — One of the later industries, with approximately twenty-five employes, is the Chicago Flexible Shaft Company, which manufactures coal briquettes for foot warmers for carriages and automobiles. The annual capacity is approximately 150,000 boxes.

Many important industrial institutions have secured plant sites in East Chicago or have expressed their intentions of becoming interested

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industrially in the district. One of the most important of the nationally known institutions is the Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation which in 1923 secured a valuable tract of land as a site for a plant, the construction of which is anticipated in the near future. The negotiations for the site were conducted by the Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation with Col. Walter J. Riley and C. A. Westberg of the East Chicago Land Company and prominent industrial and banking factors in the Calumet Region, and the negotiations involved to procure title to the site for the Jones & Laughlin Corporation took months of effort on the part of Messrs. Riley and Westberg and required conferences in many leading cities, official action on the part of Hammond and adjacent cities and of Lake County, the passage of a law by the Indiana Legislature, and Federal legislation that received the approval of the President of the United States. The difficulties involved at times dictated abandonment of the proceedings by Messrs. Westberg and Riley from the standpoint of self-interest, but they had behind them the driving power of the people of Lake County, through whose active cooperation and support success became possible, and the carrying through successfully of this great real estate deal, which eventually will have an important influence in the industrial development of the East Chicago section of the Calumet District, is one of the crowning achievements of Messrs. Riley and Westberg among their many industrial accomplishments.

CROWN POINT— Letz Manufacturing Company: This important manufacturing institution to the citizens of Crown Point had its origin in 1881, when it was established by Louis Holland-Letz, an engineer with university training and practical shop experience. The beginning was a modest one, the plant consisting of a small machine shop and foundry. The first Letz feed grinder, conceived by Mr. Letz, was completed and sold in December, 1882. In many features it was a distinct departure from the grinders then in use in America, and due to the improved mechanism its capacity was greater than other machines. A large sale was created for the grinder and Mr. Letz continued to make further improvements. In 1888 he secured patent rights on a type of grinding plate which gave about ten times the useful life of anything then on the market, and the increased sales resulting required a large addition to the plant. In 1893 the Letz feed grinder took the gold medal first prize against all competition at the World’s Columbian Exposition at Chicago. In 1896 Mr. Letz marketed the first corn husker and shredder, and several thousands were sold in the next few years. Mr. Letz died in 1903, leaving his sons a well established business, which continued to increase under their management. In 1909 a revolutionary design was evolved in the feed mill. This time the ability to crush ear corn was added to the grinding of small grain, so that farmers could easily and cheaply prepare ground feeds from home-

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grown crops. Hundreds of thousands were made and sold, necessitating the further enlargement and improvement of the facilities of the plant. In 1912 the company produced America’s first roughage mill, which was intended to utilize every possible bit of home-grown feed and turn it into marketable, profitable products at low cost. The added lines made still further additions necessary, and in 1920 new buildings were finished and new equipment installed, ample to care for the large manufacturing business which had been developed. The Letz manufacturing business is one of the notable successes of the Calumet Region. Operating in a special field, it has developed a very large business and its products have been distinct contributions of great economic value to the farmer.

WHITING — Standard Oil Company of Indiana: While there are some small promising manufacturing industries in Whiting, it may be said that the city is dependent almost wholely on the plant of the Standard Oil Company, the property of which is partly in Whiting and partly in East Chicago. Its plant is considered the largest and most modern oil refinery in the world and is generally credited with a valuation approximating $40,000,000. The company was the first corporation to recognize the great location advantages possessed by that section of the Calumet Region, and for thirty-five years it has been one of the most important industries in the region. It owns more than a square mile of territory and in addition to its refinery apparatus it has large car shops for the construction and repairing of oil tank cars, pipe shops, brass foundries, boiler shops, can factory, acid works and much other equipment. It is said to have from 2,500 to 3,000 employes, with a yearly pay roll approximating $3,000,000.

LAPORTE COUNTY INDUSTRIES — Industry was early stimulated in LaPorte County by the inventive, organization and administrative genius shown by some LaPorte County citizens whose products enjoyed a wide distribution. The major industrial developments took place in Michigan City and LaPorte and the growth of these municipalities is largely due to the development of the Haskell & Barker Company in Michigan City, and the manufacturing business established by Jacob J. and Henry F. Mann and the Rumely Brothers of LaPorte. Where information was available a short story of the important industries in both cities is given.

MICHIGAN CITY INDUSTRIES — Haskell & Barker Car Company: In 1852 the firm of Sherman, Haskell & Company, composed of Dr. Mason C. Sherman, Frederick Haskell and his brother-in-law, Hiram Aldridge, erected a plant on about two acres of ground bounded by Sixth, Seventh and Elston streets and the Monon right-of-way, for the purpose of building freight cars, the need for which was apparent in the number of railroads within easy distance of Michigan City, and at that time no freight pars were built in the West. Three years later Doctor Sherman retired, his

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place being taken by John Barker, an early resident of Michigan City. Mr. Barker had been active in the business affairs in Michigan City and under the name of Carter & Barker had conducted a large merchandising store and later was a member of the firm of Barker & Best. He also was associated with C. E. DeWolf, who conducted the business later when Mr. Barker became actively interested in the manufacture of freight cars. Under the name of Haskell, Barker & Aldridge the business grew and passenger coaches were built as well as freight cars. Under the Woodbury and J. J. Mann patents, threshing machines, hand corn shelters and reapers were additional products manufactured and for which there was a great sale. The panic of 1857 arrested the progress of the firm and brought about a change in ownership. Mr. Aldridge retired in 1858 and under the name of Haskell & Barker the firm managed to weather the panicky period. Great effort was made in obtaining orders for freight cars, the output of which in 1860 was only a few cars a month, with a force of from 50 to 75 men employed, and by 1869 the output had increased to two freight cars per day. At this time Mr. Barker retired from the management of the business, which was assumed by his son, John H. Barker, and the firm was incorporated as the Haskell-Barker Car Company. In 1880 the output was about four cars per day, and 500 men were employed. Mr. Haskell retired in 1883, his interest being purchased by John H. Barker, but the name of the corporation was not changed, and the Haskell-Barker Car Company has grown into one of the largest manufacturing concerns in America. In 1900 the pay roll was more than $1,000,000 per year and there were more than 2,000 employes, with a yearly capacity of 10,000 cars. In 1908 the plant covered more than 100 acres and had 3,500 men employed, and a pay roll of nearly $40,000 per week. The business continued to grow, and after the death of Mr. Barker the company was purchased by the Pullman Company of Chicago, which continues to operate it at its greatest capacity. The Haskell & Barker Company is a wonderful example of the magnitude in industry possible in this country through the genius of a single individual.

S. Karpen & Brothers — One of the outstanding industries of Michigan City is the business of S. Karpen & Brothers, who manufacture upholstered furniture and hand woven fibre furniture in their Michigan City branch factory. The industry was founded in Chicago by S. Karpen and when the expansion of the business required additional manufacturing facilities, the advantages of Michigan City for the establishment of a branch factory appealed strongly to the firm. The name of Karpen is a synonym for quality in furniture and Karpen furniture is found in the finest homes in the land. The firm employ nearly 600 skilled help at high wages, which shows its great value to the community.

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Blocksom and Company — This company is an Illinois corporation licensed to do business in the State of Indiana, and which began business in January, 1920, in a newly constructed modern plant. Curled hair for use in automobiles, upholstered furniture and hair mattresses is manufactured in volume and in addition curled hair carpet lining for use in homes, theatres, hotels and institutions. Other products manufactured in smaller quantities are vegetable oil press mats, hair cordage, such as lariats and similar articles. One hundred thousand dollars is invested in the company’s business and 165 people have steady employment. Blocksom curled hair products are known the world over, shipments being made to all civilized countries. The industry was founded by B. H. Blocksom, who is president and treasurer and also a member of the board of directors. L. M. Herzig is secretary and the remaining directors are Kenneth McKenzie and Ira N. Morris of Chicago, the latter being our former minister to Sweden.

Michigan City Foundry and Machine Company — This industry originated in Michigan City, the company manufacturing a wide line of gray iron and malleable castings. J. S. Paul is manager of the industry and 125 men are steadily employed.

Frederick H. Burnham Company — Frederick H. Burnham founded the business of Frederick I-I. Burnham Company and the company manufacture a varied line of leather gloves and mittens which have a wide sale. One hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars is invested in the enterprise and the company have ninety employees. The present officers are E. H. Burnham, president; A. E. Burnham, vice president; E. W. Holtz, secretary.

The H. W. Angsten Company — The business of this corporation, originated in Chicago in 1904 but in 1919 the industry was moved to Michigan City. The products are pressed steel parts for automotive, hardware, cycle, furniture and such other trades as use stampings. Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars is invested in the enterprise and the company has a large force of employees. H. W. Angsten was the founder of the industry and he is still its president. The vice president is J. N. Karhumel; secretary and treasurer, F. T. Kelly; assistant secretary, H. E. Rice, who is also manager of the plant.

Messrs. Angsten and Karhumel are also interested in the Corey Company, whose principal business is the sale and distribution of steel sheets. The executive offices of the Corey Company are in Chicago, Mr. Karhumel being president and general manager and Mr. Angsten vice president and treasurer, and the company have an invested capital of $125,000.

Tecumseh Facing Mills — Another industry founded in Michigan City by Richard W. Street and which does a large business in the manufacture of leather gloves and mittens is the Tecumseh Facing Mills. The company

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have an invested capital of $50,000 and sixty employees. The present officers are George P. Rogers, president and treasurer; James H. Orr, vice president; G. S. VanDeusen, secretary; S. W. Larsen, assistant treasurer and manager.

Smith Brothers, Inc. — The faces of but few men are as well known in every household of the United States as that of Smith Brothers, makers of the famous S. B. Cough Drops and S. B. Menthol Cough Drops. The business was established by William Wallace Smith and Andrew Smith, his brother, at Poughkeepsie, New York, in 1847, and when it was decided, to locate a western plant, Michigan City appealed to the corporation as the ideal location. The Michigan City plant began operations in November, 1920, with J. B. Bisbee, Jr., in charge, and under his management the business of the plant has been a pronounced success. The capitalization of Smith Brothers is $1,250,000 and there are fifty employees in the Michigan City plant. Smith Brothers Cough Drops are sold all over the world and their constantly increasing sales over a period of more than seventy-five years is the best proof of their merit.

The Bromwell Wire Goods Company — This corporation has a successful business career of more than a century behind it, being first established in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1819 by William Bromwell, and the business has descended from father to son to the present president of the company, Thomas G. Melish. The company manufactures a varied line of metal and wire products and having a long record behind it for quality goods, the firm receives a large volume of business from the trade. Roger M. Cox is secretary of the company and assistant to President Melish.

Root Manufacturing Company — This manufacturing enterprise was founded in Michigan City by Henry A. Root and manufacture a large line of sash doors and interior wood finish and have about thirty employees. The officers are J. Eugene McKelvey, president; C. E. Arnt, vice president, and A. Nichals, secretary and treasurer.

Zorn Products and Cold Storage Company — This Michigan City enterprise manufactures malt and fruit syrups and was founded by Ph. Zorn. The company have invested capital of $50,000 and twenty-five employees. F. Vullmaher is president and treasurer; George Herrmann, first vice president; C. E. Remer second vice president; and F. G. Maropke secretary.

North Indiana Brick Company — This corporation owns a number of brick p[lants in Northern Indiana and employ about twenty-five men in the Michigan City plant, which they purchased in 1911 from the United State Brick Corporation, who established it in 1905. The present officers are John D. Jackson, president; C. B. Resseguie, vice president; S. S. Roby, secretary; E. D. Church, treasurer; William F. C. Dall, manager and assistant treasurer; J. W. Van Brunt, director.

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Risclay Brick Company — Common clay brick of a high quality is the product of the Risclay Brick Company, which was organized in Michigan City about sixty years ago and incorporated in 1914. Sixty thousand dollars is invested in the industry, which have about twenty-five employees the business being conducted by T. R. Larojura.

The Hays Corporation — Joseph W. Hays, a pioneer in the combustion field and one of the first men to preach fuel conservation and economy through efficient, scientific combustion practices founded the business of the Hays Company in Chicago in the year 1907 under the name of the Combustion Appliances Company. Years of testing and consulting work had indicated to Mr. Hays the need for reliable instruments which would take some of the guesses out of the steam generating process. A book written by him at this time, “How to Build Up Furnace Efficiency,” which first appeared in pamphlet form, has now gone through seventeen editions and enjoyed a circulation of more than 110,000 copies and has been translated into several foreign languages. The company moved from Chicago to Michigan City in 1918 and a new company, the Joseph W. Hays Corporation, was formed under the laws of Indiana succeed the Combustion Appliances Company. The Hays Corporation manufactures a recognized line of combustion instruments — draft gages indicating the stack and furnace draft, pressure gages for showing fan and ash-pit pressure in forced draft installations, flue gas analyzers for testing the contents of the waste gases, and automatic carbon dioxide raft recorders which gives the complete story of combustion conditions and guides the firemen along the efficient path. The company a complete pattern shop for both wood and metal patterns, a brass and aluminum foundry, machine shop, electroplating department, and finishing department. Branch factories are maintained in Lymm near Cheshire, England, and also Paris, France, while branch representatives are to be found in the principal cities of the United States, Canada and also in foreign countries where considerable fuel is consumed. The business is international in scope, highly specialized and it has a most promising future. There was so much demand for Mr. Hays’ services for consulting work and educational writing that in 1920 Philip T. Sprague, a technical graduate with experience in the manufacture of industrial instruments, became associated with the corporation and gradually became its active head. Mr. Hays retired at the close of 1925 to devote all his time to consulting practices and educational work in fuel and combustion engineering. The Hays Home Study Course is now recognized as the standard home course of training for engineers on the above lines. The present officers of the Hays Corporation are Philip T. Sprague, president; Charles A. Sprague, vice president; and Otto Ziegler, secretary-treasurer. At the present time fifty highly

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skilled workmen are employed at good wages and the company is shipping instruments to every state in the Union and to nearly all foreign countries.

Michigan City Paper Box Company — Albert K. Hoodwin originated the business of the Michigan City Paper Box Company in Michigan City and a wide line of paper boxes and advertising novelties are produced. More than $65,000 is invested in the industry, which has sixty employees, the business being still under the active management of Mr. Hoodwin, who is also president of the company; Lillian W. Hoodwin is vice president and Charles B. Goris is secretary.

Reliance Manufacturing Company — The business of the Reliance Manufacturing Company originated in Chicago in 1900 and one of its factories, where its widely known line of workingmen’s shirts are manufactured, is located in Michigan City. Milton F. Goodman was the founder of the industry and he is still its president. Milton L. Monheimer is vice president; R. R. Rader, treasurer, and J. A. Benjamin, secretary. A large force of help is steadily employed in the Michigan City plant.

Excelsior Cycle Company — The business of this corporation originated in Chicago and when it was decided to move the business to a city nearby the many appealing features for manufacturing in Michigan City proved attractive to the officials of the company and the industry was removed to Michigan City in 1916. The company manufactures a line of bicycle and bicycle accessories which have a great reputation in the trade for their quality and durability and as a result Excelsior Bicycles have a wide sale. J. C. Baine, P. P. O’Horo and Ernst Unger founded the industry in Chicago and Mr. Baine is still its president and manager, being assisted by D. M. O’Horo. One hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars is invested in the industry, which has nearly 200 highly skilled employees.

Henry Lumber Company — While this company does not do much manufacturing, it does a large business in selling a general line of lumber, shingles, sash and doors and general building material and about twenty employees are needed in the conduct of the business, in which $150,000 is invested. The business was founded by Albert J. Henry, Sr., who is still president of the company. C. L. Henry is vice president and Albert J. Henry, Jr., is secretary and treasurer.

Chicago, South Shore & South Bend Railroad — This great transportation line, whose fast trains operating with regularity and safety have become known all over the country, has its general headquarters, yards and barns at Michigan City, where 600 employees are busily engaged. This is one of the many successful transportation lines which originated in the mind of J. B. Hanna of Cleveland, Ohio, and in which $11,000,000 is invested.

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Michigan City Tanning Company — This company manufactures a line of special leathers, the business originating in Michigan City and their products have a large sale. The president is Charles G. Hart, of Adrian, Michigan; vice president, John Lawrie, Chicago, Illinois, and the treasurer and manager is G. U. Weiffenbach.

Other small industries of promise are the Knaak Mattress factory whose owner makes a specialty of hand-made mattresses; the Young Pump Company, manufacturing centrifugal pumps; Josam Products Foundry Company, gray iron castings; Eastport Company, men’s hats; Michigan City Pattern Works, wooden patterns; Chrobaltic Tool Company, tools; Weil-McLain Company, furnaces; Perfection Cooler Company, beverage coolers and sheet iron specialties; Sullivan Machinery Company, mining machinery and drills and the Sheet Steel Products Company, pressed steel parts for automobile trucks and bodies. Other industries are the Hoosier Factories, Inc., who manufacture overalls and the Stefco Steel Company who manufacture fabricated buildings.

LAPORTE — Jacob J. and Henry F. Mann — The earliest industry to achieve distinction in the city of LaPorte was that of Jacob J. and Henry F. Mann, who were among the first manufacturers of a harvesting machine the merit of which was generally recognized and it became widely known throughout the western agricultural territory. For many years the Manns and McCormicks had a legal contest over patent rights, the Manns claiming priority in the conception of many ideas of value incorporated in the McCormick reaper and binder. The Mann harvesting machine was constantly improved and several thousand of them were in successful operation, many of them being manufactured by other concerns through arrangement with the inventors.

Advance-Rumely Company — In 1853 M. and J. Rumely arrived in LaPorte from Baden, Germany, and almost immediately opened a small machine shop. Both of the brothers had experience in leading mills of France and Germany and were familiar with all the then known processes in the manufacturing of iron and steel. Meinrod Rumely had achieved a high reputation for his inventive genius and mechanical ability before coming to this country and with skill, enterprise and inventive ability behind them but with only a small capital, the Rumely Brothers developed a business which made their name known in every agricultural district in America. In 1856 they put on the market an improved plow for which a large demand was soon created and this was followed by separators in 1856 and in 1861 stationary engines. Additions were made to the plant, and boilers, track engines, spark arresters, friction clutches, ice elevators and other machinery and appliances were added to the list of products. They were repeatedly awarded first premiums in competition and the name Rumely became a synonym for quality and efficiency. In

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1883 John Rumely bought his brother’s interest and in a few years the business had attained such size and its field of operation so extensive, covering the entire agricultural world, that the business was incorporated under the name of M. Rumely Company. New buildings were constantly added, the number of employees were increased until at the close of the last century it was the largest manufacturing industry in LaPorte, employing more than 400 men. In 1915 the business was reincorporated under the name of Advance-Rumely Company and the present officers are president, Finley P. Mount; vice presidents, J. Abrams, W. I. Balentine and A. H. Berger; secretary, A. H. Berger; treasurer, J. R. Kohne; assistant comptroller, R. C. Kennedy, and general council, J. E. Winn. The directors are Howard Coonley, John W. O’Leary, Morris Fox, James A. Patten, R. G. Hutchins, Stephen S. Strattan, C. McK. Lewis, W. E. Taylor, Finley P. Mount, Lucius Leter and Ralph Van Vachten. In addition to the large plant at LaPorte, Indiana, the company also has factories at Battle Creek, Michigan, and Toronto, Canada, with distributing branches all over the world. At present the company have a force of approximately 2,000 employees.

LaPorte Woolen Mills — The business of the LaPorte Woolen Mills originated in LaPorte, being established in 1864 by Samuel Fox, the corporate name of the owners at present being Samuel Fox’s Sons, Inc. The firm are large manufacturers of cassimere cloth for men’s garments, which is sold direct to wholesale clothing manufacturers throughout the United States. They also manufacture in addition some dress goods for ladies wear. The industry has enjoyed great success, employing at times as high as 800 persons, and are an important factor in the industrial life of LaPorte. The officers are Morris Fox, president; Herbert W. Fox, vice president and treasurer; Robert C. Fox, second vice president; Walter S. Fox, third vice president; and Norman J. Fox, secretary.

Howard M. Cable Company — The business of this company was founded in Chicago by Howard M. Cable, Sr., H. B. Morenus and Howard M. Cable, Jr., later removing to LaPorte. They manufacture a complete line of pianos, including players, and their product has a wide sale. The invested capital is §750,000 and there is a force of 250 highly skilled employees. The present officers are Howard M. Cable, president; Howard B. Morenus, vice president and secretary; P. A. Tennis, second vice president; and Edwin W. Schurz, treasurer.

Great Western Manufacturing Company — E. J. Lonn is the founder of the Great Western Manufacturing Company, who manufacture metal specialties, and which has had a large and successful business for a number of years. A half million dollars is invested in the industry and there are nearly 200 employees. The president is E. J. Lonn; the vice president,

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C. A. Lonn; second vice president, V. A. Lonn; treasurer, J. M. Lonn; and secretary, W. R. Smith.

Ove-Gnatt Company — An important industry is that of the Ove-Gnatt Company, who prepare natural foliages and also manufacture florists supplies. It was founded at Hammond, Indiana, by Ove Gnatt and was later removed to La Porte. Since coming to LaPorte the business has steadily expanded and is a substantial growing industry, having now 150 to 175 employees. The present officers of the company are Fred Henoch, Harry C. Henock and George Husmann.

Indiana Moulding and Frame Company — This company, organized by J. B. Shick, who is president and general manager, is another of LaPorte’s important industries. There is $350,000 invested in the industry, which has about 180 employees, and the product is widely known among the trade, being sold in all parts of the country.

Lamode Garment Company — The business of the LaMode Garment Company originated in Chicago and as it rapidly expanded, it was decided to establish a branch factory in another city within a reasonable distance from Chicago, and the advantages of LaPorte as a manufacturing center for the business appealed to the founders of the industry, Robert K. and Frank S. Gershenow. The company manufactures women’s and children’s garments and the goods have an established reputation for quality and are sold by the retailers of ladies’ garments in nearly every city in America. The company have nearly 200 employees in their LaPorte branch, which is in charge of Perry Queenan.

Johnstone Tire and Rubber Company — This business was founded in LaPorte by Samuel Johnstone and their tires and tubes are quality products. The best proof of the substantial character of the tires and tubes which they manufacture is the manner in which they have stood up under the severe strain encountered in racing, for which their tires have a national reputation, and it may be looked upon as a most promising industry and capable of great future expansion. At present the company have an investment of $350,000 in the business and about ninety employees. The officers are E. C. Walton, president; F. L. Bland, secretary, and L. S. Collins, superintendent.

Plimpton Press — The well known publishers of school books, the Plimpton Press, have a branch establishment in LaPorte, its first manager being H. N. Keene. At present the plant is in charge of A. E. White and about fifty persons are steadily employed.

Rustic Hickory Furniture Company — As its name implies, this company manufactures a special line as well as other furniture and was founded by E. H. Handley,. Julius C. Travis and Warren W. Travis, Mr. Handley being the first president and general manager. The business has been successfully conducted for some time and there are about

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sixty employees. The present officers are Dr. O. L. Sutherland, president; Julius C. Travis, vice president; H. L. Handley, secretary and general manager; and J. V. Dorland, treasurer.

Kumfy Kab Company — The Kumfy Kab Company, which was founded in LaPorte by Emmet Scott, manufactures baby vehicles, doll vehicles and velocipedes. Their goods have become well established in the trade and they now have 150 employees.

Metal Door and Trim Company — The business of the Metal Door and Trim Company was founded in Chicago by Thomas W. and John C. McFarland in 1885 and until 1922, when the industry was moved to LaPorte, the corporate name was J. C. McFarland Company. The products of the company are hollow metal doors and interior metal trim and have a high standing in the trade, being everywhere recognized as quality products. The company is an Illinois corporation with an authorized capital stock of $692,000 and have approximately 300 employees. The president of the company is Edward J. Zahner and under his efficient management the company is one of the most successful industrial institutions in LaPorte.

New York Blower Company — This LaPorte industry, whose main office is in Chicago, Illinois, manufactures a wide line of products including seri-vane fans and blowers, air washers, air washer pumps and motors, blast coil heaters, horizontal and verticle steam engines, ventilators and registers. The products of the company are recognized as of the highest quality and .efficiency and are in great demand among architects, engineers, contractors and users all over America. Under the supervision of J. H. Shrock, factory manager, the industry is recognized as one of the most efficiently conducted in LaPorte. About one hundred skilled employees are kept busily engaged in manufacturing the various products of the plant.

Couturier Company — E. A. Couturier was the founder of the business of this company in New York City, but deciding on a more central location for the distribution of the products of the company, he located in LaPorte, where the industry has been successfully conducted for some years. The company manufactures a general line of high quality brass band instruments and their saxaphones especially have a national reputation for quality. Seventy-five skilled employees are busily engaged in the manufacturing of the company’s products in which $100,000 is invested. The industry is of great promise and seems destined to a large growth.

Bastian-Morley Company — The business of the Bastion-Morley Company was founded by J. P. Morley in Chicago and was removed to LaPorte in 1917. The company manufacture automatic and non-automatic gas and electric water heaters which have an excellent reputation for quality and are sold in the principal markets of the world. The company has a capitalization of $750,000, a modern plant well equipped and have approxi-

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mately 115 employees. The present general manager is J. P. Morley; first vice president, Dr. R. B. Jones; second vice president, George W. Wood; secretary-treasurer, J. F. Downes; and production manager, S. J. Lonergan.

Other small but growing industries in the city of LaPorte are the Indiana Pattern and Model Works, who manufacture wood and metal patterns and models, with Otto W. Conrad as sole owner; The Houser Valve Tool Manufacturing Company, who manufacture valve seating tools and which industry was removed from North Hammond to LaPorte. About $60,000 is invested in this industry and twenty-five expert mechanics are employed. G. W. Decker is president; Claus Schum, vice president; H. Robinson, secretary and treasurer; LaPorte Machine and Tool Company, who manufacture machine tools, dies, jigs and special machinery — T. W. Witters being president and John Hetfield treasurer; Ribbe and Gray, who have been for ten years manufacturing tools, dies and special machinery, Mr. Ribbe being president and manager and R. S. Gray secretary; DeLuxe Products Corporation, who manufacture light weight cast iron pistons, first made, by Clark Turner Company of Los Angeles, California, and which for years have enjoyed a wide sale to the automobile trade. H. M. Cable is president; L. B. Boyd treasurer and general manager. There are about twenty-five skilled mechanics kept steadily employed; LaPorte Mat and Manufacturing Company, who manufacture flexible ribbon steel conveyor belts for canneries and flexible ribbon steel door mats. C. M. Elliott is president; John Hacker vice president.

PORTER COUNTY INDUSTRIES — Porter County has no great center of industry and outside of Valparaiso there are only the usual small industries associated with farming communities. It is almost a certainty that the hum of industry will in the not distant future be heard in the available industrial territory along the lake shore and thriving cities arise as the favorable conditions for the location of large industries in northern Porter County must soon be taken advantage of by great leaders in industry. Although Valparaiso is best known as a very fine residential city it has a number of important industries, some of which are giving promise of later expansion to a marked degree. Eighty per cent of the permanent magnets used in the United States are manufactured in Valparaiso by the Indiana Steel Products Company. One of seven Bakelite products plants in the United States is the Fibroc Insulation Company. One of six mica insulation plants in the United States is the Chicago Mica Company, and the McGill Metal Company is said to have the only successful bronze die casting plant in America. Lewis E. Myers & Company are the manufacturers of the Chautauqua Industrial Desk — a practical home educator and one of the greatest and most distinctive stimulating, educational influences ever conceived for children and which should be in every

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home in the land where there is a child. A short description of some of the Valparaiso industries on which information could be obtained follows:

McGill Manufacturing Company — The McGill Manufacturing Company was founded in Valparaiso in 1924 by James H. McGill, a genius for industry, and also president of the McGill Metal Company. It is today one of the solid substantial industrial institutions in Valparaiso, having 225 employees and a capital of $1,000,000 and manufacturing a wide line of electrical specialties which are being sold all over the world. The officers are James H. McGill, president; V. R. Despard, vice president; H. W. Harrold, secretary and treasurer.

Fibroc Insulation Company, with a capital of $250,000 and ninety employees, are manufacturers of laminated Bakelite sheets, rods and other products, which have a wide sale. L. T. Frederick is president of the company and John T. Griffin is secretary and treasurer.

Chicago Mica Company, who were doing a successful business in Chicago, had their attention called to the available opportunity for manufacturing in Valparaiso and transferred their business from the greater city and established themselves in the Powell plant when the manufacture of Germantown yarns was discontinued in that factory. They have for years done a most successful business and their products have a wide distribution. There are ninety employees and there is approximately $200,000 invested in the industry.

Foster Lumber and Coal Company, Inc. — A sound substantial industry in Valparaiso is the Foster Lumber and Coal Company, Inc., founded by Charles E. Foster, who are large contractors in lumber and coal and whose business has reached a very large volume. The company have an invested capital of $100,000 and more than 100 employees. The president is Charles E. Foster; first vice president. Charles E. Foster, Jr.; second vice president, J. F. Burt; and F. M. Clifford is secretary and treasurer.

Indiana Steel Products Company — The business of this corporation originated in Valparaiso and has been successfully conducted for many years, the company being incorporated in 1910. Permanent magnets are manufactured exclusively, the company producing 80 per cent of all the permanent magnets used in America. The business was founded by H. R. Curran, who is still president and active manager of the company, which have about 100 employees.

Charles W. Hall & Company, Inc. — Juvenile specialties and cabinets are the products of Charles W. Hall & Company and is an industry of promise. The founder is Charles W. Hall, who is also president. The remaining officers are M. G. Pool, vice president; F. W. Alpen, treasurer; and H. D. Waldorph, secretary.

Valparaiso Home Ice Company — This company was organized by C. F. Mason, president; E. W. Agar, secretary, and John Ross, treasurer, who

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manufacture artificial ice, ice cream, sweet cream butter, etc., and while not a large industry is a sound and substantial one. Seventy-five thousand dollars is invested in the industry, which has twenty employees. The present officers being William Schleman, president; R. Sawyer, secretary; and H. Pohl, treasurer.

W. L. Wilson Lumber & Coal Company — This company does a large general lumber and coal business and specialized in interior trim and cabinet work. W. L. Wilson was the founder of the industry and the present officers are R. L. Wilson, president; Nellie W. Wilson, vice president; W. B. Wilson, secretary, treasurer and general manager. Twenty-five employees are employed in the business.

Smith & Smith Company — This firm are general building contractors and dealers in lumber, coal and building materials and also operate a very complete and modern equipped planing mill. It is a local industry that has grown to its present proportions through a policy of fair dealing and its ability to render efficient service. Fifty workmen are steadily employed by the firm, who have an invested capital of $50,000. The officers are H. E. Smith, president; Byron Smith, vice president and treasurer; Earl W. Smith, secretary.

CALUMET REGION INDUSTRIES DURING AND AFTER THE WAR — As the metal trades were predominant in the Calumet Region, many of the industries had been intensively organized for production even before our entry into the war and after the United States became a party to the conflict the Calumet Region became one of the most important industrial sections in the country for the manufacture of war material. Many of the plants had been filling orders for the Allies since 1915 and the American Steel Foundries created and had in operation a large ordnance department and were making vast quantities of shells and the Grasseli Chemical Company were an important factor in the manufacture of chemicals and other supplies of varied character. When the United States joined the Allies many of the plants were almost at a moment’s notice changed to a war status. Ammunition and many metal accessories of war equipment were produced in large quantities. Many special items were manufactured such as helmet blanks by the millions and a new building erected by the bridge plant of the United States Steel Corporation in Gary was utilized for the making of large palibre guns. The facilities of the industries in the region were colossal and therefore vast amounts of material could be turned out by the various plants, and activities of men and machinery were subordinated to one end: winning the war. Production and more production was the endeavor of the managers and superintendents who to a man dedicated themselves tirelessly to their tasks. It was not uncommon for some of them to work continuously for twenty-four hours and even longer without sleep. Aside from sporadic disaffection among the

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workmen, a tribute must be paid to their cooperation and efforts and they conformed to the fullest extent to the vital necessities, loyalty and discipline of that period. The contribution of the Calumet Region industries to the success of the Allies is a record of achievement almost unrivaled by any other industrial section in America. The closing of the war found the nation with an excess of industrial plants and equipment but with a great shortage of material needed throughout the country in nearly every line of domestic use and to meet this demand the thought and energy of manufacturers were then directed. The high prices for labor and material resulting from the war continued and became even higher and there seemed to be no end to the increasing cost of labor. Forces of unrest which were active throughout the world became manifest in the United States and an era of industrial struggle came over night. Notable was the walk out of the coal miners and the nation wide steel strike in 1919 and there were minor industrial struggles in nearly every section of the country. These and other causes finally culminated m the depression of 1920. During 1919 the cost of living had soared far beyond the war period. Food prices were at an astonishingly high peak and the greatly increased earnings of employees throughout the country seemed to produce a riot of spending. Although wages were at the highest peak, the production in industrial plants was greatly curtailed through lessened effort on the part of the employees. The ghastly race riots at Chicago, Washington and other places, the mob rule era at Omaha, the police strike in Boston, the great industrial struggle in Seattle and hundreds of other evidences of violent unrest and failure to recognize law and order, had their counterpart in the Calumet Region where “Soviet” branches were established and the “Red” emblems of Russia were flaunted openly and Bolshevistic sympathizers paraded the streets cheering for the world revolution — the hope of Moscow. In Gary a parade of the steel strikers was headed by a company of ex-soldiers in uniform who defied the police and even the bayonets of the militia. The cause of the troubles in the Calumet Region was the attempt at unionization of employees in the various steel plants which began in January, 1919. One of the national labor leaders, John Fitzpatrick, in addressing the business men in Gary, said that a change in conditions was necessary and personal contact must be established between employer and workmen because he claimed there was no method at that period whereby a foreign workman, for instance, could reach Judge Gary with his grievance, nor did there exist any committee of workmen empowered to present grievances and adjust relations between employer and employee. It became noticeable that the organization of foreign steel workers and activities of Soviet propagandists were being conducted simultaneously and it became apparent that the union organization leaders were active sympathizers and many of them pro-

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nounced advocates of Bolshevism. Many of the plants closed on account of the situation and a total disregard of law and order became more and more manifest throughout the region. An attempt to meet the situation on the part of the employers through the introduction of a workmen’s representation plan which did not meet with the approval of the union organizers led to a strike at the Standard Steel Car Works in Hammond on March 31st, 1919, which was later followed by strikes of the employees of the Gary Screw and Bolt Company and other plants throughout the region. The Soviet idea was growing among the steel workers and foreign agitators soon created a condition where riot and open strife seemed imminent. It became apparent early in September that the appeal of Samuel Gompers and President Wilson to defer a general strike of the steel employes would not be heeded and open clashes between the police and strikers were frequent, culminating in a riot at the Standard Steel Car Works at Hammond on September 9th, when the police, attacked by a mob, killed five and wounded fifteen of the rioters. On September 22nd occurred the great strike of the employees of the steel mills and foundries and other industries became involved. Mobs were able to intimidate workers who desired to continue their employment and as the police protection was small the larger plants closed in Hammond and East Chicago on September 22nd. To meet the mob situation the sheriff increased the number of deputies and the police added materially to their force but these preparations were insufficient to establish order and a call for state troops was made. On October 6th, the Government proclaimed martial law in the city of East Chicago and for five miles surrounding it. A battalion of state troops was on duty in Gary and a thousand state troops in East Chicago and Hammond. In defiance of the mayor’s proclamation strikers in Gary paraded on October 6th and the mayor decided to ask for Federal troops to take charge of the situation. Two thousand oversea veterans, trench helmeted, armed with rifles, machine guns and light artillery arrived in Gary and were on duty the day following the parade. This last measure proved effective and in a few weeks the plants began to resume operations and employees desiring to work were well protected in their labor. It was shown by testimony before the Senate steel strike investigating committee on October 27th that Bolshevism had made great inroads among the workers in the Calumet Region and that an unnamed leader had declared the head of the Gary steel strike council to be an I. W. W. and that Glaser, a naturalized Russian and attorney for the strike council, had admitted being a Bolshevist. By November 1st, law and order had become so far restored that some of the troops were withdrawn but it was not until December 31, 1919, that martial law and military control was suspended in the region. In the restoration of law and order due credit should be paid to William F. Hodges, then mayor of

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Gary, to Chief of Police W. A. Forbis of Gary, to Lewis Barnes, sheriff of Lake County and his chief deputy, Henry Whittaker, of Indiana Harbor, and to Acting Chief of Police Edward O’Donnell of East Chicago and to many other officials who were active in suppressing the Bolshevistic activities of alien teachers of riot and insurrection against the orderly forces of the law. The aftermath of the industrial struggle in the Calumet Region was a great improvement in conditions of employment, including opportunities on the part of the employees to become stockholders in many of the industrial plants, savings and profit sharing plans for workmen and many other important innovations on the part of employers for the welfare of their employees. In the few years which have elapsed the welfare plans for employees have materially broadened and in but few industrial sections in the United States are there so many beneficient welfare policies in action as in the Calumet Region. The radical changes which have taken place in the past few years in improved working conditions, as above outlined, as a remedy for industrial unrest have been favored for years by many keen farsighted industrial executives and advocated in the Calumet Region by such leaders as Col. W. J. Riley of East Chicago, whose broad vision into the future has been demonstrated so often. In the “Front Line Trenches,” a pamphlet issued in 1919, he called attention to the rising dominance of labor iij Germany, Belgium, France and Italy and the far reaching spread of Bolshevism and stated “Labor in Great Britain becoming power-conscious to a degree that challenges political forces and is even approaching the taking over the Government itself,” which event actually took place a few years later. He also called attention to the universality of labor and the undreamed of cohesiveness which exists among alien elements, among men of a score of races speaking as many languages, who develop their own local leadership and even when misled and misguided, presented an unaccountable tendency to weld into mass movements. The workmen in the Calumet Region as fully shown in other sections of this chapter, today occupy a fortunate position in their industrial relations, in the high wages paid, the excellent sanitary and housing conditions existing throughout the region, and other benefits which accrue from the many welfare plans designed and promoted solely for their interests.

NAVIGATION OF
HISTORY OF THE LAKE AND CALUMET REGION OF INDIANA

FOREWARD
AN APPRECIATION
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I - Geology and Topography
CHAPTER II - The Mound Builders
CHAPTER III - Days of Indian Occupancy
CHAPTER IV - Early Explorations 
CHAPTER V - Border Warfare
CHAPTER VI - Lake and Calumet Region Becomes Part of United States
CHAPTER VII - After Wayne and Greenville - Tecumseh and the Prophet
CHAPTER VIII - Indian Peace
CHAPTER IX - Early Settlements and Pioneers - County Organization
CHAPTER X - Townships - Towns - Villages
CHAPTER XI - Pioneer Life
CHAPTER XII - The Lake Michigan Marshes
CHAPTER XIII - Agriculture and Livestock
CHAPTER XIV - Military Annals
CHAPTER XV - The Lake and Calumet Region in the World War
CHAPTER XVI - The Newspapers
CHAPTER XVII - The Medical Profession
CHAPTER XVIII - The Bench and Bar in the Lake and Calumet Region
CHAPTER XIX - Churches
CHAPTER XX - Schools
CHAPTER XXI - Libraries
CHAPTER XXII - Social Life
CHAPTER XXIII - The Dunes of Northwestern Indiana
CHAPTER XXIV - Banks and Banking
CHAPTER XXV - Transportation and Waterways
CHAPTER XXVI - Cities
CHAPTER XXVII - Industrial Development
CHAPTER XXVIII - Chambers of Commerce

Transcribed by Steven R. Shook, December 2022

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