Early Manufacturing and Future History

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 The following are some of the principal manufacturing establish­ments in Chattanooga

 

 

Chattanooga Foundry and Machine Works

 

This is one of the oldest manufacturing establishments in the city, having been started in 1849. It has been very much enlarged within the last eight years, and is now one of the largest and most complete establishments of the kind in the South.

 

It has a foundry of fifteen tons daily capacity; a machine shop supplied with lathes, planes and all the modern machinery necessary to do the  heaviest iron work; a  blacksmith shop containing five forges; a fully equipped boiler shop, and a pattern shop.  These works are at present engaged in the construction of the largest engines ever built south of the Ohio River. Three engines have just been com­pleted of 300 horse-powers each, with blowing cylinders of seven feet diameter and four feet stroke, for different smelting furnaces in that vicinity. A large amount of work is done here for railroads, mills, bridges, water and gas-works. Heavy work and large castings are a specialty.

 

Vulcan Works

 

 This establishment has been in operation about eight years, and manufactures bar iron, bolts, hammered axles, fish­plate, wrought iron work for railroad bridges, and railroad forgings generally; also, light T rail for narrow gauge railroads, and rails for street railroads. There is a full supply of all the necessary machinery, together with five beating and eight puddling furnaces.

 

The Alabama and Chattanooga Railroad Machine Shops

 

 The shops of this important road are located in this city. They contain a large amount of first-class machinery necessary for the repair of engines and the construction of cars.

 

The Wason Car and Foundry Company

 

have eight commodious brick buildings, well arranged for their several purposes. Framing shop, two stories, 58 by 122 feet, pattern shop, two stories, 52 by 55 feet; erecting shop, one story, 42 by 265 feet; blacksmith shop, one story, 47 by 133 feet; machine shop, one story, 47 by 61 feet; boiler room, one story, 21 by 47 feet; foundry, one story, 60 by 133 feet; annealing room, one story, 52 by 55 feet.

 

The machinery in the works is all of the latest and most approved kinds. The car shop has a capacity of six freight cars per day, be­sides all kinds of car work. The foundry has a capacity of fifty car wheels per day, besides turning out other kinds of car castings. Other castings made to order.

 

Roane Iron Company

 

This company has two blast furnaces in operation on their mineral lands at Rockwood, with a capacity of fifty-five tons of pig iron per day. The rolling-mill of this company, located at Chattanooga, manufactures railroad iron only. The rail mill is 80 by 650 feet, and contains ten of Dank's rotary puddling furnaces and five common paddling furnaces, nine heating furnaces, four trains of rolls, fifteen steam engines, from 25 to 300 horse power, one Winslow's squeezer, one steam hammer, together with all the other machinery in use in first-class rolling-mills. Capacity, 100 tons railroad iron in twenty-four hours.

 

Chattanooga Iron Company

 

This company has erected the first blast furnace in the city limits since the war, and it is the only one now in the city. The blast stack is sixty feet high, iron shell, eighteen feet in diameter. Diameter of bosh, thirteen feet four inches. Four tuyers. Cast house 36 by 65 feet, engine house 24 by 38 feet, boiler house 20 by 52 feet, stock house 50 by 200 feet. Four boilers, length, 50 feet, diameter, 32 inches. Steam cylinder 32 by 48 inches. Blow­ing cylinder 6 feet diameter, 4 feet stroke. Draft stack 90 feet high, 50 inches inside.    Capacity of furnace, 30 tons pig-iron daily.

 

The cost of material delivered will not exceed—

 

Ore, (over 50 per cent., metallic iron,) per ton.............$3.00

Limestone, per ton                                                       $1.00

Coke, per bushel                                                          10 3/8

 

The expenses entering into the cost of production of pig iron not more than elsewhere.

 

Saw Mills, Planning Mills, Etc.

 

 There are five steam saw-mills in the city, with capacity for the production of 40,000 feet of lumber per day. There are also five establishments for the manufacture of all kinds of dressed lumber, doors, sash, blinds, and every variety of house finishing materials.

 

Chattanooga Steam Wagon and Implement Works

 

This establish­ment makes a specialty of heavy wagons, and of turned handles, spokes, and similar work. Manufactures entirely from Tennessee timber, which is found to be of superior quality.

 

Chattanooga Steam Wagon and Implement Works

 

 This establish­ment makes a specialty of heavy wagons, and of turned handles, spokes, and similar work. Manufactures entirely from Tennessee timber, which is found to be of superior quality.

 

Chattanooga Steam Carriage and Wagon Works

 

 Manufactures bug­gies phaetons, carriages, hacks and wagons. Sewing machine wagons and livery work a specialty.

 

Flouring Mills

 

 The Lookout Steam Mills have five ran of stones and an eighty horse-power engine. Capacity, 250 barrels flour per day. The Chattanooga Steam Mills have three run of stones- Ca­pacity, 50 barrels flour per day.

 

Chattanooga Fire-Clay Works

 

This establishment manufactures fire-brick, drain pipe, and fire-clay work of all kinds. Has capacity for 4,500 fire-brick per day. The products of this factory have stood the severest tests.

 

Chattanooga Soap Factory 

 

This is a new enterprise, but is starting out under auspices which bid fair to make it an important addition to the rapidly increasing number of manufacturing enterprises in the city.

 

Southern Pump and Pipe Company

 

 Superior wooden pumps are made at this factory. There is also made here wooden pipe for aque­duct purposes, and especially adapted for mines, water-works, and railroads. This pipe is made to sustain an equal pressure with iron pipe made for the same purpose, and is much cheaper

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Chattanooga Steam Baker

 

This manufactory is supplied with im­proved machinery for making crackers and similar products. Has capacity for using twenty barrels of flour per day. There are two other bakeries in the city.

 

ChattanoogaSteam Leather Manufactory

 

 Main building, 38 by 290 feet, three stories. Bark mill will grind twenty cords per day. Steam engine forty horse power. All necessary machinery complete. There are 112 vats, 20 limes and soaks, six large leaches, one ten-cord Allen and Warren leach.    Capacity, 26,000 sides per annum.

 

The Novelty Machine Works

 

Manufacture brass and iron articles in large variety.

 

The Chattanooga Fertilizer Works

 

Engaged principally in the pro­duction of bone fertilizers.

 

The Chattanooga Steam Furniture Factory

 

Have large capacities for making all kinds and quantities of household furniture.

 

Chattanooga Brewery

 

 This establishment makes lager beer, and has capacity for 20,000 kegs per annum.

 

Mountain City Cotton and Woolen Factory

 

This factory has all the necessary machinery for making cotton yarns, rope and cloth, and also for making woolen goods. The factory at present consists of one main building, 50 by 105 feet, three stories, with wing 50 by 80 feet, one story. Three thousand spindles are now set up. Engine forty horse power. The buildings and machinery are so arranged as to increase the capacity at any time.

 

 

The Future of Chattanooga

 

 

 The lumber trade of this city will necessarily swell into large proportions. It is estimated that, within the region of country tributary to Chattanooga, there are 5,000,000,000 feet of lumber of the more valuable varieties. This trade already extends to the Northern and Eastern States.

 

A cotton market of importance would be established at once in Chattanooga upon the erection of a cotton compress, with a supply of capital to make purchases or advances. A large amount of business which now goes through and around the city would then be transacted here, this being the natural center for collection and shipment.

 

The foregoing statistics show the vast amount of grain, live stock, and provisions distributed over the country south of Chattanooga, and indicate, not only what will be done in the future of this rapidly grow­ing country, but also what opportunities there are for producers in Tennessee.

 

The opportunities and prospects in regard to manufactures, and es­pecially with respect to the production of iron, have been fully set forth.

 

The railroad facilities which Chattanooga possesses, and which give the city direct communication with every section of the country, have been mentioned, and are shown by the accompanying maps.

By the removal of the obstructions to the navigation of the Tennessee River at Muscle Shoals, this river will be open throughout its whole length to the trade of the country. Thus cheap transportation will be afforded for all the heavy articles of commerce, and a line of water communication can be provided between the great North-west and the South Atlantic and Gulf States.

 

The time is not far distant when the varied products of the soil, the mine, and innumerable furnaces and manufacturing establishments, and the commerce which will course through the natural channel of trade, will make Chattanooga the metropolis of the central South.

 

 

 

A History of Tennesseeand Tennesseans; the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities - 1913

 

 

 

 

 

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