Muncie growth, Hemingray listed

[Newspaper]

Publication: The Muncie Daily Herald

Muncie, IN, United States


MUNCIE’S GREAT PROSPERITY,


DELAWARE COUNTY’S WEALTH HAS INCREASED $7,000,000 IN FIVE YEARS.


And the Population of Muncie, Its capital Town, Has Grown from 6,000 Ten Years Ago to More than 22,000 in 1892.


NATURAL GAS HAS BROUGHT TO THAT TOWN ALMOST $6,000,000 OF OUTSIDE CAPITAL.


Which Furnishes Employment for 8,000 Workmen and disburses in Wages nearly $350,000 per Month – A Marvelous Record.


MUNCIE, IND, Dec. 20. – Just previous to the discovery of natural gas here the assessment value of all taxable property in Delaware county was $11,000,000. In 1891 the value of property returned by the assessor for taxation amounted in round numbers, to $18,000,000, showing an increase of $7,000,000, or an advance of more than 50 percent, upon real estate and chattela throughout the county. In 1880 the population of Muncie was 6,000; in 1890 it had increased to about double that number. The cit directory, now approaching completion, will approximately fix the number of inhabitants at 23,000.

The increase of population and property values is the county’s inheritance from the gas belt. To this Muncie owes that Metropolitan air which distinguishes her from other cities of the district, and in point of size and commercial importance has enabled her to rank among the leading cities of the State. The energy which has successful located so many millions here in manufacturing enterprises is not notably a new element in Muncie’s history. She has always had many public-spirited citizens, and even before the discovery of gas was foremost in the encouragement of commercial and industrial concerns. By her liberal subsidies to railway corporations she had already provided herself wit an extensive system of transportation, which became immediately valuable when the development of her gas wells began, drawing manufacturing plants to this vicinity. She has carefully husbanded her enormous output of the fluid, and on this account is enabled now to offer enormous supplies of free fuel to all industries that may avail themselves of its advantages. There are at present in Delaware county nearly two hundred flowing wells. Of these Muncie is using fifty for all private and manufacturing purposes within the city. They supply 150,000,000 cubic feel daily. The old Eaton well, the pioneer of the group, has been in daily, though underrate, use for six years, and shows no decrease of pressure.

In view of the wisdom of its methods, it is proper here to briefly notice the existence of a business organization to which the city is largely indebted for that prosperity which is do evident on every band. This is the Citizen’s Enterprise Co., composed substantially of every

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Previous to October, 1891, the town contained but eleven thousand inhabitants, and its manufacturing interests, though considerable, were wholly in the hands of local capitalists. These concerns, if incorporated at all, were not heavily capitalized, and afforded employment to but a limited number of men. It was only after natural gas had been discovered, revolutionizing the question of fuel, that foreign manufacturers began locating industrial enterprises here. How rapidly this added to the city’s active wealth will appear from a survey of the following list of incorporated concerns here within the past two years.

Capital Stock.

Indiana Iron Co…………………………….$300,000

Rochester and Muncie Land Co…………      80,000

Ames Bending Co…………………………      5,000

Nelson Glass Co…………………………..     25,000

Architectural Iron Co………………………    35,000

Midland Steel Co………………………….    200,000

Indiana Cracker Co……………………….     38,000

R E Hill Manufacturing Co……………….    100,000

Crozier Washing Machine Co……………      30,000

Ohio Wagon Co……………………………    20,000

Albany Furniture Co……………………….    10,000

Commonsense Engine Co……………….      100,000

Sterling Grocery Co………………………..    15,000

Roderick Gas Co……………………………    5,000

Silver Ash Institute…………………………   10,000

Gas, Land and Improvement Co………….     10,000

Muncie Casket Co………………………….   50,000

Shoe and Leather Co………………………    60,000

Gates and Bluntville Natural gas Co………     15,000

Farmers’ Natural Gas Co…………………..     5,000

Indiana Natural Gas Co…………………... 2,000,000

Muncie Brass Plating Works……………….    30,000

Manufacturers’ Gas co……………………..    25,000

Port Glass Works……………………………   25,000

Rochester White Lead Co………………….   125,000

Western Improvement Co………………….   100,000

Economy Gas Co……………………………    15,000

White River Cattle Co……………………….    10,000

Combination Manufacturing Co…………….     25,000

Muncie Nail Co………………………………. 200,000

Muncie Glass Co……………………………..    23,000

Delaware County Land Co………………….   250,000

Novelty and Brass Works……………………    10,000

Clyde Window Glass Works Co……………..      2,000

Muncie Rubber Co…………………………… 250,000

Light, Heat and Power Co……………………    50,000

Indiana Bridge Co……………………………. 300,000

White River Iron and Steel Co……………….    75,000

Hemingray Glass Co……………….       --

Muncie Foundry and Machine Wks…………     50,000

Tappan Shoe Co………………………………   50,000

Muncie Skewer Co……………………………. 25,000

Johnson Hardwood Co………………………..   40,000

Jas Boyce & Co (shovel handles)……………   100,000

Hardy Washer Co……………………………..   20,000

Maring, Hart and Co (glass)………………….   100,000

Patterson Glass Co…………………………....    25,000

Albany Paper Co………………………………       --

Muncie Roofing Co…………………………….   10,000

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Total………………………………….. . . . [illegible text] . . .

This total is composed of incorporated concerns only, many substantial industries not of record have been omitted. The Whitely Harvesting Machine Co., which has already put into active circulation over half a million dollars, is not included in this list.

The establishment here of all these industries has necessarily brought with it an active demand for labor. The factories now in operation, employing labor and disbursing heavy monthly pay-rolls may be easily and readily comprehended by a glance at the following tabulated statement showing the number of men employed, together with their aggregate monthly earnings, so far as the latter has been obtainable:

No. Men        Monthly

emp.         pay-roll.

Jos Bell Stove Co……………………………... 250          $10,000

Muncie Steel Co……………………………....   100             6,000

Akron Forging Co………………………….....    200             8,000

Whitely, Harvesting Machine Company….......... 2,000           80,000

Boyer & Kande Carriage Co……………….....      50             2,000

Burdette Organ and Piano Co……………........    150            6,000

Gill Bros & Co, glass . . . [illegible text] . . .………..............      60            3,500

J. . . [illegible text] . . . McVey Corrugated Iron Co…….....     150            . . . [illegible text] . . .

Muncie Rivet and Tack Co…………………....      25           1,000

Muncie Wheel Co……………………………..     80           3,000

Hill Manufacturing Co………………………....     150          . . . [illegible text] . . .

Ohio Wagon Works…………………………...      75          2,000

Wysor & Haines Boiler Co………………….....      45          2,800

Commonsense Engine Co………………….......    200          6,000

Indiana Iron Co………………………….. . . [illegible text] . . .    . . . [illegible text] . . .

Midland Steel Co……………………………...    500        15,000

Tarpan Shoe Co……………………………....    150          4,000

White River Steel Co………………………....     400        12,000

Architectural Iron Works……………………...      55          1,650

Artificial Ice Company………………………...      15             350

Brick Companies (four)……………………....       75          3,000

Jas Boyce & Co…………... . . [illegible text] . . .   . . . [illegible text] . . .

Carriage Co…………………………………        50          2,000

Ball Brothers Glass Co……………………....      600          . . . [illegible text] . . .

Flour mills (four)…………………………….        30           2,400

Hemingray Glass Co……………….......            150         10,000

Indiana Bridge Co………………………….       175          . . . [illegible text] . . .

Hub and Spoke Cos (two)…………………       50            . . . [illegible text] . . .

McKendry Heading Co…………………….       45             1,500

C. H. Over Window Glass Co……………...     125           10,000

Maring, Hart & Cos glass wks……………..     250            20,000

Plating Mills (five)…………………………..      60              2,500

Westlake Mantel Co……………………….       20              1,000

Muncie Glass Co…………………………...     200           16,000

Washing Machine Co………………………       90             4,000

Muncie Hominy Works…………………….       15                600

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Keywords:Hemingray
Researcher notes: 
Supplemental information: 
Researcher:Roger Lucas / Bob Stahr
Date completed:October 21, 2011 by: Deb Reed Fowler;