Columbiana County, Ohio - Chapter 18: Sources Op Wealth, 1879

Chapter 18: Sources Op Wealth

The wealth of the county of Columbiana lies not alone in her rich surface-soil, which yields so bountifully of grass and grain and fruit, but also in those other treasures which, at varying depths and in wonderful profusion, Nature has stored for her needs, and which have proven to be the foundation of a prosperous activity in trade, in art, and in manufacture.

Coal, as shown in the chapter on geology, exists in abundant deposits, and is mined to a considerable extent for shipment. At Salineville, one of the numerous mining localities, six hundred persons are sometimes employed in the mines, and take out daily thirteen hundred tons of coal.

Iron ore is also mined extensively in several localities, and, in connection with the coal, has given rise to smelting furnaces and iron-working establishments in different parts of the county, notably at Leetonia and Salem.

The deposits of clay have been worked to a large extent in a number of places, and one of the principal industries of the county consists in converting that material into ware of various kinds and qualities. By far the larger number of potteries are at East Liverpool, where the first kiln was prepared and burned in 1840, by James Bennett, an Englishman. This kiln, which consisted chiefly of yellow mugs, yielded a net profit of two hundred and fifty dollars. From this small beginning the business has expanded, until in this present year - 1879 - there are at East Live) pool alone twenty-three establishments, having in use sixty-seven kilns.*

Salt, Oil, Gas

It is probable that the existence of salt in the county was first discovered along the banks of Yellow Creek, and that the first well for its development was put down at Salineville, by George James, a Kentuckian, as early as 1809. Salt-making subsequently became an important industry at that place. Wells bored at East Liverpool and New Lisbon yield brine, from which considerable quantities of salt have been made.

The most remarkable, and perhaps the most valuable, of the products of the many borings is the natural gas, which at East Liverpool has superseded the artificial for purposes of illumination, and which also is used for heating, and in some instances for manufacturing purposes. So great is the supply that it is deemed practically inexhaustible, and even appears to be considered " cheaper than daylight," the public lamps being allowed to burn day and night. The well which supplies the gas was put down in 1860 to obtain oil; instead of oil, the well yielded a liberal supply of brine, but the gas, which was least thought of originally, has proven most profitable. In a well sunk years ago at New Lisbon, gas and brine were both obtained, and the former used for a time in the manufacture of salt.

Mining And Manufacturing Statistics

The following statistics show the products of mines and manufactories as given in the report of the Secretary of State for the year 1878: stone coal, bushels mined, 9,586,660 ; iron ore, tons mined, 26,410 ; salt, bushels made, 21,000 ; water cement, barrels made, 17,620 ; stoneware made, capacity in gallons, 125,000; pig-iron, tons of native or foreign ore smelted with stone coal, 38,400 ; sheet-iron produced, 2 tons; boiler-iron, 185 tons.

Castings and machinery: stoves and hollow-ware, 1200 tons; all other castings, 400 tons; steam-engines, number made, 42 ; steam-boilers made, 24 ; portable saw-mills, 7.

Agricultural Statistics

t Because ot the defective reports, the total quantity of lands given in this schedule amounts to only 270,393 acres, whereas the number given in the grand duplicate is 335,429.