Steel City .281859.E2.80.931946.29 History of Pittsburgh

1 steel city (1859–1946)

1.1 scots irish leadership
1.2 technology
1.3 geography of industrialization
1.4 germans
1.5 labor unions
1.6 carnegie

steel city (1859–1946)

the iron , steel industry developed rapidly after 1830 , became 1 of dominant factors in industrial america 1860s.

scots irish leadership

ingham (1978) examined leadership of industry in important center, pittsburgh, smaller cities. concludes leadership of iron , steel industry nationwide largely scotch irish . ingham finds scotch irish held cohesively throughout 19th century , developed own sense of uniqueness.

indeed, new immigrants after 1800 made pittsburgh major scotch irish stronghold. example, thomas mellon (b. ulster 1813–1908) left ireland in 1823 , became founder of famous mellon family, played central role in banking , industries such aluminum , oil. barnhisel (2005) finds, industrialists james h. laughlin (b. ulster 1806–1882) of jones , laughlin steel company comprised scots-irish presbyterian ruling stratum of pittsburgh society.

technology

in 1859, clinton , soho iron furnaces introduced coke-fire smelting region. american civil war boosted city s economy increased production of iron , armaments, @ allegheny arsenal , fort pitt foundry. arms manufacture included iron-clad warships , world s first 21 gun. war s end, on one-half of steel , more one-third of u.s. glass produced in pittsburgh. milestone in steel production achieved in 1875, when edgar thomson works in braddock began make steel rail using new bessemer process.

industrialists such andrew carnegie, henry clay frick, andrew w. mellon, , charles m. schwab built fortunes in pittsburgh. based in pittsburgh george westinghouse, credited such advancements air brake , founder of on 60 companies, including westinghouse air , brake company (1869), union switch & signal (1881), , westinghouse electric company (1886). banks played key role in pittsburgh s development these industrialists sought massive loans upgrade plants, integrate industries , fund technological advances. example, t. mellon & sons bank, founded in 1869, helped finance aluminum reduction company became alcoa.

ingham (1991) shows how small, independent iron , steel manufacturers survived , prospered 1870s through 1950s, despite competition larger, standardized production firms. these smaller firms built on culture valued local markets , beneficial role of business in local community. small firms concentrated on specialized products, particularly structural steel, economies of scale of larger firms no advantage. embraced technological change more cautiously larger firms. had less antagonistic relations workers , employed higher percentage of highly skilled workers mass-production counterparts.

geography of industrialization

beginning in 1870s, entrepreneurs transformed economy small, craft-organized factories located inside city limits large integrated industrial region stretching 50 miles across allegheny county. new industrial pittsburgh based on integrated mills, mass production, , modern management organization in steel , other industries. many manufacturers searched large sites railroad , river accessibility. purchased land, designed modern plants, , built towns workers. other firms bought new communities began speculative industrial real estate ventures. owners removed plants central city s labor unions exert greater control on workers. region s rugged topography , dispersed natural resources of coal , gas accentuated dispersal. rapid growth of steel, glass, railroad equipment, , coke industries resulted in both large mass-production plants , numerous smaller firms. capital deepened , interdependence grew, participants multiplied, economies accrued, division of labor increased, , localized production systems formed around these industries. transportation, capital, labor markets, , division of labor in production bound scattered industrial plants , communities sprawling metropolitan district. 1910 pittsburgh district complex urban landscape dominant central city, surrounded proximate residential communities, mill towns, satellite cities, , hundreds of mining towns.

representative of new industrial suburbs model town of vandergrift, according mosher (1995). caught in dramatic round of industrial restructuring , labor tension, pittsburgh steelmaker george mcmurtry hired frederick law olmsted s landscape architectural firm in 1895 design vandergrift model town. mcmurtry believed in later known welfare capitalism, company going beyond paychecks provide social needs of workers; believed benign physical environment made happier , more productive workers. strike , lockout @ mcmurtry s steelworks in apollo, pennsylvania, prompted him build new town. wanting loyal workforce, developed town agenda drew upon environmentalism popular attitudes toward capital s treatment of labor. olmsted firm translated agenda urban design included unique combination of social reform, comprehensive infrastructure planning, , private homeownership principles. rates of homeownership , cordial relationships between steel company , vandergrift residents fostered loyalty among mcmurtry s skilled workers , led mcmurtry s greatest success. in 1901 used vandergrift s worker-residents break first major strike against united states steel corporation.

germans

during mid-19th century, pittsburgh witnessed dramatic influx of german immigrants, including brick mason son, henry j. heinz, founded h.j. heinz company in 1872. heinz @ forefront of reform efforts improve food purity, working conditions, hours, , wages, company bitterly opposed formation of independent labor union.

labor unions

as manufacturing center, pittsburgh became arena intense labor strife. during great railroad strike of 1877, pittsburgh workers protested , had massive demonstrations erupted widespread violence, known pittsburgh railway riots. militia , federal troops called city suppress strike. forty men died, of them workers, , more 40 buildings burned down, including union depot of pennsylvania railroad. strikers burned , destroyed rolling stock: more 100 train engines , 1000 railcars destroyed. city violence of affected strikes.

burning of pennsylvania railroad , union depot, pittsburgh, july 21–22, 1877

in 1892, confrontation in steel industry resulted in 10 deaths (3 detectives, 7 workers) when carnegie steel company s manager henry clay frick sent in pinkertons break homestead strike. labor strife continued years of great depression, workers sought protect jobs , improve working conditions. unions organized h.j. heinz workers, assistance of catholic radical alliance.

carnegie

andrew carnegie, immigrant scotland, former pennsylvania railroad executive turned steel magnate, founded carnegie steel company. proceeded play key role in development of u.s. steel industry. became philanthropist: in 1890, established first carnegie library, in program establish libraries in numerous cities , towns incentive of matching funds. in 1895, founded carnegie institute. in 1901, u.s. steel corporation formed, sold mills j.p. morgan $250 million, making him 1 of world s richest men. carnegie once wrote man dies rich, dies disgraced. devoted rest of life public service, establishing libraries, trusts, , foundations. in pittsburgh, founded carnegie institute of technology (now carnegie mellon university) , carnegie museums of pittsburgh.

the third (and present) allegheny county courthouse , jail completed in 1886. in 1890, trolleys began operations. in 1907, pittsburgh annexed allegheny city, known north shore.

steelworker watching molten steel being poured mold, j&l steel, pittsburgh, may 1942.