Often times I found tiny tidbits in the not so typical sources. Below are the stats of Wagon Making in Pittsburg, PA. in 1857. In these stats you find the location and dates of when these businesses opened. We also discover that the PA wagon had a great influence on the type of wagon that were used on the Oregon Trail, and in the brief paragraph below you see the reason why. You can find out more about 19th Century Carriages & Wagons by ordering a copy of my book. http://www.lynncoleman.com/carriages.html
WAGON MAKING.
The making of wagons has always been an important branch of Pittsburgh manufactures. They are sent in large quantities to Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, and in fact to all the States in the Mississippi valley. In 1849 large numbers of them Trere used by California emigrants in their journey across the plains; and on the "Oregon trail" are many furrows impressed by the wheels of Pittsburgh-built wagons. Lumber and iron, the two articles entering into iheir construction, are at this point so cheap that an immense advantage is gained over all other locations. There are now engaged in the business here the following firms:
......Firm..................Location....................Established.......By whom.
Frederick AEschleman, Beaver street, Manchester,..........1842,.........F. AEschleman.
John A. Endres........Ohio st., near East Lane, All'y....,1853,........John A. Endres.
Joseph Fisher.........East Lane, near Ohio,...............1847.........John Fisher.
Hemphill & Shaberger..Ohio and Sandusky...................l844.........H.DeHaven.
Harper & Caughey......Beaver st., Manchester..............1854.........Harp. & Caugh'y,
Frederick Kealer......East Lane, near 4th, Alleg'y........1842.........F. Kealer.
Wm. M'Kee.............Cor. Diamond ay. 4Smithaeld.........1843.........W. M'Kee.
Phelps, Carr & Co.....No. 1 St. Clair, Pittsburgh.........1832.........C. Townsend.
Geo. Sweitzer.........Carson St., Birmingham..............1851.........Geo. Sweitzer.
These employ 180 hands, whose wages yearly are.........$ 77,920
They consume Iron, Axles, Springs, etc., to amount of..$ 26,000
They consume Lumber, to value of.......................$ 80,800
They consume 80,000 bushels of Coal....................$ 4,000
Total.........................................$138,720
And produce 1,810 Wagons, Carts, Timber-wheels, etc., worth $159,500
These vehicles range from the small one-horse cart to the heavy six-horse road wagon. There are in addition to the firms given above, twenty shops which make each a few wagons yearly, and do a large amount of repairing; they employ 45 men, whose yearly wages are $14,560, and the value of their work is about $45,000.
Source: Pittsburgh as it is: ©1857
Interesting report.
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