Oliver Iron and Steel Corporation
Encyclopedia
The Oliver Iron and Steel Corporation was a manufacturer of iron and steel hardware including nuts, bolts, screws, and horseshoes in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, USA.
The company was originally Oliver Brothers and Phillips after the Oliver Brothers concern merged with the Phillips Iron Works, later Oliver Iron and Steel Company before becoming Oliver Iron and Steel Corporation in 1922. In its early times Henry W. Oliver
was president of the company. The company controlled the Allegheny and South Side Railway
by stock ownership.
Until 1897, the Lower Works at Woods Run in the city of Allegheny (now Pittsburgh's North Side) included rolling mills. In that year, the Schoen Pressed Steel Company bought the Lower Works. The Upper Works, in the South Side, made hardware from iron and steel.
Around 1951, the Berry Motors Company of Corinth, Mississippi
was acquired and made the Berry Division of Oliver Iron and Steel.
In late September 1954 the company suffered a work stoppage. Contemporary newspaper accounts mentioned threats of plant closure at the time unless the strike ended.
During 1955 longtime president Theodore F. Smith moved on to the Kaiser Engineers division of the Henry J. Kaiser Company, and Paul H. Starzman was elected the new president.
The Berry Division was subject to an anti-trust lawsuit filed on June 11, 1956 At about the same time, the fastener business was sold to Pittsburgh Screw and Bolt Company, and the pole line hardware business was merged into the Oliver Electric Company of Battle Creek, Michigan
.
The company had lost money each of the previous 4 years.
Oliver Iron and Steel merged into the Oliver Tyrone Corporation effective December 31, 1956.
As a new plant for Pittsburgh Screw and Bolt Company was started outside Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland County
in 1957 the former Oliver Iron and Steel facilities in the Pittsburgh South Side were soon empty. The facilities and land, as well as the Allegheny and South Side Railway, were sold to Carson Industrial Development Corporation, who planned an industrial and warehousing park on the land. Pittsburgh City Planning Department aerial photos from 1962 show the land cleared to dirt.
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, USA.
Henry W. Oliver
Henry W. Oliver was an American industrialist.-Biography:Henry W. Oliver was born in Ireland in 1845. Two years later his family settled in Pittsburgh. Oliver began working at the age of thirteen as a messenger boy for the National Telegraph Company in Pittsburgh. Oliver worked at various jobs...
was president of the company. The company controlled the Allegheny and South Side Railway
Allegheny and South Side Railway
The Allegheny and South Side Railway is an historic railroad that operated in Pennsylvania.It was incorporated on September 20, 1892, to build from the city of Allegheny to the South Side of Pittsburgh, with a stated distance of 12 miles; A branch of 7 miles from Allegheny to 39th St. in...
by stock ownership.
Until 1897, the Lower Works at Woods Run in the city of Allegheny (now Pittsburgh's North Side) included rolling mills. In that year, the Schoen Pressed Steel Company bought the Lower Works. The Upper Works, in the South Side, made hardware from iron and steel.
Around 1951, the Berry Motors Company of Corinth, Mississippi
Corinth, Mississippi
Corinth is a city in Alcorn County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,054 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Alcorn County. Its ZIP codes are 38834 and 38835.- History :...
was acquired and made the Berry Division of Oliver Iron and Steel.
In late September 1954 the company suffered a work stoppage. Contemporary newspaper accounts mentioned threats of plant closure at the time unless the strike ended.
During 1955 longtime president Theodore F. Smith moved on to the Kaiser Engineers division of the Henry J. Kaiser Company, and Paul H. Starzman was elected the new president.
The Berry Division was subject to an anti-trust lawsuit filed on June 11, 1956 At about the same time, the fastener business was sold to Pittsburgh Screw and Bolt Company, and the pole line hardware business was merged into the Oliver Electric Company of Battle Creek, Michigan
Battle Creek, Michigan
Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek Rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Calhoun county...
.
The company had lost money each of the previous 4 years.
Oliver Iron and Steel merged into the Oliver Tyrone Corporation effective December 31, 1956.
As a new plant for Pittsburgh Screw and Bolt Company was started outside Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland County
Mount Pleasant Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Mount Pleasant Township is a township in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 11,153...
in 1957 the former Oliver Iron and Steel facilities in the Pittsburgh South Side were soon empty. The facilities and land, as well as the Allegheny and South Side Railway, were sold to Carson Industrial Development Corporation, who planned an industrial and warehousing park on the land. Pittsburgh City Planning Department aerial photos from 1962 show the land cleared to dirt.