The Reading Eagle
Tuesday, April 11, 1922
FORMER
BERKS MAN HEADS A STEEL MERGER
REPLOGLE
CO. AQUIRES EMPIRE STEEL WITH TOPTON FURNACE
It
was announced In New York that the Replogle Steel Co, has acquired the property
of the Empire Steel and Iron Co., which among: many other interests owns and
operates furnaces at Topton and Macungie.
Leonard
Peckitt, president of the Empire company has
been elected president of the merged companies.
He to a former Reading man. He is a native of England
and, when he came to this country as a young man-
started his industrial career as a chemist for the
Reading Iron Co. He left this city 35 years ago
and went to Catasauqua, where he eventually became
the head of the Crane Iron Works, one of the Empire
company's holdings.
He
married Miss Hattie Weidler, of Stony Creek Mills. whose parents are Mr. and
Mrs. Emmanuel Weidler, 1858 Perkiomen avenue. John O. Glase, head of J. O.
Glase & Co.., of this city, is a brother-in-law of Mr. Peckitt
Mr.
PeckittŐs residence is at Catasauqua., although he plans to make his home in
New York city. He Iis a frequent visitor to Reading.
It
was announced that L. Leonard Replogle will continue as chairman of the
Replogle company at the same time that It was announced that Mr. Peckitt would
be the president; No details were made public as to how the merger will be
financed.
The
Empire company controls the Crane Iron Works. Catasauqua, Victoria Coal and
Coke Co., Capertown, W. Va., and Mount Hope Mineral Railroad.
It owns and operates furnaces at Macungie, in Lehigh county; at Topton, Berks
county, and at Oxford, N. J.
Increased Capacity
The
merger adds to the producing capacity of the Replogle company 250,000 tons of
pig iron a year, bringing its total capacity to 600.000 tons.
Besides
this, the merger increases ReplogleŐs large holdings of ore, which now amount
to upward of 150,000 tons, giving it practically an unlimited supply of high grade ore. This addition
follows the acquisition of large ore reserves and operating mines, and the
company can obtain its entire requirements of ore and, should conditions
warrant, could have a surplus for sale. It also has a large surplus of high
grade limestone, and by the purchase it acquires a controlling interest in the
Mount Hope Mineral Railroad.
The
company is contemplating an early resumption of
operations at Wharton, N. J. as well as at Catasauqua,
where a large furnace has recently been modernized.
The
Topton furnace has not been in operation for two years and it is not known if
the new owners intend, to start operations shortly or not. The buildings are in
such shape that the furnaces can be lit at short notice. This is one of the
oldest iron industries in rural Berks. The iron ore was mined at a point near
SteinŐs Corner many years ago. In later years the ore was shipped from distant
points. The first furnace company was composed of Topton men: and the property
has changed hands a number of times since then.
Return to the Crane Iron. Page
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Rev. June
2010