Silver Brothers Iron Works (Ogden Iron Works)

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Introduction

The Silver Brothers Iron Works was a small foundry and machine shop in Salt Lake City that specialized in mining and agricultural equipment. While the majority of its railcars were for underground mine service, the company also produced narrow gauge rolling stock, including side dump cars, for construction contractors. There is evidence that Silver Brothers built the cars used by the Sutro Tunnel Company. In later years the company moved to Ogden, Utah and was renamed the Ogden Iron Works, producing the same product line but expanding into sugarbeet machinery, soon dominating the market for sugarbeet cutters and piling machines.

While unknown today, the Silver family was highly influential in the North American iron trade, operating or involved with iron works, foundries, and machine shops in New York, Denver, Salt Lake City, Ogden, and Canada. Silver Brothers also was the original manufacturer of the Silver Permanent Railway Tie, a cast-steel and concrete-filled track tie intended to replace wood as the United States faced a timber crisis as commercially viable tree stands on public lands began to run out in the early 20th century.

History

Timeline

• 1853

William J. Silver is hired as a draftsman at the Stothert & Pitts Newark Foundry, Bath, England.

• 1855

William J. Silver and wife emigrate to the United States. He finds employment at the William M. Storm Novelty Iron Works in New York.

• 1858

William J. Silver opens an engineering consulting office at St. John Street, New York City.

• 1859

The Silver Family moves to Utah in an overland wagon train. William J. Silver begins patternmaking for the L.D.S. Church Machine Shop in the Sugarhouse Ward of Salt Lake City.

• 1860

William J. Silver and John Forbes, also formerly employed by the L.D.S. Church Machine Shop, build a small slab shed and establish their own machine shop.

• 1862

Dissolves the partnership with John Forbes. Rents a small machine shop in John Taylor's nail factory.

• 1865

William J. Silver purchases his own city lot and builds a dugout house and a 12 foot by 12 foot board and batten shed. The Silver Machine Shop is established.

• 1868

William J. Silver installs the public clock at the Salt Lake City Hall. He builds his first steam engine in September for Smith Brothers., who were building the State Road (now State Street / US-89). This is the first steam engine built in Utah. In November he builds a second steam engine for the steamship Kate Connor sailing the Great Salt Lake from Corinne, Utah.

• 1869

Built a brass furnace and begins making brass castings to order. Six to eight men, depending on the work, are employed at the Silver Iron Works.

• 1872

William J. Silver is hired as master mechanic of the Utah Northern Railroad (36" gauge). He is in charge of installing the machinery in the Utah Northern shops.

• 1878

A new foundry and machine shop is built with an iron frame and brick walls. William J. Silver is manufacturing steam pumps for mines as well as operating steam equipment for the Salt Lake City Water Works, the Salt Lake Fire Department, John W. Young, and various railroads in the region. He also teaches classes in mine drawing and calculations and machinist drawing.

• 1885

Due to federal anti-polygamy raids, William J. Silver takes the narrow gauge Denver & Rio Grande Western Railway to Denver, Colorado where he obtains employment at the F.M. Davis Machine Shop as a pattern maker. He deeds his own machine shop to his sons John and Joseph, who take over operations.

• 1898

Silver Brothers Iron Works is formally incorporated with John Silver as president, Hyrum Silver as vice-president, and Joseph Silver as secretary.

"Manufacturers," American Machinist 14 April 1898.

• 1900

Silver Brothers Iron Works expands with a new boiler shop and an addition to the foundry building.

"Manufacturing," The Iron Age 25 January 1900.

• 1903

The company purchases land to build a new machine shop and foundry.

"Industrial Notes," The Engineering and Mining Journal 21 February 1903.

• 1906

John Silver leaves Utah for Alberta, Canada and establishes his own iron works there. Joseph A. Silver and his son James W. Silver purchase the ownership shares of John and Hyrum.

Work begins on a new modern factory.

"Industrials," The Engineering and Mining Journal 24 March 1906 p580.

The financing for the new factory was unfortunately left to Beresford Hope, a con man who presented himself as a representative of the fictional British American Securities, Limited, offering to raise funds on commission for various Utah industries. In July 1906, taking his commission fees, he fled Utah for Boston. The amount needed and never procured by the Silver Brothers Iron Works was $150,000.

"Swindle of Big Proportions," The Newark Daily Advocate 9 July 1906.

Sturtevant Company generators are installed to supply the facility with electricity.

"General Industrial Notes," The Iron Trade Review 13 December 1906.

• 1909

Silver Brothers Iron Works introduces the first mine car with self-oiling wheels.

"Miscellaneous," The Iron Age 15 July 1909.

• 1911

Silver Brothers Iron Works establishes an iron industry catalog library.

"Catalogues Wanted," The Iron Age 26 January 1911.

• 1912

$30,000 is spent on new machinery for the steel casting plant which uses Bessemer furnaces.

"New Construction," The Iron Trade Review 18 April 1912 p875.

Silver Brothers maintains the shay locomotives owned by the Copper Belt Railroad.

• 1915

The Silver Brothers Iron Works is taken over by the Salt Lake Iron & Steel Company.

"Western States," The Iron Trade Review 2 December 1915 p1105.

• 1916

James W. Silver leaves the Salt Lake Iron & Steel Company and moves to Ogden to found the Ogden Iron Works, using the patents and patterns still owned by his family. He continues to produce the Silver Brothers branded mining and railroad equipment.

Notable Individuals

• William J. Silver

Founder of the Silver Iron Works and father of John, Hyrum, and Joseph (Silver Brothers). Emigrated from England. His first invention was a capstan winch for shipyards, patented while he lived in London in 1852. Trained as a draftsman at the Stothert & Pitts Newark Foundry in Bath, England. Built the first point switch documented to have been used by United States railroads, installed on a street railroad in Salt Lake City.

• John A. Silver

President. One of the three brothers that made up Silver Brothers Iron Works. Left the family company to start his own foundry in Alberta, Canada.

• Hyrum A. Silver

Vice-president. One of the three brothers that made up Silver Brothers Iron Works.

• Joseph A. Silver

Secretary, 1898-1906; president, after 1906. One of the three brothers that made up Silver Brothers Iron Works. Started his career as a machinist at the Ontario Mine in Park City, Utah, at age 16.

• James W. Silver

Son of Joseph A. Silver, purchased the ownership shares of his uncles John and Hyrum in 1906. Founded the Ogden Iron Works.

Products

Rail equipment

• Silver Brothers Contractor's Dump Cars

• Coal dump cars in 36" and 42" gauge

• The Mudite Machine, a 36" gauge or larger underground locomotive powered with either batteries or overhead catenary with a mixing tank and sprayer for applying anti-dust slurry over the walls of mine rooms and tunnels.

Non-Rail Equipment

• Stationary and portable steam engines

• Steam operated water pumps

• Boilers

• Ornamental wrought and cast iron fencing

• Smelter furnaces

• Mine cages

• Mine incline cable tramway systems

• Ore buckets

• Conveyor belt rollers

• Flour mill rollers

• Sugarbeet cutters

• Sugarbeet pilers

• Gasoline engine steam rollers

• Steam Shovels

• Steam dredges