Niles Tool Works
In the spring of 1898, from Maine to Florida, coastal towns of every size feared that a war with Spain could bring death and destruction from enemy warships. Leaders in Boston, New York, Charleston and the smallest Atlantic seaport villages envisioned Spanish ships lobbing shells into their homes and businesses.
"Applications are pouring into the war and navy departments for the immediate protection of supposedly exposed points on the Atlantic and Gulf seaboard," said a news report from Washington April 20, 1898. "Some towns ask for the immediate construction of batteries, while others want warships stationed off the shore."
Spanish ships posed no threat to Hamilton, but at least one of the city's many industries was vital to the defense of U. S. coastlines.
"The Niles Tool Works are at present very busy on government work which consists of disappearing gun carriages and 12-inch mortars," said the Hamilton Democrat in March 1898. "To judge from this activity, there is not the least doubt but that the government expects to have a brush with the Spaniards sooner or later," the newspaper reported about six weeks before the U. S. declared war on Spain.
The plant was between North Second and North Third street along Mill Street (north of Hensel Place, formerly Vine Street). Some buildings have been demolished, but others remain in use as a warehouse for Champion International.
"Long before any trouble with Spain was anticipated," the newspaper said, Niles had "secured a government contract for the building of disappearing gun carriages for fort and coast defense of this country."
"The Niles Tool Works had 14 gun carriages to build under two contracts. Of these, eight have been finished, inspected, accepted and delivered to the ordinance department of the government." The report offered the following details:
"The weight of each gun carriage is 100 tons and consists of steel and brass. The carriage supports 10-inch guns that are 32 feet in length, weigh 67,000 pounds with a 30-inch diameter at the breech and a diameter of 16 inches at the muzzle, the bore of the gun being 10 inches and rifled. These guns discharge a projectile weighing 512 pounds with a powder charge of 250 pounds which will carry the projectile from seven to eight miles."
In its firing position, the gun "is just above and extending about 10 feet over the parapet of the fort. The carriage is behind the parapet in the pit. After discharging, the recoil carries the gun to the rear about 10 feet and down into the pit, thus dropping it out of view of the enemy."
"It requires five or six months to finish a gun carriage, and there are several almost completed at the Niles Tool Works. Nearly every important seaport now has one or more of these 30-ton disappearing guns of 10-inch caliber for its defense."
The Democrat said Niles "has also under contract for the government 15 mortars. They are 12 feet long, have a 12-inch bore, are breech-loading and rifled. These mortars weigh 13 tons or 26,000 pounds apiece and are made of steel. The tube is built up at breech with two separate rings, one pushed over the tube red hot and the second ring over the first in a similar manner, where they are shrunk to the tube and increase the resisting power of a charge of powder."
Niles Tool Works Co. had moved from Cincinnati to Hamilton in 1872. The city, under the leadership of Job E. Owens and William Beckett, donated land and materials for the plant, considered a model factory in 1872. Water power was supplied by the Hamilton Hydraulic.
The U. S. declared war on Spain April 25, 1898. The action followed the mysterious explosion of the USS Maine Feb. 15 in Havana harbor.
For weeks after the declaration -- as the location and destination of the Spanish fleet remained in doubt -- coastal towns waited in fear. From their perspective, the 1,000 workers at Niles couldn't produce enough of the massive gun carriages.
"Applications are pouring into the war and navy departments for the immediate protection of supposedly exposed points on the Atlantic and Gulf seaboard," said a news report from Washington April 20, 1898. "Some towns ask for the immediate construction of batteries, while others want warships stationed off the shore."
Spanish ships posed no threat to Hamilton, but at least one of the city's many industries was vital to the defense of U. S. coastlines.
"The Niles Tool Works are at present very busy on government work which consists of disappearing gun carriages and 12-inch mortars," said the Hamilton Democrat in March 1898. "To judge from this activity, there is not the least doubt but that the government expects to have a brush with the Spaniards sooner or later," the newspaper reported about six weeks before the U. S. declared war on Spain.
The plant was between North Second and North Third street along Mill Street (north of Hensel Place, formerly Vine Street). Some buildings have been demolished, but others remain in use as a warehouse for Champion International.
"Long before any trouble with Spain was anticipated," the newspaper said, Niles had "secured a government contract for the building of disappearing gun carriages for fort and coast defense of this country."
"The Niles Tool Works had 14 gun carriages to build under two contracts. Of these, eight have been finished, inspected, accepted and delivered to the ordinance department of the government." The report offered the following details:
"The weight of each gun carriage is 100 tons and consists of steel and brass. The carriage supports 10-inch guns that are 32 feet in length, weigh 67,000 pounds with a 30-inch diameter at the breech and a diameter of 16 inches at the muzzle, the bore of the gun being 10 inches and rifled. These guns discharge a projectile weighing 512 pounds with a powder charge of 250 pounds which will carry the projectile from seven to eight miles."
In its firing position, the gun "is just above and extending about 10 feet over the parapet of the fort. The carriage is behind the parapet in the pit. After discharging, the recoil carries the gun to the rear about 10 feet and down into the pit, thus dropping it out of view of the enemy."
"It requires five or six months to finish a gun carriage, and there are several almost completed at the Niles Tool Works. Nearly every important seaport now has one or more of these 30-ton disappearing guns of 10-inch caliber for its defense."
The Democrat said Niles "has also under contract for the government 15 mortars. They are 12 feet long, have a 12-inch bore, are breech-loading and rifled. These mortars weigh 13 tons or 26,000 pounds apiece and are made of steel. The tube is built up at breech with two separate rings, one pushed over the tube red hot and the second ring over the first in a similar manner, where they are shrunk to the tube and increase the resisting power of a charge of powder."
Niles Tool Works Co. had moved from Cincinnati to Hamilton in 1872. The city, under the leadership of Job E. Owens and William Beckett, donated land and materials for the plant, considered a model factory in 1872. Water power was supplied by the Hamilton Hydraulic.
The U. S. declared war on Spain April 25, 1898. The action followed the mysterious explosion of the USS Maine Feb. 15 in Havana harbor.
For weeks after the declaration -- as the location and destination of the Spanish fleet remained in doubt -- coastal towns waited in fear. From their perspective, the 1,000 workers at Niles couldn't produce enough of the massive gun carriages.