pa1778data.pdf

U.S. STEEL DUQUESNE WORKS
HAER NO. PA-115
(Page 4)
AM OVERVIEW HISTORY OF THE U.S. STEEL DUQUESNE WORKS
When the Duquesne Works first opened in 1889, its design and
technological make-up both reflected and extended the
revolutionary developments taking place in the American iron and
steel industry. These developments made it possible for the
industry to dramatically increase productive output while
significantly reducing production costs. Over the succeeding
years, until the works closed in 1984, Duquesne continued to lead
the industry in these two vital areas. The works' layout and
technology also provided the basis for linking Duquesne with
other steelworks in the area, the development of labor-management
relations within the works, the growth of the city of Duquesne,
and the character of the city's environment. The history of the
Duquesne Works can be divided into three distinct chronological
periods: 1886-1917, a period of innovation in plant layout and
technology; 1918-1945, a period of relatively minor technological
developments, marked successful labor organization; and 1946-
1988, a period during which facilities were modernized and
equipped with new pollution control devices only to be shut-down
when faced with the realities of a declining regional industrial
base.
PART ONE: 1886-1917
The first period from 1886 to 1917 was characterized by
innovation in layout design and technology. The nature of the
physical layout and technology of the works — actual or
projected — had an important influence on corporate development.
The mill's technological character undercut the basis for the
development of strong labor unions, while creating the need for a
sizable workforce. Like other industrial communities along the
Monongahela River, the city of Duquesne developed upon the
hillside adjacent to the mill as the company acquired the
available flat land along the river suitable for building. The
community's proximity to the mill had an adverse effect on the
environmental quality of residents' lives.
Technological Development, 1886-1917
The history of steelmaking at Duquesne began on June 4,
1886, when a group of Pittsburgh businessmen and manufacturers
invested $350,000 to organize the Duquesne Steel Company for the
purpose of producing Bessemer steel ingots and blooms. A large
tract of farmland near the banks of the Monongahela River was
purchased as the site of operations, and construction of the mill
began shortly thereafter. It soon became apparent, however,
that the project was undercapitalized, and construction was
suspended amid serious disagreements among the partners.
Construction did not begin again until March of 1888 when the