Wellston High School - X Ray Yearbook (Wellston, OH)

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 Ohio venue. VeUstoh, C. 6

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Early Industry Built Around Coal I pon the receipt of funds from wealthy landowners, Harvey Wells began making plans to tap the rich coal deposits that surrounded Wellston. On February 2, 187-1, contracts were made for the construction of an iron-smelting furnace, known as the Milton Furnace. Soon Harvey Vi ells sank a shaft into the coal beds and erected a mine tipple. Once the Milton furnace was constructed it was put to blast and immediately began producing pig iron. Coal was also being shipped to markets in the West. Harvey Wells and his financial backers profited from this business venture and began making plans to expand. 5

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Early Wellston Just about the time Harvey Wells’ new town began to prosper, a nationwide depression fell over the land bringing all business to a standstill. Harvey Wells lost his furnaces anil most of his fortune. However, because of his undying enthusiasm. Harvey Wells devised a brilliant plan to lift Wellston out of its state of depression and back into the light of prosperity. By obtaining support from Francis Hinckley, a Chicago capitalist, Harvey Wells created a boom town. As news spread rapidly in all the big city papers, speculators and promoters flocked to Wellston. Soon the small town was swarming with people. The Bundy House (which is pictured as the Hogan Hotel) could hardly find enough rooms to satisfy the influx. Numerbus business operations began developing, and Wells’ vision of a New Pittsburgh in the West” gradually began to take shape. 7