Description: Caption on reverse reads: "District #5. 902 Municipal Bldg Akron, Ohio. April 26, 1938. Welders at work on a 100 ton trolley crane. The Morgan Engineering Company, Alliance, Ohio. (Halo is unavoidable on account of brilliant light effects from welding). The Morgan Engineering Company Plant was located at Broadway Street near the C & P.R.R. It was one of the largest manufactories of electric cranes and rolling-mill machinery in the world. One of its best products, first designed in 1894 and perfected in 1917, was the George-Morgan disappearing gun carriage, adaptable to any angle of fire and the largest gun mount ever built in the United States. Some of the company’s other products include: punching and shearing machines, cranes of all types and sizes and other heavy machinery equipment. The company was founded in 1868 by Thomas Rees Morgan, Sr. (1834 – 1897) who originally began in Pittsburgh making steam hammers. He moved to Alliance, under the name Marchand & Morgan, in 1871, due to a need for more space. Mr. Marchand retired in 1877, leaving room for Morgan to form a new partnership with Silas J. Williams and they renamed the company Morgan-Williams & Company. The 1890s saw the start of the company’s long association with the United States Ordnance Department. The company was awarded the prestigious Navy “E” Flag for its extraordinary contribution to the war effort (WW II). During the next few decades the company continue to grow, adding new facilities and machine tools. In 1964, with the retirement of W.H. Morgan, the company was sold to The United Industrial Syndicate, of New York. Much interested in enhancing the company’s reputation, funding was provided to improve facilities. During this time, several new crane designs were introduced which were considered to be a radical departure from previous designs. In 1975, the company was sold to AMCA International, and due to the failing economy during the 1980’s the company was forced to downsize. In 1987, the company was purchased by a shareholder, who repurchased the warehouse sold during the business downturn and increased manufacturing by building spare parts and subcontracting. In 1994, the original 330,000 facility was purchased by Morgan Engineering Inc. who continues to be a leading designer of overhead electric traveling cranes and other heavy machine equipment. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SA1039AV_B08F02_025_001
Subjects: Industries--Ohio; Electric cranes; Machine tools
Places: Alliance (Ohio);