History of Pittsburgh and environs, from prehistoric days to the beginning of the American revolution .. . complexities of both method and device of the for cannon in those days were divided among fourfoundries—the South Boston foundry, the West Pointfoundry, the Richmond (Virginia) foundry, and the FortPitt foundry. There was no competition, says RobertC. Totten in his brief review of the history of the FortPitt cannon foundry, a fair price was fixed and eachestablishment received exactly the same number of can-non on each order. The two most celebrated makes ofcannon, the Dahl
History of Pittsburgh and environs, from prehistoric days to the beginning of the American revolution .. . complexities of both method and device of the for cannon in those days were divided among fourfoundries—the South Boston foundry, the West Pointfoundry, the Richmond (Virginia) foundry, and the FortPitt foundry. There was no competition, says RobertC. Totten in his brief review of the history of the FortPitt cannon foundry, a fair price was fixed and eachestablishment received exactly the same number of can-non on each order. The two most celebrated makes ofcannon, the Dahlgren of the navy and the Rodmanof the army, were practically developed and perfectedat the Fort Pitt foundry. Even before the death ofWilliam J. Totten and the entrance of Robert ChristyTotten into the business, 1849-50, iron vessels were madeat the Fort Pitt cannon foundry for revenue service onthe lakes and launched on the Allegheny river. The FortPitt cannon foundry was a busy place. Hours werelong, from sunrise to sunset, and Robert C. Tottennotes that even in those days his father looked toward. (J^A:±^ e£^ TTtti:^ BIOGRAPHICAL 5 the time when only eight hours would be required. Allbusiness letters were copied by hand, and some partnersput off writing until late in the afternoon, in no wise cur-tailing the length of their communications because of thelateness of the hour. But pioneer work is always hardand requires long hours,—and these were the pioneerdays for the business concerns in Pittsburgh. The FortPitt cannon foundry was a very prominent factor in thiswork. The part it played during the Civil War is wellknown, and its closing career under the firm of Knapp,Rudd, & Company, and under later management, servedto emphasize the achievements of its early history. The third generation of the Totten family is nowmaking its contribution to the life of Pittsburgh, and inthe person of Robert D. Totten, of the law firm of Kay,Totten & Brown, the Totten name is still prom
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, bookidhistoryofpit, bookyear1922
