or May of 1883, but shows the plant as it was in the organ- 
ization of the business, February 2, 1882. Across the top 
of the picture you will notice two cables. These are not 
telephone wires, or electric service lines, but were used in 
transporting power from a 10-HP water turbine in the mill 
race across the street, to operate the plant. 
By 1902 considerable expansion had taken place, several 
large wooden buildings had been added and about one hun- 
dred men were employed in all departments. Following a 
machinists’ strike the plant was almost entirely destroyed 
by fire, in November of that year. The newly erected brick 
fire-proof office building at Twentieth street and Eighth 
avenue escaped and forms the front of the present office. 
An issue of preferred stock with a guaranteed dividend of 
8% was placed on the market to raise some of the money 
needed for the construction of new and better buildings. 
At this time the paid up capital stock was about $250,000. 
and the annual business had grown to nearly that amount. 
Additional much needed ground was obtained by the pur- 
chase of the adjoining plant of the American Steel and Wire 
Company. All the new buildings now erected were of 
modern fire-proof construction. 
John Galbraith Downie, younger brother of Robert M., 
was the inventor and patentee of the Downie Double Stroke 
Deep Well Pumps, about 1888. These were manufactured 
by the Downie Pump Company, of New Brighton; later 
moved to a new plant at Downieville, Penna. In 1907 the 
established business of the Downie Pump Company was 
bought out by the Keystone Driller Company, and moved 
to Beaver Falls. During the first decade of the century 
Keystone Drills were greatly improved, new sizes were added 
to the catalogue; machines were adapted to new uses, such 
as mineral prospecting, placer gold testing, blast hole drilling 
in quarries and oil and gas well drilling. The responsibilities 
of management were divided between R. M. Downie, general 
manager, and Frederick W. Ransom, assistant general 
manager and treasurer. 
In 1912 the company, by purchase of patents and direct 
development, produced a light traction power shovel, usable 
with the novel “Skimmer” and “Pull Stroke” ditcher