MSS 817 Champion Bridge Company Records

              MSS 81 7
Champion Bridge Company Records
Page 1
OHIO HISTORICALSOCIETY
Manuscript or Audiovisual Collections
MSS 817
CHAMPION BRIDGE COMPANY
RECORDS
COLLECTION
1870s- 1970s
OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION
Number: MSS 817; MSS 817- AV
Title: Champion Bridge Company Records
Creator: Champion Bridge Company
Dates: 1870s- 1970s
Media: Manuscript, AN
Quantity: 8 cubic ft.
Location: MSS: 411413; AV: 31212 F- G ( includes one
box of engineering drawings), 311 113- A
( negatives); Oversized Blueprints
( formally DR. 2): 51Rm. 5271Choir robe
cab. i'Dr. 2
HISTORY OF THE CHAMPION BRIDGE COMPANY
Zimri Wall was born in Liberty Township, Ohio, in 1836. Sometime before 1860 he
began building timber bridges, and in 1871, he joined with his brother Jonathon to form
2. and J. Wall & Company. The company became one of the first to experiment in the
construction of wrought iron bridges. In 1872 when Albert D. Bailey joined the firm, the
partners changed the name to the Champion Iron Bridge & Manufacturing Company. In
1875 the company moved from Hamilton to Wilmington, OH, locating at the comer of
East Main and Wall Streets.
The partners incorporated the company in 1878 and expanded its operations to include
farm implements, iron fence- work, machinery and repair work. Zimri Wall left the
company in 1880, and the following year the name changed again to the Champion
Bridge Company. The company expanded rapidly between 1880 and 1920 by using and
promoting steel for smaller highway bridges, especially in the southern states.
In 1913, Ralph J. Miars of Wilmington became a draftsman for the firm. Throughout the
1920s when the company concentrated almost exclusively on bridge building, Miars tried
to convince the managers to diversify operations. With the advent of the Depression of
the 1930s, the company suffered huge losses because of its lack of diversification. Most
bridge building halted, especially in the South where Champion's operations were
concentrated. In 1931 Miars became general manager, but the company had to borrow
huge amounts of money to remain in operation. The stockholders decided to liquidate