History of the manufacture of iron in all ages : and particularly in the United States from colonial time to 1891. Also a short history of early coal mining in the United States ...

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About Google Book Search Google's mission is to organize the world's information and to make it universally accessible and useful. Google Book Search helps readers discover the world's books while helping authors and publishers reach new audiences. You can search through the full text of this book on the web at|http : //books . google . com/| ^-^ni ^:jo^ UNIVERSITV rAiynqp id. UNIVERSITV TA-K^-em X>. FTITITiA.^ f [EUftD5TANF0RDj? UNIVERSITV ITAT^gES n. F£££:J...A.2T i HISTORY OP THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON IN ALL AGES, AND PARTICULARLY IN THE UNITED STATES FROM COLONIAL TIMES TO 1891. ALSO A SHORT HISTORY OF EARLY COAL MINING IN THE UNITED STATES AND A FULL ACCOUNT OF THE INFLUENCES WTIICH LONG DELAYED THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALL AMERICAN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES. BY' JAMES M, SWANK, SECRETARY AND OENERAL MANAGER OF THE AMERICAN IRON AND STEEL ASSOCIATION FOR TWENTY YEARS, FROM 1872 TO 1892. SECOXD EDITION, THOROVGHLY KEVISKD AND OREATLV ENLARGED. PHILADELPHIA: THE AMERICAN IRON AND STEEL ASSOCIATION, NO. 261 SOUTH FOURTH STREET. 1892. n LIBRARY OF THE LlLAND STANFORD JR. UNIVERSlV/^ Entered, according to act of Congress, in the year 1891, BY JAMES M. SWANK, In the office of the Libnirian\of Congress, at Washington. Printefl by ALLEN, LANE & SCOTT, Not. 229-331 South Fifth Street, Philadelphia. PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. In presenting to iron and steel manufacturers and to others a second edition of the History of the Manufacture of Iron in All Ages I copy from the preface to the first edition, which appeared in 1884, the following sentences explanatory of the considerations which led to its publication. " No historical record of the iron industry of the scope of that which is here presented has been undertaken by any of the authoritative writers upon iron and steel. Such standard works as those of Alexander, Oyerman, Percy, and Bauerman are more technical than historical, while the excellent his- tory of Mr. Scrivenor was published more than forty years ago, and relates almost entirely to the iron industry of Great Britain. None of the works mentioned devote much atten- tion to the growth of the American iron industry. Most of them, indeed, were written before our iron industry became especially noticeable for either enterprise or productiveness. The history of that industry, written from a sympathetic standpoint and with a full knowledge of details, and par- ticularly with a knowledge of its marvelous growth in the last few decades, had yet to be written, and this service I have endeavored to perform in the present volume in con- nection with the history of the manufacture of iron in other countries. I have aimed especially to preserve in chrono- logical order a record of the beginning of the iron industry in every country and in every section of our own country, and to follow this record with a circumstantial account of the introduction into our country of all modern methods of manufacturing iron and steel. Names of persons and places, exact dates, authentic statistics, and accomplished results have been preferred to technical details, although these have not been neglected. " In the collection of the materials for this volume I have been exceedingly fortunate in possessing a personal acquaint- IV PREFACE. ance with most of the leading actors in the wonderful de- velopment of our American iron industry during the pres- ent century, and in learning from their own lips and from their own letters many of the incidents of that development. It is the exact truth to say that, if the preparation of this history had been delayed for. a few years, it could not have been written, for many of these pioneers are now dead." The reasons for the appearance of the first edition hav- ing been given above I now add that this second and last edition has been prepared because much new information relating to the early iron history of our own country and of other countries has come into my possession smce 1884, and because seven succeeding years of great activity in the de- velopment of the world's iron and steel industries have been productive of important statistical and other results which are eminently worthy of preservation in a condensed and permanent form. The second edition contains 132 pages of historical details more than the first edition. In the first edition there were 48 chapters. Nearly every chapter in that edition has been in part rewritten. In the present edition there are 63 chapters. Among the entirely new chapters of the second edition is one relating to the early discoveries of coal in the United States, and another detailing the connec- tion of the Washington and Lincoln families with the manu- facture of iron in colonial times. All accessible statistical in- formation relating to the world's production of iron, steel, coal, and iron ore has been brought down to the latest pos- sible periods. Due credit is given in the text to the printed authori- ties which have been consulted. My thanks are due to the friends who have assisted me in many ways in the collection and verification of the fresh historical and statistical mate- rials which are now presented. I also express my obliga- tions to my proof-readers, Mr. William M. Benney and Mr. William G. Gray, who have with great pains assisted me to guard against all errors of a serious character. PiiiLADELPHiA, January 1, 1892. CONTENTS, CHAPTER I. THE EARLIEST USE OF IRON. Iron first made In Asia and in Northern Africa— Evidences of the early use of iron by the Egyptians, the Chaldeans, the Babylonians, and the Assyrians— Iron and steel frequently referred to in the Old Testament— Known to the Medes and Persians and to the people of India, China, Japan, and Corea— Decay of the iron and steel indus- tries of Asia and Africa, Pages 1-10 CHAPTER 11. THE EARLY USE OF IRON IN EUROPE. Grecian fables concerning iron and steel— Both metals frequently mentioned in the writ- ings of Homer, Hesfod, Herodotus, and other early Grecian writers— Evidences of the early manufificture and use of iron and steel by the Greeks— Made by the Etruscans and the Romans; also in Scythia, Noricum, Moravia, and Hungary— The early iron and steel industries of Spain and the Basque provinces— Of France, Belgium, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden and Norway, Russia, and Finland— The Krupps of Essen— The Russian iron industry in the eighteenth century, Pages 11-82 * CHAPTER III. BEGINNING OF THE BRITISH IRON INDUSTRY. Iron known to the Britons before Ctesar's invasion but not much used— Made by the Romans in many parts of Britain— Remains of Roman iron works still to bo seen— Iron made in Britain by the Anglo-Saxons and the Danes— The British iron industry extended by the Normans— Greatly promoted in the reign of Edward III.— Character- istics of the British iron industry in the 13th and 14th centuries— The smith in Eng- lish history— The first use of cannon in England Pages 33-44 CHAPTER IV. THE BRITISH IRON INDUSTRY FROM THE FIFTEENTH TO THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. The manufiEu;turc of iron in England greatly extended about the beginning of the 15th century— Introduction of blast Aimaces into England— " Many great guns" cast in Sussex— Wire first dmwn by a mill in England in 1568— Invention of the slitting mill- Birmingham in the time of Henry YIIL— The art of tinning iron introduced into England from the Continent in 1670— Growing scarcity of wood for charcoal in Eng- land in the 16th and 17th centuries— Only 59 Aimaces left in England and Wales in 1740— England a large importer of iron from Sweden in the 17th and 18th centuries and fh>m America and Russia in the 18th century— First use of coal in the British iron industry— Henry Cort's invention of the puddling flirnaco and grooved rolls— Other innovations— Beginning of the British steel industry— Sheffield in 1015— Biographical notices of some distinguished men connected with the British iron tmdc, Pages 45-55 CHAPTER V. THE IRON INDUSTRY OF WALES, IRELAND, AND SCOTLANT). Iron made in Wales under the Romans— Extension of the iron industry of Wales in the # 16th century— Mertbyr Tydvil an iron centre— Iron made in Ireland in the reigns of VI CONTENTS. Elizabeth and James I., and afterw'ards— The iron industry of Ireland extinct in 1840— Iron scaree in Scotland in the middle ages— Remains of ancient iron works In Scot- land described by W. iNison Macadam— Beginning of the modem iron Industry of Scotland— Carron Furnace— The Devon Iron Works, Pages 56-61 CHAPTER VI. THE BRITISH IRON INDUSTRY BUILT UP BY BRITISH INVENTR- E GENIUS. The 18th century begins a new ^ra in the British iron industry— Great Britain becomes the first iron manufacturing country— The inventions of Payne and IIanbur>% of Darby, Huntsman, Smeaton, Cort, Watt, Stephenson, Neilsou, Crane, and Nasmyth— Also at a later day of Bessemer, Mushet, and Charles William and Frederick Sie- mens, Pages 62-<>4 CHAPTER VII. EARLY PROCESSES IN THE MANITFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL. Description of the rude direct processes of manufacturing iron which were used by the ancients— They are still used— Goatskin bellows— Tlie present method of making steel in India— Methods of making iron in China, Cambodia, Corcas and Japan— Japanese and Corean bellows described— Iron made in Belgium and England in the da\'s of the Romans without an artificial blast— A refinery forge described by Virgil— DIodorus and Pliny describe the early fUmaces of Southern Europe— The Catalan forge of Spain— The first mention of coal— Used in Anglo-Saxon times— Were the Greeks and Romans familiar \\ith cast iron 7 Pages 65-79 CHAPTER VIIL MEDLEVAL ANT) EARLY MODERN PROCESSES IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL. Revival of the iron industry in Europe in the 8th century— The wolf fUrnacc, or ttiick- of en, first mentioned- The osmund ftunace- The Uauqfcn and fliis^ofcn—'ihe hochofai— The blasf furnace in use about the beginning of the 14th ceutur>-— The C-atalan forge and the German bloomary in general use— Description by Dr. Pareons of an English blast furnace and refinery forge of the 17th century— Also by Walter Burrell— PuAdling Aimaces and coke blast funiaces not used on the Continent until the IMh centur>*— I..eather and wooden bellows for blowing blast ftimaces— The trompe, or water-blast— Origin of the rolling mill— Slitting and rolling mills as "late improvements "—John Houghton describes a slitting mill— Mechanical features of the English iron industry at the beginning of the 18th century— Professor Akermau's account of the origin of the slitting mill and rolling mill— Various ancient and modem methods of making steel- Agricola describes the early German metho<l— Thomas Turner's description of cemented steel— Percy, Grttner, and other authorities on steel quoted— Dud Dudley'jf account of the foot-blast— Ancient and modem methods of produciifg steel compared —The banenio/ai, Pages 80-09 CHAPTER IX. FIRST ATTKAIPT BY EUROPEANS TO MANTTFACTURE IRON IN THE UNITED STATES. Iron made in northern latitudes only— Not known to the aboriginal inhabitants of Amer- ica except when of meteoric origin— First discover>' of iron ore in the Atlantic colo- nies made in North Carolina in l.^So— Iron ore sent from Virginia to England in lOOS— An iron enterprise on Falling Creek. Virginia, un<lertaken in ir.l9— Destroyed by the Imlians in 1G22 before it had made any iron— No further attempts to make iron in Virginia for nearly a hundreil ywirs— The site of the Falling ('reek enterprise de- • scribed by R. A. Brock, of Richmond Pages 100-107 CONTENTS. Vll CHAPTER X. BEGINNING OF THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON IN THE NEW ENGLAND COLONIES. The first successful iron enterprise in America established by Thomas Dexter, Robert Bridges, and others at Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1645, when a blast flimace -was put in operation, followed in 1648 by a forge at the same place— Full description of these pioneer iron works— The site of these early iron works described— The first iron ar- ticle made in America still preserved— Joseph Jenks— Henry and James Leonard— " Where you can find iron works there you will find a Leonard "—A Aimace and forge built at Braintrce, in Massachusetts— The next iron enterprise in New England estab- lished near Taunton— James Leonard and his sons go to Taunton— George Hall— Other members of the Leonard family— King Philip— "John Ruck and others of Salem"— Iron made at Concord, Rowley Village, Topsflcld, and Boxford, all in Massachusetts— The Whittlngton Iron Works— The Chartley Iron Works— King's Furnace— The Hope- well Iron Works— Iron works at New Haven established by Captain Thomas Clarke, John Winthrop, Jr., and others in 1058- Iron made in Rhode Island as early as 1675, when a forge at Tawtucket was destroyed by the Indians Pages 108-119 • CHAPTER XI. EXTENSION OF THE MANX'FACTURE OF IRON IN NEW ENGLAND. The first furnace in Plymouth county, Massachusetts— Lambert Dcspard and the Barkers— The Bound Brook and Drink water iron works— The various enterprises of Hugh Orr— The first cast-iron tea-kettle— The first slittingmill in the colonies— Douglass's descrip- tion of the iron industry of New England in 1750— Extension of the iron industry into Western Massachusetts aTx)Ut 1750— Rapidly extended in Eastern Massachusetts- De- scription of Federal Furnace in 1804— The bog and pond ores of Massachusetts— The first steel works in Massachusetts— Eli phalet and Jonathan I^eonard— Iron enterprises in Rhode Island Ijcfore the Revolution— Stephen Hopkins, the signer of the Declara- tion, and General Nathanoel Greene made iron— Hope Furnace— Cranston and Cumber- land Hill— The Salisburj' iron district in Connecticut— Early iron enterprises at Lime Rock and Lakeville— Colonel Ethan Allen an iron manufacturer at Lakcville— Early iron enterprises on Mount Riga— l*rominence of the Salisburj' district— Milo Banmm and William H. Bomum— The Holleys— Other early iron enterprises in Connecticut- Connecticut the first of the colonies to make steel— Early iron enterprises in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont— The early nail and tack industry of New England- Nails made in chimney comers— The first nail-cutting machine. Pages 120-185 CHAPTER XII. EARLY IRON ENTERPRISES IN NEW YORK. Tlie early Dutch settlers of New York did not make Iron— Philip Livingston establishes the first iron works in New York on Ancram creek before 1740— I^wrence Scrawley's plating forge at Wawayanda, In Orange county, built about 1745— Other early enter- prises In Orange county— The Townsends— The great Iron chain across the Hudson in 1778 which prevented British vessels from passing West Point— The Sterling Iron Works of the Townsentls described— Early Iron works In Dutchess, Westchester, Put- nam, and Suffolk counties— Development of the Champlaln district about ISOO— Early iron enterprises in other jjarts of New York— John BrinkerhoflT- Erastus Corning— The Plersons at Ramapo— Henrj* Burden and his Inventions, Pages 130-145 CHAPTER XIIL EARLY IRON P:NTERPRISES IN NEW JER^SEY^ The first iron works in New Jersey established at Tinton Falls, in Monmouth county, about 1G74— The Leonards of Massachusetts—Development of the magnetic ores of Northern New Jersey about 1710 at Whippany— Early Iron works at Morrihtown- The Vlll CONTENTS. Dickeison mine— Many early Iron works in Northern New Jersey described by Dr. Joseph F. Tuttle and Hon. Edmund D. Ilalsey— Peter Hasenclever and the Ringwood Company— Robert Erskine— Lord Stirling, John Jacob Faesch, and others— The Hlber- nla and Mount Hope furnaces— The Fords— Early iron works in Andover township in Sussex county— Whitehead Humphreys— Durham boats— The Union Iron Works, and Oxford, Sterling, Ogden's, and Mount Holly furnaces— William Allen and Joseph Tur^ ner— Early iron works in Southern New Jersey— Batsto and Atsion Aimaces— Charles Read— William, Jesse, and Samuel Richards— Mark Richards, or Reichertr— Old Boonton slitting mill in the Revolution— Benjamin and David Reeves— The first rolling mill in New Jersey- Peter C?ooper, Abram S. Hewitt, and Frederick J. Slade— Dr. Morse's de- scription of the iron industry of New Jersey in 1795, Pages 146-162 CHAPTER XIV. BEGINNING OF TIIE MANUFACTL^RE OF IRON IN PF^T^SYLVANIA. Iron not made in Pennsylvania until after the arrival of William Penn in 16S2— Penn encouraged the opening of iron and other mines — First iron made in Pennsylvania experimentally before 1692, but at what place is not known— The first historic iron works in Pennsyh-ania established by Thomas Rutter, an English Quaker, on the Manatawny, in Berks county, in 1716— Rutter's enterprise was a bloomar>-, probably called Manatawny Forge— Coventry Forge, on French creek, in Chester county, built by Samuel Nutt, also an English Quaker, in 1717 or 1718, the second iron enterprise in Pennsylvania — Colebrookdale Furnace, in Berks county, built by a company, of which Thomas Rutter was a member, about 1720, the third iron enterprise— Thomas Potts, Jr.— Pool Forge — ''A person named Kurtz "-Durham Furnace built in 1727 — Other early iron enterprises in Eastern Pennsylvania established between 172> and 1750— In 1728 there were "four flimaces in blast in the colony" — Readiuj^ Furnace on French creek— William Branson— Samuel Nutt, Jr.— Ber^amin Franklin Invents the Franklin stove in 1742— Warwick Furnace— The Vincent Steel Works— The Wind- sor Forges-^ohn, Da\id, and Robert Jenkins— Mrs. Martha J. Nevin— Valley Forge and its hl8tor>'— The iron enterprises of William and Mark Bird— Charming Forge- George Ege — Olcy Furnace — A forge on Cnim creek, in Delaware county, built about 1742, by John Crosby and Peter Dicks, which "ruined Cnisby's family "—Sarum Iron Works built as early as 1742— John Taylor— "A plating forge to work with a tilt-ham - mer" in Byberry township, Philadelphia county, in 1750— Two steel furnaces In Phila- delphia in 1750, and othera built before the Revolution Pages 163-178 CHAPTER XV. THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON IN PENNSYLVANIA EXTENDED TO THE SUSQUEHANNA. Elizabeth Furnace, built in 1750 by John Huber, a German, the first iron enteri>rise in the present county of Lancaster— Baron Sticgel one of its early owners— Robert Coleman a later owner— Pool Forge built by James Old about 1765— His other iron enter- prises—Biographical sketches of James Old and Robert Coleman— Cyrus Jacobs— Peter Grubb builds Ci)mwall Furnace in 1742— His other iron enterprises— His sons. Curtis and Peter— Martic Furnace and Forge— Hopewell and Speedwell forges— The iron in- dustry crosses the Susquehanna as early as 1756, Pages 179-185 CHAPTER XVI. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EARLY IRON INDUSTRY OF PEN^'- SYLVANIA. In 1750 Pennsylvania was the most advanced of all the colonies in the manufacture of iron— Cornwall, Warwick, and Reading ftimaces were large structures for their day- Description of these furnaces— Also of the workmen employed at the early Aimaces and forges of Penasylvania — The patriarchal character of early Pennsylvania irou- mastew— "Good old colony times," Pages 186-190 CONTENTS. IX CHAPTER XVII. THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON IN PENNSYLVANIA AFTER THE REVOLUTION. First iron entexprises in the Lehigh Valley undertaken after 1800— William Henry's bloomary forge near Nazareth — Hampton Furnace near Shimersvillc — The Uelm- bachs— Scimuel HelMck and the Balliet»— A rolling mill built at South Easton by John Stewart and others in 183(>— Bloomaries in Carbon county— The Cheltenham Rolling Mill built in 1790— Benjamin Longstreth cstabUsbes the first iron enterprise at Phcenixville in 1790— iClemens Rentgen and his novel iron enterprises— Early iron enterprises in Schuylkill county— Federal Slitting Mill built by Isaac Pennock in 1795— Bmndywine Rolling Mill and ite successor, the Lukens Rolling Mill- Dr. Charles Luken»— Mrs. Rebecca W. Luken»— Mount Hope Furnace and other iron enterprises in Lancaster, Lebanon, and York counties— The Reynolds family— Early iron enterprises in Adams, Franklin, and Cumberland counties— Thaddcus Stevens— The Chambere broth- ers—The Haldeman family— Michael Ege— Early iron enterprises in Dauphin county and in the Upper Susquehanna Valley— The Scrantons— The enterprises of Karthaus & Geissenhainer in Clearfield county— Other early iron enterprises in the Susque- hanna Valley— The pack-horse days, Pages 191-203 CHAPTER XVin. THE >LVNUFACTURE OF CHARCOAL IRON IN THE JUNIATA VALIJilY. The Juniata Iron Company organized in 1767, but it did not make iron— Joseph and Benjamin Jacobs— Bedford Furnace, at Orbisonia, in Huntingdon county, built in 1788, the first iron enterprise in the Juniata Valley— Followed by Bedford Forge at the same place in 1791 — Centre Furnace, in Centre county, the second in the Juniata Valley, built in 1791 by Col. John Patton and Col. Samuel Miles, both Revolutionary officers— Other early iron enterprises in Centre county— Roland Curtin— Hardman Phil- ips erects a forge and screw factory at Philipsburg, in Centre county, in 1817— Bernard Lauth— Barree Forge, on the Juniata, and Huntingdon Furnace, on Warrior's Mark run, built in 17W and 1796— The Shoenbergers, Judge Gloninger, George Aushutz, and other early ironmasters in Huntingdon county and in the present county of Blair— The Royers, Elias Baker, and Roland Diller— Martin Bell— Early iron enterprises in Bedford and Fulton countlea— Also in Mifflin and Juniata counties— t^eedom Forge, in Mifflin county, built before 1793— Hope Furnace, in the same county, built by Gen- eral William Lewis in 1798, who also built Mount Vernon Forge, in Perry county, in 1804— Other early iron works in Perry county— Cemented steel made at Caledonia, near Bedford, before 1800 by William McDermett, whose daughter Josephine married Da\id R. Porter, an ironmaster on Spruce creek, Huntingdon county, who afterwards became Governor of Pennsylvania— Henry S. Spang, John Lyon, Anthony Shorb, An- drew Gregg, George Schmucker, and General James Irvin early Juniata ironmasters— Juniata iron in high repute, Pages 204-212 CHAPTER XIX. THE EARLY MANLTACTURE OF IRON IN \\^ESTERN PENN- SYLVANL\. First mention in 1780 of iron ore in Western Pennsylvania— John Hayden— The Alliance Iron Works, on Jacob's creek, in Fayette county, built by William Tunibull, Peter Marmie, and Col. John Ilolker in 1789 and 1790, and consisting of a fiimace and a forge, the first iron enterprise west of the Alleghenies— The Alliance Furnace, which was put in blast on November 1, 1790, followed closely by Union Fumnce, on Dunbar creek, in Fayette county, built by Isaac Meason in 1790, and put in blast in March, 1791— Other early iron enterprises in Fayette county— Jeremiah Pearn— The enterprises of John Hayden— The Oliphants— John Gibson— The Brownsville Steel Factory, owned by Truman & Co., built before 1811— Jacob Bowman's Nail Factorj', at Brownsville, X CONTENTS. built about 1795— The Plumsock Rolling Mill, in Fayette county, the first in the United States to roll bar iron and use puddling f\iniaces— Isaac Meason and his son, Col. Isaac Meason— An early iron enterprise in Greene county— Early iron enterprises in Westmoreland county— General Arthur St. Clair and Bishop John Henry Hopkins- Early iron enterprises in Somerset, Cambria, and Indiana counties— George S. King— The Cambria Iron Works commenced in 1853— Early iron enterprises in Beaver, Mer- cer, and LawTence counties— The Crawfords— Early Iron enterprises in other western and northwestern counties— The Great Western Iron Works Pages 213-224 CHAPTER XX. EARLY IRON ENTERPRISES IN ALLEGHEN'Y CX)UN'TY, PENN- SYLVANIA. Beginning of the iron industry at Pittsburgh about 1792, when Geoigc Anshutz built a small blast fUrnace at Shady Side— Proofs of the erection of this flimace, which was abandoned in 1794— The first iron foundr>- at Pittsburgh ■ built by Joseph McCluig about 1805— The first nail factories in Pittsburgh, Porter's, Sturgeon's, and Stewart's, in operation in 1807, their united ca|uicity being '• about 40 tons of nails yearly "— In 1810 " the manufacture of ironmonger}- " at Pittsburgh had *• increased beyond all calculation "—The first rolling mill atPittHburgh built by Christopher Cowan in 1811— Followed in 1819 by the Uniou Rolling Mill, on the Mcmongahein, which had four puddling furnaces, the first in Pittsburgh— Other early rolling mills in Pittsburgh— The first rolling mill in Allegheny City— Clinton Furnace, in Pittsburgh, built by Graff, Bennett & Co. in 1859, the first successftil furnace in Allegheny county— Statis- tics of the iron and steel industries of Pennsylvania, Pages 225-232 CHAPTER XXL THE EARLY MANUFACTURE OF IRON IN DELAWARE. The Swedes and the Dutch on the Delaware did not make iron— Iron Hill, in Pencader hundred. New Castle county, Delaware, discovered and so named as early as 16C1 — The Colonial Records of Pennsylvania mention its existence in 1684— An account by Emanuel Swedenborg of early iron enteri'rlBes in New Castle countj' operated by Sir William Keith and others— Abbington Fumace-^ohn Bull's bloomary foige— Early iron enterprises in Sussex county— Millsbonnigh Furnace probably the last furnace operated in the State— Rolling mills at Wilmington and in its vicinity, . Pages 233-239 CHAPTER XXII. KUILY IRON ENTERPRISES IN MARYI^\ND. The first Iron enton^rise in Mar>'land was a blooraarj* forge, erected at the head of Ches- apeake Bay, in Cecil county, a short time iK'fore 1716— The iron enterprises of Ste- phen Onion <fc Co. and J(weph Fanner at North East and its \icinlty— Mergetl in the Principio Company, an English corporation— This company built Princlpio Furnace, the first ftjniace in Mar>iand, in 172:$ and 172t, and a forge at Principio in the same year*— Both probably at work in 1725-^ohn England superintendtKl their erection and their operations for many years— The I*rincipio Comptmy, through Mr. England, builds a furnace on the lands of Captain Augustine Washington, in Virginia, in 1725 and 1726— Further history of the Principio Company, which wa.s for many years the leading iron company in America, and was active until the Revolution- "A certain Mr. Wa.shington "—George l\ Whitaker— The Ridgi'ly family— The Dors«e>-s— The Snow- dens— Early Iron enteri>ri»eM in Queen Anne, Frederick, and Washington counties— The Johnsons— The iron Industry of Mar>-land greatly extended before the Revo- lution and also afterwards— The Avalon Iron Works "built by the Dorseys" about 1795— Development of the manufacture of coke pig iron in Western Maryland in 1837 and immediately succee<ling years— The first heavy iron rails In the United States made at Mount Savage, in Western Maryland, in 1844 — A bog-ore ftimace on the Ea.stern Shore of Marylanrl in IKJO— A funiace at Georgetown, D. C, built In 1J549— Goveniment iron works at Washington, Pages 210-257 CONTENTS. . XI CHAPTER XXm. THE IRON INDUSTRY ESTABLISHED IN \aRGINIA. Revival of the iron Induatxy in Virginia about 1716 by Governor Spotswood and a colony of Palatinates— The first ftimace in Viiig^inia built at Fredericksville, in Spottsylvanla county, near the North Anna river— The next fliniacc in Vii^nia built In Orange county, on the south side of the Rapidan— An air fUmacc at Massaponax, five miles below Fredericksbiurg, on the Rappahannock— Accokeck Furnace— All these enterprises described by CoL William Byrd, the second, in 1732— Mr. W. H. Adams fixes the exact location of the first three of these enterprises— The connection of the Washington family with the iron industry of Virginia and Maryland— Extension of the iron in- dustry of Virginia into the Valley of Virginia — Zanc's Furnace and Forge, on Cedar creek, in Frederick county, were "built before any iron works in this region" — Fol- lowed by Pine Forge, in Shenandoah county— Henry Miller's furnace on Mossy creek, Augusta county, built about 1775— Other early iron works in the Valley of Virginia and in Southwestern Virginian-Jefferson's account of the iron Industry of Virginia in 1781 and 1782— Ross's celebrated iron works— Household industries in Virginia about 1790— Great expansion of the charcoal iron industry of Virginia— Many fUmaces and forges enumerated by Lesley in 1856— The first rolling mill in Virginia built on Cheat river about 1812 by Jacks(m <Sc Updegraff- Wheeling a piyminent iron centre before the civil war— Its first rolling mill built by Dr. Peter Shoenberger and David Agncw in 1833— The Tredegar Iron Company at Richmond— Statistics of the iron and steel in- dustries of Virginia and West Virginia Pages 258-271 CHAPTER XXIV. THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON IN NORTH CAROLINA. Iron made in " Carolina " as early as 1728 and exported to England— Virginia and Caro- lina hoes sold in New York before the Revolution— Iron enterprises on tributaries of the Cape Fear, Yadkin, and Dan rivers before the Revolution— That event stimulated the establishment of other iron enterprises in Guilford, Cleveland, and other coun- ties—Before 1800 there were many iron enterprises in Lincoln, Stokes, and Surry counties— After 1800 the iron industry was still further extended in Lincoln county, which had in 1810 six bloomarics, two rolling and slitting mills, and two naileries- It also became a prominent industry in Burke and Surry counties— Extended into many counties before the civil war— Bloomaries and the water-blast in genenil use— The iron industry of North Carolina now almost extinct, Pages 272-276 CHAPTER XXV. THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON IN SOUTH CAROLINA. The first iron enterprise in South Carolina established in 1773 by Mr. Bufllngton in the northwestern part of Ihe State— Followe<l by other iron enterprises after the Revolu- tion—The Era and Etna furnaces and forges in York county — The water-blast in use in this State— Nine bloomarics and other iron enterprises in South Carolina in 1810— A rolling mill for making sheet iron in this State about 1815— In 1840 there were four furnaces and a number of bl<x>marie8, rolling mills, and other iron enterprises— In 1891 there was no iron or steel enterprise in South Carolina, . . ... Pages 276-278 CHAPTER XXVI. THE EARLY MANUFACTURE OF IRON IN GEORGIA. Georgia has no colonial iron historj'- The first iron enterprises in this State est^iblisbed probably after 1790, and near the Atlantic Coast — In 1810 there was a bloomar>' in Warren county, a forge in Elbert county, and a nailery in Chatham county— Hodge's and Sequee bloomaries, in Habersham county, built as early as 1830 and probably at an earlier day— Other bloomaries established after liSJO in Bartow, Union, Murray, Walk- er, and Dade counties, and abandoned before 1856, but other bloomaries were then in operation— Sequee Furnace, in Habersham county, built before 1832, probably the first Xll CONTENTS. fUmace In the State— Etowah Furnace, In Bartow county; Allatoona, Union, Lewis, and CartersN'ille fUmaces In Cass county ; and Clear Creek Furnace, in Walker county — I-ater charcoal furnaces— Only six ftmiaces in 1891, two of which used coke— The first rolling mill in Georgia was probably Etowah, in Cass county, built about 1M9— In 1891 there was only one rolling mill in the State— Rising Fawn Furnace the first furnace in the United States to use the Whitwell hot-blast stove— Description of the various Etowah iron enterprises as they existed about 1859— The iron industry of Georgia not now prominent Pages 279-281 CHAFIER XXVII. THE EARLY MANUFACTURE OF IRON IN KENTUCKY. Bourbon Furnace, often called Slate Furnace, the first iron enterprise in Kentucky whose history has been preserved, built in 1791, on Slate creek, in Bath county— Complete history of this fUmace by V. B. Young, Esq., of Owingsville, Kentucky— Sketch of its projectors and builders— In 1810 there were four i\imaces and three forges in Ken- tucky—First fUmaces in the Hanging Rock region of Kentucky built about 1817 and 1818— Names of the Hanging Rock pioneers— Extension of the iron industry in the Hanging Rock region— The first rolling mill in Kentucky appears to have been built at Co>'ington in 1829— Present condition of the Kentucky iron industry— Many new iron and steel enterprises, * Pages 282-287 CHAPTER XXVIII. THE EARLY MANUFACTURE OF IRON IN TENNESSEE. A bloomary at Embrceville, in Washington county, built in 1790, the first iron enterprise in Tennessee— Other early enterprises in the eastern part of Tennessee— Ross's Iron Works, on the Holston river, in Sullivan county, built before 1800— Other early iron enterprises in Tennessee built before and soon after 1800— Cumberland Furnace, in Dickson county, built by James Robinson In 1792— Yellow Creek Furnace, in Mont- gomery county, built In 1802— The iron industry of Tennessee greatly extended— De- scription of the iron industry of this State In 1856 by Lesley— Chattanooga the pres- ent iron centre of Tennessee— Account of its early iron enterprises— Bluff Furnace — James Henderson — ^The two Rockwood furnaces— The Roane Iron Company— Lewis Scofield— S. B. Lowe— The Iron Industries of Knoxville— Present condition of the Tennessee Iron industry, Pages 288-292 CHAPTER XXIX. THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON IN ALABAMA. The firrft ftjmace in Alabama probably built a>X)Ut 1818 west of Russellville, In Frank- lin county— Abandoned in 1827— Early furnaces in Calhoun, Cherokee, and Shelby countiea— Horace Ware— Early bloomarie&in Shelby, Bibb, Talladega, and Calhoun counties— Many of them blown with the trompe, or water-blast— Iron enterprises in Ala- bama during the civil wnr— Furnaces and rolling mills built at Brierfield and Shelby- Discovery of coal in Alabama— The first iron enterprises at Birmingham and its vi- cinity-Later iron and steel enterprises in Alabama— Statistics of the production of pig iron in Alabama and other Southern States from 1880 to 1890— WonderlVil progress in ten years Pages 293-296 CHAFPER XXX. PRnnXIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SOUTHERN IRON INDUSTRY. The wonderful development of the iron Industry of Western North Carolina and East Tennesj«ee many years ago an interesting fact^Fimiaces blown with one tuyere and wooden tubs— " Thumlergust forges"— The trompe in general use— Bar iron used as a medium of exchange— Never many bloomaries in Virginia— Old methods of making iron have passed away in the South, Pages 297-300 CONTENTS. Xlll CHAPTER XXXI. THE EARLY ]MANXJFACTURE OF IRON IN OHIO. Hopewell Fumnce, in Mahoning county, the first iron enterprise in Ohio, commenced in 1808 and finished in 1804 by Daniel Eaton— Montgomery Furnace, built in 1806, also In Mahoning county, by Robert Montgomery and John Struthers, the second iron enterprise in the State— The first -hammered bars in Ohio made at a forge at Nilcs- town, Trumbull county, in 1809, by James Hcaton, who also built a furnace at Xiles- town on Mosquito creek about 1812— The iron industry' of Ohio extended to the shore of Lake Erie about 1825— Rebecca Furnace, at New Lisbon, Columbiana county, built in 1807 or 1808 by Gideon Hughe»— Licking Furnace and Forge, near Zanesville, built by Moscfl Dillon about 180&— Early iron enterprises In Licking and Tuscarawas coun- ties—The Zoar Community— Early iron enterprises in Adams county— Beginning of the manufacture of iron in the Hanging Rock region of Ohio— The Hanging Rock pioneers, John Campbell, Thomas W. Means, and others— Description by Mr. John Birkinbine of Olive Furnace, a curious stnicture— The good quality of Hanging Rock charcoal pig iron- The old charcoal ftiniacc of the HQcla Iron and Mining Com- pany—Early forges on the Ohio river— The first rolling mill at Cincinnati— Crucible steel works at Cincinnati built in 1832— Introduction of raw bitiuninous coal in the blast ftumaces of the Mahoning Valley, first at Lowell, in 1W6, by Wilkeson, Wilkes & Co.— Introduction of Lake Superior ores in Ohio blast ftimaces— Firat shipments of Brier Hill coal to Cleveland made by David Tod in 1840— Mill Creek Furnace, the first iron enterprise at Youngstown, built about 18:i'>— Beginning of the iron industry at Cleveland— Henrj' Chisholm, Pages 301-318 CHAPTER XXXII. EARLY IRON ENTERPRISES IN INDIANA. A " nailery " in Indiana Territory as early as 1810— In 1810 the census mentions a ftimace in Jefl'erson county, one in Parke, one In Vigo, one in Vermillion, and three In Wayne county— A bloomary forge In Fulton county also mentioned— An early fur- nace in Monroe county— An early forge in Marshall county built about 1845 by Charles Crocker and a partner— MIshawaka Forge, in St. Joseph county— Other char- coal iron enterprises In Indiana— Development of the block-coal district of Indiana and the erection of fUmaces to use this coal— The first rolling mill in Indiana built by R. A. Douglas, at Indianapolis, in 1857— Present condition of the iron and steel in- dustries of Indiana, Pages 814-316 CHAPTER XXXIII. EARLY IRON ENTERPRISES IN ILLINOIS. Illinois Furnace, at Ellzabethtown, in Hardin county, built in 1839, the first iron enter- prise in Illinois for the manufacture of inm of any kind— No ftirnaces in opera- tion in Illinois Arom 1860 to 1868— Development of the Big Muddy coal fields and the erection of Aimaces at Grand Tower and elsewhere in Southwestern IllinolH— Be- ginning of the Iron Industry' at Chicago In 1857, when Captain E. B. Ward and others buUt the Chicago Rolling Mill— The first furnaces in Chicago built In 186ft— Present condition of the iron and steel Industries of Illinois Pages 317-319 CHAPTER XXXIV. E.\RLY IRON ENTERPRISES IN ]\nCHIGAN. Charcoal furnaces in Michigan before 1840— From 1840 to 1850 the iron Industry of Mich- igan made no progress and possibly declined- From 1S50 to 1860 three lK)g-oro fur- naces were built in the southern part of the State— The development of the Lake Su- perior iron-ore region commenced with the first discover)' by white men of the iron ore of this region in 18+4, near the eastern end of Teal Lake, by William A. Burt— In 1845 the Jacksun Mining Company wax organized at Jackson, Michigan, and in 1847 it commenced the erection of a f(»rge (»n Carp river which was finished In 1848, XIV CONTENTS. ftnd In that year the first iron made in the Lake Superior region was manuflactured by Ariel N. Barney— History of Bubfteqneiit iron manufacturing entcrprisea in the Lake Superior region and of the development of the iron ores of Lake Superior— The first use of Lake Superior iron ore in a blast furnace occurred in Mercer county, Pennsyl- vania, in 1853— History of the Sharon Iron Company which used this ore— Statistics of the production of Lake Sujierior iron ore— Captain K B. Ward Pages 320-328 CHAPTER XXXV. TIIE EARLY MANUFACTURE OF IRON IN WISCONSIN. Prior to 1859 there were three charcoal ftimaces in Wisconsin— No others were built until 1865, when a charcoal furnace at Iron Ridge, in Dodge count)', was built by the Wisconsin Iron Company, which was soon followed by several other fVimaces— Wisconsin had no rolling mill until 1868, when its first mill was built at Milwaukee by the Milwaukee Iron Company— Present condition of the iron and steel industries of Wisconsin, Pages 329-331 CHAPTER XXXVI. EARLY IRON ENTERPRISES IN ^HSSOURI. Ashebran's Furnace, on Stout's creek, about two miles cast of Ironton, in Iron county, built about ISIS, pnibably the first iron enterprise in Missouri— Followed in 1819 or 1820 by a bl<x)mar>' forge on Thicketty creek, in Cniwftmi county, built by William Harrison and Josiah Reeves— Blooms hammered at this forge imder a spring-polo hammer— Springfield Furnace, in Washington county, built in 1823 or 1824 by Ever- sol, Perry & Ruggles, the next iron enterprise in Missouri— Maramec Furnace, in Phelps county, finished in 1829— Development of the iron-ore deposits of Iron Mountain and Pilot Knob in 1836 and subsequent years— Furnaces built in this re- gion—Commencement of the iron industry of St. Louis in 1850— Further history and present condition of the iron and steel industries of Missouri, .... Pages 332-337 CHAl^ER XXXVII. THE MANITFACTURE OF IRON. IN TEXAS. Texas had one blast ftirnace before the civil war, locate<l in Cass county— Erection of other furnaces and of several bloomaries in Texas during the war— Charcoal iluiiaces built in Texas after the war and in recent years— The first rolling mills in this State built at Houston and at Fort Worth— A promising iron future for Texas, Pages 338-340 CHAPTER XXXVIII. THE ]\L\NUFACTURE OF IRON IN VARIOUS A\'ESTERN STATES. The first blast furnace in Minnesota commenced in 1872 but not finished until 1880— Later iron enterprises in this State— A bloomarj- built and in operation in Lawrence county, Arkansas, as early as 1857— Iron once made in Carroll county, Arkansas, in the hollow stumjis of trees— The undevcloixjd iron resoiuves of Arkansas— Early iron enterprises in Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska— The firs>t inm enterprise in Colorado was a small charcoal f^irnace at I^ngford, in Boulder county, which was finisihed and put in blast in 1864— The first n)lling mill in Colorado was removed in 1877 by Will- iam Faux from Dan\'ille, Pennsylvania, to I*ue])lo, and put in oi^ration in 1878, the product being re-rolled rails— Later iron and steel enterprises in Colorado— A forge in Utivh Territor>-, east of Salt Lake City, built as early as 1859, but the Mormons had made iron many years l^efore— Later ]>ut abortive iron enterprises, . . . Pages 341-345 CHAPTER XXXIX. THE IRON INDUSTRY ON THE PACIFIC COAST. First furnace and rolling mill in California— The iron and steel enteri»rise8 of California fully descrilxil- Tlie Iron enten^rises of Oregon and Washington, . . . Pages 346-347 CONTENTS. XV CHAPTER XL. THE FIRST IRON WORKS IN CANADA. Description of the pioneer iron works in Caniida. located near Three Riverg, in Quebec, and known as the Forges of St. Maurice— Commenced in 1737, when a blast funiace was built which was in operation as late as 1883, Pages ^18-351 CHAPTER XLI. THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON WITH ANTHRACITE (X)AL. The distinctive charcoal era of the American irrm industry ended about 1840, when both anthracite and bituminous coal began to be a«!ed successfully in blast fiunaces — More charcoal iron made in the United States to^ay, however, than in IWO <^r any preceding year— Anthracite coal used experimentally in many American ]>la*t ftir- naces between 1S15 and 1840, generally in c<^»nnei'tion with charcoal— Dr. Frederick W. (ieissenhainer's experiments— (iranteil a patent in 1833 for the ilsc of anthracite coal in the blast (limace— Builds Valley Furnace in 1838, and makes a few ttms of pig iron exclusively with anthracite coal in the fall of that year— (iet»rge Crane's ex- periments with anthracite coal in the blast fUniace in South Wales in the same year— He successfully iL^es it in 1837— Visited in that year by Solomon W. Roberts, of Philadelphia, upon whose advice the I>ehigh Crane Inm Company was organized- Mr. Crane's patents— Details of various attempts in the l'nite<l States to make pig in^n with anthracite coal between 1836 and 1839— Pioneer Furnace, at Pottsville— William L>'man — Anthracite firniaces in 1840— First anthracite furnace in the Lehigh Valley built in 1839 and 1840 by David Thomas for the Lehigh Crane Iron Company— Successfully blown in on July 3, 1810, and first cast made on July 4th— Biographical sketch of Mr. Thomas— Rapid growth after 1840 of the anthracite pig-iron industrj-— The first use of anthracite coal in connection with the manufacture of finished iron in the United States dates from 1812— First used imder boilers in 1825 and in puddling in 1827, at Phoenix ville, by Jonah and George Thompson Pages 352-365 CHAl^TER XLII. THE :MANXFACTURE of iron with BITU^IINOUS (X)AL. Remarkable that the use of bituminoas coal in American blast furnaces should have been s<^ long delayed — Experiments in the use of coke in blast funiaces in this country all unsuccessful until 1835, when William Firmstone was successful in substituting coke for charcoal at Mar>' Ann Furnace, in Huntingtlon county, Pennsylvania — Sketch of his life— F. H. Oliphant successful in making c<»ke pig iron at Fairchance Furnace, in Fayette county, PeniLsylvania, in 1S37 — Various unsuccessful experiments to use c<jke in blast ftimaces in Pennsylvania — Some successful experiments — Henry C. Carey— First notable success in this country in making pig iron with coke accom- plished at Lonaconing Furnace, in Western Maryland, in 1839. followed in 1840 by equal success at two furnaces of the Mount Savage Iron Company in the same port of Maryland— .^low progress after 1840 in the use of coke in the blast funiace— Its use increased after 1850, and ver>' rapidly after 1865— First coke funiaces s<iuth of the Potomac — The iL«ie of raw bituminous coal in the blast funiace successfully inaugu- rated in 1845 at Clay Furnace, in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, by Himrod 6: Vin- cent—This was a charcoal fiunace — Mahoning Furnace, at Lowell, in Mahoning county, Ohio, the first funiace built expressly to use raw cj>al— Successfully blown in in 1846 for its owners, Wilkeson. Wilkes & Ct)., by John Crowther- Sketch of his life— Water power in general use hi blowing furnaces down to 1840, . . Pages 366-375 CHAPTER XLIII. STATISTICS OF PICt IRON PRODUCTION IN THE UNITED STATES. The production of anthracite pig iron in the United States passes that of charcoal pig iron in 1855— Bituminous passes charcoal in 1>?69— Bituminoas i»as«:es anthracite in 1875— The production of pig iron In the Uniteil States in 1890 exceeded that of Great Britain In 1882, her year of greatest production, Pages 37^-377 XVI CONTENTS. CHAPTER XLIV. THE MANUFACTURE OF BLISTER AND CRUCIBLE STEEL IN THE UNITED STATES. Steel manufactured in a small way in several of the colonies both by the cementation process and "in the German manner"— The first steel In the colonies probably made in Connecticut in 1728 by Samuel Uigley and Joseph Dewey— Steel made by Aaron Eliot, of Connecticut, in 1761, ftrom bar iron which had been made fh)m magnetic sand— In 1750 Massachusetts had one steel fUmace— First steel made in New York in 1776 by Peter Townsend— New Jersey had (me steel furnace in 1750— Pennsylvania had three steel ftunaces In that year— Condition of the American steel industrj' In 1791, just one hundred years ago— Slow growth of the steel industry of the United States— Report on the state of the industry- in 1831 by John R. Coates, of Philadel- phia—Cast steel not then made in the United States— From 1831 to 1860 the steel in- dustry of this country still continued to make slow progress— Full details of the establishment at Cincinnati in 1832, by William and John H. Garrard, of the first successful crucible steel works in the United States— Analysis of the crucible steel made at these works— Statistics of the steel industry of Pennsylvania in 1850, with the names of all the manufacturers— Pioneers in the manufacture of blister and cru- cible steel at Pittsburgh— Hassey, Wells <fe Co., In 1860, and Park, Brother & Co.. in 18G2, the first persons in the United States to meet with complete financial as well as mechanical success In the manufacture of cniclble steel of the best quality— Full history of the Adirondack Steel Works— James R. Thompson— McKclvy & Blair— Sta- tistics of the production of crucible steel in the United States, Pages 878-394 CHAPTER XLV. THE IN\T:NTI0N of the BESSEMER PROCESS. Brief description of the Bessemer process— Beginning of Sir Henry Bessemer's experi- ments—Pa