History of the manufacture of iron in all ages, and particularly in the United States from colonial times to 1891 Volume 3; also a short history of early coal mining in the United States
(This historic book may have numerous typos and missing te...)
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1892 Excerpt: ...the furnace had invested about £12,000 in land, negroes, cattle, etc., and had made 1,200 tons of iron. "When the furnace blows it runs about twenty tons a week." Colonel Byrd says that the company was formed as follows: "Mr. Fitz Williams took up the mine tract, and had the address to draw in the Governor, Spotswood, Captain Pearse, Dr. Nicolas, and Mr. Chiswell to be jointly concerned with him, by which contrivance he first got a good price for the land, and then, when he had been very little out of pocket, sold his share to Mr. Nelson for £500, and of these gentlemen the company at present consists. And Mr. Chiswell is the only person amongst them that knows anything of the matter." One of the mines attached to the furnace was fifteen or twenty feet deep, and the ore was dislodged by blasting, after which it was carried away "in baskets up to the heap." It was calcined before being used, layers of charcoal and ore alternating. The limestone used at the furnace was brought from Bristol, in England, as ballast, and carted from the Rappahannock to the furnace by the ox teams which brought down the iron. Colonel Byrd recommended the substitution of oyster shells for limestone, but without effect. If this furnace had made only 1,200 tons of iron as late as 1732, when Colonel Byrd visited it, it is evident that it had not been built many years. We place the date of its erection at about 1727. The next furnace visited by Colonel Byrd was directly controlled by Colonel Spotswood, and was situated in Spottsylvania county, about ten miles northwest of Fredericksburg and about ten miles east of the small town ofGermanna. This last place was situated in Orange county, on the south side of the Rapidan, and about ten miles above...
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