New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-01-27
Iron Ore and Manufacture In New-Eng,and.
HorsAroxIc WALLET. Jan. las.

HoUsAroxIc WALLET. Jan. las.
Horace GREELEY, Esq-Dear Sir Knowing
the interest you take in the different branches Of
domestic industry Of our country, address to you
the following remarks concerning the Iron Manufac-
ture Of this region which, il you please. you cen
insert in your paper. This valley or rather the ba.
sin drained by the waters Of the HOusstonic, from
the point where the Railroad first comes into il
from the Sound near New-Miliord ia Connecticut
10 it's head near Pits6eld Mass is entirely included
IN those geological formations. which contain the
wellknown Hematite ore beds Of New England.
The same formations. everywhere character ed
by these ores. extend in a narrow belt Of country
still farther North down the valley Of the Hoosuc
70 the Vermont State line, and thence in the same
direction the whole length Of this State 10 the Dor
ders Of Canada The quality OF the ore throughout
this range is good it's quantity as yet little known,
and its importance little appreciated In the State
Of Connecticut alono Il supplies sixteen bait furnaces the
average yield Of each o. which about 1908 tons Of pig
roa per annum. In Massachusetts, there are seven urns
running the same ore, and the same number IN
Dutchoss and Columbia Counties In New State. The
iron generally produced Of the qualify Of that known as
the salisbury IroLso called because nearly all the Con-
nectcut furnaces formerly Piled with from the
large bed this town. This long enjoyed an unreasons-
biz exclusive reputation But other beds have since been
discovered equally rich Of which, the orebed In
west-stockbroge, furnishes greater variety Of thar
does this And as, in the working OF the furnaces
highly advantageous different varieties OF ore, this
il OF no small consequence. At the Armenia bod in Dutch
Co. the white carbonate OF iron, species long highly
priced in Berkshire Co. Mass has been recently dseov
cred large quantities among the heaps Of refuse ore
and am inclined think Of the eced ores az Sails
bury will 4; time be examined with similar success
North Of Pittsned in Lsnesborough and Cheshire some
very valuable beds have lately been opened and hOse I'm
the place. hardly known, promise soon 10 equal
any the Others in importance 80 IN the town OF North
east in Duchess Co bed las recently been opened,
likely he Of great value The cost OF digging these ores
a. he UriCc for n n
delivered at the furnaces is about SO So With some II Is
as So but generally at these the prce Of char
coal is proportonatey high. Two and half tons in the
make ton Cf irOn Charcoal costs nom - 10 ~
per hundred btshels and the consumption from 40
50 bushels 10 the ton, varying according TO lis quality,
that Of tbs ore, and particularly according to the sk o.
the founder Some Of the furnaces run with cold blast
some with hot blast nil the furnaces and all In Mas
sschuse,s hot blast They make one-tird more irOn
aud believe Notwithstanding the old presdce 10 con
rasy II quite as good the cold blast IRON The yield
II these is from TO tons day. and they run
25O 300 days In the The difference In their
yield does not by means correspond with the differ
ence of their size for this does not vary much but rather
with the different degree Of skill applied TO them. The
Ylshk furnace has been extremely well managed, and
has run with great It's ore is Of the very best
quality This soon be Transported 70 the Hudson
River TO be there smeed with anthracite at the two large
f1rnaees IN process OF buiding at Poushkeepsle.
The two furnaces Of the SOckbrdge Iron Co. have
haps been better managed than any others; probably
making iron In the time than sDy other three
furnaces These furnaces which about 81 feet IN
hsh. and the boshes, making 81 present
The twelve day and the other six which
an extraordinary yield considering the short time they
have been blast and that they have not yet to
their full power production. They using charcoal
only. When the new rail is laid upon the Hudson and
Berkshire Railroad the from the famous mine Of This
company is expected will be carried 10 Hudson to be
there smeled with anthracite The new furnace Of Lanes
boro probably the most expensive one and the largest
ole the conntry This now Just going into blast and
will probably form Of the most productive.
49, beginning 20 be somewhat ecArCe-hdCu
furnace exh8ung nearly acre Of good woodland every
day of It's runnings0me alarH IS felt Tor the sucncy o.
the supplies la future and attention begins 10 be directed
procuring anthracite for smelling the ores One CT The
Sockbdge furnaces has commenced TO use IT, ard the
at Bulls Bridge, In Kent, c. 1herelare sul how
ever many thousand acres OF mountain land that are 100
rough for cultivation that will continue 10 Yield crop OF
wood every twenty years Of 20 80 cords 10 the
Though this business has been long established there Il
for the most part sad deficiency OF scientific knowledge
among those conduct II. Few OF them understand the
different qualities Of Ores and how 10 vary their
cesses accordance with them The best ores are often
condemned and this Is almost sure TO be the tate oil any
strange variety sent them TO try the case with
the beautiful red Hematite from Woodstock, NewBruns-
wick near Houlton, Me. large Qusntlty OF whlch was
transported 10 of the furnaces In Berkshire Co. anc
though Of very superior quality, It entirely banned the sk
Of the founder because IL not precisely like what he
had been accustomed 10 sneit The mines are worked
without skin aud without system. They soon become
reat reservoirs Of water 10 remove which by Efficient
drains they attempt through ignorance Of the
position and extent OF the beds There are however eX
captions TO this sun w have learned TO trace the range
II the beds or 10 know their position In relation 70 the
other strsta.
I'm early times these reduced in FORCES and
boomery fires this Connecticut principally; and 80
long axo that Indians employed 10 pack the ore IN
leather bags upo their backs from the mines 10 the bloom
cries AT Kent and Ia the neghboring towns not avery
great while ago. there 10 OF these nres IN operation a.
at enc time. They sIe now about all abandoned.
Speaking Of Kent, remisds me Of curious mining ac'
venture that was lately entered iRo there by some OF your
New-York capitalists travelling fortuns-teler, named
Foster came there about four years fince with agr who
pretended discover mines by looking at stone az mus
have been the philosophers stone she held In her hand
The fellow found place In the mountains where the sans
contained much mica in rich spanges. He took speci'
men Of this 10 NewYork and IL T. said that on analysis
ersns OF gold were found In III doubt some he had scat
tered there This was sufficient to effect sale and al
informed by my host Kent that The property was per
chased by Mr. Beach for IS 900, and that sheriff came
lately TO look at 1t part of the assets of the Plsnnse
Bank Men we're put on 10 work the mine. and severa
barrels Of the sand shipped TO New iork, but o.
course no more gold found. The purchasers learned
valuable lesson though rather costly one-not TO pu
heir trust teers and be cautious how they az
tempted to open mines Of rich ore In country where non'
k.,t hal hoa fam AZ.