Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1863-03-25
From the Charleston Courier.

Magnetic Iron Works of SO. Carolina.
These fine works; situated on Broad
River at Cherokee Ford, being now in full
blast, present busy and cheerful scene.
The property consists of upwards of ten
th housaud acres of laud, abounding in rich
magnetic, hermatite and limonite iron ores.
The works on Broad River consist of:--
two high furnaces, (cold blast), one pud-
ding oven, two re.heating ovens, one roll.
ing mill of great power, one large foundry
for castings, one large machine shop, one
blacksmith shop, one -four and grist mill,
one saw mill, one set Of ore stampers, store
and dwelling houses for superintendents
and operatives also, fine nail factory of
seven machines, capable of turning out
thirty kegs of nails daily.
The machinery is all propelled by water
p.wer, each department having its own
separate water.wheel The wheels, eight
in number, have been thoroughly rebuilt
md repaired during the past summer by
that skillful milright, W. R. Reid, Esq =
The wate1.power is abundant at all times,
the Company having a fine dam across the
river, by which the whole of Broad River
could be turned on the machinery. Iron
is made by two modes at these works. That
by the high furnace is called smelling into
pigs; the iron ore is broken into small
Jumps, and the furnace kept filed alternate
ly with the ore and charcoal, mixed with
some limestone for auxing, this by the cold
blast will produce about $500 pounds No. 1
pig every twenty-four hours. This has af-
terwards to be puddled in the pudding
ovens and made into blooms. The other
mode is by bloomery fires direct from the
ore. The ore made use Of in blooming fires
goes through the preliminary operations of
stamping and washing, by which the ore is
reduced to something like coarse powder.
Two hands attending to one blooming fire
will produce from 800 to 1000 pounds Of
No. blooms every .wenty.four hours,
which are afterwards re.heated and rolled
out into bar iron and nail plate. It re.
quires very superior article Of iron ore to
produce blooms direct from the ore, but
the Company has an abundant supply Of
this ore on their lands. i
It is the intention Of the company to add
to the manufacture of iron that of cast and
blistered steel, for which their iron is pecu-
liarly adapted.
The whole number of mechanics and
operatives at present engaged at the works
is about one hundred and fifty, under the
superintendence Of A.. NJ. Latham, Esq,
who has had charge of the property for the
past twelve years.
We understand that the Carolina Cotton
and Woolen Factory, chartered by the Leg
islature at the last session, will be located
on the opposite side Of the river, and we
doubt not in short time thriving manu-
featuring villages will spring up on both
sides of the river.
The Shelby and Broad River Rail Road
passes through the works, and it is now in
the course Of being putunder contract from
Shelby, which will give the furnaces mine.
raj coal, and enable the manufacture Of
iron and steel to be increased to any extent.
The Directors of the Company are: G.
s. Cameron, President; A.. s. Johnston,
VIM. Lebby, John Ferguson and j. r,
Taylor. W. B. Heriot, Secretary, Office
l79 East Bay.