Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1873-04-29
NO.. Cy.m

NO. CIy.a M
Our remarks last week as to the great
change wrought in the country, about
lockwood by the grand industrial enter
prise of the Roane Iron Company, apply
with equal force to the new life and wealth
brought into the northeastern part of Roane
county by the iron works of the Oakdale
Company. Last fall a party of Eastern
gentlemen had the sagacity to purchase at
the foot of Walden's Ridge, near Winters
Gap, an exceedingly valuable body OF
mineral land, favorably situated for the
manufacture of pig iron. The capital was
mostly gathered in New \ ork, Boston and
other Eastern cities. Itdoubtless required
some courage on the part of monied men
to invest their capital in an enterprise to
be inaugurated so far from them in 10
cality comparatively isolated, the mineral
wealth of which was not fully developed
or even understood. But with courage and
enterprise the work was undertaken. With
the advice and cooperation of Gen. Will
der, who had built up the mammoth work
at lockwood, the location for the works
was decided upon. The company was or
ganized and began preparing for the con-
struction of the furnace last winter.
We visited Oakdale week before last, and
only those who knew the spot as it was
before these busy men began their opera
tions, and who can see the many difficult
ties to be overcome, can appreciate the pro-
gress already made. The building of such
mammoth works where every tool and
machine that could not be made on the
spot had to be brought from distance,
over rough roads and unbridged rivers;
where 1.-THE lumber and brick had to be
made on the spot; where skilled workmen
had to be brought from distance, and or
binary laborers gathered from the sur
rounding country, was no ordinary under
taking. When all the difficulties with
which they have cOntended are considered,
their progress reflects the greatest credit
upon the energy and good management of
those having the work in charge.
EXTENT OF THE WORKS.
The Oakdale furnace is to have a capaci-
ty of forty tons Of iron per day. The
stack, which was nearly completed at our
visit, is 634 feet high, with a bosh of 16
feet, hearth of feet, and four tuyeres.
The motive power is supplied by two en-
gines, "Tornado" and |" Tempest" each
supplied with two blowing and two steam
cylinders, each feet stroke. The boilers
are four in number, SO feet long and AZ
inches in diameter. The buildings are,
cast house, 120x40, a stack house, 10Ox50,
an engine house, 6Sx50, and boiler house,
55x34 feet. The draught stack is so feet high.
The water supply comes from an unfailing
spring, at an elevation of 80 feet.
In addition to the above buildings all of
which are under way and some of which
9 are nearly completed, the company have
put up seventy-three houses for employees,
one hotel Of twenty rooms, a blacksmith's,
harness and wagon shop, and steam saw
mill that turns out 1000 feet of lumber per
day.
COAL, IRON ORE AND LIMESTONE.
The value of the location at Oakdale con-
sists principally in the convenience and
economy with which the material used in
the manufacture of iron can be carried to
the furnace. AS at lockwood, SO at Oak
dale, the coal is very convenient The
first opening promises to be successful. 1t
is about one thousand yards from the fur
mace. The tunnel cut into the mouth of
the vein is 80 yards and about six feet
square. A tram road runs 20 yards from
the coal to chute, which is so constructed
as to answer as a screen. A double track
at the foot of the chute is arranged SO that
the lump coal is conducted into one car
and the screening into another, the former
being dumped directly into the stock
house, the latter into the coke yard, where
it is burned into coke. The coal is the
same as at lockwood. The vein now
opened is from z to feet and of superior
quality. The coal at the end of the tunnel
lies i'm a pocket over forty feet through.
Mr.. Alex. Allen, an experienced miner,
has had charge of opening the mine and
will superintend the mining.
Their veins of red hematite ore have been
opened within half mile of the furnace
The company believe they have brown
hematite ore upon the property near the
furnace. With these two ores, iron of any
quality desired can be made. The ore is SO
situated that when the horse railroad from |
the furnace to Big Emory river, 81 miles, |
is built to carry the pig iron to steamboats,, |
the empty cars returning can carry back |
ore. It is estimated that ore can thus be |
delivered at the furnace for one dollar per |
ton. Lake superior ore costs So at Pitts |
burg and Iron Mountain ore $3.50 at st. |
Louis. The difference in favor of Oakdale |
is apparent. If with ore at Sl.00 and coal |
at about LOO, iron can not be profitably |
made at Oakdale, where in the world can
it be? a1.l vts.l>c
The limestone is of a superior quality |
and in great abundance within one fourth |
or mile from Inc NOUN Oh tne Slack.
These are the advantages briefly enumer- |
ated, we noted while at Oakdale. We can |
not see why it should not prove mine of |
wealth TO its owners as we certainly hope |
it may. For time the only route for get |
ting the iron to market will be by horse |
railroad to Emory river. Congress will |
improve the Emory and Clinch and Ten |
nessee rivers SO that they can have navi- |
CATION most of the year. 1t is probable too, |
that before two years the Cincinnati road |
viii pass within hundred yards of their
works. EsC0 81 l.s y. .-{t aLa5
The work of constructing this large fur
mace has been pressed with remarkable |
success as we have before stated. The prac- |