New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-25
THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON.
ITS HISTORY IN ALL AGES.

x,eropv or TuE MANUFACTURE OF IRON, In al al
ages. and particularly III NE CnileG SwASK Sec
2etary of the American from and steel AsSoGnt.hed
Member Of tho Historical Soclety "a HPniadcIphia
10y the author, 2Gl SCUM four'ns''
Pr AS o.. .bis time
IL is most impCr ant to put on recoIo d" ~
toets IN regard to the early development OF 'u',u
tries, particularly III this county, MI """ r
the very man of all others best qualhe" " p0iU
that service for the iron Manufacture l" W."
country for he has enjoyed unequaiieo oppoi ,u"'
tics of learning the details of its early history nom
a. en who were pioneers in its different branches
Yet nc he saws in his preface "if the preparation
of this history had been delayed for few years u
conld not have been written, for many OF these pl
oneers are now dead" Mr.. Swank, 1t may DC re-
nembered, was selected as one OF the experts III
prcparing the census reports and his elaborate "o
ON the manufacture of iron in this country was e"
rched with the fruit Of years of careful STUDY anu
of n long personal acquaintance with men OF marx
in the early history of the manufacture
Mucb of the work is devoted to a very interesting
review of the early uses of iron in other countries
With careful historical research, the author h"'
traced the beginning of the manufacture lar oaoA
into that cloudy border land which separates ~
corded history from fable But among the early
facts of definite record and especial interest IL ap
the mines of the Isle of Eba were workeu
nj least years before Christ. and the ore from
those same mines may now be found in great pies
near the furnaces far in the interior OF TINS country
at least as far west as Pittsburg. Inc history VI
the manufacture in Great Britain is DOM interest,"
ing and important, for 1t shows with aDunoahV ue
tails how carefully guarded for very long perlou
by protective legislation the beginnings OF tniS
manufacture we're in that country, were All Vne
teachers cOnspire to urge other ha'ion' "
abandon the protection of their industries, and to
tofa INV ma
cannot grow up by itself without artificial aid Al
one period in Great Britain, when wood became
scarce most stringent acts were passed TO prevent
itsdestructiOn and most American readers are ram
iliar in some measure with the rigid and almost
barbarous policy by which for long time the
British Government sought to suppress the manu-
facture in these colonies.
Mr. Swanks careful review and clear descrlp-
tons of the early processes OF manufacture anu VI
the causes which in great number OF cases pro
duced their Ill success, will be found most usetul
not merely TO tho manufacturers themse Ves' Dut
IN those who wish to speak or to write understand
ingly of the industrial history of the country
American iron it appears, was first found In North
Caroline. but was not at that time manufactured.
The irstmanufacture of iron this country OF which
there is record was in the State of Virginia, and the
mig iron there produced was sold to the East India
Company and transported to Great Britain. The
first successful iron works in the country were
located in Massachusetts,, and the earliest estab-
Gshment in this State set up by Livingston IN
Columbia County. The manufacturers of early
DAYS. though scattered and feeble, were able to
render to the patriot incaculable service dur
ing the Revolution of which Mr. Swank givesmany
instances 1t is surprising in how many States the
manufacture was commenced at a very early per-
iod Though the enterprises were IN most cases
HAYS tO demons
the fact that the resources of this country were of
vast magnitude and distributed as to aid greatly
the progress of settlement and growth. Yet there
were few States in which the manufacture was at
tended with special success until the latest period
upon which we have recently entered, and III
which the manufacture with coke for fuel is
RAPIDLY taking the place of other modes Of produc-
ton The first great revolution in the manufacture
came with the use of anthracite coal, which,
though employed in iron working as early as 1872,
was not effectively used i'll an economical sense
until 1885. So bitumnous coal was also used as
oarly as 1885, but for reasons which Mr.. Swan
explains, il did not come into general use uhln d
very late period.
The history of all the recent processes by which
this great branch of industry has been so marvel
lously expanded and developed will be found pre-
scented i'm this volume with great fulness
Incidently it also gives a history of the notable
men who have had prominent part in the trluhphs
of this industry. aud of the difficulties which they
Rad TO overcome. The chief of these difficulties,
from the earliest days to this time has sprung from
the persistent effort of British manufacturers and
statesmen to bring about in this country an in
dustrial policy hostile to the development Of the
iron interest and emlnently calculated, az they
well know to place and to keep these United States
in condition of industrial and commercial depend
ence upon the mother country. Not only those d.
rectly concerned in the iron manufacture, but all
who have interest IN the progress of the country
aud IN the defence of sound and wise indus trial
policy, have reason to thank Mr. Swank Tor the
valuable services which he has rendered, both in
the preparation of this work, and in the years of
active labor which so well prepared him for 1t.