Connecticut western news., 1889-10-30
WEDNESDAY,. OCT. 30. 1889.

THE PAST .AND PRESENT
 Iron Industry of the Housatonic
 Valley.
 Having several times written of social life in Lakeville and other towns in Connecticut, sketching their physical beauties and advantages to the pleasure seeker, practical view of the business interests is suggested and will present 8 quite different picture, or another side of the same. The valley from Richmond, Mass, to Salisbury, Conn.,, is the bed of the famous brown hema- lite ore, from which the celebrated Salisbury iron is manufactured, In this fact women, as we'll as men, have 8 personal interest since the hematite jewelry has become so fashionable as in the last few years. The ore lies in pockets more than in veins, along the eastern side of the Taconic mountains, and has been 8 source of wealth to the fortunate possessors of these ore beds.
 The iron industry of this valley of the Housatonic has existed for more than 8 century, and the smelling furnaces and the forges have dotted this valley since many years before the Revolution. Formerly the ore from these beds was carried by mules to Litch6eld. in this county, where at that time the only furnace for smelling was situated. The cost of transporting it and of the char coal used becoming too great, the fur mace named was abandoned and others erected in a more convenient locality, in closer proximity to the ore beds and to the well-wooded mountains. One of the earliest of these furnaces in this charming place which was then known 6 "Furnace " Village" !" was built by no less parsonage than Ethan Allen, of Tconderoga fame, who successfully carried on the business until he moved to Vermont. The furnace remained, and, during our war with Great Britain, in 1912, was employed in making ordnance for our government. Some of the guns for the "Old Constitution were cast in this village and within 8 short time some cannon balls were picked up in village near by, on the the Housatonic. Forges were estab- ished for the purpose of making the iron bars from which were manufactur- ed the barrels of the muskets used by our troops at Harper's Ferry. The peculiar toughness and other character istics of this iron rendered it singularly desirable for that purpose, and also for the manufacture of anchors, sxles, etc.
 With the advent of railroads, new and more extensive use was found for the Salisbury iron. Its tenacity, it's freedom from sulpher phosphorus and other foreign substances renders it the most desirable ore in the country from which car wheels can be made, and so with this new demand furnaces for smelting the ore rapidly multiplied in the Housstonic valley. At Lime Rock, Sharon, Canaan, Millerton, Copake, Kent, Chapinville, VanDusenville and Richmond were established means fol converting the ore into "pigs" to be changed into car-wheels and for many years the Salisbury iron ore has had the monopoly of the business in the con struction of these articles. Naturally this business prospered and during the late civil war the price of the iror reached it's maximum and was consider ed so valuable that the fortunate owners could not be induced to dispose of theil valuable property for even the fabulou. sums that were temptingly offered Among the many industries established was that at Lime Rock, constituting the firm of Barnum, Richardson $ Co.,, the leading member of which was the late Hon William H. Barnum, Chairman O the Democratic National Committee for the manufacture of car-wheels, whicl even now yields more than fair prof to the proprietors.
 During our late war guns of heavy calibre were cast at Amesville, nea Falls Village, under the direction ant superintendence of MT Horatio Ames of Massachusetts, an uncle of Mir Fret l.. Ames and Governor Oliver Ames Some of these were used at the seize o Charleston, but, though considered good pieces of ordnance, were no adopted by Government. only ol account of the war coming to clos before the experiment was finally com pleted. Even now 1t Is claimed tha guns made from this iron are a impregnsble as those made from steel and 8 recent act of Congress has direc ted that experiments should be made t, test the validity of this claim, leadin, Boston firm having charge of tn experiments.
 The iron from this ore Is entirel, charcoal iron, and the charcoal made ol the sides of the mountains near by ranging from 1000 to 1900 feet il height, and luxuriently wooded wit oak, maple, chestnut, beach and bircl from base to summit. The colliers ar hardy race of men, descendants of tn Dutch settlers, from the banks of tn Hudson at an early date. They live il