The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-03-21
Iron Making With Anthracite.

III iCNGiIl ittlCl 10 Inc ulldbGilluli II 1855
MIR. Oliver Williams OF Catasauqua, Pa, wht
has been connected with the iron trade 70
nearly fifty years, gives the following regarding
the history of anthracite big iron making:
| In 1873 Nelson of Scotland, patented The
use Of hotsair in the smelling Of iron ore in tbs
blast furnace The inventor .builded bette
| than he knew, as at that time anthracite Goa
was practically unknown in Scotland and the
use of his patent was confined to smelling with
bituminous coal In 1886, George Crane OF
Wales, obtained British patent for the use o
the hot blast, in connection with anthracite coal
Mr.. Crane at that time owned an anthracite coal
mine at Ynyscedwin, South Wales, that was
valueless to him. Mr. Crane in connection
with Mr.. David Thomas, at once proceeded tc
change furnace that had been run on coke, to
Use anthracite. The furnace was put in blast
early in 1887, and il was a complete success
from the start Prior 10 this, DR.. Geissenhainer,
deeply interested in the sciences, and evidently
well informed as to NELSON'S discovery, and
fully approaching its value as CONNECTED with
the use of anthracite coal, commenced the cree
ton of blast furnace on Silver Creek, about
seven miles from Potsyile This was known
as the Valley Furnace, and was blown in some
time in July, 1886. This furnace continued in
blast some ten or twelve weeks, using anthra-
cite coal exclusively The furnace was small,
the pressure of blast about three pounds with a
temperature of only some 200 degrees Fahren>
het. Unfortunately, soon after the furnace was
blown ont Dr. Geisscnhainer died, and Ameri-
can metallurgy suffered its first great loss.
While these experiments going on at
Silver Creek John Potts was working on the
same line at Cressona, Schuylkill county, and
with commendable success, but, as in the case
of the Valley Furnace, the Potts Furnace was
too small and his blast too weak and cold, In
1888 small furnace at Mauch Chunk was
blown in on anthracite coal. II imped along
for few months and was then blown out. 1t
again put in blast early in 1889, with an
improved hot blast, but after running short
time, wa, abandoned Mr.. r. c. Lawthrop, an
eminent engineer still living, believe, at
Trenton n J., was connected with this enter
prise, and is fully qualified to write an interest
ing chapter in the carly history OF anthracite
pig iron.
In 1888 Burd Patterson commenced the erec-
ton of the Pioneer Furnace at Pottsville. He
engaged Mr.. William Lymanq who had been
connected with rolling mill in Boston, as man
aser. If was FIRST blown in on the 10th of July,
1899. 1t continued in blast but a few days, and
was shoveled out, Benjamin Parry. who had
worked at Ynyscedwin with David Thomas,
took the position of founder. The furnace was
again blown in sometime in October, 1899. Mr..
Thomas was then in Catasauqua, and Mr.. Parry
sent for him to come to Pottsvile for aid and
counsel Mr.. Thomas, accompanied BY his son
Samuel, then mere STRIPPING, but now eminent
in the trade, drove over to Pottsyille and re
NAMED there for week, during which time,
Pioneer was for 4 second time blown in. This
furnace then ran successfully but only for a
long enough time to secure the premium Of
s., 900 offered by Nicholas Bddle to the first
person who would make anthracite pig iron con-
tinuously for three months; Owing to the poor
supply Of ores in the vicinity, Pioneer was
blown out carly in 1910, and remained idle for
some time. During the year 1910 several small
furnaces were blown in at different points in
Eastern Pennsylvania, but none of them proved
a commercial success These experiments were
all being watched by the Lehigh Coal and Nav
ieation Company with intense interest. 1t is
but rarely that so great an amount OF brains was
ever concentrated in the skulls Of company, as
was developed in the heads of this company.
Two men especially connected with the man.
agement-Josiah White and Erskine Hazard
both of Philadelphia, were marvels of foresight>
edness, indomitabe energy, and untiring indus
try. Mr. White was. strict Friend, which
must have been great trial 10 him sometimes,
when his plans went awry through the stupidity
of his agents.
Philadelphia has erected monuments to many
men who have not done tenth of what these
me ndid to pour gold into her lap, Mr.. White
and Mr.. Hazard saw that the time had now ar,
rived for them to move in the matter of pig iron
making. Mr. Hazard was sent over to Wales
and there found Mr. Cranes furnace successfully
smelling iron ore with anthracite coal exclu~
svely, under the management of David Thomas.
Mr.. Hazard at once contracted with Mr.. Thomas
to come to this country and erect 4 furnace. Mir.
Thomas arrived here June s. 1889, and promptly
commenced the building Of furnace at Crane
vile, now Catasauqua, on the banks of the Lee
high canal. This furnace, though small, was of
far more generous proportions than any of its
American predecessors. 1t was supplied with
an improved hot>blast oven, capable of heating
the air to about 600 degrees Fahrenheit, and
with blowing apparatus giving pressure Of
about si. pounds to the square inch. Mr..
Thomas blew this furnace in July g. 1910; made
his first cast July /, 1910; continued it in blast,
with Of course the necessary renewals, until
1879. when it was replaced by furnace OF
more modern design. This furnace not only
made iron, but equally as important made money
| from the word "go," Mr.. Thomas followed this
| up by building the magnificent plants OF the
| Crane and the Thomas Iron Companies, earned
| for himself the honor of having been the first
man in this country to successfully and profit
| ably establish the manufacture Of anthracite pig
iron.