New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-10
BUSY MINESAND FURNACES
REVIVAL OF THE IRON INDUSTRY IN
NEW-JERSEY.
PAssAIC, NORRIS SUSSEX AND WARREN
COUNTIES FEEL THE RETURN OF PROS
PERGTY-EXTENT OF THE OUTPUT


The wayfarer in Northern New-Jersey is shading
his eyes 10 clear his vision these days. Looking
| backward he sees a reminscence. Looking forward
he sees returning what was and what he hopes is
TO be for a long time 70 come. Prosperity Is no
longer retreatlng but IS advancing. In hamiets
that have long been silent as deserted villages
and over which the shadows OF departed industry
have long been broodng, there Is the intermingling
OF many CHEEKY voices and many lights are blazing
the way TO labor and its compensation. Mines that
had become mossgrown and leafstrewn are feeling
again the strokes OF the pick and the shovel. and
are yielding up their mineral wealth TO the furnaces
that have been relighted on many hsides and In
| many valleys.
The iron Industry in New-Jersey has taken new
lease OF life and capital is once more Joining with
labor. Those who were wont TO proclaim that
free trade meant equality and prosperity for
all are turning in their minds the arguments
OF the tariff advocates and the results OF the last
four years OF practical experience and some OF
them reluctantly. some willingly. admitting
that good has come out OF protection after
all. Every mine that has been reopened and every
furnace that has been relighted Is In itself an
argument In favor OF progressive Amercanlsm
which no excess OF stump speech rhetoric In sup
port OF the assertion that the tariff Is a theory
and nothing else can successfully combat. Northern
New-Jersey has waited long and not too patiently
for the return OF the prosperity which once made
good cheer in the homes OF the aboring men as
we'll as IN those OF the rich TIE good times which
are every day coming nearer and nearer are bring
ing added comforts to several hundred homes In
the mining districts. and are being made welcome
by men who have an interest In the land az well
in the labor
FURNACES AGAIN IN BLAST.
Every iron furnace in Passac. Morris. Sussex
and Warren counties" said Abram S. Hewitt a
hioo nr Of
70 go into blast ore is mined in all OF these coun-
,ies hut Morris produces more than any OF the
others Pequest Furnace, which has been Idle nVe
wears is now in full blast. i has been leased oS
Joseph wharton a Philadelphia capitalist. Inc
Carteret Steel Works. at Hackettstown' Is get'ihs
ready to get into operation. Senator Jones OF
Nevada. was formerly interested in these works.
md probably is vet The Andoyer Furnaces, at
Phillipsburg are moving; one OF them Is already
I'm blast and probably second has been lghted'
What is true OF these furnaces Is true or all the
others I'm the counties named. The largest produet
Of the New Jersey mines In the days OF the great
est prosperity was about 10000 tons. This prouuct
during the DAYS OF depression went down to about
200 ooo tons II is now gaining again rapidly. and |
should think II would get up 10 from 4OO0n TO Oo0o
tons in the year lsO
speaking OF the old mines in Southern New-Jer-
sew Mr. Hewitt said they had not been OF any
commercial value since the primitive charcoal
furnaces went out .
brief and concise the above statement Is II
.aus n story OF large investment increased indus
try and local prosperity which might be IarseV
elaborated but which s more eloquent as IL stdhuS'
explaining as It does that in this os wen as IN
other industries which make for wealth ana TOT
labor New-Jersey has its full compensation ana It's
share.
EXTENT OF THE INDUSTRY.
What may be the result OF this revival In the
nd 10 extent
NAY he nrolonged are matters which are necessa-
ry mora or less conjectural but the outlook TOT
number OF years Of prosperity Ia promising. Inc
assurance Is given that the methods or mining
,,u IN many instances be improved, the uehahu
,or ,,bor more than maintained and the amount
q, canital invested increased Some Idea OF the eA-
yert ~ these operations few years ago may oe
gathered from the last annual report o, HS S
55Stara one time Commissioner OF Mines Tor New
Jersey Mr. O'Hara was the only Commissi0 me- OF
Mines in the employ OF tnis one, n nm ne
extent OF his work, the last OF which was MADE 10
the LEGISLATURE In 1855 sastc,nn but the demand
FOR his services does not seen 70 nave Warranted
the continuation OF his 9iSe re e n nnd
which NAV DE found useful TO those VINO may De IN
ened TO estimate me IN TSre em and d the
OF capital invested by the facts contained IN the
The ore mines In operation in that year Mr.:
oiiara says were confined TO the boundaries OF
warren. Sussex and Norris counties. There were
within these limits twenty-five mines which had
been working during the year. eight OF which We're
in Warren County. 1--WE In Sussex and nine IN Nor
ria Seventeen Of these mines were producing iron
ore Seventeen hundred and hfty-seven men were
employed and hfty-nine engines, supplied with
ninety three boilers with combined horsepower
of 500 were In use. To raise the ore nearly seven
miles OF wire rope was required.
SOME NOTEWORTHY MINES.
Continuing his report. Mr.. oIiara refers TO typi'
cal mines in the several counties named. One or
these is the Champion Mine. which Is near oxford
Furnace in Warren County, and was then operated
by the Champion Steel Ore Company. OF Irsntoh.