Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1903-08-21
IHE FIRST IRON FURNACE
A Great Impetus To The Pros
perity of Alabama.
ITS INTERESTING RUINS
Beginnings Of the Southern Iron In.
dustry.

uu8trys
Probably few persons know that
there was an iron furnace in Alabama
as early as 1912, and that II was To-
Gated in Franklin County.
Prof. G. w Duncan, formerly of Au-
burn, who was in Montgomery yester-
day, has recently visited this old fur
mace. He talked Interestingly about
It to a representative Of the Adver-
tiser.
Professor Duncan is now travelling
for a book house, and he has been over
the State, recently. He is close cb-
server, and takes notes Of many inter
esting and historic things as he Loes
along. Among the things that interest
ed Professor Duncan is this old fur
mace.
"The first iron-smelting furnace in
Alabama was in Franklin County"
said Professor Duncan. 1T was on
Cedar Creek, five miles south Of Rus
sellville, and was in operation as early
as 1912. The furnace was constructed
Of limestone. lined inside with FIRE
brick, and is shaped like a hornets
nest, base down. like cone 1t is
about fifteen feet high and the dia-
meter at the base Is about twenty feet
The main furnace is standing to-day,
covered with gray moss, and all
around for several acres the ground is
covered with Stag and other waste pro
ducts.
There is a bend in Cedar Creek.
The entire distance around the curve
is about three miles, and at the point
where the furnace is located it is not
over 200 yards across the narrow strip
Of land separating the points at the
curve of the bend A race was cut
across at these points and a large
waterwheel was placed at the lower
point of the curve, and this furnished
the power to operate this primitive fur
mace, the draft or blasts and a large
hammer weighing over 500 pounds for
working the iron into bars, and heat
ing It to make it uniform in proper
tion.
Kettles, stoves and many other use
full domestic articles were moulded
there, as is shown by the pieces found
in the fields around.
"Charcoal was used as fuel and old
charcoal beds are found in the fields
for miles around. These old hills are
distinct now, and when the farmers
plough their fields. the black soil and
cin6ers indicate clearly where the old
beds were.
"The second growth of timber on the
mountain sides shows that most of the
| original forests were cut down to fur
nish fuel for this old furnace. The pits
and holes are quite large and indicate
where the ore was found; most Of
these being on the side of the noun
tain south and within a radius of three
or four miles.
'The nearest shipping point at the
time this furnace was in operation was
the Tenessess River, twenty-five miles
north, and the products of the furnace
had to be hauled to this point on
wagons. There is standing now, long
wall of masonry very thick and some
eight to ten feet high, extending quite
a distance along the bank of the creek
and opposite the furnace proper. The
channel of the old race is distinct, but
the age of it is indicated by the large
trees which are standing near, some
of them several feet in diameter
There are oak, haskberry, sycamore
and other varieties which bear the
marks of age in the decaying branches.
'The ruins of this ancient furnace
are interesting, and are well worth a
visit by any one who is interested in
the industrial progress of the State
They are in marked contrast to mod
ern smelling plant"
Alabama is now one of the CHIEF
iron-making States of the country, and
1t will no doubt surprise some of the
operators of furnaces to know that
iron was smelted in Alabama nearly
100 years ago.-Montgomery Adver
tiser