The Paducah sun., 1905-05-05
IRON INDUSTRY
MAY BIZ REVIVED
The Hilirnan Company Has Leased
the Old Center Furnace In
1fisg County.
WILL REPAIR IT Ar ONCE

There Is n prospect Of a revival Of
the iron Industry In Southwest Ken
tucky. which means much to the
commercial future Of the state. Sew.
eral days ago Mr. r.. &. Simmons, of
ST. Louis, was In Paducah en- route
10 Grand Rivers, and It Is now known
that the object of his trip was to
close negotiations which places the
"Old Center" furnace, near the Lyon
county line. and between the Tennes-
see and Cumberland rivers. in pos.
fession OF White. Dixon a Co, who
have secured five year lease with
privilege Of renewing TO seven. The
furnace Is owned by the Hllman
Land and Iron company. the princl.
pal stockholders In which are the
Simmons hardware men, of 81. Louis.
Yesterdays Cadiz Record gives the
following facts In regard TO the op-
GRAFTON of this furnace;
The frm of White. Dixon a Co. Is
composed OF w. C., J. Preston and
Ben r white. of Cadiz. and George
w. Dixon. of Grand Rivers. Their
lease calls for all the timber and ore
privileges for "A radius of Ave miles
from the furnace. and they are thus
given access to many thousand OF
acres of fine timber aud iron ORE land
both In Trigg AMI Lyon counties.
They will put saw mill on the
ground at once and will this week
put large force Of hands at work
cutting wood and putting the furnace
In proper condition Tor ths making
of iron While some of the machln-
cry of the old furnace will probably
be suitable for use. yet much new
machinery will of necessity he bought
aud In getting the property In shape
for operations, will require an outlay
of money running into the many
thousands OF dollars
Ii will be October or November be
fore they can get ready to begin ac-
tive operation OF the furnace. Some
thing like three hundred hands will
be given constant employment.
}. 4. White. of this city, and Geo
W. Dixon, of Grand Rivers. Will be
In active control OF the business.
They will sometime next year move
their families TO the place where
they will reside.
The store house will have TO be
repaired and about forty or nifty cot.
tages for the use of the hands who
will work at the furnace will be
built this summer an DIAL
Center Furnace was built In the
early nftles. over fifty years ago, By
the late Daniel Hlllman. IL was
partially destroyed In time OF the
war. but was rebuilt after the war
was over and was kept In active op-
Grafton until about the year 1850.
The property continued In the hands
of the Hillmans until four or Ave
years ago. when Il was bought by the
Simmons interest In 81. Louis.
The firm OF White, Dixon A. Co,
have had considerable experience in
making iron. For Ave years they op-
Grated Bear Spring Furnace near Do
YER. Tenn.
There Is also strong talk Of build
Ing a railroad threugh this property,
which means probable extension OF
the Cadiz railroad. The Simmons peo-
pie have been discussing this phase
OF the question, going so far at one
time as To have line surveyed from
rand Rivers through the property,
and the fact that they are determin-
ed to open up and develop their hold
ings In this aud Lyon counties, Is "A
strong indication tha, the idea of the
early building railroad through
that territory Is no idle dream
The primary intention OF the r-"
lessees is to use the river for ship
ping purposes, The furnace Is about
two miles back from the cumber-
land.