The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1916-07-14

mace IN Lawrence county, ONO. the
last five years as a pardner and his
third OF the profit for the last year
that Union ever ran was $4,000. Not
so bad for the times before the country
had millionaires scattered all over II.
Union was the first furnace built In
Ohio, and In the Hanging Rock Re
gion, and Mr.. Sinton, who was the
manager In 1887, heard OF my father
as manager over at one OF the Little
Sandy River water furnaces, HopeweIl
in Carter county, and invited him to
Union. Father went and for ten years
the two men lived at Union, rooming
together. and pounding away at the old
furnace, which they advanced from a
daily product OF four tons up to as
many as eight on special occasions.
Mr.. Sinton often told me, many years
afterwards when he was a Cincinnati
| millionaire several times over and i
boarded just across the street from his
Pike Street home, that the happiest
days Of his life were when he and my
father as young men used 10 stand in
the meadow below the furnace and
watch the blue smoke rise from its
chimney IL was working
well-while they talked about their
future used TO go over Oceasionly
and sit with him OF evenings and he
never talked OF anything else except
his days at Union furnace. for / was
the only person TO whom he could so
talk. The last time saw him he was
old then. confused me with my father
and began talking as though to him,
but caught himself quickly and went
on as though he had not made the
slip.
However. am DEPRESSING. growing
garrulous. Ell?
Ny father built the Catlettsburg
house for himselfand family as he had
expected TO do the river business for
Star Furnace in Carter county which
he had built, but after about eighteen
months OF life so close 10 tine river fogs
the doctors told rim he would have
brsnehitis or something worse and he
traded the house to Mr. Patton for the
Pennsylvania interest and went back
into the hills. This tract comprised
1900 acres which carried plenty OF
| timber for charcoal and ore and lime
for iron making. Fathers partner
was Louis Duval Ross, OF GTeenup,
land they were associated until Mr..
Ross death about 1862 or63. Later
father rented from Mrs. Ross her
husbands half interest and was so run
ming 1t in 1S64-65 when he negotiated
/ It's sale 10 Boston and New York cap
!. italists for 100000. or a little more
than $3.50 an acre. At the same time
these eastern men bought Greenup
furnace, naming II later Hunnewell
for one Of the Boston men. This tract
contained $4,000 acres and was, be-
lieve. owned by a number Ct persons
There was no coal OF any sort, except
lin small quantities. on the Pennsylva-
mia tract. but Greenup was supposed
TO have unlimited quantities Of came
coal and an oil factory had been built
there using the coal. the furnace being
discontinued When the furnace was
sold, to the new owners who built this
Z. KY. Railway and owned other IL
addition TO the two furnaces. this OF
factory was discontinued and the mine:
were opened extensively only to petei
out within a very short time. The
railroad was built from Riverton e
IGreenup, or Hunnewell. and while il
never hauled much camel coal, it die
fhaul large quantity Of pig iron which
the newly reconstructed furnace BY
the latest designs Of that time soor
began to turn out Pennsylvania had
never made more than twelve or four
Iteen tons a day and old Greenup haC
not been as successful. but the new
jHunneweIl went well up into tbs
twenty-tnn-a-day list and made money
What has become OF il in these year.
later do not know
Ny father left Pennsylvania earl,
lin 1865 moving his family from Ash
land to Portsmouth. o. and takinE
with him for his share Of Pennsylva-
ala real estate and his stock Of iroT
and other personal property something
over a hundred thousand dollars ii
real money That ought TO have beer
enough TO have made him comfortable
for the rest OF his days-he was ther
nfty-two-but he could not keep out
of the iron business and by and by
went into Star Furnace again as the
monied man Of the concern After q
few years he was not as mOnied as he
had been and Star went TO pieces. as
the first stone furnace. involving him
Ito such an extent that he was saved
Il only py a safe OF SNAAI ueANN VI Ss~sN
acres to the Norton Iron Works OF
Ashland for 100000. He took s25.coe
stock in the Norton, which slumped by
and by to considerably less than par,
two shares OF which know Mr.. John
Means OF Ashland allowed me fifty
cents on the dollar for when l bought
thar newspaper inAshland which he
had bought in at Sheriffs sale and
on which began my literary career,
in 1877.
The Pennsylvania tract has never
developed into a tractof wealth, buJ an
linteresting feature in connection with
il il is that Mr. James Hoop who had
lbeen nv fathers chief engineer and
fcundryrnan furnace SUPERINTENDENT
for years. vas placed in charge OF the
property BY the new owners and he Is
There today. owning now part Of Il
las his home farm. In looking hack over
the years il SENS To me that Mr.. Hoop
must be about two hundred and fiftN
4 wears old. but fancy ne is not When
III last heard from him he was quite
lac,ive and knocking around the place
las usual NY father died in lSsS al
Winchester in Clark county. where
he was horn in 1878.
In conclusion l would like TO ask
where along Sandy IS thesite Of Sandy
furnace. l knew Of il when first