USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 1 > Part 58
USA > Pennsylvania > Carbon County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 1 > Part 58
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Nathan Fegley came to the promising new town soon after Mr. Lackey, and opened a store where Cor- win & Bro. now do business. Afterwards he kept a temperance hotel, and in addition to his mercantile business opened the first lumber- and coal-yard in
In 1847, Joseph Laubach enme here from Allen township, Northampton Co., and opened a store near Biery's Bridge. In 1850 he bought his present prop- erty, and two years later opened the Eagle House, which was the first hotel after that carried on by the Bierys. In this connection we will add that the Cat- asanqua House, of which Alfred S. Fry is proprietor, was built by Jesse Knauss about the same time that Mr. Laubach became a Bonifaec, and that the present American House, of which C. F. Bogh is landlord, was built by Solomon Biery in 1856, while the Penn- sylvania House, now kept by Mr. Guth, was erected about 1857.
The oldest merchant of the town is now Charles G. Schueller, he having started in business in a small way on Second Street and Mulberry Alley in 1848, and followed mercantile life without intermission since. In 1854 he moved to his present location on Front Street, where he has sold stoves and hardware for thirty years. He is a native of Bethlehem, and ; enme to Catasauqua from Bucks County,
Other early merchants were Getz & Gilbert, who established themselves in 1854; Peter Laubach, who opened a store shortly afterwards; and Joseph and J. W. Schwartz, who began, in 1856, the business which is still contimted by the sons of the former, -T. J. and Preston F. Schwartz.
Morgan Emanuel, a native of Wales, was another early resident, who did much towards the development of the town. He died April 11, 1884, aged nearly eighty years.
The population increased quite rapidly from the founding of the town, and in 1853 the following per- sons all owned property here :
George Amlrew, tallor.
Christian Bongh.
Jolm Albright. Amox Buchmier, tailor.
lohn Clark.
Samuel Calver.
Solomon Biery. William Cramsey.
Jacob Christ.
Charles Deiler.
Noah Davis.
Daniel Davis.
Renben Dilgard.
George Deily.
Jacob Deily, wheelwright.
Frederick Eberhard, contractor.
Morgan Emamel.
Samnel Evans,
Washburn Bough, boat-builder.
John Evans.
Philip Fenstermacher,
Panl Faust.
James W. Fuller, contractor.
Nullum Frederick, innkeeper.
236
HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Thomas Frederick, merchant.
Jacob K. Fogel.
Reuben Fenstemacher. Henry Fenstemacher. Nathan Fegley.
George Foehler.
Owen Frederick, cabinet-maker. William Fegley, carpenter.
Augustus Gilbert.
Henry Gaet%.
James Ginder, boat-builder.
William Gress, merchant and inn- keeper.
Peter Ilinely.
Levi Haas.
Henry Heck, saddlor. John Heck.
Joshua Iluint.
Patrick Roney.
William Jones.
Jacob Leem, shoemaker.
John James.
Simon Stearns, machinist.
David D. Jones.
Jonathan Snyder, tinsmith.
Aaron Koch.
Charles G. Schneider, mason.
Charles Sigley. William Stillwagon.
Nicholas Snyder. Samnel Still.
John Koons, blacksmith.
Anthony Knapp, mason.
Owen Sewartz.
William Kratzer.
Solomon Swall.
Reuben Kratzer.
James Snyder.
Henry Kartz.
Peter Sheckler.
Samuel Koehler.
George Snyder.
James Kerr.
Joseph Troxell, shoemaker
A. Kromer.
David A. Tumbler.
James Lackey, merchant.
David Thomas, Jr.
Widow Leibort.
John Thomas.
Joseph Laubach, inukeoper.
Samnel Thomas.
S. IL. Laciar, tinsmith.
Maria Troxell.
John Lanbach,
Widow Wyman.
Laciar & Co., merchants.
David Williams.
Jonas Lilly.
E. P. Weiss, merchant.
Robert MeIntyre, contractor.
Enos Weaver.
Widow McAllister.
John Wilson.
John MeIntyre.
Henry Youndt.
Peter Morey.
Enoch Youndt.
Jacob Miller.
Among the tenants at this time were Moses E. Al- bright and William Steckel, merchants; Heury Bush and Charles Nolf, innkeepers ; Benjamin Bush, miller ; William Diee, carpenter; Cornelius Earle, minister; and Martin Franklin, physician.
The growth of the place and its closely concentrated interests had led many. as early as 1850, to think that local government would best. subserve the interests of the town.
Incorporated as a Borough .- Application was made to the Court of Quarter Sessions of Lehigh County for the incorporation of Catasauqua, April 3, 1851, and on Feb. 1, 1853, after being submitted to the grand jury, the petition was granted and the vil- lage was made the incorporated Borough of Catasau- qua. The boundaries were as follows: " Beginning at a point in the river Lehigh, at low-water mark ; thence through land of Paul Faust, on the line divid- ing the county of Lehigh from the county of North- ampton to the publie road leading from the bridge to Howertown ; thence down the said road in the mid- dle thereof to a stone corner between lands of George Breinig and Henry Kurtz; thence on the line be-
tween the said lands of the said Breinig and Kurtz to Catasauqua Creek ; thence down said creek the sev- eral courses and distanees thereof to its junction with the river Lehigh ; thenee up the said river Lehigh, the several distances and courses thereof at low-water mark to the place of beginning."
The eourt further directed that the election of bor- ough officers should be held on the third Friday of March, at the public-house of Charles Nolf, under the superintendenee of James Lackey as judge, and of Nathan Frederick and James W. Fuller as in- spectors.
The first officers were Burgess, David Thomas ; Secretary, Owen Riec; Treasurer, Joshua Hunt; High Constable, Charles Sigley ; Solieitor, James S. Reese.
In consequence of necessary grading, and at plaees heavy exeavations, in streets and the building of a lock-up the debt of the borough at the end of the first fiseal year amounted to three thousand two hun- dred dollars, and in consequence of paying land damages for the opening of streets, interest, and fur- ther grading, the debt on the 1st of April, 1855, amounted to four thousand dollars. On the 1st of April, 1863, it was five thousand dollars, and from that time forward for a number of years the receipts were not sufficient to pay the interest and current expenses, and there was an annual deficit. The ex- pense of building the town hall and purchasing fire apparatus, etc., amounted to twenty-two thousand dol- lars; and there being an average annual deficit of seven hundred dollars, the debt was found in April, 1874, to be thirty-six thousand six hundred and nine dollars. The tax-levy had never amounted to more than three thousand eight hundred dollars prior to 1874, but in that year the triennial assessment showed a valuation of more than double the previous assess- ments, and thus met a long-felt want, increasing the tax-levy so as to pay current expenses.1
An act of Assembly to amend the charter of the borough was passed March 25, 1861, and other acts were passed from time to time changing the place of holding elections.
A petition praying for the division of the borough into two wards, signed by forty-nine citizens, was pre- sented to the Court of Quarter Sessions in April, 1876. This measure was opposed by a number of citizens, but was accomplished, a decree of court being issued Jan. 19, 1877, dividing the town into the First and Second Wards.
The town hall was built in 1868, by Fuller & Graf- fin, whose proposal therefor was eleven thousand five hundred dollars. The ultimate cost was fourteen thousand dollars, a number of changes from the original plan being made. The building is a hand- some two-story brick structure. The lower floor con- tains a Council chamber and a large room occupied
1
William McLelland. William Miller, merchant.
William Minnick.
John Machitte.
William MeLelland (3d). William Neighley, carpenter.
James Neverns.
David Neighley.
Frederick W. Nagle.
Samuel L. Nevaull.
Sammel Old.
Reuben Patterson, shoemakor.
Jacob Rothman, mason.
William Romig. Charles W. Ran, saddler.
John Roth.
Samuel Romick.
Owen Kuntz, blacksmith. Jesse Knauss, liveryman. Widow Kreider.
Joseph Lichtenwallner.
David Thomas.
I Report of Burgess William H. Ghee for 1877.
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237
BOROUGH OF CATASAUQUA.
by the Phoenix Fire Company, and the second floor is finished as a public hall, which has a fine stage, used for dramatic and musical entertainments, lectures, etc.
The burgesses from 1853 to 1883 have been :
1853. David Thomas. 1872-73. John Williams.
1854. John Boyer.
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1874. Melchior 11. Horn.
1855. Uriah Brunner.
1875. George Bower.
1856-57. David Thomas.
1876. William H. Glace.
1858-59. William Goot%.
1877. F. W. Wint.
1860. A. C. Lewis.
1878-79. Ileury Davis.
1861-69. John Williams.
1880-83. Philip Storm,
1870-71. James C. Beitel.
The justices of the peace of the borough of Cata- sauqua from the time of its incorporation to the pres- ent have been as follows :
Commissioned. Commissioned.
John Hudders ....... April 13, 1853 W. Il. Glace ......... Ocl. 28, 1874
C. D. Fuller.
10, 1855
A. P. Koons .... ...... March 13, 1875
George Frederick ... 13, 1858
R. C. Hammersley .... 13, 1875
C. D. Fuller. 44 10, 1860 Edwin Giber l ...... 19, 1877
John II. Wolf ... 15, 1862 James Courtney .... 25, 1878
Il. D. Yenger. ....... May
11, 1864
William J. Craig ... 27,1879
Joseph Hunter ...... April 11, 1865
A. V. Koons .......... April 1, 1880
R. C. Hamersley. ... 11, 1865 R. C. Hamersley .... March 30, 1880
R. C. Hamersley.
8, 1870
A. F. Koons .... 30,1880
W. 11. Glace .. 14
18, 1870 A. N. Ulrick . ....... April 6,1883
Through the liberal and enterprising character of its inhabitants the town was provided at an early period of its history with gas- and water-works.
The Flood of 1862 .- Catasauqua was the scene of great excitement during the flood of June 4th and 5th, 1862. The water here rose above its usual level from twenty-four to twenty-seven feet, and was about four and a half fect higher than the flood of 1841. All of the bridges, with several small buildings, many thou- sand feet of Inmber, wagons, fenees, etc., were carried away. A writer' on the flood says, "The engineer of the Crane Iron Company stayed in the engine-room, and was instrumental in rescuing one or two persons from drowning. Many of the boats which were here loaded with ore from New Jersey were lost, and with them, the boatmen engaged upon them lost their all. A German family from Newark, N. J., consisting of man, wife, and two children, were on their boat at Parryville when the flood loosened it. They got to shore here, and when we saw them their boat laid a complete wreck a little below the town. They had escaped from death, but the only earthly possessions saved by them were the clothes upon their backs. Another family, from Stanhope, N. J., who were run- ning an ore-boat, containing all of their goods, lost it. They were all knocked off the boat, and their infant child, about fourteen months old, drowned; their other child was saved. The woman was resened by some of the hands employed by the Crane Iron Com- pany, and the man found a refuge in the engine-house. When morning dawned, so that objeets could be seen, two men were discovered upon a cinder-bank in the midst of the streamt ; at another point a man and boy in one tree. A father occupied another, while his
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daughter occupied one elose by, and a small girl was holding on to a resting-place at the archway at Biery's Bridge. Attempts were made, by making a raft and attaching a rope to it, to reach them, but owing to the strength of the current that and other means failed. John Thomas, the superintendent of the Crane Iron Company, collecting a lot of their car- penters together, had a flat-bottom boat built for the occasion, in the short space of one hour and a half, by which means they were all brought safely to shore about cight o'clock.
" In speaking with a resident of this place, he re- marked that 'the scene was an awful one; while he, with others, stood on the river-bank, through the roar of the angry elements they could distinctly hear the agonizing cry of men, women, and children, as they were hurried past by the resistless torrent, on boats, logs, etc.' It was heartrending to listen, and feel they were powerless to help. Had the means been at hand the floating masses of boats and Iumber on the rush- ing waters would not have permitted the efforts with- out encountering almost certain destruction. One dwelling-house below the town was carried off, and farther down, at Wheeler's lock, a house, a barn, and several eows and horses were swept away from one person, and another lost house, barn, and all their contents, with the exception of one horse."
The Crane Iron-Works .- The interest of the pub- lic in the Crane Iron-Works is not limited by their importance as an industrial establishment, nor by the measure of their influence in building up a thriving town, but extends to the broader field in which they are considered as the outgrowth of the first commer- cially successful attempt to manufacture iron by the use of anthracite coal in America. The story of this incalculably valuable manufacturing triumph and of the Crane Iron-Works properly begins in the far-off country of Wales, to which the world is indebted for a vast deal of its progress in the line of the sterner industrial arts. David Thomas, who may be regarded as the father of the anthracite iron manufacture of America, was born in South Wales, Nov. 3, 1794, and entered the iron business in 1812. After working in varions places he went, in 1817, to the Yuiscedwin Works, Breeknockshire, located on the southern edge of an anthracite coal-basin, -- the only one in the island of Great Britain. The Yniscedwin Works were the only blast-furnaces erected on that bed of coal, the others being located where the coal was either bitu- minous or semi-bituminous. The works he was em- ployed in were therefore more interested in the use of anthracite as fuel than those in other parts of the country, inasmuch as they had to bring their coke to be used in smelting iron from ten to fourteen miles by canal. As early as 1820, Mr. Thomas, with George Crane, one-third owner of the Yniscedwin Works, began to experiment with anthracite, burning it in small proportions with coke, but not with practical success. In 1825 he had a small furnace built twenty-
1 The author of the little pamphlet called " Incidents of the Freshel on the Lehigh River, Sixth month 4th und 5th, 1862," for which we are indebted to Mlr. D. T. Williams, of Calosaugna.
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238
HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
five feet high, with nine feet bosh, which was put in blast with coke and increased amounts of anthracite, but the experiments were not promising, and had to be abandoned. In 1830 the same furnace was made forty- five feet high, with eleven feet bosh. Attempts were again made to discover the secret of success, and with better results than formerly, but still it was so unprof- itable that the work was again abandoned. During the time that Thomas and Crane were experimenting in Wales, similar attempts were being made in the United States with equal unsuccess. In the year 1825, Josiah White and Erskine Hazard, both of Phil- adelphia, being largely interested in the mining of anthracite coal in the then recently-opened Lehigh basin, and having successfully used this coal in the manufacture of iron wire at their mill near the Falls of Schnylkill, erected a small furnace at Manch Chunk, for the purpose of experimenting as to the practicability of smelting iron with this coal. Among other methods tried was that of passing the blast through a room heated as hot as possible with com- mon iron stoves. They soon abandoned this furnace and erected a new one, in which they used charcoal exclusively, thus acknowledging their effort to have been a failure, though it contained the unrecognized suggestion of the true and afterwards snecessful method. In Wales, David Thomas was still toiling on persistently and patiently to discover the mystery. A key to unlock it was furnished in 1834 by Neilson, manager of the Glasgow Gas- Works, who discovered the use of the hot-blast. Its value was not immedi- ately fully appreciated. The pamphlet on the hot- blast, issued by Mr. Neilson, was read by David Thomas, who had been on the alert and had perused all of the treatises on iron manufacture and the com- bustion of anthracite which he could find. One even- ing, while sitting with Mr. Crane in his library talk- ing the matter over, he took the bellows and began to blow the anthracite fire in the grate. "You had bet- ter not, David," said Mr. Crane; "you will blow it out;" and Thomas replied, " If we only had Neilson's hot-blast here the anthracite would burn like pine." Mr. Crane said, " David, that is an idea." In fact, it was the origin of the application of the hot-blast in making iron with anthracite. In September, 1836, Thomas went to work, with Crane's consent, and built ovens for heating the blast. On Feb. 5, 1837, the new process was applied. The result was a success in a far greater degree than the two men had dared to hope after their many disappointments, and from that time on there was no difficulty in making iron with anthra- cite as fuel. The news of the snecess was spread over the kingdom. The London Mining Journal gave it great prominence, and its account appeared in the press of the United States.
In the great anthracite region of Pennsylvania, able and enterprising men were in readiness to utilize this valuable discovery. In 1838 the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company had offered to any persons who
would establish a furnace, lay out thirty thousand dollars, and run successfully on anthracite coal ex- elusively for three months, the valuable water privi- leges extending from the Hokendaugna to the Allen- town dam. Under the inducement of this offer the Lehigh Crane Iron Company, consisting of members of the Coal and Navigation Company, was organized the same year, and in the fall of the year Mr. Erskine Hazard, one of the leading spirits of the company, went to Wales to engage some competent person to come to this country in their interest, and to superin- tend the erection of furnaces. He went to Mr. Crane, who recommended David Thomas. Together they went to see him. At first he was reluctant to leave his native land, but at last influenced by a liberal offer, and the consideration that his sons would have better opportunities in America than they could hope for in Wales or Great Britian, he consented, and upon the night of the last day in the year, conelnded an agreement of which we here give the text, together with that of a supplement made in Philadelphia :
"MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT mitde the thirty-first day of December 1838 betireen Erskine Huaard for the Lehigh Crane Iron Company of the one part and David Thomas of Castle That of the other part.
"1. The said Thomas agrres to remove with his family to the works to be established by the said company on or urar the river Lehigh amt there to undertake the prection of a last furnace for the smelting of iron with anthracite coal aml the working of the said furnace as Fur- nace manager, also to give his assistance in finding mines of iron ore, fire clay, and other materials suitable for carrying on iron works, and generally to give his best knowledge and services to the said company in the prosecution of the iron business in such manner as will best pro- mote their interests for the term of five years from the time of his ar- rival in America, provided the experiment of smelting iron with anthra- cite coal should be successful there,
" 2. The said Hazard for the said company agrees to pay the expenses of the said Thomas and bis family from his present residence to the works above mentioned on the Lehigh and there to furnish bim with a house and coal for fuel -- also to pay him a salary at The rate of Two hundred pounds sterhug a year from the time of his stipend ceasing in his present employment until the first furnace on the Lehigh is gut into blast with anthracite coal and making good iron and after that at the rate of two hundred aml bfty pounds sterling a year until a second for- nace is put into operation surcessfully when fifty pounds sterling shall be added to his annual salary and so fifty pounds sterling per annum additional for each additional furnace which may be put into operation under his management.
"3, It is intually agreed between the parties that should the said Thomas task of putting a tornare into successful operation with anthia- rite coal that in that sto the present agreement shall be void and the said rompany shall en bas the said Thomas a suin equivalent to the expense of removing himself and family from the Lehigh to their pres- ent residence.
"4. In settling the salary four shillings and six pence sterling are to be estimated as egnat to one dollar.
" In witness whereof the said parties have interchangeably sei their hands and seats the date above written. KESKINE. HAZARH [SEAL]
"for Lehigh Cinne Iron Company " DAVID THOMAS ESFAL.]
" Witness
" ALEXANDER HAZARD.
" It is further mutually agreed between the Lehigh Crane Iron Com- pany and David Thomas the parties to the above written agreement that the art of the st Thomas salary per ammon shall be ascertained by taking the United States Mint price of value of the English Sovereign as the value of the pound sterling-instead of estimaling it by the valum of the dollar as mentioned in the 4th article and that the other remaining articles in the above written memorandum of agreement I executed by Erskine Hazard for the Lebigle Crane from Company at
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Davidthomas
239
BOROUGH OF CATASAUQUA.
David Thomas be hereby ratified and confirmed as they now stand written.
" In witness whereof the President and Secretary of the Lehigh Crane Iron Company by order of the Board of Managers and the sd David Thomas have hereunto set their hands and scals at Philadelphia the second day of July 1839.
"DAVID THOMAS [SEAT.]
" In presence of
" TIMOTHY ABBOTT,"
The organization of the Lehigh Crane Iron Com- pany, prior to Mr. Hazard's going abroad, had been only an informal one, and on the 10th of January, 1839, it was perfected. The first meeting of the board of directors was held at that time. The board con- sisted of Robert Earp, Josiah White, Erskine Hazard, Thomas Earp, George Earp, John McAllister, Jr., and Nathan Trotter. They organized by electing Robert Earp president and treasurer, and John Mc- Allister, Jr., secretary. In April they entered into articles of association, which are here appended as affording some idea of the foundation on which this stanch old company has arisen and flourished :
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"ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION of the Lehigh Crave Iron Company, made and entered into water and pursaunt to an act of the Legislature of Pennsyl- vitulu entitled an act to encourage the munfacture of Iron, with Coke, or Mineral Coul, and for other purposes passed Jam the sixteenth, Our than- sand eight hundred and thirty-six.
" Witness, that the subscribers, citizens of Pennsylvania, whose names are hereto allixed ha venssociated themselves, under and pursuant to the act aforesaid for the purpose of making and manufacturing Iron, from the raw material with Coke or mineral Coal, and do certify and declare the artteles und conditions of their association to be as follows :
" ARTICLE 1 .- The name, style or title of the Company, shall be ' Lehigh Crane Iron Company.'
"ARTene 2 .- The lands to be purchased by the Company, shall be in Northampton, or Lehigh County, or both.
" ARTICLE 3,-The capital stock of the company shall consist of One hundred thousand dollars divided into two thousand shares of fifty dol- lars cach, the whole of which has been subscribed for by the subscribers hereto in the numbers, of shares, set opposite to their respective names.
" ARTICLE 4 .- The sum of twenty-five thousand dollars being the one- fourth per cent. of the whole capitul stock, subscribed for, has been netnally paid in.
" ARTICLE 5,-The remaining installments on the stock, already sub- scribed for shall be called in in such suis, and at such times and with such forfeiture for non-payment thereof as the Board of Directors, may prescribe.
" ARTICLE 6 .- The Board of Directors shall consist of such a number of persons as the stockholders, may from time to time prescribe.
" Ariete ? This company shall be to all things subject to att governed by the provisions of the art of Assembly, under which It is created and shall have the same, and no other, mi greuter powers, privi- leges, und franchises than are conferred upon it by virtue of the said net.
" Philadelphia, April 23, 1839.
Signed
" JOSIAH WHITE. " ERSKINE HAZARD. " THOMAS EARP. " GEORGE ENAP. " JOHN MCALLISTER, JE. " ROBERT EARP. " THEODORE MITCIL.L.L., " NATHAN TROTTER."
Returning to the Welsh iron-worker, we find that he sailed for this country from Liverpool in May, 1839, on the clipper " Roseins," which made the then nn- precedented run of twenty-three days, reaching New York June 5th. Mr. Thomas brought with him his whole family, -- his wife and five children. Before
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leaving England he had had the blowing machinery and castings for the hot-blast made, and all were shipped except the two cylinders, which were too large for the hatches of the ship. So when the other machinery arrived the projectors of the works were as badly off as if none bad been sent. There was not at that time a foundry in the United States large enough to east such cylinders as were needed. There were small ones at Allentown and Bethlehem. The company applied to the Allaire Works of New York and the Alger of Boston, but neither of them could bore a five-foot cylinder without enlarging their works, which they were unwilling to do.1 Mr. Thomas then went to Philadelphia to the Southwark Foundry of S. V. Merrick and J. H. Towne, who enlarged their boring machinery and made the five-foot cylinders required. Fire-briek were imported from Wales, there then being none manufactured in this country, and in August, 1839, ground was broken at. Craneville (now Catasauqua) for the first fornace. After many diffi- culties and discouragements, the furnace was finally blown in at five o'clock July 3, 1810. The ore was two-thirds hematite to one-third New Jersey magnetic. It was blown with two-and-a-half-inch nozzles, and the blast heat was six hundred degrees. The first run of iron was made the 4th of July, and proved a great success.2 From this time on the manufacture of iron by anthracite was successfully conducted at the Crane Works, and continuously except for the slight cessa- tions common to all manufacturing establishments. Furnace No. 1, in which the success of the new dis- covery was first fully demonstrated in this country, was forty-two feet in height, with twelve feet bosh. It was operated by a breast-wheel twelve feet in di- ameter and twenty-four feet long, geared by segments on its circumference to a spur-wheel on a double crank, driving two blowing cylinders, five feet in di- ameter, with a six-foot stroke, worked by beams on a gallows-frame. The motive power was the water of the canal,-the difference between the upper and lower levels of loek No. 36. The furnace remained in blast until its fire- were quenched by the rising
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