East Penn Furnace
The furnace was erected by Stephen Balliet and Samuel Hellfrich in Pennsville in 1828. Two years later, Stephen Balliet became the operator of the furnace. Following the death of Stephen Balliet in 1854, the furnace was operated by Solomon Boyer, C.H. Nimson, and one of Stephen Balliet's own sons, John Balliet (1819-1886).
In 1891, the furnace, "formerly operated by the late John Balliet, in Lizard Creek, East Penn. The iron was manufactured with charcoal" [1].
Charcoal house burned to the ground on Monday, June 15, 1874. His loss was "quite severe" [2].
In 1850, East Penn (Pennsville) Furnace was owned by "S. Balliet and Co." The furnace utilized hematite ore. Prior to 1850, the largest tonnage produced by the furnace was 780 and in 1849, 624 tons of iron were produced; capacity is listed as 1000 tons. In that same year, 61 men and boys were employed by the furnace and 55 "oxen, horses and mules" were employed by the furnace. The furnace operated a hot blast (whose temperature was 500 degrees) with one tuyere with a diameter of 2.25 inches. The bosh was 7 feet and the height was 30 feet. The blast was powered by water. They produced "number one" metal[3].
Notes
Reference List
- The Carbon Advocate. 1891. In a Few Words. July 25, 1891.[3]
- The Carbon Advocate. 1874. Local and Personal. June 20, 1874. [4]
- Convention of Iron Masters. 1850. Documents Relating to the Manufacture of Iron in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: General Committee. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/000958393.