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Colonial New Jersey's Bog Iron

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Colonial New Jersey's Bog Iron COLONIAL NEW JERSEY'S BOG IRON A short description of Batsto-one­ time major iron producing center­ and the archeological work being undertaken there by the State of New Jersey. Excavation of the old Batsto furnace Traveling through the swampy while oyster shells served as the New Jersey and possibly New York coastal forests not too far from fluxing agent. The furnace was pro­ -to blend with the bog ore. It Atlantic City in New Jersey, it is vided with a forced cold-air draft proved necessary to use a better hard to realize that this area was by bellows operated by a water flux, and limestone was brought in. In once the site of an important colo­ wheel. All of this can be easily the latter days of the furnace, a stove nial ironmaking industry. The in­ imagined from the present excava­ for heating the blast was erected, dustry had its beginnings sometime tion showing the furnace founda­ and anthracite was brought in from after 1730 and grew rapidly with tion, raceway, placement of the Pennsylvania as moves were made many furnaces and forges through­ water wheel, etc. One of the old ore to make the furnace more efficient out the area. barges was excavated in 1957 and than the charcoal-based operation. Today about all that remains are is now on display. A large slag Thus, the iron industry which had the ruins of these old furnaces. The dump from the old furnace covers been built upon local ore, local fuel most interesting is undoubtedly at one bank of the river. and reducing agent, and local flux­ Batsto on a piece of property be­ There is an interesting collection ing materials, came in time to de­ longing to the State of New Jersey of cast iron objects made at Batsto. pend entirely upon materials which and called the Wharton Tract. It is It is not yet on public display but were brought in at a considerable easily accessible from the Garden perhaps, if you show particular in­ expense. And it is probable that the State Parkway - that beautiful terest, it could be seen. Batsto sup­ industry lasted as long as it did- stretch of highway following the plied cannon balls for Washington's 1848-only because of the persist­ entire New Jersey coast-and well armies and the War of 1812 as well. ence of its ironmakers in adopting worth the trip. The key highway is Batsto's cast-iron water pipe and the latest technologies. NJ 542 which stretches from New stoves, as well as its axe heads, But with the demise of ironmak­ Gretna to Hammonton. You follow shovels, pots, and pans saw exten­ ing, southern New Jersey indus­ the Mullica River up through pine sive use in many eastern cities. trialists turned toward another forests and suddenly, rounding a Batsto had its beginnings in 1766 trade-glassmaking, an industry bend, you see the tower of the when the furnace was erected as which is still in evidence in that Batsto ironmaster's mansion. Ad­ part of a chain of four furnaces by part of the state. The first Batsto jacent to the mansion are the com­ Charles Read of Eurlington, a dis­ glass factory was built in 1846, two pany store; grist mill, and other tinguished lawyer, justice, assem­ years before the iron furnace was buildings of this almost self-suffi­ blyman, and an ironmaster. The blown out. And glassmaking con­ cient community. The State of New last iron was produced at Batsto in tinued to flourish at Batsto for a Jersey provides guide service to 1848, but between these two dates number of years. take visitors through these old ironmaking itself passed through a Thanks to the State of New Jer­ buildings. considerable development, the sey, Batsto is slowly being restored. Arriving at Batsto, we were met American colonies became an inde­ Mr. Starkey, working completely by Mr. J. A. Starkey, who is con­ pendent country, and the centrum without plans or engravings of the ducting archeological exploration of of the ironmaking industry moved old ironworks, is doing an excellent the area. "At our present rate, it is westward from the eastern sea­ job in the excavation. And upon going to take us more than twenty­ board. Batsto had a difficult time telling him that we were metal­ five years to complete the research", after the development of the hot­ lurgists, he told us some of his we were told by Mr. Starkey. blast made possible the utilization problems. For one thing, he is par­ But there is no need to wait that of the anthracite coal which was ticularly anxious for assistance in long for a visit to Batsto, for many found in close proximity to high­ obtaining spectrographic analysis of of our readers will find consider­ grade ore in Pennsylvania. But the various castings and pigs found able interest in the site of the old Batsto didn't give up without try­ in his excavation work at Batsto. Batsto furnace itself. ing many innovations itself. And so, with promises to do what It was a large furnace for its day A major problem at Batsto was we could, we bid adieu to Batsto, with a production of from 1 to 2 that of dwindling supplies of ore. site of one of the most important tpd. Bog ore-ferric hydroxide pre­ Furnace operators had based their ironmaking furnaces in southern cipitated in bogs or ponds-was operations on the theory that the New Jersey. And for those inter­ brought in by barges operating bog iron-ore would replace itself in ested in ironmaking and archeology, along the Mullica River; the ore about 20 years, but this did not we would advise a visit to Batsto. was probably roasted to drive off prove to be the case. It became Bring along a shovel and give Mr. moisture and water of hydration. · necessary to bring iron ore in from Starkey a hand! Charcoal was the reducing agent, outside-magnetite from northern FWS 158-JOURNAL OF METALS, FEBRUARY 1963 .
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