Alabama Blast Furnaces

Shelby Furnaces: Shelby, Shelby County

SHELBY FURNACES Shelby, Shelby County No.1-Spring of 1849 No.2-March of 1863 GOLD was discovered in California in 1848 and by 1849 one of the greatest migrations in civilization was under way. During that period of national expansion Horace Ware built a small stone furnace ,in Shelby County. The stack was but 29' high and 8' across the bosh. As was the universal practice of that era, the furnace was built against a hillside and the stock brought across a wooden trestle to the top platform. In 1848-49 the forests were still in a virtually uncut condition. It was the rule, therefore, that the furnace be located in close proximity to the ore. At Shelby the ore was within a few hundred yards of the stack and hauled to the stock yard with teams and oxen. This ore (brown hematite) was then roasted before being charged into the furnace. The land on which the furnace was built had been purchased in 1841 by Horace Ware but a lack of sufficient capital caused a delay in the building of the plant until John M., McClanahan went into partnership with Ware. Some confusion exists as to the date on which the Shelby furnace was put into blast. The following article bearing on this point appeared in the Mobile Herald and was reprinted June 1, 1849 by the State Guard, Wetumpka, Alabama: "The Mobile Herald of the 25th of May says, 'We noticed some time since the erection of new Iron works in Shelby County. They are now in full operation. The establishment is in the neighborhood of Columbiana, within 7 miles of the Coosa River, and owned by McClanahan and Ware. The works are operated by steam, and were started about the 1st of March last. Since that time the yield has been 10,000 pounds of pig iron per day, a large portion of which has been sent to the Montgomery foundry where it is pronounced equal in quality to the best Scotch pig iron. The proprietors intend, as soon as navigation ceases, to commence casting hollow ware. We are not advised of the extent of these works, but learn that the expenses of the ,establishment are $40 per day. The mines from which the ore is obtained are extensive and easily worked.'" From this and other evidence it is safe to place the date of blowing in at some time early in the year 1849. The census report of 1850 records that Ware and McClanahan owned jointly six slaves, the tax on these slaves amounting to thirty cents. Sometime before 1856 Ware bought out the interest of John M. McClanahan and became the sole owner of the property. Shelby Furnace No.2 shortly before being dismantled in 1930. ALABAMA BLAST FURNACES The lack of transportation facilities greatly hampered the disposal of the product and the operation of the plant. The following letter to Governor Collier, dated May 20, 1850, emphasizes that condition: "Columbiana, Shelby County, Ala. Our blast furnace is in successful operation and had we facilities for getting to market it would be a fine property. (Sgd.) J. M. McClanahan." As a result of this difficulty, a rather large portion of the output was cast at the furnace into hollow ware and other domestic appliances. A portion, however, was boated down the Coosa River to Montgomery and points further south. Daniel Pratt, the owner of the largest gin manufacturing plant in the South, used Shelby iron almost exclusively. With slave labor and the proximity of the raw materials, the cost of iron was relatively cheap. An early cost sheet lists: Ore . --------------------------------- $ 2.00 Charcoal ~___________________________________________________________ 10.00 Limestone .75 Labor -___________________________ 3.00 Repairs, etc. - .___ __ 1.00 $16.75 Cost of shipping the iron by river was $6.72 a ton, making a total delivered cost of $23.47 plus drayage to the boats. For the first three years (1849-51) the selling price averaged $30 a ton. In 1852, however, Ware contracted to sell 1,000 tons at $36. For the next four or five years the price varied from $30 to $38. However, during this early period much of the pig iron made by this and other Southern furnaces was bartered for use by little plantation smithies, which required from 50 to 500 pounds of bar iron annually. The following advertisement which appeared in several papers of that era...