Henry Wilson Storey's History of Cambria County, V.I, p.405

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History of Cambria County, V.1

HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY. 405

     At this time, King & Shoenberger were producing about one hundred and twenty-five tons of pig metal per week, of a market value of about $3,000. They had an agent in Pittsburg and a metal yard, to which they shipped it by the Pennsylvania canal, but on account of its brittleness they had some difficulty in selling it or exchanging it for dry goods and groceries.
     By itself it did not make good bar iron, but when mixed with Juniata or Hanging Rock pig, or other softer metals, in proportion of one-fourth Cambria, it made the best iron in the market, especially for nails; but the skill for making proper mixtures was not as perfect then as now, nor was it so scientifically looked after.
     The local managers of the several furnaces in the order of their service, were: Cambria, John Galbreath, George Long and James Cooper; Benscreek, Samuel Bracken and William McCormick; Blacklick, John Mathiott and David F. Gordon; Millcreek, John Bell, Gordon Clifford, John Stewart and W. L. Shryock.
     After an abandonment of about forty six years, the furnace at Millcreek was the only one that could be recognized as ever having been used. It stood about four miles from Johnstown, on the westerly side, and not far from the source of the Millcreek, a beautiful mountain rivulet.
     The old stack was recently torn down. In construction it was thirty feet square at the base, and tapering to a height of forty-five feet, the inside was shaped something like an egg, with the slender part at the top. It rested on the bosh, so that the raw material would drop as it was consumed. Many of the stones were two feet square and four feet in length. Some of the fire-bricks which rested on the bosh had been taken out to a height of five feet, but from there to the top of the stack they seemed to be as perfect when torn down as when put in place. The inside of the bosh was about four feet square. The tuyere, where the engine was located, was on the northerly side of the stack, and the casting house, 30 by 40 feet, was on the easterly side. The arch on the easterly side was about twelve feet wide, while those on the northerly and southerly sides were about eight feet.
     On the westerly side was the bridge house, and above it on the hillside were the charcoal beds. Charcoal as fuel for furnaces was abandoned for coke forty years ago, therefore a charcoal kiln is a matter of interest. These beds seem to have

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	HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.	405
At this time, King & Shoenberger were producing about one hundred and twenty-five tons of pig metal per week, of a market value of about $3,000. They had an agent in Pittsburg and a metal yard, to which they shipped it by the Pennsylvania canal, but on account of its brittleness they had some difficulty in selling it or exchanging it for dry goods and groceries. By itself it did not make good bar iron, but when mixed with Juniata or Hanging Rock pig, or other softer metals, in proportion of one-fourth Cambria, it made the best iron in the market, especially for nails; but the skill for making proper mixtures was not as perfect then as now, nor was it so scientifically looked after. The local managers of the several furnaces in the order of their service, were: Cambria, John Galbreath, George Long and James Cooper; Benscreek, Samuel Bracken and William McCormick; Blacklick, John Mathiott and David F. Gordon; Millcreek, John Bell, Gordon Clifford, John Stewart and W. L. Shryock. After an abandonment of about forty six years, the furnace at Millcreek was the only one that could be recognized as ever having been used. It stood about four miles from Johnstown, on the westerly side, and not far from the source of the Millcreek, a beautiful mountain rivulet. The old stack was recently torn down. In construction it was thirty feet square at the base, and tapering to a height of forty-five feet, the inside was shaped something like an egg, with the slender part at the top. It rested on the bosh, so that the raw material would drop as it was consumed. Many of the stones were two feet square and four feet in length. Some of the fire-bricks which rested on the bosh had been taken out to a height of five feet, but from there to the top of the stack they seemed to be as perfect when torn down as when put in place. The inside of the bosh was about four feet square. The tuyere, where the engine was located, was on the northerly side of the stack, and the casting house, 30 by 40 feet, was on the easterly side. The arch on the easterly side was about twelve feet wide, while those on the northerly and southerly sides were about eight feet. On the westerly side was the bridge house, and above it on the hillside were the charcoal beds. Charcoal as fuel for furnaces was abandoned for coke forty years ago, therefore a charcoal kiln is a matter of interest. These beds seem to have