Mount Etna and the Mount Etna Furnace
Taken from the Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania), May 19 1824 - From the Crawford Messenger
Transcribed by Nancy Piper
Mount Etna Furnace
Mr. Atkinson
It is grateful to the traveler to witness the progress of improvement in many parts of Western Pennsylvania. It a recent excursion I was surprised and delighted at what has been effected, by the efforts of a patriotic and enterprising individual, in less than two years, in that part of Butler county, where Mercer and Butler turnpike intersects Slippery Rock Creek.
Dr. John Thompson, having purchased, at that place, 400 acres of land, for 3,000 dollars, on the 11th of June, 1822, commenced the erection of a furnace, and, subsequently, a sawmill and grist-mill, which are in successful operation, and lately, a forge, which will probably be finished by the first of June. Besides these works, dwelling houses, to the amount of nineteen, have been built, and form a village, which is occupied by many active and industrious people, on a spot, which, two years since, was overspread with the trees of the forest.
The location is eligible for water works to a much greater extent. The head of water is formed by a dam, 4 feet in height, across the Slippery Rock, a little above the turnpike bridge, from which a canal conveys a sufficient quantity of water for impelling the wheels of the different works, at falls of 8, 14, and 22 feet. The water wheel of the furnace is 30 feet in diameter.
Pig ore and bog ore, at a short distance from the furnace, are found on the premises to an unknown amount.
One-ninth of the latter is generally used in conjunction with eight-ninths of the former. Six tons of ore, with the aid of six hundred bushels of charcoal, are smelted in twenty-four hours, from which two tons of excellent metal are obtained.
A noticeable trait in the character of the proprietor of this interesting establishment, is a sacred regard to the Sabbath. On that day the metal is suffered to run from the hearth into the little channels made on the surface of the groung and thus forms what are called pigs. This requies the attention of not (…?....) three hands, yet the rest of the week is devoted to casting, in all its varieties, and give employment to many. Wagoners, who go to this furnace on the Sabbath, as is sometimes the case, are obliged to wait till the next day for their load. A prayer meeting is held on that day, and a Sabbath School, of which the proprietor is superintendent, just established, will be highly advantageous to more than thirty children.
I will only add, that, as the furnace is known by the name of Mount Etna, the village has the same appellation.
Yours, & c,
Clerus
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