Photo: Charging the Furnace & Hot Blast

Photographer: Nate Davidson
Taken: August 2, 2010
Caption: Charging the Furnace & Hot Blast
Additional Description: Charging the Furnace Carts laden with bog ore, charcoal and shells went up the charging ramp to the loaded into the furnace. Piles of these were placed near the opening at the top of the furnace (also called the tunnel head). About every two hours men would shovel and dump measured quantities of these raw materials into the furnace following proportions set by the manager. This was called charging the furnace. A typical charge consisted of 500 pounds of bog ore, 40 pounds of shells, and 25 bushels of charcoal. A baffle, no longer present, was located over the tunnel head and was removed to charge the furnace. The first manager at Furnace Town was Lewis Walker, brought by the Maryland Iron Company to this furnace from a furnace in New Jersey.

Hot Blast When constructed c. 1828, the Nassawango Iron Furnace used cold blast: a waterwheel powered a set of bellows which forced air-temperature air into the furnace. The cast iron recirculating pipes (or retorts) were placed on the furnace about 1837. They preheated the air which the bellows pumped into the furnace. These pipes were connected by means of intake and downcomer pipes to the bellows chamber. This system of pipes made this a hot blast furnace, more efficient and state-of-the-art for its time.

Two 10-14 foot chimneys rose from the top of the hot blast stove (which was completely covered with brick) to take off noxious gases produced by combustion. Residents of Furnace Town remarked of the constant brilliant orange flame, said to be visible for miles, at the tops of these chimneys.
Submitted: May 22, 2011, by Nathan Davidson of Salisbury, Maryland.
Database Locator Identification Number: p154196
File Size: 0.749 Megabytes

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