NEWS: Items from The Alleghanian, December 19, 1861, Cambria County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Patty Millich Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ _________________________________________ The Alleghanian, Ebensburg, Pa., Volume 3, Number 13, Thursday, December 19, 1861 Local and Personal Notings [as written in the newspaper] from Western Virginia Portland, Va., Dec. 12, 1861 Here we are - away down in Dixie Land - about one hundred and thirty- seven miles east of Wheeling and directly on the line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. You will remember that I left you on Monday. On Tuesday at about 7 P. M., I arrived at Wheeling and took breakfast at the McClure House where Gen. Rosecrans now has his headquarters. Much to my regret I did not have an opportunity of seeing that distinguished personage. The Suspension bridge here is a splendid affair. I passed through a small town named Fairmount, where there is another Suspension bridge, equal to the one at Wheeling. I also passed through Grafton. It is located somewhat similar to Johnstown but is not so large. There is a splendid hotel at this point erected by the RR company. The scenery all along the route is most grand. The road itself must have cost an immense amount of money in building. It winds through a very mountainous country and has a great many deep cuts. Besides there were no less than nine tunnels in the distance I traversed, one of which was about a mile long. The 7th Ohio regiment today passed through Portland for Cumberland Gap. The prevailing impression hereabout is that a fight will occur shortly about Winchester and Leesburg and that the rebels will be driven out of our territory and that order will once more prevail in Warsaw. There are no seseshers whatever here or in the immediate vicinity. The great body of the people are as loyal to the Union as are Pennsylvanians in general and a great deal more so than some few in particular that I could name in Cambria county had I the inclination. Signed - Uno Letters from Our Volunteers Extract from a private letter, dated Camp Pierpoint, Va., Dec. 8, 1861 Up to this time the 11th regiment has been out twice, on company with other regiments on reconnoitering excursions, otherwise foraging expeditions. On the latter of these, we marched within a few miles of Drainesville, the 2d brigade in front. Our train consisted of fifty- four four-horse wagons. Companies A and B of the 11th were detailed as wagon guards, that is to say, as a guard to "confiscate" the plunder. The rest of the regiment went out as pickets and scouting parties. We met no enemy in force. We took, I suppose, about five hundred bushels of corn, one hundred bushels of potatoes, twenty five or thirty hogs, quite an amount of wheat, an ox-team and a number of horses. Besides these several private appropriations of turkeys, chickens, ducks and other necessaries of camp life also occurred. Gunnell is the name of the late owner of the confiscated property. He is a prominent member in the Rebel Confederacy. This is a delightful climate. The weather is warm and dry. The effective troops on this side of the Potomac are in better condition and better sprits than any time since they crossed the river. Company A, as a general thing, enjoys good health. Silver Grays We find the following notice concerning the Cambria County Silver Grays in the Harrisburg TELEGRAPH of Friday last - Captain Palmer marched into the city this morning from Camp Curtin, with the view of being mustered into the service of the United States, but as the ages of the members were considerably over the limit fixed by law, the mustering officer, Capt. Dodge, postponed that duty until he received further orders from Washington. The "Grays" then returned to Camp Curtin where they will remain until the question of their acceptance is determined by the proper authorities. Inasmuch as the formation of this company was countenanced by the State authorities, Gov. Curtin having given his express approval to it, we think it would be indeed bad policy to refuse to accept its service. The officers and members who experienced much inconvenience in the premises, got up the organization with the express understanding that it was to add its efforts to help save the Republic and their patriotic desires should not be interfered with now. We hope to hear of the Silver Grays being "sworn in" at the earliest practicable moment. Local Etchings The weather continues mild and pleasant in this latitude, more closely resembling Indian Summer than any season of which we have knowledge. The snow has entirely disappeared and we are obliged to send it under bare poles like good fellows. As an instance of the benefits of advertising we may mention the fact that during the past month two stray cattle have been recovered to their owners through the instrumentality of the columns of our paper. The Ladies' Association Annexed is a list of articles contained in two boxes forwarded by those good Samaritans, the Ladies' Association of this place, to the Sanitary Commission of the War Department last week - Four pr. Woolen Socks; one pr cotton Socks; nineteen Comforts & Quilts; one Blanket; Thirty Pillows; one hair Pillow; Eight Cushions; six double Wrappers; forty Pillow Cases; one pr. Sheets; sixteen Towels; thirty pr. Slippers; six parcels muslin Rags; four parcels Linen; ten under Shirts; thirteen pair Drawers; six Rings; seven cans Tomatoes; one can Raspberries; one can Peaches; one can Plums; one can Apples; one can Pear Preserves; one can Pumpkin butter; one can Blackberry Jelly; one jar mixed Pickles; two bottles Tomato Catsup; one bottle dried Currants; four parcels dried Fruits; five papers Corn Starch; one paper Gelatine; Magazines and Reading Matter. Steam Saw Mill We notice that Messrs. A. A. Barker and T. S. Robinson, the former of this place and the latter of Chest Springs are now engaged in the erection of a steam saw mill in the East Ward, directly on the line of the railroad. The building is fifty feet in length, twenty-five feet in breadth and one story high. The frame work has already been "raised," with the prospect of a speedy completion of the entire structure in a short time. We congratulate Messrs. B. and R. on the energy and enterprise they have displayed and place on record the hope that theirs may prove a paying experiment. RR Item Work on the remaining section of the railroad is progressing. A large force of workmen are now employed on it and weather permitting the probability is that it will be completed in a week or two. Postmaster Appointed Dr. G. R. Lewis has been appointed Postmaster of Carrolltown borough, vice Wm. R. Jones, resigned. The Doctor will make an excellent official. We wish him success. Joseph H. Sears has been appointed Post Master at Port Royal, S. C. A Cheerful Letter The following document, written by a Southerner in the Rebel army and published in a Southern paper, indicates a meek and Christian-like spirit - Abington, Va., Oct. 2, 1861. My Dear Wife - I have left you and our children in the land of the despot, but God grant that I may soon be able to make the Union men of Kentucky feel the edge of my knife. From this day I hold every Union traitor as my enemy and from him I scorn to receive quarter and to him I will never grant my soul in death, for they are cowards and villains enough. Brother Henry and I arrived here without hindrance. I have had chills all the way but I hope to live to kill forty Yankees for every chill that I ever had. I learn that Hardee is still in the Arkansas lines, inactive, and if this proves to be true, I will tender my resignation and go immediately to Kentucky. I hope I will do my duty as a rebel and a freeman. Since I hate the Union men of Kentucky I intend to begin the work of murder in earnest and if I ever spare one of them, may hell be my portion. I want to see Union blood flow deep enough for my horse to swim in. Your Husband, James Blackburn Cambria County Millville Borough - Continued Cambria Iron Works From the period at which the Cambria Iron Works passed into the hands of Messrs. Wood, Morrell & Co., the present lessees down to the present moment, they have been eminently successful. The members of this firm reside in Philadelphia, with the exception of Daniel J. Morrell, Esq., the active member of the firm, who superintends the establishment in person. Under his direction the works have been conducted prosperously, or at least successfully, for a number of years, and have withstood the monetary panics which have proved so disastrous to kindred establishments. Upon the subject of the capacity of these works, and the modus operandi of manufacturing rail road and other iron from the raw material, I select the subjoined description written by an intelligent eye witness - "The process of manufacturing commences with the Blast Furnaces, where the ore is reduced to pig metal. Four of these large Smelting Furnaces are situated at Johnstown, each 48 feet high, 13 feet bosh and requiring 4 steam engines, (of 200 horse power each) to produce the requisite blast, and one engine of 60 horse power to supply the water for the Boiler and Furnaces. When all is in blast, these Furnaces produce on an average, 700 tons of Pig Metal per week. To feed them requires a corresponding amount of ore and coke to the iron produced. The mountains of ore which we saw accumulating in one point and melting away in another, explained the mode of feeding these Furnaces. The ore is mined upon a level about 70 feet above the coke yard (which is on a level with the Funnel Head of the Furnace), and dumped from the cars in which it is taken from the mines in large piles or clamps, containing from 20 to 40,000 tons each. Coal being distributed amongst it as it accumulates, it is roasted or calcined in these clamps from which it is taken when properly prepared directly to the Furnaces. Four of five of these clamps are kept constantly going; while one is forming, one or two will be burning, another cooling and another being used in the Furnaces. About 3,000 tons of ore is thus mined and disposed of weekly. "The coke is mostly made in the open air, in what is called Pits, being long piles or winnows of coal from 75 to 120 feet long, 8 feet wide and 4 feet high of which there are generally from 50 to 60 of these Pits in the process of coking. "The Rolling Mill which is in the shape of a Maltese cross (with one additional wing, 74 feet square) is 400 feet long, the main building 100 feet wide and 370 feet across the cross wings; covering an area of 83,375 square feet, containing 30 Double, equal to 60 Single Puddling furnaces, 14 Heating Furnaces, 14 Pairs of Rolls, with all the requisite machinery, such as Fans, Shears, Saws, Punches, Presses, &c., all driven by 14 steam engines, equal to 1,000 horse power. Working capacity 600 tons per week or 30,000 tons finished rails per annum. "Near the mill is a large foundry, which is driven by a small upright direct acting blowing engine of 30 horse power and near it a machine and blacksmith shop, having two steam engines. These shops manufacture the machinery and do all the repairs of the works. In addition to the 4 large Blast Furnaces at Johnstown, they have four others of a smaller capacity, situated at from three to twelve miles distant, the metal from which is taken to the mill by canal and wagons. Two of these working on charcoal and one on coke, are not in blast. One out of blast. The Wagon-makers shops, Harness maker shop, stables, butchering establishments, Stores and other auxiliary departments, each in themselves a respectable enterprise, all go to swell the magnitude of this mammoth concern. They fact that over 2,000 men find constant employment in and about these works, gives a better idea of their magnitude than any statistics could suggest. In addition to the ore bank at Johnstown, the company has one near Hollidaysburg from which they obtain the quantity of Fossilliferous ore wanted to work with the Johnstown Carbonates, to produce the desired quality of iron. "The Pig Metal is taken by Railroad from the furnaces to the mill a distance of less than 1 mile, broken up and taken to the Puddling Furnaces, and there by the process known as boiling or Puddling, converted into wrought iron and formed into balls of about 100 lbs weight, which are taken to the large Rotary Squeezer (an improvement upon the Tilt-hammer), which throws off the cinders or dross and forms them into Blooms, which are taken to the Rolls and there rolled into what is called Muck or Puddler's bar; from thence the bars are taken to the shears and cut into lengths suited to the weight of rail to be made. A portion of this iron is piled and rolled into bars of 7 « inches wide and 1 inch thick, which is cut by the shears into suitable lengths to form the top and bottom pieces for the Rail pile, which is made up of 5 or 8 layers of this re-worked and Puddler's iron. The Rail pile thus made up, is heated and taken to the Rail mill which has three Rolls, one above the other and the hot iron is passed first between the middle and bottom Rolls and back between the top and middle, thus working the iron both ways, saving much hard labor in passing the iron back over the roller, as is the case in the ordinary 2 high mills and about one-half of the time usually consumed and insuring a much sounder and more perfect weld than could be procured in an ordinary mill. Ten to twelve passes, occupying about one minutes' time, forms the rail which is run from the Rolls onto a carriage which then takes it to the saw where both ends are cut off, leaving it of the desired length. From thence it is taken to the cooling bed where it remains until cool enough to handle when the straightener takes it to the press to straighten, which done, the ends are finished by chiseling and filing them and then passed to the puncher. After being punched, they are taken outside of the mill, finished and ready to be loaded onto the cars which the company's locomotive has ready. "It requires about the space of time necessary to complete the process of making the Rail before it is cool and from the time the pigs are introduced into the Puddling Furnaces, the iron passes over some 600 feet of ground, until it is put into the cars in the desired shape of Rail." This mammoth establishment, (the largest in America and perhaps in the world), gives employment to over 2,000 men, occupying over 200 tenant homes and is it is believed the only one in our county that is now fully worked. Some ideas of its magnitude as well as the patriotism of the hardy operatives may be inferred from the fact that it has given to the Country during the last year, 600 soldiers and in the language of its liberal manager, a "large new crop of soldiers growing up for future armies." Signed - Jonathan Oldbuck, Monkbarns, December 18, 1861