Radnor r'l

" - tORGE5

TN 404
C32

Q8
1893

\/A \\\e Cc

A SsuvENie.

.ompiiments of

iMEGhrADA- \q.oh Furnace (b. ii?'

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TNifoV-

CANADA

NATIONAL LIBRARY

BIBLIOTHEOIIE NATIONALS

To Commemorate the Visit of the Members of the

INTERNATieNAL MINING GONVENTlON Gf 1593

TO RADNOR FORGES. FEBRUARY 25. 1893.

THE CANADA \m FURNACE CO|VIPANY. Lid.

Incorporiitt'cl under CI ui rttr tjl • 1 >».■ I )< «iu li . 1< >n < > ' C«riH< l.j < .1 1 il it? i;ml> N< >\ei iilif r, 1M>S(>

vvitli I lodcji |( i/i rtt.-rM tit rvIootreHl.

AUTHORIZED CAPITAL, $300,OCO. in 3,000 shares of $100 each.

I'. II. CkiiiiN, Htidhlo, N. v., I'rr^i.lcnt. (i. E. Dkimmond, .M.iii.-l )ii. and Taas.

T. J. l)KiM\in\i), Sucretary.

[amks T. M((\\i I., Mdnlrial.

kiiHKKi Si inn r, Slict'ticl.I, V.u\^,

(iuiiinil Siiporinli'mlenl, J. j. I)KrM\ioM), M.I",., Rinlnor l-oi),'cs, (^)iu'.,

SALES AGENTS:

Drummond, McCall & Co.,

Jf 'Jf \Ii )ntr«.-fci 1

>^eneral offices ■
New York Life Building,

r'T.ATSITS AT

Rahnuk I'iiki.i;>, "Jiic. Thkkk Ki\ i;ks, (jiu>.

<iK.\\iii> l'ii.i.>, <^)iR'. , L\i - \-i v-Tuk I IK, ( Uie.

I, A I'lj 111-;, ijiu'.

PREFACE.

In issuing' this "Souvenir," to mark tlie visit to Radnor ['"orges of l\w American and Canadian
Mining- Knginecrs, I have deemed it not out of place to include a brief sketch of the Iron industry of
the district from its inception, during the reign of I-ouis Quator/e, down to the present day.

In my researches willi this end in view I cam-; ucross a number oi' old leg^ends associated with
the old St. Maurice Forges, some of which are still firmly believed by the simple-minded folk of the
parishes. I thought it well to include a few of these old stories in the hope that they might prove as
interesting to others as they did to myself.

To enter even liie border land of the I.aurentide country and overlook its beauty of mountain and
lake and river, its wealth of game and fish, seems scarcely right, and so. too, I have includod
"Among the Laurentides," and " Memories," the latter penned under the pines of this paradise of
sportsmen and lovers of Nature.

RADNOR lOROES.

THE CANADA IRON FURNACE CO., Liu.

TlIK Company was formed in iHH() for the purpose of acquirinj"; the iron interests of the district ot
St. Maurice, includinjf Iron Works at Radnor Forges, toj^ether with all Jiccessories, such as a
village of sixty workmen's cottages, limestone quarry, perfected water power, clay pits, railway
line, bridges, sidings, and other valuable property ; also car wheei shop, and shipping ,.lock situ-
ated on the River St. I^awrence at Three Rivers, (Jue. ; property forming site for permanent bat-
tery of ciiarcoal kilns, together with water power on the River St. Maurice, at (irandes Piles, (Jiie.;
Ore deposits of Lac-a-la-Tortue, together with ore rights, over uxj,ooo acres ol' ore bearing lands
and lakes at other points in the district of St. Maurice and vicinity.

After operating the antiquated stone stack at Radnor Forges (capacity 4'.. tons per day) ft.
some two years, in an experimental way, the Company proceeded to develop the entire property,
systematizing the collection of ore and wood, by establishing ore depots, wood camps, charcoal
kilns, etc., at the most desirable points throughout the territory controlled by them, and finally
building at Radnor a modern blast furnace plant, complete in all necessary details, and capable
of producing every day from 40 to 50 tons of high class charcoal iron.

The furnace is splendidly situated in the very centre of the ore fields, and in close touch
with the wood limits, not only of '.he St. Maurice, but of the vast territory extending to the north
and south of the river, which is, as yet, primeval forest.

The Riviere-au-Lard, on the bank of which the furnace stands, affords an excellent water-
power for operating ore and stone crushers, for pumping water to the furnace belt, for fire pro-
tection, and other necessary purposes. The waste gases of the furnace are utilized for fuel, and
the plant itself operated therewilii. The immediate plant consists of the following :

KUKXAlK STACK.

Heif,''ht, 40 feet; Bosh, c) feet diameter; Crucible, 5 feet diameter; height of Bosli line from
Hearth, 13 feet ; 4 Tuyeres of 2^.: '"ch diameter.

Crucible and Bosh from mantel ring down is encased and protected with a Russell Wheel and
Foundry Co. Water Jacket. '

Furnace Top is provided with a Bell and Hopper, capacity of which is 25 bushels.

MOT m.AST STOVE.

This is of the pipe pattern, with a combustion chamber below. Dimensions are : —
Leng'th, 24 feet ; hei^ij^ht, 18 feet ; width, 9 feet 6 inches. 68 openings between combustion
chamber and pipe chamber above.

STKAM IH>W1:R.

Consists of four steam boilers, each 4 feet diameter by 25 feet long", with two 18-inch flues ; shells
are of ->8 inch plate and double rivetled. All boilers connected with a brick chimney 75 feet high,
and all are bricked separately, and arrang-ed to fire with either wood or g-as. Gas connections
are made so that boilers can he worked in batteries of two each or more, and one or two can
be laid off for repairs or cleaning- at any time.

WATER POWER. •■

This consists of a head of 24 feet, with a "New .America" wheel 35 inches in diameter, capable
of delivering- 65 horse-power. __ __ „, .. . — ^

Hl.OWIXCl ENC.IXES.

New Weimer Blowing Engine, size 16 x 48 x 30, set upon a solid stone foundation, which rests

on a limestone bottom. This engine is provided with a patent water heater and a Scanlan patent
wind receiver and heater, capable of raising the temperature of wind to about 200 deg'rees Fah. before
entering- the hot blast stove.

AUXH.I.ARV BI.OWINC; ENC'.INES.

These are of the horizontal type, with twocylinders, each 40-inch diameter by 46-inch stroke, and
areg-eared to be driven either by a horizontal steam engine of 14 x 20-inch cylinder, or by water-power.
These engines are complete with their own wind receiver and pipes, and are so arranged that they can
be used in case of an accident to or a shut down of the VVeimer engine. They deliver about 2,100
cubic feet of air per minute, with a pressure of 4^^ pounds. The whole is set up in an engine house
entirely separate from the Wcimer, and is isolated from the latter and the boiler house.

STEAM Pr.MI'S.

One Blake duplex pump, 12 x 7 x 12 ; one Holly boiler feed pump, S x 10 x 4 ; one Niagara
boiler feed pump, 6x4x6; one Northey volume pump, 6 x :; x 7.

FORCE PiAirs.

One horizontal force pump, 4x8; one double-acting I'lunger force pump, 5 x 10. ~

i*ll the above steam and force pumps are so connected that they can be used either on the fur-
nace water jackets, tuyeres, for general fire purposes, or for boiler feed.

All the suction pipes in connection with the new engine house are laid through a stone tunnel,
which leads from engine-house to river, and are always beyond the action t^' frost, and so arranged
that alterations or repairs can be made at any time, as the tunnel is large enough to allow a man to
pass or work.

■ - ■ ' : q ' -■ ■■-. - -

KILNS AT GRAN'DES PILES.

HOISTING POWER.

This consists of a Crane pattern double cylinder hoisting' engine ; size of cylinders, 8 x lo inch.
This engine is connected with two hoisting cag-es, having a lift o( 15 feet from floor of weigh-house to
floor of top-house. .

CHARCOAL KILNS.

Radnor Forges Battery consists of ; —

8 Rectangular kilns, capacity, 55 cords each ; 3 Beehive pattern kilns, capacity, 55 cords each.
Grandes Files Battery consists oi' : —

14 Beehive pattern kilns, capacity, 55 cords each. Others in course of construction.
Charcoal also made and supplied from pits in the Swedish manner.

The buildings and real estate in connection with the entire plant is the property of the Company
in fee simple.

ORK sri'iM.v.

Investigation carefully carried on by practical men, under the immediate direction of the officials
of the Company, and verified by actual work in the Held, has, as already mentioned in Mr. Griffiin's
paper, proved beyond a doubt that there is not only an abundant supply of ore in sight to last for
many years to come, but that it is steadily growing, and new discoveries are being made daily. The
virtues of the ores of the St. Maurice district have been referred to in the accompanying papers.
These ores of course vary in analysis, but the supply is so large that the Company are able to make
such selection from the various deposits as to be able to produce fixed results. The Company have
their own laboratory, and a practical chemist is permanently employed in the selection ot ores, and the
analysing- of the furnace product. .

l.l.MESTONK.

There is a splendid limestone quarry side by side with the furnace, furnishing- a valuable flux at
the minimum of cost.

CHARCOAK.

The Company have two batteries of kilns, one situated at Radnor Forj^^es, and the other, the
main battery, at Grandes Piles on the River St. Maurice. The supply of hard woods suitable for
charcoal making is almost inexhaustible. The main kilns located on the Company's properly at
Grandes Piles can draw supplies from the banks of the St. Maurice for half a '_cnti'.ry to come. The
location of these kilns secures to the Company the practical control of the na\ igable waters of the St.
Maurice, Grandes Piles being- the terminus not only of the railroad but also ot navigation. The
Laurentian range of mountains presents a barrier to the railway going further north, whilst the suc-
cession of magnificent water falls and rapids between Grandes Piles and Three Rivers absolutely pre-
vents the navigation of the St. Maurice to the south. This property also gives the Company control
of the Grandes Piles Kails, which with a drop of 40 ft. has a volume of water representing a power
not less than 35,000 h. p. It is difficult to estimate the value of this great natural water power.
Naturally it is much enhanced by the fact that it occurs at the junction of railway and navigation, and
sooner or later its development will offer a splendid investment.

The vast territory to the north watered by the St. Maurice and ite tributaries and estimated as
200,000 square miles, contains an immense quantity of pine and spruce, and at the present time its
limits are attracting the attention of American capitalists, as evidenced by the fact that the American
Laurentides Pulp Co. have already expended hundreds of thousands of dollars in the erection of a
pulp mill and in perfecting the water power at Grande Mere, a few "liles below Grandes Piles. Aside
from the manufacture of pulp, the lumber produced from the spruce of the St. Maurice is of a class

coming' more into use every day, as taking the place of the more expensive pine. Hard woods, such
as maple and birch, are to be found in an almost inexhaustible growth all along the banks of the St.
Maurice, and are specially suitable for the manufacture of charcoal for the smelting of iron. It is
from this section the Company will draw its supplies for some years to come, and with great benefit
not alone to itself but also to the settlers on the river, who find that in clearing their lands they are
able to chop and dispose of their standing wood to the Charcoal Works at good paying figures, thus
finding a cash market for what would otherwise be to them practically worthless material.

In addition to the valuable ore deposits and wood limits controlled by the Company they possess
rich deposits of ochre, suitable for metallic paint, and also (on the property at Radnor Forges ) valu-
able clay deposits suitable for making the finest quality of re-pressed brick.

The work of bringing the furnace plant and accessories to its present condition has been no easy
task, and if in many respects Radnor Forges may seem to be behind American furnaces at the present
moment, yet given sufficient time for a further development and proper systematizing, there is no
reason to fear but that the works will eventually make a very creditable showing. American furnace
men, the majority of whom are able to purchase their raw material, such as ore and charcoal, in the
open market, will appreciate the difficulties of establishing a new furnace in what may be termed
"The Wilderness." The Canadian furnace man has, so to speak, "to live within himself," to pro-
vide workmen for his entire cut of wood, to transport same to his charcoal kilns, and the charcoal to
the furnace. He has also to " mine " his full supply of ore, and other necessary material. All
this the officials of the Canada Iron Furnace Co. have had to do, and the greater part of the reorgani-
zation and systematizing has been carried out within the space of one year, and that too concurrently
with the construction of the plant itself.

Among the serious difficulties the Company have had to contend with, was the fact that owing to

1 /AB ^'^

Ll AM T^

stajjnation in the lumber interests of the St. Maurice district, there was at the time of the inaguration
of the Company, a great scarcity of labor, the workmen having left the country in iargenumbers.
F'urther the officials had to contend with great difficulties in their attempt to change the weights and
measures that had been in vogue in this territory for many years, for instance, the habitants at first
positively refused to supply wood of a greater length than 3 ft. and the Company desiring to be in the
same position as their American competitors had to set to work to change this to the present standard
of 4 ft. in the face of considerable opposition from the habitants. These alterations have been carried
out without undue friction, and the American standard is now used in all departments. Furnacemen
will fully appreciate the difficulties referred to.

In carrying out all the operations of the Company, upwards of tSoo men are directly and indirectly-
employed during the season, the majority of whom are engaged in the securing of ore and wood sup-
plies. Through proper systematizing the Company's employees are now taken largely fro.n the ranks
of the farmers or habitants, who work for the Company during their slack season between seed
time and harvest, and in the winter months. These men find the work profitable in clearing their
lands by supplying wood to the charcoal kilns, and in raising ore on portions of their farms which
would otherwise be unproductive. In this way the work of the Company goes on almost continually
over a very large territory, and the supplies of both labor and material so obtained are therefore now
practically unlimited.

In connection with the foregoing, the political economist will observe that in this case the interests
of the manufacturer and the agriculturalist are identical. The success of the iron industry means an
increase of income to the farmer by affording him profitable employment on his own land.

OLD ST. MAIKUK I'OKC.KH.

THK ST. MAl'RICH DISTRICT AND THH ST. MAURKI- FORCIKS.

The student of Geoloj^y and History, as well as the practical business man of the nineteenth cen-
tury, will iinci much of interest to attract attention during even the briefest o( visits to tlu' historical
ore-bearinyf district of St. Maurice.

In the accompanying- paper on the " Bof^- Iron Ore and Ochres oi tlie ref^^ion ol' Three Rivers,"
Mr. A. P. Lowe, B. .Ap. Sc. of the Cleolog^ical Survey of Canada, deals fully with the geolog-ical
formation of the bog- iron ore of the district, and advances some iio\ el ideas on this subject, which
although not borne out by the views of other eminent authorities, will prove of great interest to
geologists. Mr. Lowe's interesting discussion as to the elTects of the glacial period on the surrounding
country will also provide ample food for thought and discussion.

Prof. J. T. Donald's paper on the chemical aspect of the ore and its product will be read with
great interest by experts on iron, and Prof. Donald has had perhaps more opportunity of studying the
St. Maurice ores from a chemical and theoretical standpoint than any other li\ ing man.

Mr. P. H. Grirtin's article presents the practical side of the question, dealing as it does with
actual results obtained in the smelting of these ores in the furnace at Radnor Forges, and of the value
of the product as used in the manufacture of car wheels and other high class castings where great
strength is not alone desirable but an absolute necessity.

The relative tests mentioned in Mr. Ciriffin's paper, (sample test bars of which can be viewed at
Radnor Forges) demonstrate the fact that in practice, if not in theory, Thiee Rivers charcoal iron has
no superior.

The tollowinjf letters show the results as obtained by leading Canadian consumers of to-day : —

Toronto, July joih, 1892.
Messrs. TiiK. (■ANAl)^ Ikon I'iknack (!o., I/n>.,

Muntrual.
Dl'.Ak Sirs, Keplyinjj; to yciur esteemed '.THiuiry re our cxperie.icc with your Three Kivers C. I.l''. eluircoal pig iron, would
sny that we are usinf» a mixture eonlaininj; 20% of your iron, and the results are most satisfactory in all respects; our stove plate is
lough, smooth and hifjh in color, a point that we have lieen Iryinjj for for ^onie time, and with which we are delij;hted.
i'or radiator and boiler castinjjs it has improved the (|uality very nuich, i)ein^ much stronj;er, softer and close, with no sp'inj;y
sjjots, and our losses are reduced so much that we believe we will be in ))ocket by usinj; this in future in our entire melt, although
the price is so nnich jjreater llian orilinary iron.

V'ours truly,
(Sgd.) Thk E, iS: C. CuRNKV Co.,
ji.p. W. II. Cakrh K.

(Jai.t, Ont., 22nd .Sein., 1892.
Messrs. TiiK Canada Ikon Ki'rnack Co., Lid.,

Montreal, (^ue.

Gemi.kmicn, — Replying to your favor of the 19th inst., we beg to say that we have tested the sample of Three Rivers
C. I. F. charcoal pig iron .sent to us, and we must say that in our long experience as foundrymen we have never had a better iron.
It <ioes more than you claim for it for cylinder work, and is a strengthener in mixtures. We have not the least hesitation in
recommending this iron to any party whcj wants a really first-class iron.

Yours truly,
(.Sg<l.) Cowan & Co.

Si. riiiiM.\>, ()\i.. Oil. J4iii, is<)j.

(iKo, K. Dri'mmoM), V.^\.,
Man.-Dir. and Tkkas. Canada Iron Imrnai k Co.. l.n...

MiMitrciil, <,)iK'.
Dkar Sir, Enclosed herewith, please liml order lur 150 Imhn of Three River> ('. 1. 1', iron, graded as specirtcd lioiii 2}^
n 6 inclusive.

We volunteer to say in rejjard to the iron we liave i)een receivinj; from your C'lmipany, that it i> jjivinj; most satisfactory
results in our car wheel mixture, and we have found that l)y the aiil ot ii \\i' can entirely dispense with the hijjh priced irons which
we were formerly ohligei' to import, our records of tests showing; an improvement of over 25", on the results previous to UNiiijj; your
iron, in addition to which our percentage of loss has been >;reatl)- leduced.

We also use a considerable | ortion of this iron in our machinery casting departnuiii particularly for spe<"ial locomotive and
machinery castings requiring close grain, strength, and fmc tinish, and for this purpose we tind iron graded from sofi 1 lo j
most desirable.

We would be glad to have you refer an) parlies to us for fuillier information if desired.

\'ours truly,
{>^\ii\.) Si. Thomas Car Wiikki. Co., Ltd.
Per John H. 1*i.kmin<;, .\s>t -.Man.

Preston, Oni., Sejit. 29th, 1892.
.Messrs. Tni: Canai>a Iron Iirnack Co., Lid.,

Montreal, l^)ue.

Dkar Sirs, — Replying to your favor of the 26th inst., beg to say we are now using a mixture of iron in our foundry which

includes 10% of your irf)n, and we are very nuich i)lea>ed with the results obtained by its use. Ft adds greatly to the strength of

the iron, without interfering w ith its fluidity.

Nours truly,

(Signed) ClARl'. Hkos. \ Co.
19

Smmiin Fai.i.s, On I., May 41!), 1892.

(iKi», I',. DkI \|\H>M). IvM].,

Ma\.-I)ir. iV Trkas Canaux Iki>\ I-iknai k Co., Ltd.,

Montreal, <^>uf.

Dkak SIK, III reply tujtmr favor ol iliu Jrd insi., I Ikjj to say that I am ii«.inj; Nos. i, 2 ami jC.I.l-. ihrii' Kiver>i
rliartoal iion in every heal, and consider it tirsl-elaNS iron for n>alleal)le iron iJiirposes.

N'nur-. truly,

(Sjjd.) W.M. II. I'KOST.

Mii.NiKl.Ai., 4tli May, 1892.
Cil-.o. l".. Dki'mmond, 1;s(|.,

M\N. DlK. i\ TKKVS. CaNAHA IK(1N I'lIRNAi K ( "O. , I/ll).,

Montreal.
Dkak Sir, I have heen using some of your Nos. 2 and 3 ('. l.K. Three Uivers eharcoal pit; iron for special eastings
reiiuirinj; extra strenj^th, and have found it to j;ive great satisfaction.

I am making a s|iecialty of rolling mill toIIn, using your Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 4^ as a mixture, .md have found this iron to he
close, strong and of the re<|uired hardness.

I send you a few shavings turned olV a roll made from your N'os. 2 and 3. These show the lough (|Uality of the iron. The
iron liad Irom you since the rebuilding of your furnace is of even grade and good (pialily.

^'ours, etc.,
(Sgd.) MoSKS I'ARKKK.

HK AM I OKI'. Mil} 71I1, 1S92.
(iKO. K. DKUMMOMi., I's.i..

Man.-Dik. asi» Ikkas. Canaha Ikon I't knack (D.. 1.ii>.,

Montreal, <,)iii'.

Dkak Sik, III ri'|>ly lo )imr liuor n\ ilu' iiid iiisl., ui- wnulcl say il);ii «»• lia\i' fur the |ia^i l\s<> jcars liccii iisin)r your
rharronl iron, I'spi-cially in uiir cylindir and valvi' castings (nr i>ui' I'li^iius. Trfviou^ lo usin^ \i>iii iron wr used "Salislmry" iron.
Wc fiinl, ill o.ir opinion, thai your iron is at iia>i n|ual for tliis i)iir|)os»' to ilu- "Salislmry," and slioiiid jiidgt' from our
exiiericnce, if anything, a little hiicr.

N'ours truly,
(Sijd.) Till. \VAii;K<)rs Kmiink Works Co., 1,ii»,
('. II. \V \ I i.K'HN, ( Ifiil Man.

I.MiilNt.. Sc| tiMiiliiT 241I1. 1892.

<;ko. II. DktiM.MoMi. i;m|.,

Canada Ikon I'tknack Co., I.ii>.,

MoiiliTal.
Dkak .Sir, -Kelcnin^; to last sliij ir.iiit of C.I. I-'. 'I'lirtt.' Ki\trs iron. I liiid it is still ii]i lo ilir mark, and superior to any
other lirands which we receive.

Til',' followinn is a practical test made from llie pipe cuixila : —

We ran short of C.I. F. and I was ol)lij;cd to use a mi\tiire coniposed ofoiK'-third "Carnliroe" No. I, one-third M. and C.
nnd one-third .Siemens No. i. This ghxs very good results and liars averaj^e 2,400 lbs. I'pon receipt of llie C. I.l-'. Three Rivers
iron I used 25% securing; an increase of strenj^th to 2,700 Ihs. I then increased the C. I.I'", lo 50' with the result of an increase to
3,300 ll>s. The C I F. used in this test was No, 2 "2.

I am plei\sed to say that in uiy experience in the mainUacture of car wheels and castings I have not loiind any iron to com-
pare with the C. I.F.

(Si^jned.) I>. II. Clf.HKKi, Su])l. Montreal Car Wheel Co.

and Dki'MMonii, .\1( Caii,, I'ipe I'oiindry Co.

The peculiar virtues of the Three Rivers iron have long been )\vn to the Canadian people. 225
years aj^o, in the very earliest days of La Nouvelle France, ^ -mens of the bog- ore of the St.
Maurice District were examined in Quebec by the Sieur la Pontc «iere, and reports sent to the Im-
perial (lovernment in France. At that time the affairs of the colony were under the control of the
" West India Company," who held monoply of all the rig-hts of the mines and minerals of La Nouvelle
France, including those now owned by the Canada Iron Furnace Co.

The leading historical facts connected with the establishment of the iron industry in the district
oi' St. Maurice have already been placed before the members of the American Institute cf Mining-
Kngineers in the .1 le paper read at the Halifax meeting in September, 1885, by Mr. James Herbert
Bartlett, of Montreal. This historical data is, however, interesting enoug-h to warrant its repro-
duction.

Among the original manuscripts relating to the administration of Louis de Buade, Comte de
Fronteiiac, allusion is frequently made to the great value of the St. Maurice iron mines. In a letter
to the Imperial Government under date 2nd Nov., 1672, Frontenac says : —

"The iron miiiL' of which I have already s]n)ken is of j^real conse(|iience. I have visited it myself in order that I may Ik;
enabled to jjive a more accurate account of its nature. I am jjratified to learn that another mine has been discovered in Champlain
which is much richer than the Cap de la Madelaine mine, and the ore is in greater abundance. I ap])rehend that it will be next
to impossible to e.\haust this mine, as there is an extent of country of four leagues in length from Cap de la Madelaine to Cham-
plain, which is covered with iron ore ; all the streams indicate its existance. I had the curiosity to taste the water, and I found it
all strongly im])regnated with rust and iron, but the miners whom I sent there render the affair certain, they are now working
there and if you have any intention of establishing forges and a foundry, you may be certain that the material will not be wanting.
There are six jiiles of ore now lying at Cap de la .Madelaine which, according to the annexed report of the miner, would last for
two castings a day for four months. The important tpiestion is the placing of the forges. According to my opinion I should pre-
fer building them on Ruisseau l'e])in, which is in Champlain, rather than at the Cap, where the Jesuit Fathers have a mill already

in operation. My thus placing the foryes they would \>v lietwcen the two mines, and the niaterial lould he more easily conveyed
from both to the central establishment. When you have decided upon estalilishinj,' the said forties, as the workmen you will
send out will be competent men, they, perhaps, can decide whether there is enouf^h water in the streams I have above mentioned
to .vork the wheel of the ])r()jected forges, also to judge whether it would be i)racticable to bring in other streams m the neighbor-
hood, such as Ruisseau d'llertel, to increase the (piantily of water. The chief miner, who is now here, assures me that this can
he easily and successfully done. It is certain that if the forges are once established many advantages will result to the colony, ex-
cellent iron will be manufactured there, and the consuininion of fuel will help materially in the clearing of the forest land. More-
over many men will be employed at tiu work and a market will thus be afforded for the sur])lus provisions which we have at our
disposal."

In 1675 the chiirter of the West India Company was surrendered, and the next official notice of
the mines that appears was the issue of a deed in .Auj^ust 167b, in favor of Dame Jeanne Jalope, widow
of Maurice Poulin, Sieur de la Fontaine, the Kini»"'s Attorney for Three Rivers, who, by the said deed,
obtained concession of the Sei^neurie of St. Maurice. This lady appears in turn to have deeded the
property to her son, Michel Poulin, in 1683.

Krontenac would seem to have had g'reat confidence in the mines, for from time to time he sought
by letters to impress upon the Imperial .Authorities the great value of the deposits and the desirability
of developing an iron industry. In 1681, he writes : — •

" I am convinced that there is a very fnie iron mine in ihe vicinity of Three Rivers, where a forge could l)e profitably worked.
I wish I had a man iiere who could i)lan the construction of an establishment of that kind, it would be of great use to His Majesty
the King and to the whole Colony. Monsieur Vallon can inform you, my Lord, how Mons. de Colbert has tested the (piality of
the ore and with favorable results. I have sent a small (piantity to Mons. Arnoul, who can give you an account of it. 'i'here is a
large stream in the vicinity of this mine."

In 1685 tlie Marquis de Denonville was appointed Governor, and on the 17th Nov. 1686, in ad-
vices to the Home Government he says : —

'* I have this year again had the iron mine near Three Rivers thoroughly examined. I am convinced that there is a nuich

"'"■'" :■;■■■■■ ■■ '■■'■' ^"■■' " 23 :::-::■■ _::-'./^::-i.::-

larger (luantily ofiluil metal than the coUmy ro(|iiire.s. The great desideratum is the discovery of a stream or water power, which
can he used in winter, and it is in this respect that we re(|uire an ahle experience*! man, who could see what could he done for the
cstahlishment. Last year I sent a sample of this iron to I'" ranee, and the iron-workers, who found it of good cjuality and per-
centage, wish to have fifteen or twenty haricpies to give it a thorough trial as to quality ; it would he well to satisfy them on this
point next year. If nur Northern Company should succeed there would l)e no difficulty ni accomplishing this desirable object."

The Poulin family seem to have controlled the ore rights and lands, at least in part until as late
as 1736, as existing documents show that on the 15th October, 1736, Poulin, Louise de Boulanger, his
wife, and Michel, his brother, a priest, sold the fief and seigneurie St. Maurice to Frani^ois Etienne
Cugnel, Pierre I'Vanc^ois Taschereau, Oliver de Vezain, Jacques Simonet and Ignace Gamelin for the
sum of 6,000 livres with no terms, so long as they paid 300 livres a year.

The partnership so formed, was known under the title of Cugnet & Cie, or " La Compagnie des
Forges," and the King of France, (at that time Louis XV.) by an Order in Council dated April 1737,
empowered them to establish iron works, and advanced them the sum of 100,000 livres, claiming
neither rent nor taxes. The firm under these conditions proceeeed to erect a blast furnace, (the histo-
rical St. Maurice,) which remains to this day, and over the arch of which can yet be seen on an iron
plate, the insignia of France, the Fleurs de Lys, together with the date 1752. Work was practically
commenced under the direction of a French artizan but lack of capital led to failure, and finally in
1743 the Crown took possession of the furnace, and proceeded to carry on the work in the name oi
the King and on his account. Skilled workmen were brought over from France and Sweden to
improve the furnace, rebuilding it in part at least, (about 1752) and producing the blast furnace as
it now stands with Walloon hearth, in use until as late as the summer of 1883.

Amongst the most interesting of records relating to the iron interests of the St. Maurice district,
is a letter written in August 1747, by Prof. Peter Kalm, professor of Economy in the University of

Aoba, in Swedish Finland, and a member of the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences. Prof. Kalm
visited Three Rivers (in his travels through the country,) seemingly for the special purpose of visiting
the iron works. He wrote as follows : -

"Whilst my conipfiny was resting, I went on horseback to view the imn-work. The country which I passed through
was pretty high, sandy and generally Hat. I saw neither stones nor mountains here. The iron work, which is the only one in lbi>
country, lies three miles to the west of Trois Rivieres. Here are two great forges, besides two lesser ones to each of the great
ones and under the same roof with them. The helloNvs were made of wood, and everything else, as it is in Swedish forges. The
melting ovens stand close to the forges, and are the same as ours. The ore is gt)t two I''rench miles-and-a-half from the iron works,
and is carried thither on sledges. It is a kind of moor-ore, which lies in veins within .six inches or a foot from the surface of the
ground. l''ach vein is from six to eighteen inches deep, and below is a white sand. The veins are surrounded with this sand on
on both siiles, and covered on the top with a thin mould. The ore is pretty rich, and lies in loose lumps in the veins, of the size
of two fists, thoi' 'i there are a few which are near eighteen inches thick. These lumps are full of holes which are full of ochre.
The ore is so £ M that it may be crusheil l)etwixl the fingers. They nuke use of a gray limestone which is brokein the neighborhood
for promoting the fusibility of the ore, to this purpose they likewise emjjloy a clay marl, which is found near this place. Charcoals
are to be had in great abundance here, because all the country round this place is covered with woods, which have never been
stirred. The charcoal from evergreen trees, that is from th*^ fir kind, are best for the forge, but those of deciduous trees are best
for the smelting oven. The iron which is here made is described to me as soft, pliable and tough, and is said to have the (juality
of not being attacked by rust so easily as other iron, and in this point there appears agreat difference between the Spanish iron and
this in ship-building. This iron work was first founded in 1737 by private persons, who afterwards ceded it to the King, they cast
cannons and mortars here of different sizes, iron stoves which are in use all over Canada, kettles, etc., not to mention the bars
which are made here. They have likewise tried to make steel, but cannot bring it to any great perfection, because they are
unacquainted with the best manner of preparing it. Here are many ofticers and over-seers, who have very good houses built on
purpose for them. It is agreed on all hands that the revenues of the iron work do not pay the expenses, which the King must
every year be at In maintaining it. They lay the fault on the bad state of population, and say that the few inhabitants in the country
have enough to do with agriculture, and that it therefore costs great trouble and large sums to get a sufficient number of workmen.
But, however plausible this may appear, yet it is surprising that the King should be a loser in the carrying on of this work, for the
ore is easily broken, very near the iron work and very fusible. The iron is good and can be very conveniently dispersed over the

country. This is, moreover, tiic only iron worlds in the country, from which everyliody must supply himself with iron tools, an'd
what other iron he wants. Hut the officers and servants l)elonginy to the iron works appear to lie in very affluent circumstances.
A river runs down from the iron worl^ into the river St. Lawrence by which all the iron c.in he sent in boats through the countJy at
a low rate. In the evening I returned again to Trois Rivieres."

There seem.s to be no doubt but that the Siispicions shadowed forth in Prof. Kalm's letter, reg-ard-
ing what we might in the nineteenth century term the " boodling " of the Government, the Intend-
ant, and the principal officials were perfectly correct, as documents relating to that time show that
many complaints were despatched to France touching on the ruinous state of affairs being produced
by the officials of the Province, and these complaints resulted in the Ciovernor, the Marquis de la Jon-
quiere, being recalled and Inspector M. Franquet was sent out to visit the different posts in I.a
Nouvelle France. The following is a part translation of a French manuscript relating to his visit to
the Forges: — - -

*' M. Hifjot, Intendantof New France, who resides at (^)uei)ec. had recommended uic to visit the St. Mauriix- forges, as the
establishment was extensive, and as he had no doubt that I would be ])lease(l to l)e in a ])osition to give an account of it. Hy stopping
at Three Rivers, I could reach the forges in two hours, so having settled ujion that course, I requested M. Kigaud, who was then
in charge of that jiost, lo accom])any me. We left Three Rivers at 5 o'clocU a.m., with M. Tenancour and other friends, whom M.
Rouville, director of the forges, had invited to accompany us. In leaving the town, we ascended a hill covered with sand, crossed
a plain, anil passed through a wood of stunted trejs, on emerging fr.im which we stood on a hill overlooking a valley, in which the
said forges of the King are situated; we crossed a wooden bridge built over a small stream, and disembarked from our conveyance
at the door of the director's dwelling. After the first ceremony of reception by the Director, his wife, and the other employes, we
proceeded to visit the works. The stream which drives the machinery is dammed ui> in three |)laces, the first dam drives the wheel
for the furnace, the second and third each a trip hammer. Each dam has a water-pass to prevent overflow in highwater, it is sup-
posed that the stream or wan., power is sufficiently strong to drive two other hammers. The buildings of the post arc irregularly
situated on the banks of the streai 1, and little or no taste seems to have been disjilayed in |)lacing them. The jirincipal building
is the Director's residence, a ver) large establishment, but scarcely large enough for the number ol employees who have to be
accommodated.

" On entering; the forjje I was received with a ciiitomary ceremony, the workmen mouliled a pijj of iron about 15 leet long
for njy special l)enefit. The process is very simple, it is done by plunging a large ladle into the liquid boiling ore, and emptying
the material into a gutter made in the sand. After this ixremony I was shown the nrocess of stove-moulding, which is a very
sinj pie affair, but ratlier an intricate operation. Kach stove is in six pieces, which are separately moulded ; they are afterwards
fitted into each other, and form a stove about three feet high. I then visited the sheil where the workmen were moulding pits,
kettles, and other hollow-ware. On leaving this part of the forge we were taken to the hammer forges, where bar iron of every
kind is hammered out. In each department of the forges, the workmen observed the old ceremony of brushing a stranger's boots,.
in return they expect some money to buy li(|uor to drink to the visitor's health. This establisliment is very extensive, employing
upwards of 180 men. Nothing is consumed in the furnace l)ut cliarcoal, which is made in the immediate vicinity of the post. The
ore-is rich, good and tolerably clean, it formerly was found on the spoi, now the Director has to send some distance for it. The
management of these forges is economical. It nnist be readily understood, that owing to the numerous branches in whic'h expen-
diture must be incurred, unless a competent man l)e at the head of affairs, many ai)use3 would be in conse{|uence. Among other
employes, his Majesty the King supi)orts a Recollect l-'ather at this establishment, with the title of Aumonier. This iron is pre-
ferred to the S]ianish iron, ami is sold off at the King's stores in (^)i,ebec at the rate of from 25 to 30 castors (l)eaver skins) ]ier
hundredweight. In order to obtain a better knowledge of the ]iosilion of these works, 1 would refer to the notes sent to the Court
of Fi-ance on this subject, wherein will be found all details of their management. I may say, however, in conclusion, that they
are unjirofitable to the King, and I am assured that if they were offered on lease at public sale, one hundred pistoles |)er annum
might be procured for them. After a splendid dinner at M. de Roul)ille's mansion, we returned to Three Rivers highly pleased
with our visit, and took supjjcr at M. de Tonnancour's. The distance from the town to the forges is nine miles."

The next official notice of the forges is perhaps its mention in the articles of capitulation between
Major-General Amherst, Commander-in-Chief of His Brittanic Majesty's troops in North America, on
the one part, anJ the Marquis de Vaudreuil, Governor for the Kinj;" in Canada on the other side.
These articles were dated 8th September, 1760. Article 44 says :

"The papers of the Intendancy of the otilicers of Comptroller of the Marine, of the ancient and new treasuies of the King's
magazines, of the officers of the revenue, and forges of St. Maurice, shall remain in the power of M. Higot, the Intendant, and
shall be embarked for France in the same vessel w> h him, these papers shall not be examined."

M. Bigot sailed for France, and on his arrival there received more than a warm welcome, being
seized, imprisoned, and made to disgorge most of his ill-go«;ten gains (vide Parkman's Montcalm
and Wolfe). St. Maurice forges, with all accessories, then passed into the hands of the British
Crown, and belonged thereto until as late as 1846.

Amongst other matters of historical interest, connected with the St. Maurice forges, may be men-
tioned the fact that in 1775, during the American invasion, Pellisier, one of the lessees of the forges,
aided and abetted the Americans with both goods and money, and further, he actually cast shot and
shell, to be used by them in their seige of Quebec. Finally he absconded by way oi Sorel to the
United States, carrying with him all the funds belonging to the forges, and also all the vouchers giveii
for money advanced to the Americans, about _£.'2ooo in all. His American friends seemed 'o have
cashed these vouchers, after which he sailed for France, leaving his co-directors in the Company then
operating the forges practically insolvent. The works passed by lease from the Government, through
various hands, until in 1793 the lease became vested in Messrs. George Davidson, David Munro and
Matthew Bell. The Hon. Matthew Bell, Seigneur of St. Maurice, seems to have had " friends at
Court," as he was able to renew the lease with the Government authorities from time to time, down
to 1846. During his regim^ theSt. Maurice forges were known far and wide throughout the country,
not alone as an iron producing centre of first importance to the colony, but also for the princely hospi-
tality extended to all visitors by the Seigneur and master.

At this time the iron industry was the most important of all the enterprises of Canada. Hugh
Gray, in "Letters from Canada, 1809," page 22, writes, "There existing then a considerable export of
cast iron articles, principally of stoves."

The trade of the St. Maurice forges seems to have been very great during Mr. Bell's time. He
had, in addition to the furnace, extensive forges, foundries and work shops. The number of men cm-

ployed were from 250 to 300, tlie Superintendents beinjj mostly English and Scotch, and the workmen
generally Canadians. Stoves were the principal articles manufactured, and these were sent broadcast
over the country ; indeed many specimens of these stoves remain till this day, and demonstrate the
splendid quality of the iron used in their manufacture. Mill machinery, potash kettles, and other arti-
cles were manufactured in large numbers, — and, in addition to this, bar iron was manufactured and
even exported. The inhabitants of the country recall with wonder, even to this day, the princely mag-
nificence in which the Hon. Matthew Bell lived during his regime at the St. Maurice forges. He kept
open house at his Chateau, and entertained, at various times, the Ciovernor and Br'tish officers,
besides other dignitaries. He kept a stud of horses and a pack of fox hounds, and as the district of
St. Maurice has always been famous for the abundance of fish and game to be had, there was no lack
of attraction for sportsmen. On the death of the Hon. Mr. Bell the Crown resolved to sell the pro-
perty, and it was bought at auction by Henry Stuart, Advocate, of Montreal, in August, 1846, and was
leased by him to James Kerrier (afterwards Senator Ferrier) who worked it successfully for four years,
viz., from 1847 to 1851,

Later on the forges pas^ ed through the hands of Messrs. Stuart and Porter of Quebec, and finally
to the Messrs. McDougall ot Three Rivers, who operated the furnace until as late as the summer of
1883, using the iron thus produced in the manufacture of railway car wheels, with the very best
of results, as far as the quality of the product is concerned.

In i860 Radnor Foryfes became the chief seat of the industrv.

VIEW OF OLD STONE FURNACE AT RADNOR.

RADNOR I0R(;KS.

About the year i8<jo, Messrs. Larue & Co. (the firm consistinyf of l.;irue, I'urcotle and Messrs.
G. B. Hall & Co.) after a very careful investigation, made with a view to locatinj^ the best point in
the St. Maurice district for the erection of a blast furnace, etc., decided upon the site of the present
Radnor Forges in the County of C'hamplain, thus strangely enough transferring the chief iron
industry of the district of St. Maurice to thL' very site foreshadowed by Louis de Jiuade, Conite de
i'rontenac, as far back as 1672, as the most desirable location in all that country for the erection of a
blast furnace.

Messrs. Larue & Co. carried out what, for that time, was a most elaborate plan, and established
not only the blast furnace, but forges, rolling mills, and car wheel foundry (the latter located at Three
Rivers). In addition to this they had 40,000 acres of freehold lands. I'Vom 200 to 400 men were
employed, and the works were carried on for some time witli a product of 4 tons oi pig iron per day.
A pair of car wheels together with an axle manufactured at these works were sent by Messrs Larue
& Co. to the International Exhibition of 1862, and attracted much attention, as the wheels had actually
run 150,000 miles. Still better results have been obtained in later years from the same iron.

The wrought iron produced at the establishment was used largely for the manufacture of scythes
and nai' rod iron, and was much prized by consumers, who considered it equal if not superior to the
very best Swedish iron.

In the establishment of the works over one million of dollars was sunk, and the greater part of it
was lost through disastrous fires, and, it is said, "bad management." There is no d^ubt, however,
that the lack of railway facilities which prevented supplies being taken from a greater radius than
seven miles handicapped the proprietors in their attempt to find a market for the product,
and had as much to do with the failure as anything else. This disadvantage is now entirely overcome

by the fact tliat the (.'anailian Paiilic Railway connects with Radnor Forjj^es, and shipment can be
made hy rail and water routes, the latter from the present C'ompany's property and dock at Three
Rivers.

In i8S() the Canada Iron Furnace Company, hmited, acquired Radnor Forges, toj^-ether with the
extensive property and interests belonj^'in}^ thereto.

THK MANlJKACTURli OV CHARCOAL IKON FROM THI-: IKHi ANF) I.\KI<: ORKS OV

THRKK RI\'KRS' DISTRICT.

By V. \l. tiKiii IN, M.IC, of Hiiffalo, \.\'., I're.siclcnt Canachi Iron l-'iirnacc Company, I. id.

iKrntl ;it llic liitcrnalii)nal Mining ('unvi-niiim, Mcnilreal, iScij. )

The manufacture of Iron in the Province of Quebec ''orms one of the most interestin}^ subjects in
the development of this ^reat industry in America. Its inception followed in a comparatively short
period after the first steps taken in the New ICngland Colonies, where iron was first practically made in
America. In both cases the ores smelted were what is known as " Hog Ores." In Quebec the first
work was done in and about the town of Three Rivers, and many interesting facts in connection with
the development of this industry may be found in the paper read by Mr. James Herbert Hartlett, of
Montreal, before the Halifax meetin«^ of this Institution in September, iHH^. In that paper Mr.
Bartlett traces the industry from its first inception, about the year 1730, down to the condition in which
it existed in the year 1S83, at which time he stated that the St. Maurice forj^e was the oldest active
furnace on the American continent.

A few years after the date last named we became interested in the matter, and have carried it
forward on more extended lines than any before attempted, and in fact, so far as the manufacture of
this particular class of iron is concerned, it has never been attempted on the scale we are carrying on
to-day. This work is not being done on any experimental basis, but so far has been carried on for the
purpose of supplying a grade of iron hitherto procurable only at heavy cost for Canadian consump-
tion from the United States, and for English consumption from Sweden.

The manufacture of iron in the Province of Quebec was carried on entirely with the use of bog
ores during the period referred to, and as the supply of iron made elsewhere from cheaper ores became

ini>ro ahiiiKlant, iIk- local maiuirai ture, handicapped by waiil of j-hippin^ facilities, lack ol' capital, and
otiier such luilural causes, was jjiadually discomiiuied. It was always admitted that for certain pur-
poses the iron made in the province possessed special value, but the demand for articles requiring
such special virtue was limited, and cheaper g'rades were jjradually substituted for },a'iieral manufac-
tures. That iron o( the special character of that produced from the B.i^ Ores of the Three Rivers'
district has been tor many years the most important industry in Sweden will be referred to later on
in this paper, as well as the present condition of its manufacture in that country, and the uses to
which it is now put.

Some years ajfo we were induced to test in our car wheel shops at Lachine and St. 'i'homas a
quantity of Canadian charcoal iron, the product of an antiquated stone stack situated at the villaf^e
of I""ermont, or Radnor l'"orf(^es, C'hamplain Co., Que. We were told that this iron was made from
the ho^ and lake ores of the Three Rivers'districf, celebrated in the history of the Canadian iron industry,
and that it had peculiar merits in strengthening' mixtures for car wheels and other hij^h class casting^s.
At that time we were using' largely "Selected Salisbury'" charcoal iron iinportcd at a very heavy cost
from the United States. We were loath to make any chang^e in our mixtures as we had always pur-
sued a most conservative course in the selection of iron entering" into our wheels, but we finally
decided to enter upon a series of careful tests with Three Rivers Canadian iron. Several trials proved
that it was an iron of undoubted merit, which if the ore and wood supplies of the district warranted,
could and should be made in large quantities, not alone to the ad\antag:e of the parties operating the
furnace, but to the advantage of every consumer of iron in Canada who required castings of special
quality, and certainly to the great gain of the Province and Dominion. We found the iron soft, tough,
clean, close in texture and v/ith lint chilling qualities — the higher grades admirably adapted for the
manufacture of chilled car wheels, the medium grades for castings requiring great strength, and the

lower j^rades soft enough for the finest stove work. To j;i\e some idea of the strenj;th shown in these
tests we ^ive the fi^Ilowinj; result of the experiments mude hy lis :

The basis of strenj^th on first class standard car wheel mixtures is expressed by a strenj^th of
50,000 pounds per square inch transverse stren^fth, obtained from a bar 1 ' x 12" the bar beinjj sup-
ported on the extreme ends. Hy the introduction of 33 of Three Rivers' iron inti> our car wheel
mixtures we were able to secure a strenjji'th of ()5,ooo pounds without dilViculty. It was impossible,
however, to procure any considerable or rej^ular supply of the iron, the capacity of the old Radnor
furnace beinj; very limited and its operation irregular.

We did not at that time think it possible to de\elopthe manufacture of any great c|uaiuity of this
special kind of iron, but we did prove to our satisfaction that with proper arrangements a consider-
able quantity, say 3,000 to 5,000 tons, could be tnade annually with every prospect of the maintenance
of this product for many years. Later work has developed the fact that this particular iron can be
made in very mvich larijer quantities, probably sufficient for any demand that may be made. The
reason for this will be stated later on.

The results obtained from the tests referred to led us to make a tho'-ough investigation with the
view of determining the extent of the ore deposits in the Three Rivers* district and vicinity, and to
find just what dependance could be placed upon the supply of wood for charcoal making. Our investi-
gations were satisfactory and in August, i8H(), we purchased the entire plant and lands of the company,
including the village of Fermc^nt or Radnor Forges, situated on the Piles Branch of the C. P. Railway,
a village of some sixty houses, with a population of 350 to 400 people. Also a large property at the
town of Grandes Piles, with lands on both sides of the St. Maurice River, giving us control of the great
water power of the Grandes Piles Falls. The River St. Maurice is navigable for 70 miles above Grandes
Piles, and drains, with its branches, a country some 200,000 square miles in extent. This country is

covered with the finest timber for charcoal malting and with invaluable beds of bog and natural ores.
The purchase also included the Three Rivers' property, situated on the St, Lawrence River, with
railroad and dockage facilities for future use. There was also purchased and leased a large amount
of other propertv for use in obtaining ores and other supplies needed for the manufacture of pig iron.
Further investigations were at once commenced in all directions looking to the supply of ore to be
depended on and about one year was spent in prosecuting this work, making leases ,''iid purchases to
secure the company in its further development. During this period the old furnace was operated with
such improvements as could be made upon it, for the purpose of ascertaining further by our own
practice the possibilities of the metal. In the meantime arrangements for the supply "'f ore, wood,
etc., had progressed to the point whe'e the erection of a new furnace of large capacity and improved
construction could be undertaken. In the early stages of the work it was contemplated to erect a
■ furnace of twenty to twenty-five tons capacity at Radnor Forges for the manufacture of this special
iron, but the possible supply of raw materials proved to be so much larger than anticipated that a
larger furnace was decided upon and plans were made for one of fifty tons daily capacity. A furnace
giving this product is quite a small affair compared with the great furnaces running on common ores
throughout the world, but it must be remembered that the product is of a special class and the
development of this particular work was of necesity conducted on moderate lines. .\s it is, a charcoa'
furnace running exclusively on bog ores, turning out fifty tons of metal per day, is a thing not to be
found elsewhere in the world, if my information on these matters is correct. As the operation of such
a furnace on the particular kind of ores referred to is a novelty in this day, some facts on the bog ore
supply, its distribution and characteristics, and of the metA made from them, will be of interest.

The manufacture of iron from bog ores has been carried on for many years in Sweden, and the
bar iron and steel made from it needs no comment or praise. Swedish bar iron is kno\vn the world

over, and Swedish pig is the base of nearly all the famous steels made in Kngland and other countries.
Of late years there has been a falling off in the quality of Swedish pig iron and Knglish makers have
in vain offered higher prices for the quality furnished them in the past. Reliable authorities ascribe
this deterioration to the gradual increase in the output of Swedish furnaces and to the introduction of
common ores to that end. Whether it is possible to found in Canada an industry that will produce
an iron equal to the old Swedish or not, is the question, and to this end a consideration of the supply
of bog ores is most pertinent.

Bog ores are found in nearly all countries to a greater or less extent, but they do not often exist
in quantities sufficient to make their working practical. .As stated, Swedish iron has been largely
made from them for many years, and no doubt the supply of the ores is growing limited in that
country. The quantity of bog ores that exists in Quebec is difficult to even estimate in definite
figures, but the investigations that have been made, and the very thorough ones that we have made,
prove its existence in immense quantities. All the bog ore used up to our working was taken from
the country immediately surrounding the furnaces, not exceeding a range of three or four miles from
the centre. We find it entirely practical to take ore over a range of 75 to 100 miles by establishing
depots for the accumulation of stocks from which shipments can be made by rail in large quantities.
In treating of the source, growth and quantitv of bog ore in Quebec it may be stated that the district to
which allusion will be made may roughlv be said to extend from north east of Quebec city to west
of Ottawa, a distance of, say, 400 miles long by 40 to 60 miles deep. Bog ore is found throughout a
much wider range however. The northern limit of this district is the Laurentide Range of Moun-
tains and throughout the whole of this range iron ore seems to exist, generally mixed with the rock.
The general formation is such that it favours strongly the naturr! forces, weather, etc., in the disin-
tegration, and its reduction by attrition. The latter produces principally the fine iron sand found not

onlyalong all the river beds, but in fact throughout the entire formation, sand or clay, of this and
adjacent counties, and to this attrition, without doubt, the immense iron sand deposits of Moisic and
the lower St. Lawrence aie due. Owing- to the presence of titanium -which exists more or less in all
Laurentian ore — this sand seems to possess the peculiar properties of resisting disintegration by
natural decay, to which many other ores seem liable.

Heds of hard bog ore are invariably found on hill sides above which swamps or marshes exist, or
in runs which lead to or from these swamps. Wherever this dark swamp water flows sluggishly, and
especially where swamp moss, fine grass or decayed vegetable matter exists, it will gradually form a
light film with every appearance of that caused by oil, which gradually becomes thicker and sinks to
the bottom in some quiet spot, where it takes a yellowish and slightly rusty tinge. This gradually
becomes thicker and when the water becomes lower in the dry summer, it becom.es denser and either
sinks lower to the firmer beds below the grass, or hardens and becomes bog ore. One very large
deposit of soft ore entirely filled a deep ravine leading from an immense swamp. This ravine was
being drained with a view of removing the ore for the purpose of making metallic paint. To all
appearance it was simply a dark muck, yet contained on analysis over 45 per cent, of oxide of iron.
As the^top became dry it caked and broke, the top crust showing as clean, black and brilliant a frac-
ture as the best hard bog ore. This proved that the immense beds of soft ore — known as paint ore —
known to exist throughout our swamps, will, when drained from natural or artificial causes, become
more perfect, dry up and take the form of hard bog ore beds. Some beds of ore when the top layer
was removed exposed a heavy bed of soft ore beneath. This being uncovered and exposed to the
action of the sun for a time became so hard that it required heavy work with a pick to remove it. In
the particular section alluded to many of the beds are soft on top and harder beneath, while others are
the reverse. This would plainly indicate that in midsummer the water in the small swamps become

so low that the ore deposited in the run-ways and during high water when the swamps overflow, had
time to harden. In some, apparently, the water when again high, overflowed the old hard ore and
deposited more ore on top, while in others it fouiid <ui exit by oozing out beneath and leaving an
additional deposit below.

The ground on which bog ore will, or has been formed, applies to all marshes or hill sides
between the mountain ranges and the river bottoms into which the water finally finds it way. Much
land on which ore is found is to-day comparatively dry, owing to drainage from natural or artificial
causes, but a glance at the surrounding country will show that the ground was once the natural
drain-way from higher lands. On such places as these the ore is, as a rule, massive and hard.

Once the foundation of a bed of ore is formed it seems to grow more rapidly, partly on account
of its affinity or power to draw the iron which is suspended in the water, as the following facts will
demonstrate : The Riviere au Lard, from which we obtain our water power, as well as water supply
for the furnace and boiler, etc., takes its rise in " Cirand Pie" or swamp, in the midst of which lies
Lac-a-la-Tortue. This water at all times is dark and rusty in appearance, and a piece of iron sus-
pended or allowed to lie in its bottom rapidly becomes heavily beaded to the depth of an eighth to a
quarter of an inch with a pure deposit of iron ore, and this without corroding the iron. Besides, ore
in this shape will accumulate in all our supply pipes in the same manner, no matter how rapid the
flow may be. This at one time was a source of considerable anxiety, but latterly, as the pipes
remained longer in use these deposits appear to attain a certain size and lose. their power of adhesion.
A blow from the hammer will liberate the heavier and clean the pipe fairly well.

Bog ore, as a rule, is found twelve to eighteen inches below the surface. This season, however,
we are getting ore at a depth of four feet six inches, and the beds are heavy, thick and good, appar-
ently of old formation. Ore has been raised from a depth ot eight feet in the "Grand Pie," and

although this immense swamp is covered with a soft, floating top, pockets of small-sized ore have
been found in paying quantities on the surface. These facts, taken in connection with the deposits of
so-called paint ore in this swamp, lead us to anticipate the discovery of large bodies of ore in the
bottom, explorations for which we intend to push during the coming season. Excavations to a depth
of ten, twelve and fifteen feet, in the immediate vicinity of Radnor, show as strong indications of
ore at the bottom as at the top.

LAC-A-LA-TORTUE.

This lies in the midst of an immense swamp, "Grand Pie," and to all appearance it is the last
remnant ot what, at one time, was a lake which included the entire surrounding swamp, but one
that probably was never very deep, hence its gradual filling in from natural causes. Besides three
small creeks flowing into the lake— very sluggishly — the water oozes in around the shores, which
are very low. Soft ore is found throughout the surrounding swamp, and in small patches, on the top
of what is apparently a floating beaver meadow, hard ore is found. The entire bottom of the lake is
more or less covered with ore, but the richest deposits are immediately opposite, or around the mouths
of the various creeks. In some places the ore is too heavy for our dredge, and an attack on it gener-
ally results in broken chains and buckets. The only portion of the lake thoroughly worked in the past
is Sturgeon Bay ; the principal creek enters this bay. Its extent at the widest part is not over 2,000
yards and length about ihe same. For thirty years this bay has been worked by hand and dredge, and
time and again declared to be worked out, and yet this season our dredge hardly stirred from it, and
made more than double the ore ever taken from it in one season before. This will give some idea of
the extreme richness and rapidity with which the ore is formed. It is hardly possible to estimate the
quantity of the ore in existence in this lake, as without doubt it is growing steadily. An experiment
was made one year ago(i8gi) in Sturgeon Bay. The dredge frame was allowed to work down into

the mud for six feet, at which depth it brought up a fine dark ore, not quite so hard as the surface,
and instead of flat cakes, like the latter, it was small and round, similar to gravel in size, but softer,
yet as fine an ore in every way. In other parts of the lake heavy massive veins exist several feet
thick, and this is the portion which our dredge finds it difficult to work. If necessary, dynamite will
have to be usad on this. Explorations for ore on the lake shore, where nothing but s;uid showed on
the surface, found heavy cakes o\er twelve inches below, showing that the old deposits may gradually
become covered up.

When we commenced operations we found that, according to popular opinion, even among our
best ore makers, and those most conversant with the business generally, there was not sufficient bog
ore left in the country to gi\e a constant supply to a ten ton furnace. Investigations developed the
facts that although furnaces have been working at Batiscan, St. Maurice and L'Islet, etc., since 1737,
they had drawn almost their entire supply of ore from the immediate vicinity. In no case did they
entirely exhaust the supply, except perhaps within a radius of three or four miles around the furnaces.
Then again these furnaces have not been worked steadily, hence steady employment which alone
would produce good explorers — could not be given, and, as a matter of fact, when wo commenced
operations we did not find a single employee or man who could give us good and reliable information
regarding ore fields generally, their knowledge being only of local beds and very superficial.

With regard to the wood supply, there is not a location on the American Continent that offers
greater inducements for the establishment of a large charcoal iron industry than does the district of
Three Ri\ers. It is not too much to say that the supply of wood suitable -for charcoal making, to be
had from the banks of the River St. Maurice, and the great territory to the north of that river, is suf-
ficient to keep a number of charcoal iron furnaces in fuel for the next century to come. The St.
Maurice is one of the largest tributaries of the St. Lawrence. It takes its rise on the borders of the

north-west territories, about 250 miles north-west of the city oi' Three Rivers, and from thence flows
throuijfh the Province of Quebec to the outlet at Three Rivers. The tributaries of the St. Maurice are :
Shawinigan, Matawan, Rat, Vermillion, Flammond, Ribbon, and Manoran from the west, and
Mekinak, Petite and (irand Bostonnais, Croche, Grande Pierriche, Tranche and Wyndigo from the
east, these rivers culminating in the St. Maurice, the whole draining a territory of upwards of 200,000
square miles. Throughout its entire course the banks of the St. Maurice river are quite thickly wooded
with just the class of wood necessary for the manufacture of the highest class of charcoal, viz.,
hard maples, beach, birch, iron wood and oak. This wood has been left practically untouched by the
lumbermen, who have been working on the river for years past, taking out pine and spruce. The
vast territory stretching to the north of the St. Maurice River offers a wide Held for the future supply-
ing of wood, and the same applies to the country which the Lower I.aurentian railway traverses.
Other new railway lines are projected from Three Rivers north, which will open up a new district rich
in timber. Altogether the fuel supply is beyond question.

Apart from the bog and lake ore deposits, vast mines of Titanic iron are known to exist in the
Laurentian range of mountains, and elsewhere in the Province of Quebec. At the present time these
ores cannot be utilized profitably, but science will sooner or later find a means of using these titanifer-
ous ores, not alone with economy, but also I believe with great benefit to the metal into which they
enter. The able article of Mr. Auguste J. Rossi, of New York City, read at this meeting, deals
exhaustively with the possibilities for the use of these ores, and the data secured by his investigations
should prove of the greatest interest to metallurgists.

BOG IRON ORES AND OCHRES OF THE REGION ABOUT THREE RIVERS, QUE.

By A. P. Lowe, B. Ap. Sc Geological Survey of Canada.

(Communicated by permission of the Director.)

In 1667 bog iron ore was first found in the neighborhood of Three Rivers, and the right to
work the deposits was granted in 1676. Little or no work was done towards mining or smelt-
ing them until 1733, when a company was formed and forges erected on the west side of the St.
Maurice, some eight miles above Three Rivers. In 1743 the forges passed to the Royal domain,
and were carried on for several years in the name of the King. Besides other extensive repairs,
a Walloon hearth was built, and over one hundred and eighty men were employed. At the ceces-
sion of Canada in 17(30, they passed, with other Crown property, to the English Government, and
were worked, under the military authorities, for five years, and then transferred to the civil gov-
ernment of Three Rivers. In 1767 they were leased for a term of sixteen years, at an annual
rental of }C>~S-

At the expiration of this term in 1783 the forges and lands pertaining to them were again
leased for another sixteen years for ;^i8 15s. annually. The property subsequently passed through
a number of hands, the rental rising to jC^S^ P^^ annum, until in 1H45, owing to the dissatisfac-
tion of settlers in the neighborhood, the forges were separated from the lands and sold at public
auction, the forges bringing ;£'5,575, while the fiefs St. Etienne and St. Maurice were sold for
;^4, 500 subsequently.

In 1861, owing to various reasons, the Government bought in the lands and resold them to the
numerous squatters already settled on them. The forges in 1863 became the property of John
MacDougall & Sons, and were successfully and profitably worked by them until 1883, when

operations ceased, as other furnaces had been erected at Radnor, where ore and fuel could more
easily be obtained. The ruins of an old forge may be seen on the east side of the Batiscan
River, at the head of navigation, near St. Genvievre. This forge has not been in operation since
(he beginning of the present century.

In the region about Three Rivers, where the bog iron ores and ochres under consideration
are found, the valley of the St. Lawrence River is from twenty to sixty miles broad, extending
from the Laurentian hills on the north to the highlands of the eastern townships on the south.
From the level of the river on both sides the country rises in a succession of steps and flat terraces,
cut out ol stratified clays and sands, that here fill up and cover all irregularities of the underlying
rocks, to a height of boo feet above the present level of the river. The otherwise almost level plain
is broken by narrow valleys cut by the rivers and small streams of the region. The clays almost
underlie the sands, which vary in thickness from a few inches to loo feet and over. These sands,
generally of a distinct yellow color, are charged with a considerable percentage of iron, and from
them are derived the numerous deposits of bog iron and ochre that are here found. <

The gneisses and basic granites of the archean area to the north of Three Rivers, contain a con-
siderable amount of iron in the form of magnetite or more commonly ilmenite or titaniferous iron
ore. It occurs generally in small grains, intimately associated with the other minerals of the rocks,
and its presence is so constant as to appear to be a constituent rather than an accessory mineral of
the rock. Often the ilmenite occurs in large segregated masses, which are sometimes so abundant
as to form the greater part of the rock mass. . .

Previous to the glacial poriod the surfaces of these rocks, exposed to the action of the weather,
must have been more or less decomposed. During the time of the glacier the ice moved down from
the highlands to the northward, and covered all the country far to the south of the St. Lawrenpe. In

its flow .southward the ice not only removed from the archean hills any decomposed material that may
have covered them, but rounded, jj^rooved and polished the rocks beneath, by the abrading action of
the material carried by the ice and pressure of its mass. The material removed by the glacier was
often reduced to a fine state, the quartz to sand, and the feldspars to clay. As a rule this material
was not transported far by the ice, being deposited in any place sheltered from the direct action
of the moving ice, as in valleys, or behind rocky hills, where the force of the glacier was brol:en.
At or towards the close of the glacial period the level of the country was about 600 feet lower
than at present, and the wide valley of the St. Lawrence was occupied by a deep arm of the sea.
Into this was poured the waters of the St. Maurice and other rivers, now falling into the St.
Lawrence.

Coming from the retreating foot of the glacier these rivers must have been greatly swollen by
the water from the melting ice, and with their great volume and strong currents removed much of
the finer drift material left by the glacier in the valleys drained by them, and deposited it again in
the quiet waters of this arm of the sea. The clay being most easily held in suspension, was
carried far out, and was deposited over the entire bottom of the valley, the sands being less
finely divided were thrown down along the margin of the old sea bottom.

As the land rose to its present height it remained at the level of each terrace long enough to
allow the waves to cut deep faces into the one above, and the sand thus cut down was carried farther
out by currents, until finally they nearly everywhere covered the lower clays. The grains of magnetite
and ilmenite in the glacial debris were carried along and deposited with the sand. It is to th(»
presence of these more or less decomposed grains that the prevailing yellow color of the sand is
due.

The present surface ot the greater part of this wide valley is sandy ; but, as before stated, the

■■■ ■45-

sands are everywhere underlaid by beds of stift* blue clay, impervious to water. As a consequence,
in many places where there is little or no slope, a slij^ht uplift of the clay alonj^ the front of the wide
terraces has rendered the drainage defective, and has formed vast swamps, while the lower portions
of the overlying sands have become charged with water. These swamps support a rank growth
of vegetable matter, their higher parts being covered with a thick forest, whose roots penetrate
deep into the sandy soil.

Decay goes on quickly in these swamps during the summer, and as a result of this decom-
position, quantities of organic acids are formed, which remain in solution in the waters of the
swamps. These waters coming in contact with the finely divided iron mixed with the sand, the
acids reduce the peroxyd to a soluble protoxyd, and it is brought to the surface either as a carbonate
of protoxyd, or, when organic matter is abundant, as a combination of protoxyd of iron, with some
of those organic matters which have received the names of crenic, geic, and humic acids. These
protosalts of iron absorbing oxygen from the air, the metal is rendered insoluble, and is precipitated
from the solution of the carbonate as a hydrated sesquioxyd, or, from the organic solution, as a com-
pound of this oxyd with the vegetable acid. The bog iron ores consist of variable mixtures of
hydrous sesquioxyd of iron with the organic compound, while the ochres are probably the organic
compound in a nearly pure state.

The bog iron ores occur in patches near the sirface of the sandy soil. These patches are from a
few square feet to several acres in extent, and from three to thirty inches in thickness. They are
always found in or near the borders of the swamps.

These deposits seem to be formed by the ferruginous solution from the swamps, percolating
through the adjacent sands, where, coming in contact with the air on the porous soil, the iron is
precipitated in the form of concretions about particles of sand. These concretions, covered by

successive layers of iron, continue to grow as long as the supply >.^i' ferruginous water is kept up.
In si/e they vary from that of small shot to masses several inches in diameter, and when large they
have the form of irregular rounded discs, that often show concentric rings of growth.

The region about Three Rivers was carefully examined by Sir William Logan in 1852, and a
number of the following localities are mentioned by him in the Geological Survey Report 1852-5 ^

Many of these deposits have since been worked, and now only afford moderate quantities ol' fine
grained newly formed ore. On the west side of the St. Maurice River, in the augmentation of the
township of Caxton, there is a deposit covering about one hundred acres, this locality was worked for
a number of years to supply the old St. Maurice forges and is now nearly exhausted. Northeast of
this locality, about four miles, there is a considerable swamp in the fourth range of the fief of St.
Etienne, it has an area of about 1,200 acres. Ore is found at uncertain intervals of space along the
northwestern border of the swamp, and it probably occurs in patches over the greater part of it.

About two miles and a half southeast from this locality, in the second range of St. Ktienne, bog
ore is met with in patches over a surface from thirty to forty acres. The thickness of the mineral
patches in this ground appears to range from six to nine inches. Further south, in the seigniory of
Fointe-du-Lac, there are several localities from which large quantities of ore were once taken but they
are now nearly exhausted.

To the east of the St. Maurice River, and between it and the Ba>iscan River, are several localities
abounding in this mineral. Near the banks of the St. Maurice, about a mile and a half below Pointe-
a-la-Hache, there are indications of ore.

To the northeast of this, at a distance of six miles, is a triangular area lying in the St. Felix and
Ste. Marguerite ranges, partly in the seigniory of Cap-de-la-Madeline and partly in that of Champlain.
Its superfices extends over about six square miles, it has a uniform level about two hundred feet

above that of the St. I.awrence. Throug-hout this neighborhood areas from one-sixteenth to three-
quarters of an acre are more or less t)ccupied with patches of ore, from two to four and occasionally
six parys across, and from six to ten inches thick.

In the seifjniory of Champlain a considerable field of the ore exists on the south side of the
Champlain River. It has a breadth of twelve to eighteen acres and its superfi.ces is about i.ioo
square acres. There is another band northwest of it, and separated from it about ten acres, this band
has an area of about sevoiity-five square acres.

The ore, as in other instances, is found in these bands in numerous patches, the thickness of which
varies from throe inches to a foot. From that part oi' the band which lies in the vicinity of the river
A- i-Lime the old forges on the Batiscan River were supplied with ore. On the eastern side of the
Batiscan River, bog ore is found on the River Veilette, upwards of a mile and a half from the bend in
the Batiscan, below the old forges. It occurs in several patches, one oi' which extends over a third
of an acre, with a thickness of from three to six inches and sometimes a foot. A mile and a half
beyond, on the road to St. Prosper, it is found not far from the boundary between the seigniories of
Batiscan and St. Anne-de-la-Perade, here the patches are small and the thickness dotis not exceed
three or four inches.

In the seigniory of St. Anne-de-la-Perade indications of ore are met with on the so'Uthwest side of
the road which turns up from the St. Anne River and runs parallel with the Charest^ but the patches
jdo not seem to be numerous, the thickness is from three to four inches.

Lac-a-la-Tortue is situated in the southern part of Radnor, about one mile beyond the north line of
the seigniory of Champlain and two miles from the St. Maurice River. The lake is about three miles
long from northeast to southwest and has an average breadth of about one mile. It occupies thp low-
est depression of a great swamp called Grand Pie, that extends north and south from the lake. At

its centre the water is under twenty feet deep, and slunils ^'radiially to tlic shore, liy removinf,^ an
obstruction at the discharj^e the water has hi.cn lowered some six or oi^Hu feet, and a wide marj^in of
its bed has been exposed on all sides.

The lake is fed by a number of small streams flowiii}^'- from the surroundinif swamp, these are
highly charjjced with salts of iron, j^'^ivinj,'- the water o\' the lake a very ferruginous taste ami colorinjjf it
a rusty yellow. The ore is found in the form of concretions scattered ilirou;,'li the sott i;reonisl) mud,
for several feet belo.v the surface of the bottom. It appears to be formed by the precipitation oi' the
protosalts in solution, which take up oxyjjen from ihe surface and becoming insoluble, sink to the
bo' torn, where they collect about various particles of foreign matter .lul form flat porous concretions
of various sizes, the largest being often six or eight inches in diameter, by o\cv an inch in thickness,
and show distinct rings of growth.

The growth of the ore in the lake bottom is quite rapid, it having been found that paying quanti-
ties of ore can be obtained Irom areas completely exhausted some eight or ten years ago.

Work is carried on by hand in the shallow portions along shore, and in the areas left bare by the
lowering of the level of the water. The operation consists in shovelling the mud containing the ore
into iron sieves of about thirty inches in diameter, where the ore is washed free from mud and then
made into convenient heaps for removal. In the deeper parts of the lake the ore is raised by a dredge
with three rows of iron buckets on an endless chain. This dredge is capable of working to a depth of
twelve feet, and brings up the ore mixed with soft mud ; this is dumped into a long cylindrical sieve,
placed on an incline so as to discharge on to scows moored alongside.

Along the axis of the sieve are arranged a number of jets of water, which as the sieve rotates,
wash away the mud and allow the clean ore to fall out at the lower end on to the scows. The loaded

scows are towed to the west end of the lake where the Pilles Branch Railway passes close to the
water, and from there loaded cars are run direct to the furnace at Radnor.

During the past season large deposits of mas^iv•e ore were discovered in the bottom of the lake
which are claimed to be two feet and upwards in thickness, and although work has been carried on
here for more than thirty years, the supply of ore last season was much greater than in any former
one. The ore was formerly supposed to lie in the mud within a foot or so of the bottom, but this
year paying quantities were found in the underlying sands to a depth of six feet, the limit to which the
dredge would work. From this it will be seen that the supply of ore in Lac a-la-Tortue is far from
exhausted.

On the south side of the St. Lawrence — opposite Three Rivers, in the second, third and fourth
ranges of Gentilly, the Canada Iron Furnace Company have discovered and are working a number of
remarkably rich beds of ore. These are generally found along the faces of the terraces. The largest
bed is about ten acres long by half an acre wide. Work here has been carried on to the depth of
four feet without reaching the bottom of the bed, which will reach five or six feet in places. The ore
on top is fine, but towards the bottom it becomes heavy and massive and has to be broken out by
picks.

Medium sized patches of ore have been found extending over an area of six square miles in this
locality and no doubt many others will be found in the neighborhood.

Work has also been carried on by this company in the fourth range of Kildare, County of Joli-
ette, where one patch is three acres long by half an acre wide, with an average thickness of twelve
inches, all of fine rich ore. There is a band here that is said to have been traced for a distance of
seven miles.

It will thus be seen that although iron has been mined and smelted in the vicinity of Three Rivers

for a period of one hundred and sevonly years, there yet remains considerable quantities of ore in
the deposits first worked and that new beds of great extent continue to be found containing sufliclent
ore to supply the larger and newer furnaces for probably as long a time to come.

Ochre.

The ochres are found along the courses of small streams flowing from swamps, or in the old
beds of small shallow lakes. Near the surface tlie ochre is generally yellowish-brown, becoming
reddish in the parts most exposed to air and light. At a short distance below the surface, however,
the color is greenish, and when recently exposed is greenish-white, indicating a compound ot pro-
toxyd of iron, which grows yellowish from peroxydation as the mass dries.

The water that oozes from the ochre is at first colorless, transparent and ferruginous in taste,
but, by exposure to the air, soon lets fall a reddish-brown precipitate of ochre and becomes taste-
less. As the precipitate is buried by subsequent accumulations of the ochre, it is again reduced to a
protoxyd, either by the reaction of the organic matter which it contains, or by that derived from the
decaying roots and trees which are generally abundant in the deposits, and it thus assumes the
greenish color already noted.

In some of the deposits there are layers of a brownish-black color, due probably to the presence
of maganese ; and in some places the whole deposit is made up ot this dark colored ochre.

Indications of ochre are seen along with most of the deposits of bog ore, but it also occurs with-
out the presence of the latter, and often in great masses.

The principal deposits in the region under consideration occur on both sides of the St. Maurice
River.

A very large ochre bed is situated on the St. Nicholas range of Pointe du Lac. It is crossed by
the range road, running north-westward over a mile from the point where this road starts from the

. -51

river side road. The deposit extends on each side of the road about a cjuarter of a mile to the south-
west and a mile to the north-east, the breadth is irreguhir, and varies from fifly to eight hundred
yards, and the whole area may be about four hundred acres. The thickness of the deposit ranges
from six inches to four feet, and may have an average of about eighteen inches. The prevailing
colors of the ochre are red and yellow, with bands of a purple tinge, and others of a blackish-brown.
Farther to the northwest, on the road of the same range, patches ot ochre occur in considerable
abundance for upwards of a mile ; but are not so pure or thick as the great one just described.

.'Xbout a mile and a half below the old St. Maurice forges, but on the opposite side of the river, a
patch of ochre is found associated with the bog ore there. It has an area of about 200 square yards,
iuid is from three to six inches thick, and of exceptional quality.

On the north-west side of that part of the road through the St. Marguerite range, which runs
south-west of the River-au-Lard, small patches of yellow and brown ochres are met with for a distance
of six miles. They all contain more or less sand, and rarely exceed four inches in thickness.

In the St. Malo range of the seigniory of Cap de la Madeleine a great deposit of ochres occurs
opposite to the end of the road which turns up from the margin of the St. Lawrence, about two
miles below the Cap de la Madeleine Church. The locality is about half a mile from the front of the
St. Malo range, and about a quarter oi' a mile north of the C. P. Railway. Its breadth on a line con-
tinued from the road is about six hundred yards, and it extends rather more to the north-east than to
the south-west, with a total length of about two miles, and the area is thus upwards of six hundred
acres.

Two openings on adjoining lots are worked by the St. Maurice Paint Company and the Johnston
Paint Company.

The former company have the mining right extending over twenty-one lots. .At their present

opening the deposit is about live hundred feet wide, and varies from one to twenty feet in thickness,
with beds of peat inters! ratified with the ochre. Small patches of bojj ore rest on top and the ochre is
of a dark yellow, for from three inches to two feet below the surface ; beneath this the color is a
light green, and many stems and roots are present. In places the bands are of a purplish black color,
due probably to the presence of maganese.

At the openings of the Johnston Paint Company there is about eighteen inches of peaty matter
covering the ore, which is of a light green color, and is worked to a depth of six feet. At both places
the ore is burnt on the spot, and thirteen shades of red and brown are produced.

On lot fourteen, in the second range of Radnor, and about half a mile west of St. Tite Junc-
tion, large deposits of ochre are worked by the Radnor Paint Company. The ochre is found in two
gullevs, which join and descend to the St. Maurice.

The deposit has been proved for a distance of half a mile, and is from 50 to 150 yards wide, and
in places fifteen feet thick. The prevailing colors are brownish or purplisli black, due probably to
manganese.

Ovl

GRANDES PILES.

THE COMPOSITION OF THK BOG AND LAKK ORHS USKI) AT RADNOR KORGKS.

AND OF THK IRON PRODUCKD THKRF:FR0M.

Bv J. T. DoNAi.D, M. A.,

!'rofcssnr nf ("luniisti), Medical l^'aculty of Hishop's College, Moiilical ; ConMilliiii,' Clicinisl to llu-

Canatla liuii Furnace Co , Ltd., iVc, iVc.

The principul ores used at Radnor are the Boy and Lake ores of the district, ores which are
smelted with fjreat ease on account of their porous nature and their associated orj^anic matter.

The source of these ores, in a g-eneral way, may be said to be the area drained by the St. Maurice
and its tributaries, It is well known that water containing organic acids (formed from decaving
vegetable matter) takes up in solution more or less of the iron of the rocks over which it flows. When
such ferruginous vi'ater reaches low swampy regions the iron is gradually deposited as hydrated per-
' oxide. Deposits of bog ores are the sites of former low-lying areas which si>rved as precipitating
basins for the iron collected from the adjoining highlands and carried down by the streams. The
same process o/ solution and precipitation is going on to-day and must continue as long as there
is iron in the rocks traversed by water containing vegetable acids.

As pointed out by the writers of other papers, bearing on this subject, these ores have been known
and worked for many years and occur in deposits of various size extending- over a wide area of
country. As a consequence of these two circumstances, many analyses have have been published,
and these show that tlie ores have a wide range in composition and this is well shown in the quantities
of phosphorus and manganese occurring in different bodies of the ore. Dr. Harrington, of Mctiill
College, some time ago informed the writer that in certain of these ores he had found not more than
a faint trace of phosphorus. On the other hand I have, in one sample, an extreme case, found as much

. .-. 55

as nine-tenths of one per cent, of this element. It is much the same in the case of manj'i'anese. In
the Report of the (leological Survey for the year 1863, there is given the analysis of a certain ore
"exploited for the St, Maurice Forges," and in it this element is found in traces only. In some samples
recently analysed I have found no less than 22*82 / of manganese. There is nothing very remark-
able in this variation in composition. The same is seen elsewhere, for instance, in Nova Scotia, the
great iron area of P2astorn Canada. A judicious selection is all that is required in order to obtain from
the deposits of the Three Rivers' district ore that will yield iron of excellent quality. Column I. in the
subjoined table is my analysis of a sample representing a large quantity of bog ore selected from
various points for the Radnor furnace in December, i8go.

A portion of the ore used at Radnor is known as " Lake Ore." This ore is found on the bottom
of Lac-a-la-Tortue, and until the recent discovery of similar deposits in Lac au Sables was the only
known extensive deposit in this province, if not in the Dominion. Such lake ores are quite common in
Norway, Sweden and Finland. The Lac-a-la-Torlue ore is very similar to the the neighboring bog
ores and yet differs from them in certain respects. The former shows concretionary structure to a
much greater extent, and curiously enough, analysis shows that in many cases the lake ores contain
less water than the bog ores.

Column 11. in the table is my analysis made in December, 1890, of a sample representing a large
quantity of Lac-a-la-Tortue ore. Column 111. is the analysis of an ore from the same lake made by
Prof. Carlyle, of McGill College.* Column IV. is an analysis of a lake ore from Flaten Wermland,
Sweden, by Svanberg, as cited in Phillips' Metallurgy.

* C'anadi.iii Record of .Science, \'i>l. III., No. i, ]). 43.

Composition of Ikon Ore.

II.

III.

IV,

l''erric oxide

I'errous oxide

Manganic o\i(lc

Alumina

Lime

Magnesia

I'hosphoric anhydri-lc
Sulphuric anhydride. .

Silica

Loss on ignition ....

60 74

Metallic iron.
l*hf)s])hf)rus. .
Sulphur

i.iS
2-59
3-47
0.9.?
o.6(j
o. 19

M 94
16.49

70.04

69.64

0.72

2.99

2 43

0.60

0.47

0.09

8.17

15.00

^'7

100.28

49.03

0331
U.093

100. II

49 31
0.205

0.036

.S'>

•4=;

.iS

•47

•23

081

The paper which Mr. Griffin has read has dealt hirgely with the iron produced at Radnor. It
will suffice for me to cite the followin|.j analysis of Radnor iron to show the nature of the metal in so
far as the influence of the ore is concerned. The sample analyzed was of grade No.' 1 ' .., and the
analysis was made by me in May, 1892.

i Analysis 01 R.aiinor Ikon No i 't^.

Iron 93.52

Carbon .701

Craphile. ., ... ... .... . . . ..... 3 256

Silicon 1 . 269

Suli)hur j^,,t,. 0406

l'hosi)horus 6532

Manganese -557

99.9968

Translalcd from the I'lfinh ol M. I/Alilic Caron, of Thrci- Rivers, hv C. A. |)t( los, 15.A.. li.C. I,.

Several interesting" legends cluster about the Old Forge at St. Maurice. The origin of most of
which are found in a dispute which arose between Mr. Bell, the proprietor of the Forge, and Miss
Poulin, of Three Rivers. Miss Pouiin was the owner of land covered with fine maples, and Mr.
Bell continued to cut these maples for charcoal. She naturally resisted this invasion and several
lawsuits between the parties were the consequence, in which Miss Poulin appears to have been
usually worsted. She was not among the most devout, and being finally exasperated beyond en-
durance declared that since she could not enjoy her own property she would give the whole of it to the
devil. And on her death-bed refused to make a will, still declaring that she instituted his satanic
majesty her universal legatee, adding, that she hoped that the thieves who robbed her during her
lifetime, would not enjoy their stolen property in peace.

The devil seems to have taken this donation seriously, and from the moment of Miss Poulin's
death, took possession as owner not only of her property but even of the Forge itself.

Amoii}^ the many legends which this supernatural possession yfave rise to, the tollowinj^ may he
cited as of special interest ;

livery day a mysterious stranger, whose features could not he ilistitiguished, who neither spoke
nor answered when spoken to, of doubtful color, was seen walking about i lie Korgewiih paper and
pencil, apparently t;iking note of all that was going on. Leading to the l'"orge was a long road,
called " La Vente-au-diable," as it is still called. This was precisely on the property bequeathed to
the devil, and it was there that the most splendid manifestations of his presence took place. At night
a large fire could be seen with a great number of persons around it, the noise of chains, bowlings,
cries of rage and noisy laughter filled the air, and the belated traveller trembled in his shoes ;is he
heard horrible blasphemy and insults hurled at him.

In some instances the devil chose to appear less ofl'ensive and to take delight in amusing the
peasants. On Sunday, on one of the coldest days of January, the people of the Forge returning
from mass were astonished to perceive a man in his shirt-sleeves, bare-headed, quietly shaving him-
self in front of a little glass suspended from the bark of a tree. The scene was too funny for fear,
but none of the good people doubted but that this was a frolic of their enemy.

Nearly all those who passed along this road experienced some mishap. Cienerally, the horses
would suddenly stop, and nothing would induce them to start. It was terrible to be thus caught right
in the devil's own quarters. There was, however, one infallible means to make the horses
start ; the bridles were turned upside down and immediately the horses started at full gallop.

You would laugh, said Pere Louison, the narrator of these remarkable events, but the thing has
been told to me hundreds of times. You see, said he, many strange things have happened upon this
road. Why, even at the h'orge itself, the devil seems to have taken complete possession. Here he
took a new shape. Every evening, a big black cat used to come and lie at the door of the furnace, at

the place where no human beiri};- could exist one minute, so ^reat was the heat, but there lay the cat,
hour after hour, its paws rostinj; upon the door. Nothinjj could induce it to move. Some workmen
would attempt to strike it with an iron bar, immediately the cat's fur became ruffled, and the cat itself
grew to extraordinary proportions, until tear drove the men away, and left our feline friend in undis-
turbed possession. When leaving-, it generally entered the furnace and disappeared among the
flames.

The worthy clergx of the parish were not slow to turn even these legends to advantage and for
the better instruction of their parishioners, and to them may be probably due the following one : —

The carters were in the habit, — at least the majority of them, — of getting a load of charcoal on
Sunday morning, on the pretense that it was necessary to keep the furnace going during the day.
One Sunday, at sunrise, several carters were on their way to get their loads as usual, when at the top
of the hill they met someone already returning with his load. This man was seated on the front ot
his wagon, but his hat was drawn so far over his eyes, that no one could see his face. The carters
began to insult him. '* You must have got up early this morning? I believe you were up all night?
Who are you anyway ?" The dark carter did not answer, but when he had arrived at the brow of
the hill, instead of turning to enter the village he kept straight on and disappeared over the precipice.
The carters took this vision for a warning, and ever since they hurried more on Saturday and never
were obliged to work on Sunday morning, -so that the devil even may preach a good sermon.

This last legend is more intimately connected with Miss Poulin : She was very rich and had large
sums of money kept in a strong box. In order that no one might get it she had caused this box to be
buried in the Piniere, and afterwards threw the keys in the brook. She died, as has been stated,
bequeathing her properly to the devil. Nevertheless, after her death, the man who had buried the
ctiest thought he might as well share the inheritance. He sought for the chest, but behold, it was

S„„c, neither couU, ,1,0 keys he ,ou„a, .Uho„«h .here is no. a. any .Ime more .h„n six inches of wa,er
in the brook of the Pinicre. ,r^„.,:,. ,..;ih h diviiiiiiL' rod they suc-cecd in

„„.:r;t: =':::!:: t: r r :ret:r i:;:::^! u. . ^osi.io a

'^^ r xr :::^;:ir ::rir;-shon,a .... .o,. .,. .nay ... —----:;:;
:^:;:;.::r t ';::r;-;rrr".:^n ::i:::: :;: irt';:,r ,in.e .,.,.i„. „. ,he„.. .„ey

cannot be found.

' ,y: •'

SHAWENAG.W lAI.I.S.

♦>-^

To the traveller wearieJ with treacling the old and well-beaten paths which so many have trod
before him, there is something peculiarly attractive about the scenery of the Laurentides. Here
everything is almost as it was when the first Jesuit missionary penetrated the wilds of the St. Maurice
two hundred and fifty years ago, and nature yet reigns supreme. Here the stately moose still lingers,
the' in sadly diminished numbers, while the shy woodland Caribou is everywhere found in abundance.
The Speckled Trout (Sa/tno fontinalis) swarms in nearly every lake and stream of that region and
specimens weighing upwards of five pounds have not infrequently been caught by the skilful angler.
No doubt the plentiful supply offish and game still to be found in the Laurentides is largely due to the
protection afforded by the different fish and game clubs which lease from the Provincial Government
the sporting privileges of this vicinity. The most prominent organizations are the " I.aurentian,"
which has for its president Mr. Frederick Stancliffe, of Montreal, and the " St. iMaurice," which is
presided over by Dr. W. H. Drummond, also of Montreal. The aggregate strength of these two
clubs is three hundred and fifty members, but strange as it may seem, the-y are principally composed
of American citizens, as for some occult reason ditticu't to divine- Canadians have always been

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lamentably blind to the beauties of their own fair heritage, and it is but fair to admit that but for
these same Americans — mostly men of culture and refinement neither of the above mentioned clubs
would be in existence to-day.

On the St. Maurice river, between Three Rivers and Grandes Piles, are the Shavvenagan and (Irand
Mere Falls. The Shawenagan, seen at any season of the year, is "a sight, once witnessed,
for ever remembered." From Three Rivers, or Radnor Forges, the visitor can drive over a good road
to the falls and return the same day. Every approach to the cataract is through the forest primeval,
and save for the modest but comfortable little stopping place, situated on a point just overlooking the
falls, there is nothing whatever modern in the surroundings of what might properly be termed the Queen
of Canadian Waterfalls. Niagara is awful, sublime, in its immensity. Shawenagan is all this ; but
Shawenagan has also beauties of its own, which even Niagara does not possess, and when one contrasts
all the cheap tawdry and tinsel decorations so common in the \ icinity of the fashionable Mecjas of the
present day with the natural unadorned loveliness of Shawenagan, one cannot help feeling thankful that
it is as yet too far removed from the beaten track to attract to its shrine aught but the most devoted
worshipper of nature.

The fall is separated into two distinct parts by a well-wooded island in the centre. The tempo-
rarily divided streams unite at the foot of the island, and the " meeting of the waters '" is very diflerent
to that which takes place in the Vale of Avoc; Like restless thoroughb/eds the currents champ and
fret, until finally they run away altogether. I>». wn the slope i6o feet, and at every conceivable angle,
the resistless waters pour. Converted into a thousand different shapes the spray rises up in huge

smoke-like masses until at last it gradually dissipates into thin air. —

From both sides of the river, and from every vantage point, the scene is one of wild and unsurpassed

beauty. Not infrequently a perfect rainbow arches the falls from shore to shore, and as the varying

ST. ELIK, HEADQUARTERS OK THE WINCHESTER CLUB.

LAKE WAYAC.AMACK, ST. MAIKICK ». I.IH.

ijLists ot" wind and spray niinj^le loj^ellier the kaleidiscopic character oi' the Arc cii Cu/ can belter be
imajj^ined than described. Through the narnnv and rocky gorge below the turbulent waters pour
with arrowy speed until after a long series of twistings and turnings they resume the " even tenor of
their way," and journey on to meet their sister stream at Three Rivers.

The Falls of the Grande M»^re, some distance above Shawenegan, are only fifty feet in height,
but are also well worthy of a visit. Higher up the St. Maurice, and at the beginning of the navigable
portion of the river, is situated the village of Cirandes Piles. To the writer Grandes Piles is strongly
suggestive of pictures he has seen of Harper's Ferry, Virginia. Here we are at the very gateway of
the Liiurentians proper. Huge rocks rise up on every side and the only possible passage-way is by
the river, which runs a serpentine course from La Tuque to Cirandes Piles, a distance of seventy miles.
It is not too much to say that the l^pper St. Maurice holds very high rank as a picturesque and beau-
tiful river, and no less an authority than Mr. Lucius O'Brien, president of the Royal Canadian Academy,
gives as his opinion that the St. Maurice surpasses the Rhine in everything save " song and story."

The country back of the river abounds in lakes ot various dimensions, over one hundred of which
are leased by the St. Maurice Fish and Game Club. The largest of these lakes being the Wayaga-
mack which is fifty miles in circumference. Beyond the territory of the Wayagamack lies the country
of the Tete Boule and Abenaki Indians, and here the Hudson Bay Company has had stations and
trading posts for upwards of a century and a half. The Indians of this vicinity are a remarkably
harmless and inoflensive people and depend almost entirely for subsistence upon the product of the
chase. Living the simple lives of their forefathers and uncontaminated by the civilization of modern
times, the Tete Boules and Abenakis have not decreased in numbers to any appreciable extent ;
they still remain in most respects " untutored children of the forest," and if they only respect the
sanctity of the game laws, long may they increase and prosper.''

70 W. H. Dkimmond.

MEMOfSIES

O spirit of the mountain that speaks to us to-ni^ht,

Vour voice is sad, yet still recalls past visions of delight,

When 'mid the y^rand old Laurentides, old when the earth was new,.

With flying feet we followed the moose and Caribou.

And backward rush sweet memories, like frag-ments of a dream.
We hear the dip of paddle blades, the ripple of the stream.
The mad, mad rush of frightened winys from brake and covert start,
The breathing- of the woodland, the throb of nature's heart.

Once more beneath our eager feet the forest carpet springs.
We march thro' gloomy valleys where the \ esper sparrow sings.
The little minstrel heeds us not, nor stays his plaintive song, _

As with our brave roiimirs ih- bois we swiftly pass along.

.•\i;ain o'er dark \\'ayiij;am.u k in bark canoe we i^Iitle,

And watch the shades of evening- glance alonj; the niountain side.

Anon we hear resounding tlie wizard loon's wild cry,

And mark the distant peak wliereon the ling'ring echoes die.

But spirit of the Northland ! let the winter breezes blow,
And cover every gfiant crag with rifts o( driving^ snow.
Freeze every leaping torrent, bind all the crystal lakes,
Tell us of fiercer pleasures when the Storm King awaWes.

And now the vision chang;es, tiie winds are loud and shrill.
The falling flakes are shrouding' the mountain and the hill,
But safe within our snug ciibdne with comrades gathered near,
We set the rafters ring'ing' with " Ron/an f and "• Briju^adivr."

Then after Pierte and Phileromv have danced " Lc Caribou "
Some hardy trapper tells a tale of the dreaded Loup Garou,
Or phantom bark in moonlit heavens, with prow turned to the luist.
Bringing- the Western voyageurs to join the Christmas feast.

And while each backwoods troubadour is greeted with huzza.

Slowly the homely incense of /r//wr <v///r/r<v/

Rises and sheds its perfumes like flowers of Araby,

O'er all the true-born loval linfaufs i/c In Pufric.

AikI tlnis with son^ and story, with laiijjfh and jest and shout,
We heed not dropping,' mercury nor storms that raj^e without,
But pile the hu},'e \ogs hijjher till the chimney roars vvitii f,Hee,
And banish spectral visions with /ti chnnsoii Xonnaiuiiv,

" Hri^^adier rcpondit Pandore
Hrij^adier vous avez raison,
Brij,^adier r^pondit Pandore
Brigadier vous avez raison."

O spirit o'i the mountain ! that iipeaks to us to-ni^^iit,

Return again and bring us new dreams of past delight,

And while our heart-throbs linger, and till our pulses cease,

We'll worship thee among the hills where flows the Sainf-Mcuincc

W . \\. DlUMMOM).

I'.iili-ii-il .\ I, till! nit: III Ail 11/ l\iiliawivl, ni lln- ii(/itr nf llir Miiiislfi n/ Afiiii .illim-, ( ,111,11/11,
/'V l/ir C\iii,l,/tl /mil I'liriutir Ciini/>,iiiy, 1.1,1

Tilt Siibiston I.illio. iS: ruljlishiiig Co., Designers ami rriiitcis.