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MILLS
AND MANUFACTURING THE COLUMBIA FURNACE, located in Columbia street was built in 1814, and was first put in blast by Timothy Kellogg, and -----Briggs. Then, and for many years thereafter, it was the only foundry on the river between New York and Albany. Its business was the manufacture of stoves and agricultural castings; and the business of a machine-shop seems to have been connected with it, to some extent, from the first, for in 1815, Messrs. Kellog & Briggs advertised the manufacture of fanning-mills. In 1816 it was advertised as the "Hudson Air Furnace," and carried on by John Adams, as agent. Afterwards it passed into the hands of Starbuck & Gifford, then to Elihu Gifford. The business has since that time been carried on by different members of the family, and is now known as THE HUDSON FOUNDRY AND MACHINE SHOP under the proprietorship of Gifford Brothers, at 31 Columbia street. The works cover about three acres of ground, and are supplied with all the fixtures and equipment usually found in similar establishments. The manufacture agricultural implements, steam-engines, and machinery in general. The Capron turbine water-wheel is also a specialty of their manufacture. THE HUDSON IRON COMPANY was organized in 1848, under the general manufacturers' law, as a stock company, with $175,000 capital, which, at different times, has been increased until it now amounts to $375,375. The works were originally designed by Charles C. Alger. The first trustees were Alexander C. Mitchell, Elihu Gifford, Charles C. Alger, Charles McArthur, and Samuel Green, and at their first meeting Alexander C. Mitchell was elected president; Sidney Seymour, secretary and treasurer. The works were commenced in 1850, and finished in 1851, the first blast being put on November 28 of the latter year. The buildings altogether cover about two acres of ground, and are conveniently located on the river, near the tracks of the New York Central and Hudson River railroad, affording excellent shipping facilities by rail or boat. The company erected two stacks or furnaces, each fifteen feet in diameter at the boshes, and forty-seven feet high, the blast being furnished by a vertical condensing steam-engine of nearly four hundred horse-power. One hundred men are employed about the works, and 45,000 tons of ore, 35,000 tons of anthracite coal, and 12,000 tons of limestone are annually consumed, producing 22,000 tons of pig-iron. The company own an extensive and valuable ore-bed, located at West Stockbridge, Mass., called the "C. Lee Ore-bed," from which they obtain the hematite ore use at their works. The magnetic ore used is brought from Lake Champlain. In the construction of these works the furnaces were originally set upon piles in the South Bay. The company purchased about ninety acres of the bay, and, by filling in with the débris and cinders from the furnaces, have reclaimed some ten or twelve acres, on which other manufactories have since been erected. The president of the company for several years past, and at the present time, is Jacob W. Hoysradt, who has also been the general agent since 1864. The secretary and treasurer is Sidney Seymour, who has held those offices continuously since the organization,--a period of twenty-nine years. Page 1 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6
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