The
Atlantic Iron Works
began in 1867, under the management and proprietorship of Alexander,
Ashton & Co. When first started they consisted of four boiling
furnaces, one heating furnace and eighteen nail machines, with a
capacity of eight tons of muck bar iron per day. In 1868 P.
L. Kimberly bought an interest and the firm was known as Kimberly,
Ashton & Co. Various improvements were
made up to February 21, 1871, when Col. James
Carnes bought Ashton’s interest. The firm name then was Kimberly,
Carnes & Co., and so continued for more
than ten years, when Carnes sold his interest to Kimberly and retired
from the business. The firm name has been continued to the present day
[1888] as P. L. Kimberly & Co., the
individual partners being P. L. Kimberly, T. M.
Sweeney, E. Roberts, R. F. Wolfkill and William
Roberts.
In 1869 Samuel
Kimberly & Co. built near the rolling-mill the Keel Ridge
blast furnace, which has the capacity of producing thirty-five tons of
pig iron daily. This firm was known under the designation of the Keel
Ridge Iron Company. In 1873 the firm of Kimberly,
Carnes & Co. bought this furnace and
added it to their mill, and it is yet operated in connection therewith.
The Atlantic Works have thirty-two puddling furnaces, eight heating
furnaces, six trains of rolls and forty nail machines. They use natural
gas for fuel, and produce bar, plate, hoop and rod inn, and nails.
History
of Mercer County,
1888, page 196
