HISTORICAL. 11 



H. P. Perry, Josiah D. Perry, and others were the charter members, ap- 

 proved March 5, 1863. 



Under this incorporation the Nash furnace was continued in operation, and 

 pig'iron and castings were manufactured at it. 



This same session of the Legislature passed a general law offering as an 

 inducement to manufactories a section of land for each one thousand dollars 

 invested in the erection of such manufactories. The Sulphur Fork furnace 

 was the first to take advantage of this law. 



SULPHUR FORK IRON COMPANY. 



This company was incorporated under an act of the Legislature entitled 

 "An Act to incorporate the Sulphur Fork Iron Company," approved De- 

 cember 4, 1863. 



On June 1 5 the company was organized with nineteen stockholders. The 

 shares were valued at one thousand dollars each, and among the stockholders 

 was the State of Louisiana, which owned fifty-two shares. 



The furnace was built of brick and was thirty-four feet square and thirty- 

 six feet high. In addition to the furnace stack, the entire plant was of sub- 

 stantial construction, and consisted of large coal shed, engine room, molding 

 room, steam saw and grist mill, machine shop, and necessary dwellings, etc., 

 for operatives. This furnace was located on Horton's headright, just west of 

 Springdale 



The daily capacity of the stack was eight tons, and the articles manufac- 

 tured were pig iron and hollow ware. These works continued in operation 

 until the first of April, 1865, when they stopped running. 



The value of this plant, as determined by a commission appointed for the 

 purpose of determining how many sections of land were due them under 

 the law mentioned above, was $97,500. 



HUGHES FURNACE. 



The erection of this furnace was begun in 1859, but the manufacture of 

 iron was not undertaken until two years later. It was located about one and 

 a half miles southeast of Hughes Springs, in the southwestern portion of 

 Cass County. From the best information now obtainable it had a capacity 

 of twenty tons daily. 



Mr. Hughes built the furnace, but never operated it, as the Confederate 

 Government took charge of it soon after its erection, under the invitation 

 extended them by the State of Texas. Under government management a 

 very large amount of pig iron and castings were manufactured, and at the 

 close of the war the furnace was continued in operation for a short time by 

 the Federal authorities. 



