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Article ID: CBB113832219

"I trust there will be no failure...": The Importance of Bricks and Brickmaking at the Adirondack Iron and Steel Company's Upper Works (2012)

David P. Staley (Author)
Peter R. Mills (Author)
Steven P. Lundblad (Author)

IA. The Journal of the Society for Industrial Archeology
Volume: 38
Issue: 1
Pages: 4-26

URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/24393205

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Research methods Bricks and brickmaking Charcoal and charcoal industry Artifacts Business history Blast furnaces Iron and iron industry Kilns Industrial archaeology 19th century New York (U.S.) Adirondack Iron and Steel Company

A historical and archaeological investigation of bricks and brickmaking at the remote mid-nineteenth century Adirondack Iron and Steel Company's Upper Works, with special consideration given to the sources of bricks used in various features, revealed the importance of the brick itself in the company's success. Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) analyses point to generally uniform firebrick chemistry and correlate with consistent morphology, illustrating the larger trend of material standardization during industrialization. Firebricks were imported from multiple manufacturers, but all common bricks analyzed in this analysis have geochemistry consistent with the company's on-site brickyard. On-site brickmaking reduced shipping expenses, kept workers engaged during slack iron production, and directly contributed to the development of capital. Upper Works bricks figured significantly into the complex business calculus applied toward corporate goals of self-sufficiency, technological success, and ultimate profitability.

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