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This county being well suplied with wood, about three years ago the Spring Lake Iron Company, of Fruitport, conceive the idea of constructing immense kilns along the railway line in which to manufacture their charcoal. Accordingly, in September, 1879, they commenced operations on Section 8, of shelby, near the village of Shelby, and erected 11 kilns, consuming 1,200 cords per month, producing 45,000 bushels of charcoal. The work is done by Daniel H. Rankin, contractor, who carried on the whole business for himself, purchasing wood and delievering the coal. The cost of construction was about $7,000, and the capacity of each kiln, seventy-five cords. The works here give employment to twenty-five men around the kilns and fifty choppers. The Spring Lake Company also constructed in November, 1879, near Mears, in Golden Township, 10 seventy-five cord kilns, making 40,000 bushels of charcoal monthly, and employing seventy men. This is also operated by D. H. Rankin, in the same manner as that at Shelby. The importance to Shelby and Mears of this industry, may be appreciated by knowing that Mr. Rankin pays out monthly over $5,000 and has shipped from Shelby alone 1,000,000 pounds of coal in a month. In April 1880, the New Era kilns were constructed, and are operated by the company itself, Duncan S. Rankin superintendent. They are located on Section 29, Shelby, and consist of 10 fifty-cord kilns, making 30,000 bushels per month. Cost of works, $5,000. This immense consumption of wood, - nearly 4,000 cords a month, - must tell upon the supply, but there is one feature that deserves to be mentioned, - that any kind of broken wood or branches may be manufactured into charcoal, which utilizes what otherwise would be wasted. |