Axe Grinding Stone Discovered

Fun day today: went down to the crick with Bob and Bob, the latter of whom had found a grinding stone in the water while fly fishing.  Given where it was, it is probably from an axe manufactory of the mid- to later nineteenth century.  Took a while to find it, but success as you can see here.

It is about 3ft. in diameter and 4in. thick.  Can't tell what kind of stone just yet as it is moss-covered.  Exciting remnant of a disappeared local industry:

Mann Grindstone coming up out of the stream

Next step is to get it to the Bellefonte Historical Museum as an important part of our local industrial heritage.

Nice Letterhead from Bellefonte

click to enlarge

Not much to report in central PA industrial history during these snowy months.  But at the left is a neat bit of letterhead that recently passed through eBay. It appears that Mr. H. Mann (Harvey Mann, 1804-70) bought what looks to be a long ton of coal for $7.35.  No doubt this went to power his axe factories, i.e., Mann's Axe Factory, located just up the Logan Branch of Spring Creek from Bellefonte or possibly his second axe factory up the main branch of Spring Creek, now in the area known as Fisherman's Paradise.  Mann's axes are famous in central PA, and while those from Lewistown fetch a few dozen dollars in antique shops and on eBay, if you can find one stamped 'Bellefonte' or 'Axemann' (the village on Logan Branch today), you have a rare piece indeed.  He closed these factories in 1870 and concentrated his works at Lewistown (later American Axe and Tool, and now part of Collins Axes).

William Shortlidge and Bond Valentine (1834-89; one of the sons of the Valentine iron family) establisehd their fuel company down near the train depot (possibly where the CVS is today?) and became a thriving business.  In the 1874 Bellefonte directory they are said to stock coal, grain, lime, and powder (gunpowder?). On January 12 of the very year of the above invoice, the local Democratic Watchman newspaper reported:

Several months since we noticed the fact that Messrs. Shortlidge & Co. were about establishing a coal yard in this place, and commended them to the patronage of our people. Since then it has become a fixed institution, and is to day one of the greatest conveniences to coal consumers that we could have. Not only do they keep a large supply always on hand, but they keep the best quality, and sell it at the lowest possible figure. They have also, in connection - with their coal yard, and extensive lime manufactory, where the best quality of wood burnt lime can be had at al times. Persons in need of coal or those who contemplate building, should give them a call.

(And one wonders about bias in journalism today!)