Many failures occurred and our financial manager had his time fully occupied in providing funds to meet emergencies.

Among many wrecks our firm stood with credit unimpaired.

But the manufacture of pig iron gave us more anxiety than any other department of our business so far.

The greatest service rendered us in this branch of manufacturing was by Mr.Whitwell, of the celebrated Whitwell Brothers of England, whose blast-furnace stoves were so generally used.

Mr.
Whitwell was one of the best-known of the visitors who came to marvel at the Lucy Furnace, and I laid the difficulty we then were experiencing before him.