When Iron Was King in Dodge County, Wisconsin, 1845-1928; Foreword By Robert E. Owen by Frederick, George G - 1993

Mayville, Wisconsin: Mayville Historical Society, 1993. Thick Quarto. xiv, 735 pages, bibliographic references (pages 691-702), index. The remarkable history of the discovery of "red direct" or the Neda Formation and the huge expansion of mining from the late 1840's. The conditions were barely tolerable as temperatures in the process were 130 degrees with salaries over a six day work week fixed at $5-6.50 a day (with $1 a day for unskilled laborers). Once Eber Brock Ward had ships to transfer the iron across the Upper Midwest and Canada the region became a major force until the period of World War I and the decade following. The price of pig iron could no longer give serious competition to the rise of the steel industry. Profusely illustrated of the leading men and the mines at work. Bound in cream cloth lettered in a red foil, previous owner's name and date, near fine in very good dust jacket rubbed and with light wear to spine ends.