During the session of the general court in the winter of 1847, a charter was obtained, and the stockholders were incorporated under the name of the North Adams Iron Company, Mr. Stevens having previously sold one-fourth of his interest to Rodman H. Wells, one-fourth to J. N. Chapin, and one-eighth to Charles K. Bingham. The valuation of the whole property was 32,000 for the furnace and fixtures, stock of coal, ore on hand, ore bed leases, and the Paul wood lot.

Previous to the formation of this company L. C. Thayer, Wm. Hodgkins and J. Q. Robinson, 2d, had purchased the Kingsley ore bed and ten acres of land, situated on the east road, about one mile south of the village, paying for same $500. A lease was executed to the company at twenty-five cents per ton for the privilege of taking out the ore, on condition that the furnace should be built north of said ore bed thus securing the iron manufacture to this vicinity.

Owing to the difficulty of smelting the ores, the enterprise did not succeed well for the first year, but afterwards, on procuring different ores successful blasts were made, averaging from 1,600 to 1,800 pounds per blast, and about five tons of pig iron per day. The iron was sold by the shrewd negotiation of Mr. Wells as high as $35 and $40 per ton.

About 1848 or ’49 the original proprietors disposed of their interests and the business passed into other hands, James E. Marshall was for several years interested and its chief manager. The principal ore beds failing in their production, however, the price of iron declining to about $20 per ton, and from other causes, the company suspended, and went into insolvency in 1858. The panic of 1857 delt it a mortal blow and the fires were extino-u1shed the year following.

In July, 1838, the furnace and all its fixtures passed by assignee’s sale into the hands of Jno. A. Beckley, of Canaan, Ct., a practical iron manufacturer. Under his supervision the furnace yielded from six to eight tons of excellent pig iron per day. Most of the ore being brought from the southern part of the county and from Connecticut.

During the early days of the war this firm secured a government contract to furnish iron for the construction of war ships. The iron clad ‘Monitor” was made wholly from iron furnished from this furnace. The product gave such splendid satisfaction that they were at once awarded a larger contract. In the spring of 1862, while they were preparing for a fulfillment of the contract, the works caught fire were burned to the ground and never rebuilt.

The first tannery established in this village was located on the west bank of the south branch of the river nearly opposite Hodge’s grist mill. It was first known as the Luther Bartlett, and afterwards as the Hodge and Dean tannery. A large business was done for many years, especially while it was owned by Hodge and Dean. It was discontinued in 1846, when the property passed into the hands of the North Adams Iron Company.

In 1831, Messrs. Merriam, Hatch and W. D. S. Hurlburt, purchased of Turner and Laflin for $200 the lot and water privilege on Union street, and erected a building 30x76 feet for a tannery. After carrying on the business for three years, they sold the property to Captain A. Bixby. It was leased for about three years in, part by Captain Hatch for a batting mill, and in part by Elijah Pike, as a stone cutting shop. In 1837, Liberty Bartlett, formerly of Williamstown, rented the premises for two years, carrying on the tannery in connection with the pelt business, pulling some 16,000 skins. In 1839 A. C. Crandall leased the property and carried on the business about one year. In 1840 Ira Bennett formed a co-partnership with Mr. Crandall, and they continued the business until 1842. Captain Bixby sold the real estate to Charles Taylor, of Hancock, who carried on the business with Mr. Bennett until the fall of 1843, when Alfred Olds purchased all of Mr. Taylor’s interest and continued the business with Mr. Bennett for three years. Mr. B. retired in 1846 and Mr. Olds continued the business until his decease in 1851. In that year the premises were leased of the administrators by Messrs. Crandall & Bennett, and these gentlemen formed a co-partnership with A. P. Butler, who at that time owned the Eagle Bridge tannery. These gentlemen operated both establishments on joint account until 1854 or ’55. At this time Dean & Bellows purchased the Olds tannery and, began to enlarge. Bellows retired in 1856, and in the same year Crandall and Bennett purchased equal shares in with Messrs. S. E, & H. N. Dean, at the same time selling them one-half the Eagle Bridge tannery, making a joint interest in both establishments. The business was conducted under their management until 1859, when Crandall and Bennett bought out the interest of Messrs. Dean, and sold one-third the real and personal estate to A. P. Butler.