Today in Johnson City History, Wednesday, February 26, 2025
General Wilder's furnace, a blood transfusion and a book club
Today in Johnson City History, Tuesday, February 26, 2025
Monday. February 26, 1900: One hundred and twenty-five years ago today, The Journal and Tribune reported interesting news regarding John Wilder. Readers learned that “In speaking of the Knoxville iron furnace, which is to be, General John T. Wilder said yesterday that there was no doubt about the furnace being built if the fuel question was only settled.
“’We can’t build a furnace here,’ said General Wilder, ‘until we are assured that all the coke we need can and will be made within every reach. It will take 200 beehive ovens to supply a 200-ton furnace like we have set our hearts on for Knoxville, or about eight of the Keneval by-product ovens. This is no small matter, and it will take a vast amount f capital to build the ovens.