Forges du Saint-Maurice facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Forges du Saint-Maurice |
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| General information | |
| Type | Ironworks |
| Location | Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada |
| Coordinates | 46°23′50″N 72°39′35″W / 46.3971999°N 72.6597000°W |
| Construction started | 1730 |
| Official name: Forges du Saint-Maurice National Historic Site of Canada | |
| Designated: | 1973 |
The Forges du Saint-Maurice (which means "St. Maurice Ironworks") was the very first successful iron factory in New France. This was the name for the French colony that later became Canada. The area near Trois-Rivières was known for its iron resources as early as 1730.
Even though the forges had many different owners, they often struggled to make money. The owners usually ended up with a lot of debt. Eventually, the French government took over the forges directly. They managed the factory until the British arrived in the 1760s. In 1973, the forges became a national historical site. The factory made everyday items like pots, pans, and stoves.
Contents
Starting the Iron Industry
The First Company
François Poulin de Francheville was a wealthy landowner in Saint-Maurice. He was successful in the fur trade and wanted to start a new business. He decided to build an iron factory on his land.
In 1729, Francheville asked the King for a special right. He wanted to be the only one allowed to mine iron in his area for 20 years. The King agreed and gave him this exclusive right. He also allowed Francheville to use nearby lands, as long as he paid the owners.
Francheville also received a large sum of money from the King to help build the factory. He knew the project would be very expensive for one person. So, he started a company called the "Compagnie des Forges du Saint-Maurice." He kept most of the control, but he had three partners. These partners included his brother and important government officials.
In 1733, the company hired Christophe Janson. He went to New England to learn about their iron factories. Francheville tried to build roads, but it was hard. Instead, he planned to do the iron melting in winter. This way, he could use sleds to move heavy iron ore over the snow.
The company tried a special method to turn ore into iron. But Francheville and his workers did not know how to use it well. The method worked in British colonies, but not here. In November 1733, Francheville sadly passed away. His wife inherited his share of the company.
The other partners and a government official named Hocquart took over. They soon realized the factory was not making as much iron as they had hoped. The iron quality was also not very good. In 1735, Hocquart sent iron samples to France. He wanted experienced ironworkers there to give advice. The company was now in heavy debt. They decided to hire a skilled worker from France to help.
Vézin's Time in Charge
The Second Company
In September 1735, a master ironworker named François Vézin arrived from France. He came to inspect the forges and the land around them. Vézin believed that a few changes could greatly increase production. He thought the factory could create about 120 jobs. The government really wanted this to happen.
Vézin and the old investors agreed to take over the forges. They also took on all the company's debt. They wanted the same special mining rights that Francheville had. The new company officially started in 1737. It included some of the old investors, Vézin, and another skilled ironworker.
Local experts thought Vézin was wrong about how much power the nearby creek could provide. So, Vézin changed his plans and built a smaller forge. This forge would not be able to make all the different types of iron products they had hoped for. Work began quickly with help from another master ironworker.
The government pushed Vézin to finish construction fast. This meant the building was not built very well. Many skilled workers arrived from France to help. But because of the rushed work, some parts of the forges did not work. This meant the skilled workers could not do their jobs.
The poor construction meant parts of the forges needed to be rebuilt. This cost more money and reduced profits. These problems slowed down production a lot. Sometimes, production was cut in half. The forges kept getting deeper into debt to the French government. The government kept giving them loans. Vézin's cost estimates were too low, and his production predictions were too high.
In 1741, Vézin's time at the Forges du Saint-Maurice ended. The company had struggled financially for many years. Finally, it declared bankruptcy.
From Private to Government Ownership
Government Takes Control
In 1741, the partners of the company decided to quit. The government official Hocquart saw two ways to save the forges. Either a new private company could take over, or the government would have to run it. While they waited for the King's decision, Hocquart put Guillaume Estèbe in charge temporarily. Estèbe was a storekeeper from Quebec. He was asked to list everything the factory owned.
Hocquart did not want to give up on the forges. The King had already invested a lot of money. Hocquart still believed that iron production would help the colony. He thought past failures were due to bad management and not enough money. He believed that if a new company with enough money took over, small repairs would lead to great success.
However, the expected profits were not high enough to attract investors from France. Also, the money needed was too much for anyone in the colony to afford. So, on May 1, 1743, the forges officially became the King's property. This was to pay back the loans from Vézin's company. The old partners were no longer in debt.
But some private people were still owed money. From 1743 to 1750, the government used some of the forges' profits to pay off these old debts. Even though the government owned the forges, they still hoped to find a private company to buy them. So, the government managed the forges only temporarily. They refused to invest more than absolutely necessary.
No major changes happened until 1747. That year, a fire destroyed the lower forge. The government had to pay to rebuild it. During this time, a new machine called a "martinet" was added. French officials also sent two skilled molders. These men knew how to make cannons. This new technology and skilled workers helped the forges make more different products. They could now make household goods to sell in the colony. The forges also started making military items. However, they never succeeded in making good heavy cannons.
Until 1749, the forges made good profits. This might have been because the government managed them carefully. Government officials did not have to worry about paying back loans like the previous owners. This allowed them to make smarter decisions. Also, more than half of the products were sent to France. They sold for high prices because the government set good tariffs.
By 1749, this success ended. The forges started losing money. Expensive repairs could no longer be delayed. Also, more iron products from France meant more competition. This caused iron prices to drop. On top of that, sickness spread among the workers. This made them less efficient. Workers at the forges were often unhappy or not very good at their jobs.
By 1752, worker problems caused many delays. As older workers retired, young people did not want to replace them. Men could find enough work on their farms or in the fur trade. They were not interested in factory jobs. This shortage forced the government to pay high wages for poor quality work. To fix this, the government hired soldiers to work in the forges. This was not a perfect solution, but it helped. In 1752, production reached its highest point.
Even though the Seven Years' War caused a big economic decline, the forges were still important. The British took control of the colony in 1760 and kept the forges running. So, under government control, the forges improved. But they never fully succeeded. This was due to many wars and a lack of interest from local workers. The government also hoped to find private owners again, but this did not happen.
British Control
The Forges continued to operate under British rule. They were rented out to private companies. From 1800 to 1845, Matthew Bell was in charge. In 1806, there was a disagreement. Bell's company was given a new lease for less money than the old one. This happened because the government had not set a minimum price.
In 1810, the factory made all the iron parts for John Molson's Accommodation ferryboat. This was the first steamship to travel on the Saint Lawrence River.
The Forges became old and outdated over time. They finally closed down in 1883.
As a Historical Site
In 1973, the Forges du Saint-Maurice became a National Historic Park. Later, this type of park was renamed a "National Historic Site." Archeologists continue to study the area today.
