You know you're getting old when ...

[Kingspoint]

The biggest technological development of that time was the advent of the Bessemer furnace, which allowed the commercial production of steel. Before that, steel was a very expensive commodity, but once it became cheap and easy to produce, it became possible to make things like railroad rails and bridges, which made much more of north America accessible. Once we had the transcontinental railroad in place and bridges across the major rivers, there was no stopping development.

So, true. There are 1000's of inventions that changed lives during this time. That it took a forest full of trees every day to make enough coal in order to get a furnace hot enough to make steel before other fuel alternatives could be developed for the production of steel was a major effect on the communites and the environment.

You and I have began our relationship discussing trees and wood. To have witnessed the uses and changes of the technologies involved in wood products from 1650 to 1800 would have been a real joy for me.

(I worked at Oregon Steel Mills when I was 18,...did grinding and cutting and general labor. Not there long enough to do much more, but my Step-father (married to Mom for 29 years) was an electricion there for 22 years and my Mom was head of Workman's Comp for them for 30 years.) They were a specialty steel company known for the extremely high quality of their steel.