The Atlantic Iron Works began in 1867, under the management and proprietorship of Alexander, Ashton & Co. When first started they consisted of four boiling furnaces, one heating furnace and eighteen nail machines, with a capacity of eight tons of muck bar iron per day. In 1868 P. L. Kimberly bought an interest and the firm was known as Kimberly, Ashton & Co. Various improvements were made up to February 21, 1871, when Col. James Carnes bought Ashton’s interest. The firm name then was Kimberly, Carnes & Co., and so continued for more than ten years, when Carnes sold his interest to Kimberly and retired from the business. The firm name has been continued to the present day [1888] as P. L. Kimberly & Co., the individual partners being P. L. Kimberly, T. M. Sweeney, E. Roberts, R. F. Wolfkill and William Roberts.

In 1869 Samuel Kimberly & Co. built near the rolling-mill the Keel Ridge blast furnace, which has the capacity of producing thirty-five tons of pig iron daily. This firm was known under the designation of the Keel Ridge Iron Company. In 1873 the firm of Kimberly, Carnes & Co. bought this furnace and added it to their mill, and it is yet operated in connection therewith. The Atlantic Works have thirty-two puddling furnaces, eight heating furnaces, six trains of rolls and forty nail machines. They use natural gas for fuel, and produce bar, plate, hoop and rod inn, and nails.

History of Mercer County, 1888, page 196 

Atlantic Iron Works, 1877

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