Forge of Mouterhouse

The forging mill of Mouterhouse is located in the Commune Frenchwoman of Mouterhouse and the department of the the Moselle. The installations Industrie extended below large the pond, with the Confluent of the Breidenbach and the Moderbach.

History

The duke Henri II of Lorraine allows Jean-Valentine Dithmar, farmer of the field of the count de Bitche, the June 16th 1611, to set up on the Ruisseau of Mouterhouse a battery of Fer including/understanding two fineries, a boiler room, a hammer of iron, a platinery and a Haut-fourneau, two markets " to place coal " , one with the forging mill, the other with the furnace, of the buildings " suitable " to place Founders and Forgeron S. the exploitation is regulated for a rent of two thousand francs per annum, during twelve years. According to the following year, the Factory cease to work following an accident in 1613 and is abandoned in 1627. A middle-class of Holy-Marie-with-Mines, Martin Herhart, proposes in 1629 to restore the forging mill by means of a renardière. A lease is established for six years, of January 1st 1629 with the December 31st 1634. In spite of that, the forging mill of Mouterhouse is not regarded any more as a important Usine, the farm relates only to two hundred francs payable to Christmas. This attempt is of short duration however, since in 1631 Herhart does not pay any more its rent and is in escape.

In February 1623, Dithmar concluded another contract from thirteen years for the erection of a battery of Copper to rasion of a rent of two thousand five hundred francs payable twice. The Usine includes/understands a foundry with two furnaces, of the chimneys built in stone, a wire-drawing mill including/understanding a furnace and the " sufficient buildings " , like five rooms to place the workmen. The battery itself is distant from approximately two blows of mousquet. Built lime, of Sand and stone, it includes/understands large a Cheminée and rooms for the workmen. It has six drifters, being used to hammer the Cuivre, transformed into sheet. The battery functions of 1623 with 1632, date on which Dithmar breaks the lease with the authorization of the Room. The obligation to raise the Ore in the Seigniory and the disorders caused by the Guerre Thirty Year old are the main reasons of the stop of the Usine S.

Both Usine S are destroyed in 1633 then on March 1st 1717, Jean-Frederic de Dithmar, receiver of finances of the king, lord of Gentersberg and Schmittviller and Jean-Georges Mader, director of the forging mills of Zinswiller, obtain the grant in perpetuity of supposed with the grounds, meadows and heritages then in Friche S and are in responsibility of pay two hundred books of taxable quota and to make build with their expenses a Usine with trip hammers and an edge-tool industry, except if the forging mill is restored. The August 13rd 1723, the erection of the forging mill is confirmed by a perpetual Acensement with the profit of the two contractors. A plan of the places is carried out, describing the forging mill like a masonry on two floors including/understanding three windows over its length with respect to a stable. Louis Dithmar, lord of Moranville and his mother buy the share of Jean-Georges Mader the January 26th 1751 against eighteen thousand seven hundreds - fifty books and rent the forging mills as of the June 4th for eight thousand books per annum.

In spite of the quarrels with the farmers of the fields of Lorraine, the censitaires are maintained in their goods by stop of the royal council of finances of the January 17th 1758, then by acquisition of the December 9th 1760, May 22nd, June 17th and December 5th 1761, Jean-Jacques Baligand, inspector of the Ponts and Chaussées, becomes general inspector of the buildings and Usine S, Albert-Joseph Duprez and Pierre-Joseph Brunet becomes Masters of the forging mills. The forging mills are abandoned in 1777 because of financial problems and bad outputs. They are repurchased the August 7th 1777 per Jacques Bergeron, supplier of the marine of the king, then the June 28th 1785 by Prédeau de Chémilly, former general treasurer of the constabularies of France. According to the description of the baron DE DIETRICH in 1789, there are two blast furnaces, six furnaces, three hammers of forging mill, a trip hammer with three hammers, a foundry and a platinery, and a hundred and thirty dwellings of workmen.

In 1803, there is in more two stamping mills, a factory of sheet and steel-works, occupying approximately 500 workmen. The building S dilapidated forts are restored in 1834 then the Usine is repurchased in 1843 by the Famille DE DIETRICH, owner of the foundry of Niederbronn in the the Low-Rhine, created in 1769. In 1865, there are twelve puddling furnaces, six hammer rammers, roll trains but the forging mills are declining after 1870, because of the annexation and competes with it German. In 1900 takes place the closing of the last furnace, while the other activities perdurent. Producing in turn sheets, Steel, bindings of Wheel S for Coach S of Railroad, of the Rail S, the Axle X then, after the First World War, of the Tool lage and the agricultural machines , the Usine is completely destroyed by the American soldiers in the first days of January 1945.

The industrial buildings and the houses of workmen, rebuilt during the 18th century and of the 19th century, were installed in localities with the evocative names: of west in is, Vieille Foundry , New Marteau or Gros Hammer , Nouvelle Forging mill , Petit Hammer , New Fourneau . A housing of workman with Nouvelle Forging mill carries the date 1830.

A Vault near the forging mills, become too small, is replaced in 1763 - 1764 by a Chapelle built with the Gros Hammer , at the expenses of Albert Joseph Despret, censitaire of the forging mills, joined with the building of the direction and destroyed in 1869.

Altschmelz or Old woman-Foundry

The Fonderie is located near the castle of Sonis, on the Route of Lemberg. Composed of a Four neau for the founds mine and to run the pig moulds, of a place to make the mould S of Four neaux and Poterie and of a small store , the Fonderie is abandoned in the current of the 19th century. There remains today only the vestiges of the Vanne S and the buildings of the Fonderie or the Marteau to limestone.

Kleinhammer or Small Hammer

Contrary to the Valley, in direction of Baerenthal, the old housing of the workmen of the forging mill is. Below located a reserve of Water and in edge of the Forest, it is about a large building built at the beginning of the 19th century. It is covered with a Toit with Tuile S punts with demui-croups and all the Façade S are largely bored on three levels. The buildings Industrie ls disappeared but on other bank of the River, there exist still several residences of workmen, undoubtedly pluis old but especially more modest.

Schindelthal

At the entry of the small valley of Schindelthal , at a place where undoubtedly formerly one split the Bardeau X - Schindeln -, remain the buildings of old a Tuile laughs built in first half of the 19th century. Transformed very early into dwelling, this building formerly contained the Four and the Cheminée. With Square plan, it is covered with a Toit in house and with a Lanternon separated by a Claire-voie facilitating the Ventilation.

bonds

forging mills of the Country of Bitche on the site of the Countries of Bitche and the Saar

Sources

mills and sawmills of the Country of Bitche , Joel Beck, 1999.
Country of Bitche 1900-1939 , Joel Beck, 2005.

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