ncing on a very humble scale, with only a day
level and a gin pit, at Rochsolloch, he was favoured by fortune in his
development of the little colliery. His brothers joined the venture, and
in a short time they were able to extend their operations to Maryston
and Gartsherrie. On the 4th May, 1830, they put in blast the first
furnace in the latter place, thus laying, perhaps with fear and
trembling, the foundations of an establishment which is now one of the
largest of its kind in the world. This was the tide in their affairs
which, taken at its flood, led on to fortune. Although they have
experienced, in common with all others similarly situated, the
occasional vicissitudes of bad times, they were not only able from
henceforth to keep their heads above water, but they continued to go
forth "prospering and to prosper." In 1846 they started the Eglinton
Ironworks, at which there are now eight blast furnaces. Six years later
they acquired the Blair Ironworks, with five blast furnaces. In 1856,
the Lugar and the Muirkirk Ironworks came into the market, and the
Messrs. Baird became the purchasers. The latter works embrace a small
manufactory of malleable iron, and the two together have seven blast
furnaces. In 1864, the firm still further extended their now enormous
business by the acquisition of the Portland Ironworks, with five blast
furnaces, to which one has since been added. At the present time they
own, inclusive of Gartsherrie, at which there are 16 blast furnaces, a
grand total of 42 blast furnaces, 30 of which are now (March, 1872) in
operation. The total produce of iron from the whole of these works will
average 750 tons per day.

Of the Gartsherrie Ironworks--the largest establishment of its kind in
Scotland--it may be interesting to state that it gives employment to
3200 men and boys, and turns out 100,000 tons of pig iron per annum. The
consumpt of coal at Gartsherrie is upwards of 1000 tons per day. Ever
since 1826 Messrs. Baird have been working coal in Gartsherrie estate, so
that a considerable part of the coal consumed has been found adjoining
the works. Pits are still being worked to some extent there, but it is
now found necessary to look elsewhere for coal. We understand the future
supply is to be derived mainly from the district of Bothwell, where
there is a very large virgin field of coal--indeed, evidently the most
important in Scotland--from which the public must ere long begin to draw
their principal