Do You Know These Structures?
 Answers: 1. d) west of Redstone; 2.b) 1899; 3.a) coke ovens Having survived the economic stringency of the early 1890s, the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company proceeded with plans to meet the demand for coke to serve smelters in the region. A model coke manufacturing plant was created in Redstone on level land west of the Crystal River. The site was chosen for its proximity to the river and a planned railroad line, and for its location to a remote coal mining camp. The river was an essential ingredient in the plan, for its waters were utilized to wash the coal before processing and to cool the completed coke in the ovens. In the fall of 1899, masons specifically imported from Denver began building the first hundred coke ovens in long banks of two rows. By the close of 1903, they had erected a full complement of 249 ovens. Each oven measured six feet high from base to dome. At the top of each oven was a 13-inch diameter opening, or “funnel,” through which coal was poured and smoke escaped. The oven base, approximately 12 feet in diameter, was constructed of firebrick with a flat floor inclined slightly toward the front. The spherical dome was constructed by carefully wedging in a special form of firebrick towards the funnel, which acted as the keystone of the arch. In the spaces between the ovens, a pier was constructed which supported the “I” beams that carried the standard gauge rails for the lorry cars. Clay and loam were firmly packed in the remaining space between the structures which provided insulation, keeping the heat at a more even temperature to aid in the coking process. The beehive-shaped coke oven constructed at Redstone was the design most commonly used in Colorado and represented state of the art technology. The process of coking the coal was one of distillation, whereby moisture, phosphorus and sulphur were expelled, leaving fixed carbon and ash. This process emitted a dense smoke and a bright flame after about twelve hours. When the ovens were active, the flames released through the funnel lit the sky with a reddish glow. Gradually the flame died off and the coke was ready to be quenched. After 48 hours, the coking was completed. The coke was cooled with water and pulled out through the front. Coking operations at Redstone were suspended in 1909, with a total production of 331,559 tons. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the 144 extant ovens are all that remain of the industry that gave birth to the town of Redstone. A State Historical Fund is assisting in the acquisition of the property. |
