By 1872, when this advertisement ran in the Troy Daily Whig, Henry Burden had long been famous for his advances in iron work. He began in the nail business and later invented an automated horseshoe-making machine. He powered his factory with a gigantic water wheel on the Wynantskill. He built his iron works into one of Troy’s greatest industries, which survived his death in 1871 as “Henry Burden and Sons.” This ad begged to “call your attention to the superior and uniform quality of the ‘Burden Best’ iron. This iron is particularly adapted to all purposes where great security is required, such as Railroad Bridges, Passenger Cars, Locomotives, Roofs of Buildings, Wagons, and in short, for all purposes where the breakage of a bolt or part of a machine would result in loss of limb or life.”
Interestingly, to judge by this, you couldn’t buy factory-direct, even in Troy. You’d have to go see Hannibal Green or J.M. Warren to get your hands on Burden Best iron.
Hannibal Green, and later his son, was a dealer in iron and steel, and a manufacturer of carriage springs, with a warehouse at Broadway and Fourth.
Warren was a major manufacturer of tools and equipment, both made from and for working with the steel from Mr. Burden’s iron works. He later ran The Troy Stamping Works, which made railroad and boat lamps and galvanized items. His works at 241 and 243 River Street were probably part of the former City Hall site.
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