Charcoal Burners at the Mislinja ironworks from 1800 to 1817

Abstract

The ironworks in Mislinja, which operated from 1723 to the end of the 19^th century, was in the 1800–1817 period composed of three production units: the mining pits in the vicinity of Ribnica on Pohorje and Vitanje, charcoal burning, preparation of wood and firewood, a furnace and a smithy. Seen from the preserved pay sheets is the number of charcoal burners, the quantity of charcoal, the sum of payment per piecework, their means and their debts to the company. In average, 38 charcoal burners worked who annually cooked in average 509 Mislinja pails of charcoal. For payment, the company provided the charcoal burners food, fabric and tobacco. The sum was subtracted from their earning; debts were reduced by taking into consideration the value of their possessions which they had in forests in the form of prepared wood and charcoal, in devices for charcoal burning, and in draught animals and equipment for them.