The Leeds Iron Foundry in New Orleans-- Part 1: Those Steel Cotton Bale Presses

From Waymarking  "Leeds Iron Foundry - New Orleans.

The Leeds Foundry produced arms for the Confederacy, manufactured two ships for the Confederate Navy, and continued as headquarters and producer of arms for ant-Federal forces after the war.  Charles Leeds, the owner, was elected mayor in 1874.

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The Leeds Foundry was the second largest foundry in the South and besides being the  world's largest maker of steel cotton bale presses.

(A cotton bale press is a building or machinery in which cotton bales are compressed into smaller bulk for shipment.  A press for baling cotton bales.  This is a very important process when it comes to shipping cotton.)

Up to 400 employees were employed in casting, forging and finishing for the manufacturing of ornamental cast iron and sugar and cotton equipment.

--Old Secesh

Leeds Iron Foundry, New Orleans-- Part 2

During the Reconstruction, the Leeds Foundry functioned as a base for operations for a subgroup called the White League, a  militant white group who were against the Blacks and Northerners.  It produced arms  for the White League, including one cannon.

An arms shipment sent from Leeds Foundry prompted New Orleans police to clash with the White League members in the city and ended with a violent takeover of the city for roughly three days.  Leeds support of this group helped lead to his election as mayor in 1874.

Today, the area that once housed the foundry is home to the Preservation Resource Center.  This particular building in the foundry complex was built to serve as storage space and showrooms, so it is ideally suited for the new center.

This organization was founded  in order to help preserve the architecture of the City of New Orleans.  It is open to the public.  The site of the Leeds  Iron Foundry is on the National register of Historic Places.

--Old Secesh

Leeds Iron Foundry, New Orleans-- Part 1: Produced Supplies for Confederate Army and Navy

From the New Orleans Historical Organization by Paul Zachry & Kathryn O'Dwyer.

The Leeds Iron Foundry was  owned and operated by Charles Leeds and was located at DeLord and  Constance streets during the antebellum period of the 19th century.

The foundry was opened in 1824 and Leeds became a partner upon his father's death in 1844.  Before the Civil War, this foundry was the most prolific producer of "steel cotton bale presses" in the world and  was one of the most important foundries in the South.

It maintained several hundred employees for the production of various iron plantation equipment.  The Leeds Company was successful; enough that it actually issued its own banknotes, a common practice at the time.

The foundry produced supplies for the Confederate Army and Navy, including  two naval vessels and even an early submarine, the Pioneer 1.  In particular, the Leeds Foundry  built 3.3-inch Confederate bronze field  rifles and  6-pounder  bronze field guns.

--Old Secesh