Hello Histarchers,
 Apologies for cross posts.  I am seeking to interpret foundations of a
19th century manufacturing building at the site of the former Augusta
Arsenal at Augusta, Georgia.  I hope that some list members might
suggest sources of information.  Reading about 19th century
manufacturing in general has not yet proved useful largely because
minimal evidence of activities related to the building has survived.
 
 This building was systematically prepared for demolition some years
ago, and a rather through cleanup and removal of machinery took place;
except for brick and mortar fragments and a handful of metal shavings,
no significant artifacts have turned up.  We don't, as of now, have any
plan drawings except building outlines on a map of the entire 72 acre
site and no very detailed or specific historical documentation in
writing which might tell us much about the use of the building when it
was built by the Confederacy in 1861, or later uses by the U.S.
authorities.
 
 The extant foundation remains indicate a long narrow building with
three longitudinal foundation piers (one under each of the outside walls
and one running parallel in the middle).  One special feature is a
brick-lined trench roughly 2' wide and 2' deep close to and parallel to
the central foundation peer.  One suggestion is that this was some sort
of drain and another is that a jack shaft from a steam engine was housed
here so that workers in various parts of the building, using levers,
pulleys, and belts could run individual machines.  About 50' of this
trench have been revealed but we do not know if it ran the entire length
of the building.
 
 Any bibliographic suggestions or interpretative suggestions are
welcome.
 
 Chris Murphy
 Associate Professor of Anthropology
 Augusta State University