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commenced to build a Rolling Mill, about 1863 certainly, it became the property of the Confederate Government. In January 1864 the Selma Iron Works contracted with said Government for said Roll Mills in an unfinished and incomplete condition, not more than one tenth of the necessary work to complete said rolling mill was done when said corporation purchased it from said Government As before stated the land and house did belong to said Gov.t. Said corporation never had or pretended to have any title to the same. Said corporation was anxious to commence operations with said rolling mill at an early a day as possible because the necessities of the country demanded Iron With this view said corporation made a contract with the Confederate Government for the use of said building for one year at the end of which time said corporation was to give possession of said house and remove their machinery and iron off of said premises. It was the intention of said parties to have removed said rolling mil on the lot near to their foundry and machine shop. but by consent of said Gov.t said parties continued to work said rolling mill at the same place. Said parties claim as their own property the machinery and iron of every kind and description on the lot where said rolling mill stood. They have never abandoned or yielded their right to the same. Said rolling mill was used for making wrought iron of almost every description, a portion of which was sold to the Confederate Government and the balance to such farmers and traders as thought proper to purchase. About one third of the iron made at said rolling mill was sold to the Confederate Gov.t This was a compulsory sale which the parties were forced to make in order to get suitable men detailed from the Confederate Army to make the iron. The Confederate Gov.t had no right title or claim to the machinery of said rolling mill nor had it any right, title or claim to any of the broken machinery that is there now or the Iron. Said foundry and machine shop

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