howell works was rendered redundant by the discovery in the early 1830s of abundant deposits of iron ore and anthracite coal in the state of pennsylvania. pennsylvanian pig iron was cheaper to produce than that of the works. as coal burns hotter than charcoal, the iron was processed to higher quality. the howell works furnace was extinguished for the last time in 1846. some operations continued until about 1850, when the works was formally declared bankrupt.