I think it would be false to deduce that the deep wagon ruts imply that iron was being carried. There are a lot of other things to be carried such as wood, charcoal, leather. I lived as a young boy in Oklahoma where there were dirt roads. After a wet spell, the road became impossible because of the deep ruts. In the tax lists for Trupbach at an early age, one of the most valuable things, which most heads of households had, was Haubergs. A Hauberg was where oak trees were grown for the bark (used in tanning leather), wood (used in making charcoal), and small branches (used for heating and cooking). While the trees were growing up, grain was planted and harvested between the trees. Iron mines are never mentioned as property. Nor do the occupations, such as are known, ever mention miners. Trupbach probably sent more people to America than any other \ village in 1713. -- John.Blankenbaker@comcast.net