The Iron Age 1890-02-06: Vol 45

HE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1890 One Hundred Engine. | The accompanying illustration represents a 100 horse-power vertical engine built by | the New York Safety Steam Power Com- | pany. This power is developed with | 60 pounds initia! steam pressure and 100) revolutions per minute, when cutting off | at one-half stroke. Engines of this type | Horse-Power Vertical | valve moving in a bracketed bearing of large area and babbitted; there being but one pin to the whole valve motion. The pis- ton is hollow, firmly fitted to the rod, and packed with metallic rings. The cross- head is of ample strength and fitted with adjustable shoes for taking up the wear. J RON: AGE. 2 is of the plain slide pattern and its;to do, Should any part of the -engine |stem is connected with the eccentric rod | become b:oken by accident or worn out | by means of a valve stem guide and pin, | by long usage, it can be replaced without | loss of time and at slight expense, as all | parts are made interchangeable and kept | in stock ready for delivery.’ | LL ——$§$ The United Mine Workers’ Convention | met at Columbus, Ohio. adopted a con- | stitution, elected officers, divided the coal are serviceable in all branches ‘of manu- | The piston rod, valve rod, crosshead pin, | field into districts and agreed upon scales ONE facture, and especially where economy of | The system of | floor space is desirable. HUNDRED HORSE-POWER VERTICAL etc., are of steel and the crosshead and crank pin boxes, are babbitted. Drain distributing power in factories by means | cocks are fitted in both ends of the cylin- of an independent engine for each depart- | ment or set of machines, rather than operate all from a central engine, is rapidly gaining in favor and the vertical eugine is well adapted for this service. hese vertical engines are built self-con- tained, with double cranks and two crank shaft bearings cast in the frame, from 2 to 50 horse-power; and with single disc crank and outer pillow block, from 20 to 100 horse-power. The crosshead slides are cast on the column and bored out with the cylinder, so there can be no derangement of lines or unequa) wear of parts. The der and in the steam chest, leading con- densation into the base, where all drip- pings are accumulated, and thence carried uway by pipe connection. Perfect lubri- cation of all working parts is provided by meaus of a set of nickel plated automatic oil-cups for the crosshead and crank pins eccentric, and valve stem guide pin; all cups on the engine being stationary nd | sight-feed. Vertical engines from 20 to 100 horse-power are fitted with adjustable eccentrics whereby the consumption of steam may be regulated in accordance with the amount of work the engine has ENGINE. | for the ensuing year, as follows: Hock- ‘ing Valley, 80 cents; Western Pennsyl- vania, 90 cents; Indiana block coal, 95 cents; Indiana bituminous, 85 cents; W1l- mington coal field, 90 cents; Streator, Il., 90 cents; Lasalle, Ill., $1; Spring Valley, | Ill., $1; Springfield, Ill., 714; Stanton and | Mt. Olive, Ill., 664; Peoria district, 85; | Moundsville, W. Va,, 85; Flat Top, W. | Va. (run of mine), 50; Monongahela River, | 90; Kanawha River, 90; Pomeroy, twenty- second division, 57; Reynoldsville (low grade region, run of mine), 50. Price for work in veins under 4} feet at same propor- tions as present prices. The pricefor the Wilmington coal field is fixed at 15 cents per ton, the scale to take effect May 1. 206 THE IRON AGE. —=— The Chicago Shipbuilding Company. ; THE ELEVATED ROADS. All the land purchases of the Chicago Shipbuilding Company are now upon record. The company is the owner of about 21 acres, extending from 100th street to 102d street, being bounded on the west by the Calumet River and on the east by the Calumet River Railway Company. The river frontage is about 1300 feet. This land was bought in three parcels, and the total cost, according to the records, is $80,000. The location is a good one for the purpose. The railway on the east will deliver materials at the yard, while the river on the west is to be made navigable by the largest vessels. The Government is now widening the stream to 200 feet and is to make its depth 16 feet clear. The company has already let contracts for the docking of the river frontage, for the dredging out and the docking of three slips, for the necessary piles and for the erection of shops and offices. The con- tracts call for the completion of the work by next September. Two of the slips will measure 400 x 100 feet and the third will be 100 feet wide by 425 feet on one side and 500 on the other. The buildings will include a large shipyard shop running along the end of the slips, part of it a two- story structure measuring about 225 x 75 feet and part a one-story building cover- ing 500 x 75 feet. There will also be a storehouse and office building 40 x 100 and several other smaller structures. Work on these buildings begins at once. Tv complete the work now laid out, the cost of the ground included, will involve an outlay of about $225,000. This money is furnished entirely by stockholders, the company proposing to issue no bonds. The capital stock of the company, which has all been paid in, is $350,000. Thus the company will have about $125,000 working capital in cash after their yard is completed. The stock is held principally in Cleveland, but about one-third of it is held by individuals connected with the Illinois Steel Company and by men inter- ested in shipping. The officers of the company are: President, J. F. Pankhurst, of Cleveland, who is vice-president and general manager of the Globe Iron Works of that city; vice-president and treasurer, Luther Allen, of Cleveland, who is secre- tary and treasurer of the Globe Iron Works; manager, W. I. Babcock, late superin- tendent of the Union Dry Dock Company, of Buffalo. The directors are: J. F. Pank- hurst, M. A. Hanna, H. M. Hanna and Luther Allen, of Cleveland, and W. I. Babcock, Robert Forsyth and William L. Brown, of Chicago. The company now have contracts to build for the Minnesota Steamship Company two steel steamships at a cost of $210,000 each. About 300 men will be employed at first, but the plans of the company contemplate in the early future the addition of engine, ma- chinery, boiler and forge shops to their plant, when a much larger force of men will be erwployed. It is probable also that one of the slips will be converted into a dry dock. When the yard is completed the company will be able to work on six ships at atime and to finish 12 a year, the work on each vessel lasting about six months, RII —_— The burning of a wrecked passenger train near Indianapolis a few days ago il- lustrates again the perils of the car stove. The flames spread from the overturned stove with great rapidity before several of the a already maimed or dead, could be extricated. Dr. Ranney’s Blackwell’s Island bridge scheme is revived in a new bill introduced into the Legislature of this State. The proposed New York terminus is near the Grand Central depot, How They Are Taken Care Of. Keeping in perfect condition bridges on which are 90 miles of track, over which pass daily each way trains carrying hun- dreds of thousands of people is certainly a task of vast magnitude. And yet so well has this work been performed since the inauguration of the first elevated road in New York City that the structure now in all its parts is in better condition than it was when first erected. The vast number of links, some 4000 spans, comprising this great chain neces- sitates, in order that there may be no weakest one, a conscientious, careful and thorough system of inspection, followed instantly by perfect repair. Exactly how this is done on the lines of the Manhattan Railway Company, the make-up of the de- partment having this work in hand and description of the method of inspection and of repair, or in other words, the general care of all of the lines, is the purpose of the following article: THE DEPARTMENTS. In studying the personnel of the ele- vated system, we find one main consider- ation running through it from the highest official to the latest employee, all tending as a first consideration to the safety of passengers. All rules and instructions governing not only the Maintenance of Way, but also the Engineers’ and Master- Mechanics’ Departments, place this fact conspicuously and make it of paramount importance. Further than this, it is em- phasized in the instructions given to the employees of all grades and is enforced by the chiefs of divisions and sub-depart- ments, who are personally responsible for the causes leading to any injury. The entire system is under the general supervision of the general manager, F. K. Hain, to whom all reports affecting in any way the structure or its mode of operation are referred and who is responsible through his assistants acting as chiefs of departments for the entire welfare of the whole road. The chief engineer of the road, Robt. I. Sloane, and his assistant, John Waterhouse, have the general supervision of all the foun- dations, structure, by which is meant the columns and connecting girders, track, switches, signals, interlocking switch appa- ratus, pavements, sewers and sewer connec- tions, and all buildings and real estate owned or leased by the company. It 1s his duty to cause the foundations to be vigi- lantly watched and protected against injury from any cause, such as broken water- mains, construction of drains orthe building of vaults or foundations for buildings along the line of the road, which may in any way tend to endanger the safety of the foundations. He is further expected to look carefully to the condition of the columns and girders, testing the latter at frequent periods in a manner which we shall describe hereafter, and note the gen- eral condition in detail of the entire iron structure from the foundation to the track. His report is made in detail once a month and recounts the work and re- pairs done to the structure, track and buildings, with the cost of the same, and of course outlines in a very true manner the precise condition of each of the four roads from end to end. THE ROADMASTER, Robert Black, and his assistant, H. Harms, report to and receive instructions from the chief engineer. It is in this de- partment that we find the most interesting subject matter, since it is here that the inspection as a practical piece of work is carried out and the necessary repairs made, ‘and upon this department depends the February 6, 1890 perfect condition of the structure and to the extreme vigilance and very perfect system which has been worked out during the life of the elevated roads is due the fact that no accident of a serious nature has ever resulted from a defect in the structure itself. We wili briefly outline the make-up of this department before entering into a description of the execu- tion of the work from inspection to com- pleted repair. The roadmaster has charge of the main- tenance of all of the iron structure above ground and having appurtenances to it. This of course includes track, superstruc- ture, switches, signals, &c. An important point is brought out in this department which applies equally well to all others, and is what we might term the placing of the responsibility individu- a'ly. That is, in case of serious defect the roadmaster is expected to make himself personally acquainted with its nature and to be familiar with the work necessary to its repair. He passes frequently over the structure on foot, and also inspects it from the ground, this being done first to note its condition, and second to note thot the employees under his charge are faithfully carrying out the work. In this inspection he notes whether loose rivets or other fastenings have been promptly replaced, the report daily sent to his office keeping him informed as to their location, whether the switches and signals operate truly, and that every employee under his direction is doing his duty, and in order that he may do his duty is provided with the necessary tools and supplies. He notes particularly the condition of curves, with which, especially at the lower end, all the roads abound, and of those parts of the structure which are unusually high. He keeps in store all articles needed for emergencies, such as appliances used in the operatién of the road, tools used in its repair, parts which may be needed, and roper wrecking outfits placed so as to be immediately made use of and distributed at such points as may be designated. In case of accident or serious detention to trains, he or his assistants must proceed to the place, direct the disposition of the wrecking force and assist, as far as lies in his power, in removing the cause of trouble. He can, when required, call to his aid any employee in any other depart- ment of the road. His office is constantly open and is always tenanted by some one capable of representing the roadmaster in case of his absence. He receives reports daily covering all the work done as in- spection during the day before, makes a tabulated record of the result and sees that po provision is made for carrying out the repairs found necessary by the in- spection and, finally, a copy of his report made up and covering the work of his as- sistants during the preceding day is sent to the chief engineer and alse to the general manager. SUPERVISORS. Under the roadmaster are four super: visors, one in charge of each of the four roads, the Second, Third, Sixth and Ninth avenues They are responsible for keep- ing the columns, girders, tracks, switches, &c., in proper condition, and whe» a case arises which needs urgent and prompt at- tention they are expected to attend to it personally. They must pass frequently over their divisions, noting defects, in- specting the most critical members of the structure, watch the pocket bearings of the girders, the I-beams track stringers in the pin-joint structure, the floor beams that they show no signs of dis- tress, and especially note anything that may form an obstruction to the track. They have charge of the trackmen and re- pair men employed on their division, and they must take pains to fully acquaint their employees under them with the rules February 6, 1890 and regulations of the company and the use and object of all signals, and to ascertain that each man performs well his full duty. They must attend personally to the removal of snow or obstructions from the track and particularly to guard against any accident that might arise to pedestrians from an article of any description falling from the track. FOREMEN. Under the supervisors are foremen who have charge of certain sections of the road, and who are in turn responsible personally for the condition of their section and for the men under them. The foremen of inspection must examine | the structure as a whole and note its con- dition in regard to all connections, rivets, track, switches, &c. The foremen of structure repairs are also under the direction of the supervisors, and carry out the instructions received as far as repairing any detect found by the track- walkers. In addition to the general in- formation possessed by the others, they must understand fully the track signals |raised a little THE IRON AGE. It used to be the custom in case of fog to notify all the trackman, rivetters, &c., and to plaee them on the road as signal men. By means of a very simple device, in- vented by the roadmaster, this has all been done away with. By means of this system a train always has a danger signal behind it. This danger signal is not set to safety until the train has passed another danger signal, which is then set to danger while the first one is released or set to safety. The apparatus is mechanical entirely, and depends for its operation upon the weight of the engine and cars which depress a toggle-joint arrangement placed at the outer side of the ral, the joint being above the rail. As the face of the wheel strikes this it pressed and through suitable connecting- rods the proper signal at one point ahead is set to danger, while the signal last passed is set to safety. entirely with the necessity for calling out the trackmen, and as the signals are placed | \or his sub-foreman immediately goes to close together, they auswer every purpose. Working in connection with this system at is de- | e graphs from the nearest station to his This does away | 207 mer which gives a sure indication of false rivets, and in some cases, especially after a storm and when the defect may be of recent origin, a rust mark formed under the rivet and defacing the painted struc- ture gives sure evidence that that rivet in question needs replacing. When a defect hke this is found it is chalk-marked. Each defect en the main lines is noted in the report by giving the numbers of the two columns between which that de- fect is found and the track, north or south, of the columns. By numbers the yard men are also enabled to point out the exact location of any defect they may find. Should the track man find a detect ‘which he cannot remedy with the few light tools he carries with him, he tele- foreman, and if the case is urgent he _also telegraphs to the roadmaster’s office. The latter office is open 24 hours each day the yéar around. Upon receipt of this telegram the foreman of that section the place indicated, as does also some one Testing Girders for Deflection. NEW and the times of trains, and when engaged | some of the most critical points are torpedo | from the main office. in making repairs must be careful to keep the main track always open and safe for the passage of trains, in order that no un- due delay or accident may arise. Before obstructing the track, when such is neces- sary, they must first conspicuously display a danger signal at least 300 feet in each direction from the obstructed point. The rule defining an obstruction is anything which interferes with the safe passage of a train. The track-walkers must watch also the telegraph line and report promptly to the nearest Southern station agent of any de- rangement. They sre required to carry with them light hand tools, flag signals, and to be prepared to rectify any irregu- larity discovered and which hes in their power, Anyrepair needing further ma- chinery or assistance, and which in any sense endangers the structure or its opera- tion, must be telegraphed to their foremen and also to the roadmaster’s office. The street-repair gang has charge of all repairs to foundations, sidewalks, sewers, pavements, excavations necessary for ad- ditional foundations and repairs to fend- ers at the foot of columns. The foremen of the street-repair gangs report and re- ceive their instructions from the chief engineer. Method of Reinforcing Girders. attachments so placed that should an engi- neer fail to see a danger signal and pass by it, he is notified by the explosion of the torpedo placed on the rail. THE YARDS, which mean all places where there are more tracks than the two main ones or where there are many switches, as at Chatham Square, or where there is a signal tower, are provided with men who work in gangs the entire 24 hours. They examine and are responsible for the condition of tre switch points, switch appurtenances, interlocking switches, frogs, rails and sig- nals, and in addition are expected to note any defects they may find in the structure. They also hand in a report to the main office of the roadmasterat the Battery once a day, noting any defects they may find, the nature of the defect, and what we may term the degree of defect, that is, whether it should be repaired at once or whether it is in a fairly good condition or not INSPECTION. As the entire structure from the Battery to Harlem on the four lines is a riveted bridge divided into hundreds of short | spans, it is evident that a careful inspec- tion of the riveted work is extremely es- | ) This is performed with a ham-! main office, it becomes necessary to quickly sential. YORK’S ELEVATED RAILROADS. If upon inspection | the work is of such a nature as to require the bracing or trestling up of the struc- | ture, steps are immediately taken to have | the necessary framing and gangs of men |brought to the point. Of course this | applies more particularly to defects which |might arise in the main structure, or to cases due to excavations which might | endanger the piers of the columns. The report daily sent in is made out | under the following heads, which, while they do not cover every member of the structure, still indicate the principal parts. Beyond this, the foreman making the re- |port is compelled to add under other heads anything he may find needing at- tention. These heads, under a blank en- titled ‘‘Track and Structure Defects,” are as follows: Braces Broken, Expansion Bolts, Excavations, Fish Plates, Guard, |rail, Girders, Pocket Bearings, Rails Riv- | ets, Switches, Interlocking switches, Ties. | A further and exceedingly important | work connected with the inspection of the }road is the examination of all drip-pans, in order to see that they perform their | duty thoroughly and effectivelv. REPAIR. The reports having been sent to the 208 THE IRON AGE. February 6, 1890 make the necessary repairs or changes. In | sists of two sticks sliding upon each other, | known, all the factors of the problem to the case of loose rivets, a gang of riveters, provided with a sheet showing the de- is raised one end upon the road midway | calculate the strength of that girder are at between the columns and the hook at the| hand. In this way the entire road is tested fective rivets, as pointed out in the report, | upper end passed over the bottom chord of | for deflection once every two months. The report of the deflection tests embraces the Supported Structure on the Bowery and which, as stated, have all been chalk apd to insert new. While engaged in this | work they are also expected to act as in-| spectors and to examine the work and cor- | rect it with speed, if it comes within their | power. In some places in the riveted | work, as originally built, the holes were | not reamed. When the riveters come across such a case they must ream that hole so that the new rivet they put in will surely fill it. All new work, of no matter | what nature, is painted as soon after it 1s put in as possible. Worn-out rails, ties, | bolts, parts of switches and signaling ap- | paratus are also renewed as soon as prac- | ticable. At each and every yard is placed a more | or less complete wrecking outfit, consist- | ing of timber, rope, jacks, &c., and when occasion requires a working gang is called | immediately together, an outfit obtained from the nearest yard and, if deemed es- | sential, the structure trestled up. During work by any of the gangs | handling small tools a large canvas apron | is suspended beneath the track in order to | catch any material or tool that may drop, | and to further insure the secure handling | of both tools and materials they are placed | in boxes. DEFLECTION OF GIRDERS. Once a month the girders in one-half of | the structure are inspected for deflection, in order to find out if they are still bear- ing the load as they should, or if they have weakened so that they bend more | than the limit determined upon. This | limit is 5,45, of the length of the | span. For instance, a span of 60 feet would have to be reinforced if the deflection noted was 4 inch. In order | to prevent misunderstanding in regard to | this part of the work, it may be well to | state that in no single instance has it ever | been found necessary to reinforce a girder | from deterioration or false construction in | the girder itself. The greater load brought | on the girders by the increased weight of | the rolling stock has mainly and almost solely been the cause of this. The method of ascertaining the deflec- tion is iJlustrated in the accompanying drawing, and is extremely simple. A rod which answers every purpose of the level- ing rod of the surveyor, and which con- aa following points: Number of the column, 1 f NaN pm location, number of the engine, depth of iy, girder, length of girder, dimensions of MIN angles, deflection, track (north or south), date, line, kind of girder (lattice or plate). Mier | The first girders built were single lat- A a tied. As the loads increased of course , the deflection became greater, and it be- came important to reinforce or strengthen the girders in order that there might be no risk in regard to strength. This is done in a very simple way, of which we present drawings. The upper ne shows one style of girder as originally built. This is reinforced by the addition of a plate A riveted to the bottom of the lower chord, as shown in the middle drawing. The lower drawing shows the next step, the double latticing of the girder by plates B riveted to the vertical webs of the angles forming the chords. Plate girders have been reinforced by a plate on the bottom chord and by diagonal braces extending from the upper corner to the bottom chord. TRESTLING UP THE STUCTURE, Four instances, showing clearly four Z separate methods of trestling up the ele- = +. vated road in case the foundations of the columns are at all endangered, are shown in the accompanying drawings, which are taken from actual work. In each of these cases, as in all others which have occurred the girder the deflection of which is to be | in the history of the road, the necessity of marked, is sent to remove all such rivets | ra this girder it bends, the amount of such | been “caused by outside interference. In bending or deflection being indicated by | all the cases we here illustrate the inter- . When a locomotive passes over| deepening the piers of the columns has ar. Ts << <V ee Kv K >) AVAN \\ <<" yy er, — ae ot en = My ts = a : +e. os — = 7, oat. ; ‘ ‘ Supported Structure on Pearl Street. the distance which one rod slides upon the | ference hes been caused by deepening the other. The number of the engine at the | excavations for buildings immediately ad- same time is taken, and as its weight is| joining the piers, but, as we have ex- known, ad as the length, depth and di-| plained before, interference producing like mensions of the members of the girder are| results may and has frequently been occa- Fevruary 6, 1890 THE IRON AGE. 209 sioned by sewer-work in the street, sewer connections, subway excavations or un- dertakings of similar character which dis- turb the ground in tue immediate neigh - borhood of the pier, and in several in- framing are so proportioned that they may be used on roads where the hight from the street to the bottom chord of the girder does not vary more than a few feet, and Supported Structure on Fifty-Third Street. stances went below the lowest point of the foundation. In no instance has it been necessary to temporarily support the girder — of the structure by means of racing and repair the foundations due to defects in the original work. For this reason we have styled such cases ‘‘ outside interference.” The drawings, while showing distinct methods of supporting the superstructure, | at the same time give four different types of road. It will be observed that the ar- rangement of the columns, longitudinal and transverse girders in the drawings | vary one from the other, and, taken as a| whole, give a good idea of the type of | structure employed, leaving out, of course, the well-known plate girder system which is in vogue over a large section of the | ’ Sixth avenue ro-d. In the first drawing, which was lately taken on the Bowery, near Prince street, it became necessary to lower the pier | foundation and of course in the meantime | support the girders, which in this case are | longitudinal and supported on single | columns. On each side of the column was | placed an A-frame, braced as shown in the drawing, which at their top supported two I-beams upon which rested the ad- | joining ends of the two girders meeting | on the columns, their bottom ends resting | partly on the sidewalk and partly in the | roadway. be pangeia of the lower end | was prevented by tie-pieces united to the | A-frames by bolts, and to the column by | a strap arrangement of timbers and bolts, | the service of the latter being to prevent buckling. Once in place, this false work | carried the entire weight formerly sup- | ported by that column and permitted the removal of all earth beneath the foundation and the subsequent lowering of the founda- tion to a point below the interference. It will be turther noticed in this, as in the other cases of temporarily supporting the where they may be called upon to span openings varying in width. For instance, the framing here shown could equally well be used for a road not quite so high from the street as the case shown, and hy | Supported Structure structure, that the several members of the| building to carry the column foundation down much lower than originally placed. The road here consists of columns placed about on the curb line each side of the | street, which are connected at their top by cross beams, on which are placed the through or longitudinal girders carrying the track. In this case in order to sup- port the structure it was only necessary to lace a framing under the one transverse am resting upon that particular column. This frame is similar in many respects to that shown in the cut described, although its arrangement as far as the track is con- cerned is decidedly different. This frame is also so arranged that it can support | roads of several hights, although of course | being single it is useless when it is neces- | sary to span an openin The next case, on Fifty-third street, the |road is built in accordance with the same principle as that followed at Pearl street, ‘except that the transverse beams are longer and the tracks are placed nearer | the center of the street and consequently further from the columns. Owing to the nature of the excavation, it here became essential to support not only the trans- verse beam carrying the longitudinal girders, but also the girders themselves, and for that reason the false work was laced in the center of the street, so that it might support and have a good founda- tion for the entire structure. It will be understood from the foregoing and from what we have said previously in regard to the wrecking outfits kept in each yard of the road that it is possible at any time and at short notice to support any part of the structure should such action be occasioned by endangering any of the foundations, A feature comes in here which it is well to slightly dwell upon, and that is the fact that the elevated road in no instance depends upon outside sup- port. When the officials find that an ad- joining excavation is going down below the foundation they have already built for their columns, the road is supported and that foundation is extended at least 2 or 3 feet below the proposed excavation inter- fering with them. In all cases of this character it is turther a practice to carry Me Tire on Church Street. lacing the A-frames further apart it could | the foundation down immediately the in- | be made to span a wider excavation. tentions of those making the excavations In the next case, that on the Pearl street | are known, and to place no reliance upon line, near Fulton, it became necessary | statements made in regard to depths at owimg to vault excavations for a new | which it is proposed to carry the outside 210 THE IRON AGE, February 6, 1890 excavation, but to wait and see and when the excavation has been completed and the building or other structure erected, then the final work of carrying down the pier foundation is carried to completion. One of the most difficult jobs the ele- vated road has lately had to perform was at the corner of Barclay and Church streets, where recently an old building was torn down and the excavation for the new one catried some distance below the original point. One column of the ele- vated road was or might have been en- dangered by this excavation, as sand somewhat in the nature of quicksand was encountered during the digging. It then became necessary to support that column, and as no reliance, on account of the exca- vation itself and the nature of the material encountered, could be placed on the side- walk or roadway immediately adjoining | h that curb line, a crib foundation was built consisting of three rows of ties placed crosswise, as shown in the cut. In order not to interfere with the builder, who was not particularly friendly to such operations, the trestling up of the road was performed one Sunday when all work on the building had ceased. The excavation at the bottom was then leveled off, the cribwork built up, a frame placed on this, as shown, and under the track extending across to the col- umn on the opposite side of the street were placed two deep I-beams, which rested upon false columns on the opposite side of the street; also by uprights on the en- dangered side of the street and also by the opinion they then brought out is therefore of vast weight. They found that so far as any question of the deter- ioration of material is concerned through crystallization no fear need be entertained. After careful examination they stated that the strength of the various structures and the safety of their joint connections or riveting were found to be in accordance with conclusions made by the engineer of the road. They found upon inspection that the structures themselves were safe for existing loads, and they saw no occa- sion for any anxiety on the part of the public as to the safety of the roads ‘‘in view of the very thorough inspection con- tinuously maintained over them through which any defects are at once made mani- fest long before they could possibly assume oe rous proportions. This inspection een so long continued and so thor- oughly performed that we are satisfied that the structures are in a better condi- tion to-day than ever before.” In regard to the high columns where rivets had broken off in cold weather, it was ex- plained that this resulted probably from the contraction of the exterior iron casing assisted perhaps by the freezing of ac- cumulated water between the concrete with which the columns were filled and the iron, but as the occasional bursting of these rivets in no way endangered the structure, the surplus strength of the col- umns being very lerge, there was no cause for anxiety. At the same time tests of specimens of the A-frame, which rested on the curb-| some ofthe members of the structure which work. To further relieve the column on the near curbstone, inclined struts or braces were placed, extending from the bottom of the A-frame resting on the crib- work up to and supporting the I-beams, where they met the endangered column. The spreading of the A-frame away from the elevated structure was prevented by a beam placed against its base and supported by the wall of theadjoining building. This case was somewhat out of the usual run, owing to the peculiar conditions arising, yet it shows admirably the resources kept constantly on hand for cases of just this description, since all of the material en- tering into the false work supporting the structure came from the main supply yard of the company and was put in place with- out any cutting or fitting. TESTING THE IRON. When the Greenwich street line, or the first one built comprising the present sys- tem of the Manhattan Railway Company, was thrown open to traffic, there was much discussion in the daily and technieal press concerning the probable durability of a wrought-iron elevated railroad of this kind. Among some of the points brought out to show beforehand that the road would not be a permanent institution and that it would certainly within a few years need not only extensive repair but prob- ably complete renewal, were the statements that the salt atmosphere in New York would have the effect of rapidly rusting all the parts, especially at the connections; that there was great danger of deteriora- tion of the strength of the iron due to crystallization, and that the limit of the strength of the girders would soon be ap- proached owing to their inherent decay. ' This, as stated in the opening paragraph, has been shown to be false in every respect, since the road now is actually stronger than when finished. Five years ago an examination of the elevated structures on the four avenues was made by the following engineers to ascertain their safety: A. P. Boller, Birdsall Cornell, Joseph M. ‘Wilson, Thomas ©. Clarke, Adolphus Bonzano, A. R. Whitney and Walter Katté. These names will be recognized as comprisin some of the most prominext engineers end bridge constructors in the country, and had been subjected for six years to the most severe duty were made by Prof. R. H. Thurston, to determine the exact con- dition of the metal. These tests showed the iron to be of good quality, and especi- ally excellent in regard to ductility. No sign of crystallization could be detected, and in fact the samples operated upon showed less crystalline structure than does the average or commercial iron such as cus- tomarily found in similar structures. Their strength, ductility and shock - resisting wer were such as to prove conclusively in the professor’s opinion that no deterio- ration could have occurred since they were put in place. We may state in parenthesis that the maximum tensile load on any mem- ber is limited to 9000 pounds, while the maximum load of compression is limited to 8000 pounds to the square inch. The tested pieces showed remarkable uniformity in tensile strength, the aver- age being about 50,000 pounds. Their ductility was close upon 20 per cent. elon- gation in alengthof6inches. The reduc- tion of area was about 40 per cent.; the elastic limits ran usually from 20,000 to 26,000, averaging about 25,000. Bending tests showed in all cases a fine fibrous iron. We find much interesting matter in the report regarding the question as to whether there are present any causes which may lead to the ultimate destruction of the iron bridge members, and also the question whether the long-continued vibrations and repeated shocks produced by the almust uninterrupted action of the constantly- passing trains may not lead to gradual de- struction of strength and elasticity. In this case it was found, as also in the re- port of the engineers, that there was no evidence whatever to give the slightest foundation for the belief that wrought iron loaded within the elastic limit would ever yield either to stationary or intermittent unreversed loads, or that crystallization would ever take place under such condi- tions. The experiments have shown that when repeatedly loaded with one-half their breaking weight, as determined by tests, members will finally break under greater weight after several deflections, but when loaded with one-third the test load the same girder will bear indefinite repetitions of the load and remain unin- jured. It would thus seem that a load of one-third the ascertained maximum is safe for iron girders. In regard to the probable tendency of simple age ard exposure, the atmospheric influences tending to reduce the strength of such a structure, there is no need for alarm, as shown by e one and by facts brought out in bridges, which have been examined after pt of years. It seems probable that iron improves with age as a rule, and invariably, unless it is ex- posed to corrosion. The surfaces of the pieces of iron taken from the elevated roads showed not the slightest indication of corrosion during their years of .exposure, and the paint with which they had been covered had been of such excellent quality and had been so carefully applied and re- newed as to perfectly perserve the surface as if it had been hermetically sealed. The report concludes with the expression that the elevated railroads were originally designed and proportioned in such a man- ner as to be perfectly safe. That they are not liable to the class of injuries suggested as possible causes of a limited life, that they are as safe practically against serious acci- dents or general decay as they were when first erected, and that they have not been subjected to overstrain by excessive load ing, and that they are not liable to any other form of deterioration of quality of materia! known to the engineer. It is fair to presume, when we take into consideration the first design of the struc- ture, the quality of material and work- manship then employed, the small com- parative load to which any member is subjected, and the exceeding refinement of the method of repair and inspection con- tinually exercised, that the elevated rail- roads are to day decidedly in a better con- dition than when first erected. aT Milwaukee’s Iron Ore Interests. The Milwa kee — claim pre-emi- nence in ownership of Lake Superior iron- ore mines. A Sbaeshes paper says it is the opinion of most mining men that Mil- waukee has distanced Cleveland in the control of iron ore properties. Most of the mines of the Marquette range, which is the oldest of the Lake Superior iron districts, still have their main offices in Cleveland; but, on the other hand, most of the mines of the Gogebic and Menominee ranges are controlled in Milwaukee. The Schlesinger syndicate, which control six of the largest mines and the bulk of the output of the Menominee district, as well as a number of promising properties of the Marquette district, have their headquar- ters in Milwaukee. The Metropolitan Land and Iron Company, who control the Norrie and Pabst mines, and have just ap- propriated a fortune to pay dividends, are quartered in the Cream City. The Wis- consin Central syndicate, whose list of mines includes the Colby, Ashland, Aurora, Palms and Superior, in the Gogebic dis- trict, also have their offices in Milwaukee. These are the three iron ore combinations of the country. The estimated output for the present year of the Lake Superior iron mines whose management has its source in Mil- waukee is in the neighborhood of 4,500,000 tons, being at least half of the entire prod- uct of the Lake Superior mines this year, and equaling the entire annual output of the Lake Superior mines some three or four years ago. Of the three Milwaukee syndicates which will ship this year 4,500, - 000 tons of ore in the aggregate the Schles- inger mines will undoubtedly take the lead with 2,000,000 tons; the Colby peo- ple will follow with about 1 ,500,000 tons, and the Metropolitan Company will send out something like 1,000,000 tons. Sev- eral minor companies will help to swell the total. February 6. 1890 THE IRON AGE. 211 ST llllllllllleE=a=eeEeEeeEeE=a>=Ea>a>=E=qeeeeeee_e_e_e_ee_e_e___________—_—_—e e _—__ Outrigger Hoisting Machine. In this issue we present illustrations of a hand-power outrigger-hoisting machine made by the Energy Mfg. Company, 1115 South Fifteenth street, Philadelphia, Pa. The cuts represent the 500 and 1000 pounds machine as now made. These hoists use 1-inch rope for both hand and load. The manufacturers state that since placing HAND-POWER these hoists on the market they have made a number of improvements which are ew- | bodied in the present machine. The hand- rope wheel-shaft can be lengthened so! that the hand rope will come on cne side of the doorway. They are geared as shown, possess considerable power, are easy to work and have an ample automatic brake which sustains the load at any point. The operator can let go hand rope at any time and load cannot lower except the brake-rope is pulled, and as the load-rope does not wind around a drum it is always in line with wheel on end of beam. The wheels are large so that ropes have easy bends. The machines are proportioned so as to be in every part stronger than the rope; if an accident occurs in use it will be by a breakage in rope and not the machine. —_— The Western. Iron Trade. We have received the following letter from a prominent Western iron manufact- | urer whose standing in the trade is so high | that his opinions are worthy of being re- ceived with the utmost consideration : There is no question but what raw ma-| terials have weakened somewhat during | the past month. This, in our opinion, 1s | largely owing to the increased stocks of | »ig metal on hand in December. . But this | is very easily accounted for. December is the month during which the steel mills usually stop for repairs and to make con- tracts with their men for another year. | Their contracts expire January 1 each year | with their labor. The increase in stocks was all in the Pittsburgh and Illinois dis- | tricts. In the Pittsburgh district all of | the Carnegie mills were idle during-the month of December making repairs, and they piled up about 20,000 tons of pig | iron. In Illinois there was a large in- crease—we think about 11,000. We un- derstand that some of the Illinois Steel Company’s mills were idle during the month of December or the greater part of the month. Had all these mills been running in December, they would have used up about 32,000 tons, while the increase in OUTRIGGER HOISTL.G stocks on hand in December was only 26,000, which proves that if the steel mills had been running during the month of December, as in September, October and November, and as they are now running in this month stocks would actually have de- creased 6000 tons. We expect that the January report will show a decrease in stocks, and believe that the consumption is fully equal to the output of the blast MACHINE. furnaces now in blast throughout the country. We have gone carefully over these figures and believe that January will show a decrease in stocks on hand, which wili increase the price of pig iron, after the report is out, say about the middle of February. The ‘‘grippe” has caused more trouble than people generally have NEW any idea of. At times 25 per cent. of our men have been sick, and there has not been a day within the past month that we have not had a mill and sometimes two off on that account. re ———————— RADIAL DRILL Radial Drill Post. A great variety of post and suspension drills are in daily use in boiler shops, bridge works and foundries, where it is desirable to have the work remain on the floor or truck, but one detrimental point with all the fixed machines lies in being compelled to move a heavy piece for every hole, and the time and labor to ad- just it exactly to the point of drill soon compels the manufacturer to look for a more suitable tool—one by means of which the operator can do all this work with ease, and where only the drill, which works freely in either direction, has to be moved, and where the work, having been once turned up, can remain until fin- ished. The machine here illustrated is in design and construction the counterpart of the regular patent radial drills built by Alfred Box & Co., of Philadelphia, and which have been in use for a long time. For long work any number of these ma- chines can be connected in gangs to one shaft running through each machine, such as used in modern bridge construction. A new natural gas line is contemplated to extend from Washington County to Allegheny City, to supply the mills of Lindsay & McCutcheon, Smith Bros. & Co., Oliver lron and Steel Company and other manufactories. The mills and fac- tories that depended on gas for puddling | iron and steel have had to close down that part of their works on account ot the scarcity of gas. The alternative of going back to coal or looking out for a new field from which to draw gas preserted itself. The manufacturers promptly adopted the latter course { It has been claimed that the Diamond Plate Glass Works, at Kokomo, Ind., were entitled to the credit of turning out the largest sheet of plate glass ever cast. It was 122 x 202 inches, but Mr. Edward POST. | Petit, New York agent of several French | plate glass companies, declares this claim to | be incorrect, and sends the following list | of plate glass sheets exhibited last year at |the Paris Exhibition by the St. Gobain Company: One rough plate, 319 x 163 The first regular annual meeting of the | inches, equals 361 square feet 13 inches; stockholders of the Illinois Steel Company | one polished plate, silvering quality, 301 x for the election of directors, &c., will be| 162 inches, equals 388 square feet 90 held at the offices of the company in the|inches; one polished plate, 320 x 166 Rookery building, Chicago, inst. on the 12th | inches, equals 368 square feet 128 inches. This shows that the French are still ahead, 212 THE IRON AGE. February 6, 1890 but the plate glass industry is making such strides in this country, and more par- ticularly in Pittsburgh and vicinity, that foreign competition, both in quality and size of sheets, will soon be reduced to a minimum. a Apparatus for Making Car Axles. The method of constructing car axles here described is extremely simple. A and shaped as shown in the sectional drawings Figs. 3 and 4. The wedges are provided with tongues e, engaging grooves formed in the casting parallel with the faces of the jaws and the sections forming ,each wedge are connected together in order to insure simultaneous lateral move- ‘ments of both sections by means of ,tongues d and grooves. The grooves ‘are made somewhat wider than the | tongues and are so located with reference blank of suitable length and of a diameter to the jaws as to prevent the lateral thrust of this cylinder are placed the others d, the piston-rods of which extend through pas- sages in opposite sides of the casting to the cross-head H, to which the plunger 7 is attached. The two side cylinders are so proportioned that their power equals that exerted by the center one, so that when they are operating on a blank through the medium of the plungers the power of the two side cylinders will counterbalance the other. The pipes fro