The Iron Age 1890-03-13: Vol 45

“FHE THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 1890 IRON AGE A Regenerative Annealing Furnace. At Mr. F. Boesner’s wire-works at Au- gustenthal, near Neuwied on the Rhine, a new form of annealing furnace with re generative firing has been succeasfully adopted tor some time past. J, von Eh- renwerth describes it as follows: The furnace has two circular heating chambers qr pits, each taking a single| cast steel annealing pot, standing upon a rectangular sub-structure containing the gas and air passages and re- generators. The latter are low ob- long chambers, measuring about 12 feet in length, 4 feet in breadth and 2 feet in ing up the first pot passes through the passage at the top through the second chamber and regenerator into the chimney until the proper heat is attained. The current of air and gas is then reversed, the valve, a single fourway-cock, commandin both passages by a single movement, onl the heating of the second chamber com- mences; the current of spent flame, which at first is notably cooler than the pre- viously heated pot, is passed over the lat- ter until their temperatures are about equalized, when the finished heat is re- moved and a new pot is inserted. Three of these double furnaces, taking pots 3 feet in diameter, of the capacity : oie odd: cl a is ice kick) Cue uth dle le diode aii i N iy HOA 1 Ai fr i] AIH ij Track Forming Press. The illustration shows a new form- ing press recently built by the Coul- ter & McKenzie Machine Company, of Bridgeport, Conn., for the Dun- ham Mfg. Company, of Boston. It is to be used for making track from sheet steel as used on sliding doors for freight cars, &c. The press forms the track and punches the screw holes at one operation. The extreme width of this press is 72 inches, crank shaft made of hammered steel, has 2-inch throw, is fitted with an improved stop motion, is geared up five to one, has 3-inch {back PRESS FOR FORMING GAR DOOR TRACK, greatest hight. Only two are used in each | pair of furnaces, the air alone being heated, as the gas is brought hot from the pro- ducer. Above the roof of the regenerator is placed a block of fire-brickwork con- taining the heated air and gas flues, and the burner, which is a narrow ring-shaped passage, terminating at the bottom of the heating chamber, giving a body of flame that entirely envelopes the an- nealing pot placed in the center The chamber, which is a little larger than the pot, is about 5 feet high, 4 feet in diameter at the top, a little broader at the bottom, and is covered with a loose iron lid kept gas-tight by water-joints, having a central passage communicating with the second chamber. In starting the furnace, as soon as one of the chambers is brought up to a strong heat both receive their charges, consisting of a cast-steel pot weighing about'18 houndred-weight, and given above, and a smaller one for 20-inch | pots, intended for annealing rivets, have! been erected in place of an older series of | heating furnaces, and the first one has been | at work for 18 months. Each double fur- | nace heats ten pots, or a total weight of 8 | to 9 tons of wire in 24 hours, so that the | heat lasts about five hours. The consump- | tion of coal has been reduced from 124 to | 13 per cent. of the weight of the wire heated, which was required in the old | furnaces, to from 7 to 9 per cent., giving from 28 to 45 per cent., or an average of | 36 per cent., saving infuel. The wear of the annealing pots is considerably les- sened, their duration having been brought up from 300 to 600 heats, while the labor of handling is considerably lightened owing to the pots being drawn at a lower temperature than was previously the case. EE The mining town of Joplin, Mo., near containing 16 to 18 hundred-weight of | the Kansas State line produced last year hard-drawn wire. The flame, after heat- 99 wm, zinc and lead ore valued at $522,900. shaft, which carries the pinion and%a balance wheel 42 inches in diameter, weighing 700 pounds. The back shaft is also fitted with tight and loose pulleys 24 x 6, thereby dispensing with separate countershaft. There are two connections which are adjustable to suit the dies. The gate is very heavy and has a counter- balance weight arranged at the back to save strain on the gears and insures a very steady movement. All the bearings are extra long and of best possible shape for long and continuous work. This press 1s very desirable for any heavy punching, shearing, or forming purposes, where long dies are desired for sheet metal work. The press can be built wider or narrower, with more or less stroke, with or without back gears, can be operated by belt as il- lustrated, or by engine attached to the back shaft. ; The press complete weighs 5 tons, 1s well proportioned and has no complicated parts to get out of order. 412 THE IRON AGE, March 13, 1890 Southern Miscellany. A company of Jellico capitalists have bought a tract of iron-ore land in North Carolina for $10,000. The old Chesapeake Furnace property at Canton, Md., has been bought by the Balti- more Storage Company, who will build large coil piers. There has been a big consolidation of eoal companies at Jellico, Tenn., recently. The Main Jellico Mountain Coal Company, with a capital of $500,000; the Standard Coal and Coke Company, of Newcomb, $500,000; Jellico Mountain Coal, Coke and Transportation Company, of New- comb, $300,000; the East Tennessee Coal Company, of Knoxville, $250,000, and the Proctor Coal Compaty, of Jellico, $600, - 000, have taken the name of the Southern Jellico Coal Company, of which M. E. Thornton has become president. Representatives of the Columbia Mining Company, of Philadelphia, Pa., are ia Burke County, N. C., investigating iron properties that are said to be unusually valuable. It is probable they will buy or lease an extensive tract of these mineral lands. At Hagerstown, Md., the Hagerstown Mining, Mfg. and Land Improvement Company have been chartered. A company with a capital stock of $250,000 are being organized at Johnson City, Tenn., to erect a rolling mill. The foundry and machine shop of O. N. Richardson, at High Point, N. C , is being added to considerably by new and im- proved machinery. W. H. Bennett, representing Philadel- phia capital, has secured an option on property at Bristol, Tenn, with a view toward the erection of an iron furnace. The Iron and Steel Company, Limited, of Talladega, Ala., are examining man- ganese mines, which they will probably develop. The Southern Iron Company, of Nash- ville, Tenn., are building a saw mill. The iron mines of J. M. Workman, Charleston, Tenn., are to be developed. Kansas City capitalists have been offered a bonus of $20,000 and 5000 acres of land, to build a 100-ton blast furnace at Queen City, Texas. The Gregg Iron Works, of Morristown, Tenn., are being enlarged. At Denison, Texas, the Denison Iron Works will absorb the Washington Iron Works, of Sherman, Texas; the capacity of the double plant will be enlarged te more than twice its former amount. An iron furnace is svon to be built at Spring City, Tennessee. West Virginia capital is to erect a fur- nace at Jefferson, Texas. A syndicate of New Orleans people are to build two iron furnaces at New ‘Bir- mingham, Texas. The New York and New Orleans Coal and Iron Company, of Chattanooga, are extending their coal developments, and will build many new coke ovens, J. Block & Co., of Chattanooga, have been awarded the contract to erect the buildings at Anniston, Ala., that are to be occupied by the Rollstone Machine Works, which will be transferred from Fitchburg, Mass. The works are to be completed and in operation within 90 days. The El Paso Car Works, of El Paso, Texas, will build an addition for machine shops, 70 x 250 feet. Also a blacksmith shop, 70 x 70 feet, and a roundhouse. These works are under the control of the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railroad Company. At Dallas, Texas, a company has been formed for the purpose of manufacturing iron safes, The iron mines near Attalla, Ala., be- lorging to the Etowah Mining Company, of Chattanooga, will increase their daily output to 300 tons. There are newly-discovered iron depos- its near Towery, Tenn., that are to be de- veloped by a company now organizing. The Wooldridge Stove Works Company with a capital stock of $100,000 have been formed at Memphis by W. H. Wogldridge, Lawrence Simpson, M. Burke and others. The site is now being selected and work will begin on the buildings in a few weeks. The iron mines near Laney, Ala., are being developed by F. E. Jackson, of Attala, and J. C. Laney. Philadelphia parties will build a rolling mill at Bristol, Tenn. The new steel car manufacturing com- pany organized at Chattanooga, are nego- tiatiug for 1000 acres of land on which to erect car works and rolling mill. The new Golden Foundry and Machine Works to be erected at Columbus, Ga., are to cost $35,000. The Birmingham, Ala., Railway Sup- ply Company have added bolt machinery and have enlarged their link and pin out- put. Their new rolling mill will com- mence work in a few weeks. The Arkansas Improvement Company have been chartered at Mount Ida, Ark., for the purpose of developing iron and coal lands. The capital stock is $500,000, and G. G. Latla is president, 8. B. Covington, secretary, and M. @. Tombles, treasurer. The East Tennessee Bessemer Ore Com- pany have been organized at Knoxville by F. K. Huger, J. W. Caldwell, T. E. Peegarden At the new iron town of Piedmont, Ala., contracts have been awarded for a 50-ton rolling mill, 50-ton charcoal iron furnace, car-wheel works, and plans are being prepared for a 100-ton coke iron furnace. The Embreeville Freehold Iron and Land Company, just organized at Jones- boro, Tenn., have let a contract for an iron furnace. A site has been purchased and an iron furnace will be built at Johuson City, Tenn., by Griffith & Marion, of Laurence, Kan. The Pioneer Mining and Mfg. Company, of Thomson, Ala., have recently blown in their second coke furnace. This is to be followed by another furnace and a rolling- mill be built, also a machine shop. The Carnegie Iron Company have begun work on a 125-ton iron furnace at John- son City, Tenn. This company intend building three additional furnaces. At Pineville, Ky., the Pine Mountain Iron and Coal Compeny have been organ- ized to develop iron ore lands. Car-wheel works to employ a capital of $125,000 are to be built at Harriman, Tenn. The new rolling mill company. just formed at Anniston, Ala., have chosen Col. Robert Fraser as president, and H. Adkinson 4s secretary and treasurer. The New England Company, of Tren- ton, Ga, have closed contracts for an iron furnace and coke ovens. eT A contract his been let for the building ot the longest and largest steel flume in thecountry. It will be built by the Spokane Hydraulic Mining Company. The flume will be an immense steel pipe four and one-half miles long, carrying water from the old California ditch, at the head of Pritchard Creek, in the Cour 4’Alene mining district, above Murray, to the Old Wash gold diggings. The flume will be made of heavy steel pipe, 22 inches in diameter. The following directors were elected for the ensuing year at the annual meeting of the Columbian Iron Works, Baltimore: Decatur H. Miller, Orland Smith, Wm. F. Frick, C. Morton Stewart, George A. Von Lingen, Alfred Simpson and W. §S. At- kinson. The Lake Superior Copper Mines, Hon. Jay A. Hubbell has returned lately from Houghton, Mich., and gives his opinion on the following ‘Lake Superior copper properties : Of the Atlantic he says: ‘* When the new hoisting engine is in place and the new balance shaft is completed the cost of production will be less ened. Aside from the present vein in which the company are working, and from which they are ———-. everybody by earning regular dividends, their landed estate covers substantially the whole mia- eral formation on the south side of Portage Lake. It is expected that explorations will find the Quincy vein on this property, which is surely there, and once found it will greatly enhance the value of the At- lantic mine. ‘*The Huron never promised so well for the future as it does now. Under former management it was thought that the course of copper did not extend south of No. 10 shaft, and the ground to the north had been pretty well tested, with results al- ready known; but Captain Vivian made up his mind that this theory was not well founded, and commenced explorations to the south of this shaft by extending the levels to the south, and the result was that he found a better run of copper ground than had heretofore been encoun- teredin the mine. He has also proved its continuance by extending, at intervals, levels into this territory from the bottom of the mine up to the third level, where the same run of copper und was found to exist. The vein at these points looks well, and is char, with both barrel and stamp copper, and appears to be of a softer material than at the north. These ex- plorations would warrant the company in adding another head of stamps to their plant at once, and will enable them, with- out this addition, to very materially in- crease their product for the year 1890. With copper at its present price the Huron, with its present equipment, ought to make a profit for the year 1890 of over $100,000, and with an additional head of stamps would take a position in the divi- dend-paying list. ‘*The Quincy Mine is always in good shape, for the reason that its management always keep the mine well opened in ad- vance, Its new railroad and stamp mills are now completed, and its output ought to be materially cheapened and increased. The Quincy and Franklin both need the Pewabic to insure either a very long lease of life, and I understand the fight over this much-coveted property will occur when a sale is made under the order of the court. One thing is certain and that is, the Quincy needs the Pewabic fully as much as does the Franklin. ‘* The most remarkable developments for the year 1889 have been made at the Osce- ola and Cen.ennial mines. At the Osceola the course of we from which they are getting most of their product was pitch- ing so rapidly to the north and iuto the Calumet and Hecla property that their available ground was getting altogether too short to warrant any great length of life for the mine. The vein to the south, and especially on what is known as the Opechee end of their property, was poor and barren at the surface, and as far as in- dications went, gave no promise for the future. A shaft on the Opechee, located about 700 feet north of the line between Osceolaand Tecumseh properties, was sunk for a long distance through barren ground, but Captain Daniell persisted in pushing this shaft down, on the theory that depth would show a change in the character of the vein, and in the early fall was rewarded for his perseverance by striking a course of copper much richer than had hitherto been encountered in the Osceola amygda- March 13 1890 THE IRON AGE, 413 ooo ooo eaaEooer“=®y“=s=< vi‘ ee oom joid. Mining men who are competent judges pronounce it the richest show in amygdaloid ever opened in the country. This course of copper has already an ex- posed length of about 600 feet, and what is more remarkable in copper courses is that it is making rapidly south toward the Tecumseh lire, instead of north, as all shoots have heretofore been supposed to do. When once their new hoisting en- gine is in a at this shaft in the spring the Osceola will rank with the Quincy as a copper producer, and in the meantime ought to produce from 230 to 250 tons of mineral per month. Another remarkable feature about this development is that it completely overthrows the theory hereto- fore existing that a lode or vein which does not carry copper at the outcrop has no value for mining purposes. ‘Explorations at the Centennial have disclosed something more wonderful than at either the Huron or Osceola, and, if it means anytbing, it means that the Calumet and Hecla and the Tamarack are to have a rival producer of copper from the belt known as the Calumet and Hecla conglom- erate. The Centennial has about a mile in length of this famous lode in its property. Mining people had heretofore pretty gener- ally settled into the belief that the Calumet and Hecla lode had no value ouside the boundary line of the Calumet and Hecla property, unless vertical shafts, sunk oat- side, should reach or intercept the courses of copper cropping out on the Calumet and Heela property; and fruitless and costly explorations on the Osceola and other properties to the south, and on the Centennial, Kearsage and Ahmeek at the north, had strongly tended to strengthex and confirm this belief. Latterly the Centennial, which was a reorganization of the old Schoolcraft, purchased of the Shelden estate the north half of section 12, thus securing the whole of that sec- tion, and commenced anew the explor- ations on the Calumet and Hecla lode on this property. Large sums of money had heretofore been expended on this property next to and adjoining the Calumet and Hecla, but no satisfactory results were reached. The new management began by deepening and exploring this lode in the old mine by pushing No. 3 shaft down, with a view of striking the Calumet and Hecla course of copper in depth, and by sinking No. 4 shaft to the ninth level and drifting both north and south in this lode at that point. No. 3 shaft at the bottom is already showing some copper, and the drift north in ninth level in No. 4 is in fairly rich ground. Not satistied with this work, however, Captain Vivian deter- mined to test the ground to the north on the property. Selecting a place about 1500 feet north of No. 4 shaft, on a rise of ground, he sunk an exploring pit through 30 feet of soil, and struck the Calumet and Hecla lode. This lode here was of full width, and at the outcrop as well charged with copper as were the averege of explor- ing pits on the Calumet and Hecla in the early days of their explorations on these roperties. Not considerivg the point just stated a good one for the location of a shaft, he went still north a distance of 70 feet, where he again sunk down through the soil and again struck the lode full in width and more heavily charged with copper than at the first pit. From these pits to the Kearsarge property, which ad- joins the Centennial on the north and also carries the lode, is a distance of about 2500 feet which has never been explored. ‘**T am somewhat familiar with the Calu- met and Hecla lode from the first openings to the present time. It is a great master- ful lode in which nature has worked on a large scale. I never saw a point on that lode which was well charged with copper throughout, at the surface or outcrop, that did not carry copper in depth. From what I saw at the Centennial I feel as well as- sured that they have encountered a strong course of copper in the middle ot their property and at the points above men- tioned as I ever did that the early openings at the Calumet meant a large mine. It must not, however, be inferred that the openings at the South, in the old mine, are without value. It must be remembered that on the Hecla end of Calumet and Hecla Mine the ground from No. 3 shaft, Hecla, over to No 6, a distance of about 1500 feet, the lode was barren until they had sunk to the sixth level, below which point the lode for this whole distance was well charged with copper, and carries cop- per clear down to the present workings in the Tamurack Mine. And it is quite likely that, had the Calumet and Hecla people in the early days confined their ex- plorations to this strip of ground, they would have dentine the property and we should never have heard of either the Calumet and Hecla or the Tamarack as copper producers. The same thing may happen at the old mine on the Centennial and make it and the Tamarack, Jr., as valuable as any other given portion of the lode. Ihave reached a point in mining observation where theories as to deposits do not count for so much as what the miner’s pick discloses and await develop- ments with no little interest. This new find at the Centennial adds largely to the value of the Kearsarge, and Captain Daniell, with his usual push, will very soon show why. ‘*Never in its history has the Allouez been in such a good position for the pro- duction of copper as it will be when it starts up on or about the 1st of next May. The conditions are now thoroughly under- stood, the character of the deposit well studied. With the former assessment the plant, both at stamp mill and mine, was put in thorough repair, and considerable ground opened in advance, and it is, as I understand, the intention of the manage- ment to expend from the surplus and the proceeds of the assessment due February 20 $25,000 on further opening the mine, and with the balance put in an air-compressor drill outfit and accumulate fuel and sup- plies for active operations. When work is again resumed they will produce copper cheaper than it has ever been done. The management is careful and economical, and under it, in the changed condition of af. fairs, I do not see why the mine will not show handsome profits im the future, and in a short time take piace among the divi- dend-payers of that region. ‘Within +he next 60 days the Calumet and Heclaand Tamarack will be able to very materially increase their month'y out- put. The former will by that time have two additional shafts from which mineral can be raised, and the latter from the im- proved condition of affairs underground, and from its new shaft, will be in a similar condition. With copper at its present price I can see no reason why the Tamarack can- not soon commence paying $5 quarterly instead of $3, as it is now doing. ‘* The year 1890 promises to be a profit- able year for the Lake Superior copper in- terests. It will show a material increase of output over the year 1889, and sales of the same at much better prices. The market for copper now appears to be nat- ural, Each produces sells its output direct to consumer without consultation with others as to prices or amount sold. The year has begun without a surplus from the production of the former year, and the demand for consumption is fully equal to, if not greater than, the supply. Under the syndicate, shares in these enterprises ruled much higher than they do now; but what ought these shares to bring in the market, when the producers realize from the sale of their entire output to consumers a higher price for their product than they did then? Most of the mining enterprises have shown their ability to earn dividends with copper at 11} cents per pound, and if shares in these corporations were con- sidered good investments with copper at that price, it seems that their value must be enhanced when there is a strong de- mand for copper at 14 cents per pound, and when the manufacturers are willing to make contracts at that price for delivery up to next December.” ee Auxiliary Cylinder applied to Link Motion Reversing-Gears. Mr. Touqueberg, a Belgian engineer, has invented a very simple arrangement of auxiliary cylinder, capable of many applications, and especially adapted for attachment to link-motion reversing-gears. The apparatus consists of a hand-lever of the usual form, with an eccentric forged on the lower end. A strap on this eccen- tric 1s connected with the slide-valve rod of the auxiliary cylinder; through this eccentric passes a weigh-shaft upon which another eccentric is formed The eccen- tric on the hand-lever forms the strap for this inner eccentric. At both ends of the weigh-shaft a lever is forged, one of which is connected with the usual weigh-shaft and suspension links of the link-motion; the other is connected with the piston-rod of the auxiliary cylinder. The action is as follows: When the hand-lever is moved from the position of mid gear, its eccen- tric moves the slide-valve of the auxiliary cylinder, and admits steam to one side of the piston, the piston moves forward, and with it the grms of the weigh-shaft; the eccentric on this weigh-shaft is so ar- ranged that by this forward motion it moves the slide-valve back, so that the steam is cut off and the piston stops; thus the auxiliary piston follows the motion of the hand-lever in either direction, but stops directly the hand-lever ceases to be moved. The only work done by the en- gine driver is that which is necessary to overcome the friction of the auxiliary slide-valve and eccentric. In order that the piston may stop directly the valve moves back, it is so arranged that the valve comes to a position where both steam-ports are covered frun steam, but are open to the exhaust, so that any steam left in the cylinder escapes directly into the air. Buffer stops are provided to pre- vent the lever coming too hard upon the end of the sector-plates; and catches of the usual type are provided, one of which enables the engine driver to add his force to that of the cylinder if necessary. This arrangement has been applied to loco- motives on the Belgian railways, and on the Orleans Company’s railways in France. I Steam Engine Foundations Em- bedded in Air.—Among the remarkable examples of bold engineering in the great sugar refinery of Claus Spreckels, at Phila- delphia, Pa., one of the most unique is the hanging or aerial steam engine founda- tions. The engines used in this establish- ment are distributed practically all over the buildings, a large proportion of them being on upper floors. Some of these en- gines are bolted to iron beams or girders on second and third stories of the build- ing, and are consequently innocent of all foundation. Some of these engines ran noiselessly and satisfactorily, while others produced more or less vibration and rattle. To correct the latter, the engineers simply suspended foundations from the bottoms of the engines, so that, in looking at them from the lower floors, they were literally hanging in the air. A foundation does service to an engine, or any machinery, it seems, by its weight alone; hence, it makes little difference whether the founda- tion be firmly embedded in mother eart> or in the air. 414 THE IRON AGE. March 13, 18¢0 Continuous Safety Rail. A patent has recently been granted to R. H. Pugh, room 359, Rookery Building, Chicago, for a new form of rail, a cross section of which is herewith illustrated. The rail is T-shaped, and has angle-bars extending continuously along both sides of it instead of being at the joints alone as with present construction. The angle- bars are intended to be roiled in 30-foot lengths, the same as the rail, so that joints can be broken every 10 feet. The rail and the angle-bars are bolted together every 2 feet, contraction and expansion being provided for in the oval shape of the bolt hole. The inventor claims that a 50-pound rail made by this method will equal an ordinary 75-pound rail in strength and service. It is impossible for a broken rail to get loose and drop down so as to injure the track, while it can easily be unbolted and removed to replace it with anewrail. Estimates have been prepared showing the cost of this rail to be but about $1 per ton advance on the ordinary form of rail, including angle-bars in the gross tonnage. A mile of track according to this system has been contracted for by a Western railroad, with a view to thor- oughly testing its merits. The inventor makes the following claims: 1. A perfect joint is obtained, the base and angles breaking joint 10 feet apart, forming a continuous safety rail of great elasticity. 2. The angles forcibly hold the head in place, and the heavier the passing load the tighter the hold on the head. 3. A larger bearing surfaee, as the whole thickness of the base is available for use and the increased bearing surface pre- —_— the rail sinking orinclining to either side. 4. Great facility in repairing and relay- ing track; any length can be bolted toge- Continuous Safety Rail. ther at the most convenient time and placed ready to shift into position. 5. The anglesare fit for re-use when the heads are worn out, reduciug the cost of renewals at least one half. 6. Great economy in maintenance of way, the rail when once laid requires little attention. 7. Liability to accident from a broken rail is reduced to a minimum. I Edward H. Carmick, of New York, and George R. Waite, of Philadelphia, representing the Gatling Ordnance Com- pany, are in Wilmington, Del., with the object of establishing works in that city. The business of this company is to manu- facture high-power cast-steel guns under the patents of Dr. R. J. Gatling, the in- ventor of the Gatling rapid-fire gun. The object of Dr. Gatling’s invention is to make a heavy gun of cast steel to take the place of the ‘‘ built-up” guns, such as are made by Krupp in Germany, Sir William Armstrong in England, Creusot in France. There is now no steel-casting plant pre- pared to cast guns on this principle, and it is proposed to locate such a plant either in Wilmington or Philadelphia. Such a plant, prepared to turn out the first test gun, will cost completed about $125,000. The United States alone will need in the next few years, for the armament of their coast defenses and navy, not less than $50, - 000 worth of heavy guns, Heavy Grinding Machine. The grinding machine of which we herewith present an engraving is made in two sizes by the Diebel Mfg. Company, of Philadelphia. In the No. 6 grinder the spindle is 38 inches long, has a diam- eter in the bearings of 14 inch and between the flanges of 14 inch, the bearings are 74 inches long, the distance between the wheels is 29 inches, the hight from the floor to the center of the spindle is 36 Pawtucket, R. I.; Hinsdale, N. H., woolen; bleachery establishment in Lew- iston, Me., and Fletcher woolen mill and Lymansville cotton mill in Rhode Island, — VIRGINIA IRON NOTES. The past week has witnessed no diminu- tion in the spirit of development that has now fairly seized Virginia and 1s shaking her so vigorously. o session of the gen- eral assembly ever performed more faith- ful service for the matesial welfare of Vir- ginia than the one which sent its members home one day last week. In all of these indications of coming expansion the iron trade can certainly not be ashamed of the degree of interest manifested in its direc- tion. New furnaces, rolling mills, machine shops, foundries, car works and other plants to work in iron are to be erected. housands of acres of mineral lands stored HEAVY inches and the weight, including counter- shaft, is 500 pounds. The spindle of the No. 7 machine is 48 inches long, has a diameter in the bearings of 14 inch, length of bearings 9 inches, the distance between the wheels is 34 inches, the hight from the floor to the center of the spindle is 34 inches and the total weight 800 pounds. With a speed of 550 revolutions of the countershaft the spindle of the first-mentioned machine turns 950 on the slow speed and 1518 of the fast. The other machine turns 856 on the slow and 1080 on the fast speed, the countershaft making 500 revolutions. The No. 6 ma- chine is designed to run two emery-wheels up to 20 x 24 inches, while the cther will run two wheels upto 24. x 3 inches. The machines have self-oiling boxes which are provided with protectors for keeping dust from the bearings and oil from the wheels. The bearings are babbitted and, as will be noticed, are of ample length. The distance between the wheels is unusually long and gives space for two men to work. ——e The number of New England plants re- ported as putting in new machinery is quite large. There are 17 instances, as follows: Cornell Mills, Barnard Mills, Hargraves, Shore and Weetamoe Mills, Fall River; Keeney Bros. paper mill, at Manchester, Conn. ; Beebe shoe factory, at Lynn; one also in New Hampshire; Law- rence Company, Lowell; woolen mill at Hinsdale, Mass. ; woolen mill at Hartford, Vt.; cotton and woolen mill in vicinity of GRINDING MACHINE. with a wealth have within the past few weeks changed hands, and will at once receive the inaugurating touch of develop- ment. Roanoke still leads the van of sister towns in Virginia, though many new iron centers are booming up and are close upon the heels of the robust young ‘‘ Magic City.” A new furnace is to be erected in Roanoke by a company at present repre- sented by William Welch, who has pur- chased a site of 254 acres for $50,000. George W. Egler, of Waynesboro, Pa., has been in Roanoke during the past week negotiating with a view of establishing a foundry. Subscriptions are still being added to the capital stock of the proposed file works that are to be built at Roanoke. The Blue Ridge Mining and Develop- ment Company, of Roanoke, will spend $12,000 for a mining plant and ore proper- ties. At present this company are mining 1000 tons of ore per month and will soon be in position to increase their output to 3000 tons. This company have been very successful, and it is asserted that they have paid a dividend of between $1 and $2 per month on each share since the organiza- tion. The paid up capital stock of the company is $20,000. The American Bridge Works, at Roan- oke, are now running night and day to catch up with unfilled orders. During the ast week another large shipment of ridges was sent to Southwest Virginia. Negotiations are a that may re- sult in there being erected in Salem ex- March 12, 1890 THE IRON AGE. 415 arses tensive works for the manufacture of the | from the rolling mill of Mr. C. Loring at patent spark, arrester, owned by the| South Boston, and thus save transporta- Carper Spark Conductor Company, re-|tion from the Pennsylvania steel mills. cently incorporated, with a capital stock | With the specifications in their present of $100,000. form this cannot be done, as cpen-hearth A $50,000 company has been organized | steel is called for, while the South Boston in Salem, to manufacture a barrel hoop | mills use steel made by the Clapp-Griffiths patented by G. W. Parrish, J. W. Har-|system. Mr. Loring has had a conference veycutter is president of the company, W. with Secretary Tracy about the matter, T. Young is secretary and W. H. Ruth-| and the Secretary will order the steel in- rauff is treasurer. - spection board of which Captain Howison The machine shops of the Shenandoah | is president to visit the works in Boston Valley Railroad, at Milner, are to be | and report as to whether suitable materials largely increased in capacity. A boiler | for the boats can be turned out there. If shop will also be added. the report is favorable the specifications A company is being formed at Abing-| will be changed to admit of the use of don to build a spiegel iron furnace. that steel. A company is forming at Wytheville to build a furnace, and a development com- PROVIDENCE NOTES. pany a — is negotiating for no ag Se ge, SE eee The water-supply system of Pawtucket At Brookhead a company of Lynchburg | i$ one of the most important of any of cwitalists, headed by P. J. Otey, will those of the cities of ‘moderate size in the begin in a few weeks developi ini Eastern States. aie. ee ee carefully-prepared report of the The Pulaski Rolling Mill Company have Water Works Commissioners of Pawtucket been organized with a capital stock of |#2d Superintendent Edwin Darling are 200,000. taken the following details of the opera- New York capitalists have purchased tions of the works during the past year 3000 acres of mineral lands near Big and their present condition: No material Spring, and will develop them at once. change was made, except the placing of Capitalists are prospecting at Vinton, |*¥° 90 horse-power water-wheels in Sta- onan options on ataand onde It is| tion No. 2, where were before two smaller said that a furnace is to be erected. wheels. Superintendent Darling refers, The iron mines of the Virginia Nail and | With well-founded gratification, to the Iron Works Company, of Lynchburg, are | ‘Tial of the fire hydrants on September 19, soon to send forth a large daily output. 1889, when the chief engineer of the fire The capacity of the mines will be doubled. | 4epartment was invited to play 75 streams The Sataley’s Creek Iron and Manganese | *t once, and which trial was successfully Company have been organized, with Col. | #¢complished, holding 80 pounds’ press- A. C. Cunningham, of Obugdon, presi- | U¢ during the time the test was made. dent, and J. 3. Apperson, of Glade Spring, | The test was made on the 20-inch force secretary. The company own 5000 acres | ™#in, three and one-half miles long, lead- of land in Marion County, on which are |i% from the pumps to the center of the deposits of rich red hematite cre and a| City to the storage reservoir on the hights, fine quality of manganese. They intend |*t 20 elevation of 301 feet above tide- beginning at once to develop the deposits, | Water. | Four thousand and forty feet of and will construct a railroad through the this maiu was used, and the streams were property for that purpose. taken from nine six-wayed and eight two- The Newport and Mississippi Valley wayed hydrants. Six Edison recording Railroad Company will erect machine | £#uges Were placed on the line, located so shops which are to cost $200,000 at Clif-| #8 to give the best results of the loss of ton Forge. pressure. c Two iron furnaces and a rolling mill are| During the past year Prof. J. E. Den- to be built at Radford by the newly-| ‘ton, of Stevens’ Institute of Technology, organized Virginia Steel and Iron Com- Hoboken, N. J., made an exhaustive test anv. of the duty of No. 1, or better known as The Radtord Land Company have pur- the Corliss high-duty pump, and he fully chased a large body of ore properties in verifies all previous statements made, even Floyd County and will open mines at | ‘© last year when the engine made the un- once. precedented duty of 124,512,184 foot A furnace is to be built at the new town | Pounds for the whole year, pumping 899,- of Glasgow by the Glenwood Furnace | 952,732 gallons of water, or working 338 Company. days of 22 hours and 22 minutes per diam. Among the new bills introduced in the| , The satisfactory working of the meters State Legislature during the past week, during the year has been noticeable, ow- were those incorporating the Tacoma | 2g to the constant demand for them from Mining and Transportation Company; the householders, amounting to 266 meters out Bertha Zinc Coal and Iron Company ; the of 299 services. The new hydrants set at River Mining Company; the Peale Knob Pawtucket last year numbered 12, making Iron Company ; the Clark’s Summit Mining | the whole number standing on the system and Development Company; the Lynch- | 897. There are now in the system 5061 burg and Southwest Virginia Development services and 3274 meters in use. Of the Company; to change the name of the latter 2351 are of the Crown make, while Rover Mining Company. of the Union rotary there are 742, and of Iror. Gate is another new iron town that | ¥@™0US other makes smaller numbers are but a few months ago was unheard used. . . , Within a radius ot Ave miles around — Superintendent George Ww . Cumnock, of Gate are the Low Moor, the Longdale and the Social and Nourse Mills, of Woon- the Glen Wilton furnaces. A rolling mill socket, is making gress ee eee bow being erected will utilize a part of the the latter factory. The Corliss engine, output of these furnaces. The rolling mill particularly designed for the will, is one company a few days ago bought 9000 acres of the largest as well as one of the best | - fn aed 1881.... | 965,236 | 445,111 Since the new half has been added to the engine 16,000 spindles have been added to the mill. A year ago there was an attempt to se- cure some manufacturing establishment to locate at Newport. The one which is the most mature, is for the manufacture of a new corset spring or steel, which has re- cently been patented by Isaac Levy, a dry goods merchant of that city, The goods are now manufactured in New Haven, but the demand for them is so great that a new improved lot of machinery is being built to meet this increase, and new quarters have also to be sought, for the operators of the machinery. The present output of these corset springs or clasps is 2000 pairs per day, but with the new appliances it is expected to make at least 45,000 pairs. Another plant which proposes to locate there is that of the Dececo Mfg. Company, of which G. E. Warren, Jr., is the head, for the manufacture of bath tubs, basins, patent closets and plumbing materials. Still another industry is that of currying five leather for use in covering machinery in cotton mills. James France, father of Robert France, is at the head of the enter- prise and the Richmond mill is the pro- posed location. George H. Remington, of this city, has been granted a patent for ‘‘a device for shifting driving belts from continuously revolving pulleys, the same having a mounted and operating endless flexible connection or double chain belt to be shifted, and having a portion of the length of the chain belt provided with trans- versely mounted rolls, adapted in opera- tion to successfully engage the driving belt and lift it radially from the pulley.” The Corliss Safe and Vault Door Manu- facturing Company shipped the past week by the New York, Providence and Boston Railroad, three sets of their medium size Corliss patent vault doors—one set to the Queens County Bank, Long City, N. Y., and two sets to the Commercial National Bank, Omaha, Neb. Another set was de- livered to the Atlantic National Bank of this city. LEONIDAS. a St. Mary’s Falls Canal. E. 8. Wheeler, general superintendent of the St. Mary’s Falls Canal, in his report, estimates the total cost of carrying the freight in 1887 at $10,075,153, or 2.3 mills per ton per mile. The total cost in 1888 is placed at $7,883,077, or 1.5 mills per ton per mile, showing that more freight was carried in 1888 than in 1887, but at a lower rate. A statement of the commerce shows that during last season 2635 sailing vessels and 6501 steamers, a total of 9579 vessels, passed through the canal, an in- crease of 1776 vessels over 1888. The registered tonnage of the boats was 7,221,- 935. The freight carried through the canal is classified as follows: Coal, 1,629,- 197 tons; flour, 2,228,707 barrels; wheat, 16,231,854 bushels; pig iron, 57,561 tons; salt, 168,250 barrels; copper, 33,456 tons; irdn ore, 4,095,855 tons; lumber, 315,554, - 000 feet. A statement of the freight and value of the tonnage that passed through the canal from 1881 to 1889 is as follows: Actual Freight. | (Tons of 2000 pounds.) : Ses. ee Season. | ' of freight \East-bound.|West-bound.| *™2a¢e- : ; ve . One-half of this engine 28.965.612.94 of iron lands and may eventually build aj ©’ constructed. 5 $28.065.612 : “a ; i 1882.....| 1,338,027 | 691,494 31,238,153. 68 furnace of their own. A basic steel plant | "+" ek ie i on = 1883....| 1277283 | 980,822 | 301730, 608.56 is also to be put up, the machinery having | OC7er 2&% Bas Deen pub Ie recenmy: , 1 Ne | 1884.....| 1,900,200 | 965,267 | 51,005,786. Gl ben hased ¢ whole of this wonderful machine is of | 1895. 2,135,066 | 1,121 53,413,472 .13 -€n purchased, ‘ One-half i 1886,....| 3,179,943 1,347,816 69,080,071 .95 one side of the enormous pulley and the | 1888.....| 3,923,344 | 2,488,079 82,156,019. 97 1889..... | 5,552,641 1,963,381 83,732,627 .15 other half on the opposite side. This pulley is 30 feet in diameter, 114 inches across the face and weighs 77 tons. It runs at the rate of a mile in 51 seconds, A daily newspaper states that the Bath Shipbuilding Datipensy of Bath, Me., which is to build. two 1000-ton gunboats for the navy, is anxious to buy its steel The West-bound freight since June 9, 1881, the date on which the Government 416 THE IRON AGE. March 13, 1890 assumed control of the canal, is 33 per cent. of the total. The value of the American and Canadian vessels passing through in 1888 is placed at $20,381,100 and $1,514,300, respectively. Only 6 per cent. of the freight was carried by Cana- dian vessels in 1888. EEE EE Arbitration in the North of England. The annual meeting of the Board of Arbitration for the North of England manufactured iron trade was held at Mid- dlesborough on the 28th ultimo. The re- port, which was read and adopted, shuwed that there are now over 6000 members, the toll having been increased by about 17} per cent. during the last year. The work accomplished included the settle- ment of a great number of disputes, and the establishment of a sliding scale for the regulation of wages for two years. The services of the board having been found as useful in the steel as in the iron trade, it has been decided to substitute the words “‘jron and steel” for ‘‘iron” only in the title. Mr. Whitwell, the president, said that the Board had just completed the 2ist year of its existence. It might therefore be considered now to have all that stability and wisdom which are usually associated with mature age. The ironworkers’ wages had been advanced 18} per cent. during the last fifteen months, and it is certain that they will be further augmented in the course of the present year. He strongly urged both employers and employed not to repeat the errors of past periods of pros- perity. The profits and earnings of the years 1870 to 1874 had been largely wasted In various ways, and the troubles of the succeeding depressed times were the natu- ral consequence. He trusted that both par- ties would lay by as much as possible now they had the chance, in order to be able to meet the difficulties which sooner or later were sure again to arrive. The officers for the year were then elected, and a committee of employers and | workmen was appointed to wait on firms at present outside of the boird, and en- | deavor to induce them to join. It was| felt that if the committee was successful the influence and power of the board would be largely increased. And as all works share in the benefit of its operation, it is only just that they should contribute to its support. The bi-monthly report of Mr. E. Water- house, accountant to the board, for No- vember and December, 1889, has just been issued. The total production of the asso- ciated works was 58,936 tons, or 1.3 per cent. less than that of the preceding period. The deficiency was, without doubt, due to the Christmas holidays. The average net selling price realized was £6 1s. 4.06d. per ton, or 5s. 10.27d., or 4.8 per cent more than before. There is, how- ever, nearly £2 per ton difference between the above figures and the quoted price of the day. But, as Mr. Whitwell pointed out in his address to the ironworkers, many of the old low-priced contracts expired with the year, and realized prices may now be expected to rise more rapidiy than they have lately done. a New Form of Electric Battery.—A novel and simple form of electric battery has recently been invented in Italy. As described in the Rivista Technica, Science says it consists of conical vessels of cast iron and porous earthenware, with nitric and sulphuric acid. An iron cone is placed point downward in a stand and is partly filled with strong nitric acid. Into this there is placed a cone of porous earth- enware containing dilute sulphuric acid. Then follows an iron cone surmounted by an earthenware one, and so on in a series, each vessel containing its respective acid. It follows that the inner surtace of each iron vessel is bathed in nitric acid and becomes passive, acting the part of plat- inum or carbon in an ordinary cell. The outer surface is attacked by the dilute sul- phuric acid and takes the place of the zinc. There are no connections to make, the simple building of the pile putting all the parts into union. The earthenware cones are 8 inches in diameter and 4 inches in hight and contain 550 c. cm. of 10 per cent. sulphuric acid solution. The iron vessel contains 110 c. cm. of nitric and sulphuric acids, the latter being three times the volume of the former. Sixty elements, arranged in two piles, have a re- sisiance of 104 ohms, an electromotive force on open circuit of 81 volts, and on closed circuit of 45 volts, with a current of 4,4, ampéres. After five hours the dif- ference of potential falls to 28 volts and the current to 2,7; ampéres. ~ Automatic Car Coupler. The advantages of an automatic car coupler, —— ly for freight cars, are so at their universal application Public atten- apparent t is only a matter of time. 1 Steen amcnenes ‘ a GRANGER’S PATENT AUTOMATIC tion has been directed to the subject by the various reports of the great number of persons who have lost their lives, or been injured, by the use of the old style of coupler, which has prompted legislative action in this State, requiring railroad companies to equip all their cars with automatic couplers within a specified time. The Granger patent automatic car coup- ler, herewith illustrated, has been used on the cars of the Brooklyn Bridge om ooo it comes in contact with the it to wear away 4 inch an the weakest part of the link. The cam shown in the center directly over the pin is a steel casting, with a square hole, fitting on a square on the crank-shaft, which is also a steel casting. Its office is to prevent the link from pull- ing over the inclined pin, and is kept in that position by a weight lever that is connected by a projection on it working in a slot in the crank. To uncouple, the lever is raised, which moves the cam back from the pin, leaying room for the link to draw out. To keep the cam back the ball attached to the lever by the chain is laid over the other side of the coupler in the groove made for it. Returning the ball to its pocket makes the coupler ready for coupling automatically. As the link en- ters the coupler it pushes the cam back, and is itself pushed over the pin and down at the back of the throat of the coupler, allowin