The Iron Age 1891-07-23: Vol 48

‘THE The Largest Ore Dock in the World. The new ore docks of the Escanaba, Iron Mountain and Western Railway Company are located at Escanaba, Mich., on Little Bay De Noc, about 2 miles north of the C. and N. W. Ry. Co.’s docks, at what is called North Escanaba. They were built in connection with the E., I. M. and W. Ry. by the Schlesinger syndicate for the handling of ore from the syndicate mines only, and in opposition tothe C. and N. W. Ry. The railway virtually parallels the C. & N. W from Iron Mountain to Flor. ence, but owing to the dullness of iron the road and docks were sold, and now are operated and controlled by the C. and N. W. Ry. TheC and N. W. Ry. have just completed a connection with their yard in Escanaba, and will probably use the line for loaded trains and send the empty ones over the old line via Powers, as the grades in the new liné are so much easier. It is calculated to haul 1000 tons with a con solidated engine with 9800 on the drivers, ’ THURSDAY, JULY 23, 1891. waukee, Wis. The pile work was done by the Chicago Dredge and Dock Com- pany of Chicago, Ill.; timber work by R. B. Dear of West Superior, Wis. G. M. Willis, chief engineer, and E. C. Hollidge, assistant engineer, in charge of construc- tion, to whom we are indebted for the data and drawings presented. Steam jets were used to drive the piles, in connection with a steam hammer. Deep water is 2300 feet from the shore, and the end of the dock was placed 100 feet back from deep water, there being only 7 feet of water at a point 2300 feet from shore, at which it drops off to 30 or 40 feet. The piles were driven 26 to 30 feet below the bottom of the lake. The channels for vessels are now being dredged by the Chicago Dredge and Dock Company, and are to be 100 feet wide at the bottom. Breakwaters are also being put in for the protection of vessels loading. The best quality of timber, iron and steel were used, the iron and steel be- ing furnished by the Chicago Bolt and Forge Company. The dock is reached by IRON AGE bent tube. The author states that with about 5} pints of alcohol in the inner ves- sel, which acts as a bath in the experi- ments, and with a consumption of from 4.4 to 5 5 pounds of liquid carbonic acid, a temperature of 95° below zero F. can be obtained in a few minutes. ‘When the circulation is stopped the apparatus cools very slowly, as it 1s surrounded with non- conducting coverings. In one test it was found that after nine hours the temper- ature of the alcohol had only risen from 95° to 7.5 below zero. By allowing a small quantity of carbonic acid to pass continuously a constant low temperature can be obtained. a ————— The Abendroth & Root Boiler in Philadelphia. Director Roney has forwarded to Mayor Stuart of Philadelphia a letter which he had received from Boiler Inspector Overn ‘concerning the new additions to the THE LARGEST ORE DOCK IN THE WORLD. about 500 being the limit on the old line of the C. and N. W. The docks which have just been com- pleted are the largest and highest ore docks in the world, holding 10,000 tons more than the next largest and 5 feet higher rail, being 52 feet above the water. The union converter balance hoists for working the spouts are used, by which two men raise or lower the spout in from nine to eleven seconds, while with the old style it required four to six men two min- utes to raise them. General Data Pile driving started.............. August 12, 1890. Timber work started.. ....... January 10, 1891. COIs i)» sti Bort abe Kdhunde es . May 10, 1891. Ore dock. .232 pockets. Capacity... .45,000 tons. Ore dock. Approach. Total. No. piles.... 5,309 1,225 6,534 Lineal feet piline.... 202,598 21,963 224,561 Feet B. M. timber..... 5,401,214 1,033,117 § 434,331 Cast iron Ce sand 81,329 Wrough I isdn e 927,254 53,808 981,062 RE eer Of heen 733,584 Total iron and steel......... .. ....... 1,825,975 Lineal feet Howe truss ame 126 miei ae 1,427 2,091 3.518 estas aneail $244,630 40 =$ 36,973.77 $281,604.17 Pocket angle 40. Base of rail, 52 ft. above water. The principal contractors for the road and docks were McIntosh Bros. of Mil- a timber trestle on pile foundation, 2091 feet long and from 20 to 52 feet high, with a 126-foot Howe truss from the main line of the C. and N. W. Railway. cI Cailletet’s Cryogene. This is a new apparatus, constructed by Mr. Ducretet from the designs of Mr. Cailletet, and intended to produce cold of 95° to. 110° below zero F., by the ex. pansion of liquid carbonic acid. The ap- paratus consists of two concentric vessels with a small annular space between them. A spiral coil is placed inside the inner ves- sel, and this is put in connection with a closed vessel containing liquefied carbonic acid. The apparatus is made of nickel- plated copper. The spiral coil is in con- nection at its lower end with the annulsr chamber, and is provided with a stop cock at the top. When experiments are to be made the inner vessel is filled with al- cohol, the stup cock on the carbonic acid vessel is fully opened and the cock upon the spiral coil partially opened, the liquid carbonic acid passes slowly into the coil and takes the form of snow ; it passes through the coil into the annular cham- ber, in which are placed pieces of sponge soaked in alcohol, which arrest all acid which has not beccme gaseous, and the gas itself passes out of the apparatus by a E Abendroth & Root boilers at Edison’s Electric Light Works on Sansom street above Ninth, Philadelphia. The bad con- dition of the boilers at that establishment, it was stated, caused, during a period ex- tending through several months, a number ef explosions, due to the blowing off of boiler bends. Early in January an em- ployee of the company came to his death by being scalded with boiling water, the result of an explosion. At the coroner’s inquest, held January 30 and 31, an ex- pert jury was called, who rendered a ver- dict making the Edison Company respons- ible forthe man’s death. The jury declined to state the cause of the explosion, as they considered that out of their province in serving at a coroner’s inquest. They bore out Chief Overn’s statement while on the witness stand, that the boilers were fired beyond their capacity, by the following words: ‘* That some of the boilers were forced far beyond their rated capacity for making steam is established by the evidence, al- though the steam pressure was not shown to have been at any time excessive.” The statement was made during the in- quest that poor material was used in the boilers, and also that the construction was bad and the workmansbip faulty. The latter statement was made by Professor Marks, superintendent of the Edison 130 THE IRON AGE, July 28, 1891 Works, who thought that defective bolts | ring you to my communication of the 4th ult., in the bende caused the numerous explo- setting forth in detail my examination and in- vestigation pertaining to the boilers of the sions. That Professor Marks is still of the Salons Mlectrie Light Compa ny, at their works same opinion, despite the verdict, is shown | on Sansom street, above Ninth street, and my working in an extremely dangerous manner, as the number of accidents, the numerous ex- plosions and breaking of bolts “7 prove. To remove this difficulty and the supposed cause of it, namely, ‘* bad wostiabasin? as ! 8x10x7 i 1 ve == -——— T : 7 NS 776 SSSI SN ZASSS Za N in i PETE rrrrrerrerr yr ri rrr & SE EEE EEE Stm_| Le : RSS L H ia x — orld eit 12x 12 26° [ 3 Map je Plank | L > ’ 10312218 H 12's 12's 25 ge oO 5B) > | 5) ee eS A ys ae ee We 8 ie ee Be et 10's 12° 12 _ Driftvelt 1x22" al Triang ular Filler ime x : a's 28 ES ee <n lel Al } eo x ¥ = fe = a + agg CR Bolts § x33" pe ® Ny N 5 r .E' — W-1)} ~ 122122 10" 12's 12x 23 105" = oa © Dor x 25" 12x 12a ord fT = = ) A _ 8 —>e- — -— - —_ 167 Sd | |4 Planks 31212" ere a —— a Hegki. W eT i I a IS 2 —e SEECEEEEEa Orn % Part Longitudinal Sectional Elevation. THE LARGEST ORE DOCK IN THE WORLD. in Chief Overn’s letter. 1t is given in full | conclusions concerning the same, I g hove advanced by Professor Marks, the su below: to make further report, and would sa ~- tendent, and by the letter of Professor g- July 2d inst., in company with Mr. ler and John Codman, recent changes have BUREAU OF INSPECTION OF ) | Prime, president of the company, and Me been made in the header connections, which BoILERS AND ENGINES, > | Marks, superintendent, I made further ex-| improvement consists of an increased Crry Haut, July 6, 1891. } | amination of the reconstructed boilers. formerly %-mch, now %-ioch bolt, a more GrorGE Roney, Esqg., DiREcTOR DeEpaRt-| It is entirely manifest that for the past 18/| elastic oe ring, and the g for the re- MENT OF PUBLIC SaFeTY.—Dear Sir: Refer-' months the boilers at these works have been ception of out” for a more July 28, 1891 THE IRON AGE. 131 yielding bearing, which defects, in the judg- ; similar to the boilers now used by the Edison | ult. Having, however, in view the large in- ment of the company, constituted the sole | Electric Light Company ; and I would further | terests involved in the case, the immense re- causes of the numerous accidents. state that, in my opinion, the accidents were | sponsibilities of the Edison Company already » In answer to this I have to say that, in my ; not due to the expansion of the tubes, but, on | entered upon, and that the decision of the in- judgment, the explosions were in no wise due | the contrary, were produced by a shock, the | spector shall not be arbitrary, or in any man- to these causes, as, in my opinion, the boilers‘ force of which was exerted upon the header, | ner unjust, I would respectfully submit to you BSS §x17 rh NG +2 3 ‘ . ; = a = ef —— - > lw ~-6- 2} — - he — 4244 — ae - a — - pe tafe = a - oe - att - te - —-6 of 1 ! ® | Elev, 176.21 3'Maple Plank ina Sa ny FS SWZ « el* ele « ecle « ee et ND RET ott dea ae Lx 4 SD ee | 3 Plank *!Norway Pine|* ° Ne SAIN eet BSSZZZZ5SSSo ippreeeeen 4.3 Plank Hi > Norway Pin abst oad ) \\ i XX A \\Y Ne A XN — N 1@ | 2Pes.4'x12x18'! @ eh « « Y Dore SN | JF a's 4 A EY] iy 1's 2% “ai a BRN A, BAY i | a ; ° | i | | | | -_ _ A\\ Z\\ 12's 12x 23 104" 12's 12's 77 11y" 12"x 12's 226" es 7 pe La | | | I hee i ae ayia 1 ) Ba | i were fairly well made; and as an offset to| and which was produced by a defective circu- | the appointing of a jury of three or five com- this 7 I do say that of the numerous| lation in the boiler, induced by the forced | petent steam engineers to investigate the case, boilers of this r now in use, extending | firing to which the boilers were subj to whose verdict I would most graciously sub- from New York to Cincinnati, which I have | [ am, therefore, of the aan that the changes | mit. With regards, I am yours truly, examined in order to locate the cause, I have | made will not remove the cause. JOHN OVERN, Chief Inspector. failed to find a single instance of a broken bolt} In view of which, I am unable to change m The Mayor, after considering the Chief's or a broken header in boilers constructed | convictions as expressed in my letter of the 4th ' letter, decided to appoint a committee of | keer ishing IA a — La a ie eae eae : Wn it A 4 4 mes { i] | ly eee ee yp 7P, *9) = Ne ‘ , ~ ~ rit) 4i/ r sully Cross Sectional Elevation. THE LARGEST ORE DOCK IN THE WORLD. — SS 132 three to make an investigation, as sug- gested, and to return a full report to him. The three appointees of the Mayor were Edward Longstreth, a retired member of the Baldwin Locomotive Works; 8. M. Van Clain, superintendent of Baldwin Locomotive Works, and W. 8. Good, superintendent of the Southwark Iron Foundry. Mr. Longstreth was overcome with heat on Tuesday while at a meeting of the Williamson School Trustees, and in consequence was unableto serve. He sug- gested Lieut. Robert Crawford, of the United States Navy, to fill the vacancy caused by his sickness, and the Lieutenant was accordingly appointed. These gentle- men waited upon Mayor Stuart, and were instructed to make a thorough investiga- tion and return a ‘‘ full, fair and impartial report,” Prof. Marks, manager of the Edison plant in Philadelphia, was present at the con- sultation in the Mayor’s office when the commission was appointed. Chief Overn, Director Roney, Professor Spangler, John Codman and Samuel B. Huey were also present, Every opportunity will be given by Professor Marks to the commission to make the examination of the much discussed boilers, as was the case when the coroner’s jury made their examination. The prepara- tion of the committee’s report will prob- ably take some days. tT Chicago and South American Trade. G. C. Powers returned to Chicago last week from an extensive trip through South America in the interests of the Illinois Central Railroad, and incidentally to do proselyting for the World’s Fair. He was accompanied by A. Schreiber of New Or- leans. The people of the Latin American countries are all greatly interested in the movement being made to shorten the time between their various countries and the United States. Any plan that is feasible looking toward the desired end meets with immediate favor. Speaking of the completed tour, Mr. Powers said : We left New Orleans about the middle of March, going first to Havana. There we were received cordially by the merchants of that city, who evinced great interest in the prospect of reaching the heart of the Missis- sippi Valley with their products and at the same time of being brought in quick com- munication with the collecting point for most of the articles they consume. These are flour, salt provisions, fish, malt liquors, cotton, linen and woolen goods, hardware, machinery, glass, crockery, furniture, &c. In this connec- tion there is an interesting fact. Owing to the ae heavy duty on flour it has been possible to ship American flour to Spain, rebrand and reship as Spanish flour to Cuba for a profit, and the extent of the trade that could be de- veloped with the Northwest by shorter and less expensive transportation may be estimated from the fact that Cuba received from Spain in January of this year 41,000 barrels of flour. With a reduction or elimination of the dis- criminating duty on flour the Northwest should get all of this business, as well as the in- crease in the consumption naturally developed by lower cost. As for the advantages of open- ing direct communication and correspondence with the center of consumption of their products, the merchants of Cuba were quick to grasp and appreciate the benefits of the Chicago market. From Cuba we went to Mexico, stopping at rogreso, Vera Cruz, Orizaba, Mexico City, Guadalajara, Tepic and San Blas, crossing the country by rail, diligence and mule back, going by rail from Guadalajara. With the rapid development toward the gulf of rail- roads in Mexico and the pushing of the con- struction of the Tehuante Railroad to the Pacific it became of vital importance to the merchants not only of Mexico but of Central America as well to know where they could reach the quickest and best market after getting to the gulf. At present greater atten- tion is being shown in Mexico to the increase of the coffee crop and to the more uniform grading and packing. A great deal of this coffee finds its way now to Chicago and the Northwest—from Central America little or none. Is it too much to assume that with cheaper rtation to a large market like Chicago much of the net proceeds of the coffee shipments would return in the shape of THE IRON AGE, iron and steel manufacture (railroad material, steel rails, locomotives and cars), cotton goods, timber, sash, doors and blinds, furniture, agricultural implements, live stock, meat and dairy products, breadstuffs, malt liquors and boot and shoes, chemicals, coal, gunpowder and explosives, leather and manufactures thereof, oil, paper and stationery, &c., and that Chicago, the collecting point for the United States, is naturally the distributing point for Spanish America as well ¢ From San Blas we went by steamer to Guate- mala, stopping at several Central American portson the way. Central American trade to- day is all practically in the hands of Europe. We understand this is due to the fact that lower through rates to West Coast ports via Panama can be obtained from Hamburg, Liverpool or Havre than from New York, the Pacific Mail Steamship Company performing in either case the service of the West Coast. Were this reversed a good trade could be built up with Guatemala and probably with the republics south of it. Barbed wire, cor- rugated iron, cutlery, &c., are being imported largely from Sa ene The port of Cham- perico ships annually 550,000 quintals (about 420,000 sacks) of coffee, all of which goes to Europe, and the same condition of things ob- tains pretty much all along the coast of Central America. With adequate steamship com- munication there are great possibilities of trade with Mexico, and we are convinced that business could be extended over the whole country from the gulf to the Pacific Coast. It will be some time before we can look for more business from Honduras and Costa Rica, except the fruit trade, and at present the trade of the West Coast is a monopoly in the hands of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. A develop- ment of railroad facilities across the country in connection with additional steamship facilities would turn in the direction of the Atlantic the bulk of the coffee shipments, which now amount to 1,600,000 quintals (1,000,000 bags) annually. A movement ef this kind would be backed by the whole people of Centra America. Fromt Guatemala we went down the coast, stopping at Panama, Guayaquil, and in Peru going as far South as Lima. Much of the same state of affairs as regards tra rtation exists in these countries, with the addition of direct lines of steamers running to European _— Owing to the disturbance in Chili the orthern ports of South America are receiving flour from San Francisco in large quantities. Before the trouble it was cheaper to get this flour from Chili. We found that wherever American goods could be bought at equal prices with European they had the preference, and that high rates of transportation were generally responsible for the smallness of the trade. Owing to the increasing scarcity of labor mechanical —_ ances are increasing in demand, one estate in Peru having six steam plows in operation. In Lima we were received by President Bermudez. He expressed himself as greatly interested in the possibilities of the route via New Orleans and pledged himself officially to render what- ever assistance he could in the matter. The American colovy in Lima was greatly inter- ested and we heard of large parties that were being organized to go to Chicago via New Orleans in 1893. The intelligent and earnest work being done by the World’s Fair Com- missioners is creating a very strong interest, and from Chili We learned that, in a conver- sation with Lieutenant Harlow of the United States Navy, President Balmaceda expressed an earnest desire to foster closer relations with the United States, especially in the matter of agricultural implements. He said that he conducted his haciendas with American ma- chinery entirely and he wished that all Chili might do so. President Bermudez of Peru appeared to at- tach considerable importance to the saving in mail time to Chicago, New York and to Eu- rope by way of New Orleans, and readily saw the influence this would exert in affording a new channel of transportation to New York and Europe by way of Chicago, and that, while Chicago would naturally reap the great- est aeeean, the new channel of profit would be opened up to New York that would in a measure compensate that city for the sible loss of a portion of the South American trade that it now practically monopulizes. From Peru we returned to Panama, where the merchants and rs took hoid of the proj- ect with a vim which promises excelient re- sults. From Panama we went to Venezuela, end retured by way of Colombia to New Or- leans. In this connection the impression has been gained, based on various rumors and re- ports, that the Illinois Central intend estab- lishing a line of steamers between New Or- leans and South Ameran points. Such, how- ever, is not tbe case, as the company are not chartered for that purpose, From an official source it may be stated that the compan stand ready to co-operate with any or July 23, 1891 steamship lines running from New Orleans, be- lieving this to be for the best mutual benefit of the public, the ocean lines and itself. ‘* One has only to consider a few figures as to comparative distances,” said Mr. Powers, ‘‘to understand the natural ad- vantages of the plan we propose. The distance from New York to Chicago is only 2 miles further than that from New Orleans to Chicago, while the sailing dis- tance saved by vessels coming to New Or- leans instead of New York is 675 miles from Aspinwall, Colombia; 850 miles from San Juan, Nicaragua; 860 miles from Truxillo, Honduras; 1095 miles from Progreso, Mexico; 1220 miles from Vera Cruz, Mexico; 465 miles from Carta- gena, Colombia; 240 miles from Mara- caibo, Venezuela; 115 miles from Caracas, Venezuela; 615 miles from Havana, Cuba; 150 miles from Port au Prince, Hayti, and 365 miles from Kingston, Jamaica. a A Fast Steam Launch. The high-speed steam launch which Charles L. Seabury & Co. of Nyack, N. Y., have built was tried a few days since with very satisfactory results. The Allegra is 76 feet long, 10 feet beam, 3 feet 3 inches draft. She is a very rakish looking craft and has fine lines with plenty of freeboard. The hull is built of selected white oak frames, and has sister keelsons running on both sides full length; planking is selected Georgia pine and. laid in two thicknesses of 4 inch each, the top planking being laid so as to cover seam of under planking ; cop- per fastenings are used throughout. This launch was built to beat the time of the Long Island Railroad from vicinity of Oyster Bay to New York City, and will be used daily to carry owner and guests to and from country residence on the Sound to their business offices in this city. Her mean speed is 18 miles per hour, and under forced raft 20 miles can easily be obtained. The machinery consists of a Seabury safety water-tube boiler and a Seabury triple- expansion engine of 350 horse-power. he accommodations for owner are good, as a saloon 22 feet long is at the bow of the vessel, connecting with the pilot house. This is built on trunk cabin style, with windows arranged to slide up and down, inclosing or making an open launch, as may be desired. In the after part of vessel isa cockpit, with seating room for a large party, and aft of cockpit is the crew’s quarters, &c. There is also a galley and toilet rooms on board, so that comfort is not entirely sacrificed for speed. She is flush-deck type from the end of forward saloon, and a hand rail 3 feet high runs along the deck around the entire boat. No masts or spars of any kind are carried. The following is an outline of her trial we: he was run over a measured course of 9 miles with and against the tide; the builder’s contract calls for a speed of 18 miles per hour for two consecutive hours’ running, and below is schedule of the time made by the Allegra: First run of 9 miles was made in 32 minutes. Coser run of 9 miles was made in 2644 min- Third) run of 9 miles was made in 30 minutes. Fourth run of 9 miles was made in 284 min- utes, This makes a total of 1164 minutes for a continuous run of 36 miles, or an aver- age speed of 18,',°, miles per hour. The boat could have continued this speed for a much longer period, and on previous preliminary engineer’s trips over 20 miles per hour was made under forced draft. She also made a run of six contin- uous hours and went at the rate of 17 miles per hour, Thecontract called for 16 miles per hour for six hours steady run- ning. On her trial trips she was timed by Col. 8 V. R. Cruger, for whom she was built, and by A. Cary Smith, July 23, 1891 THE IRON AGE, 133 The Tallman Rod Reel and Conveyor. | position, Fig. 2) by the action of another| from Canada reached £1,791,506, an in- F. G. Tallman, Hamilton Building, Pittsburgh, well known in connection with rod-mill practice, has arranged his hydraulic cylinder, with rack and pinion, crease of 14 per cent. Increases were attached to the supporting shaft of the/| general throughout the list. block, and the coil is deposited on the traveling conveyor, as shown in Fig. 2. rod reel to be used with a conveyor, thus | The conveyor is traveling constantly and doing away with the take offs and enab- ling the reels to be operated by one attend- In this new arrangement he uses the same device to throw the rod on ant only. can be extended to any desired point. The conveyor shown is made of slats sup- ported by sprocket chains. It can, how- ever, be of any suitable construction, or | RR Boston papers describe a hydraulic ap- paratus for removing deposits from ship channels which suck up 26-pound stones from the bed of the Charles River. This appliance is Mr. Foote’s dredging machine. the holder as before, shown in The Jron| the coils may be deposited in small iron| From it in the stream issues a long line Age, March 26, 1891, but they are set/cars, elevators or ordinary flat freight | of 18 or 22-inch tubes or pipes. These The hydraulic valves operating the away from the rolls and can be placed at ' cars, SHAFT PULLEY FOR DRIVING FRICTION WHEELS 2"SHAFT | | 10) emicrion wweers HYDRAULIC CYLINDERE 6" DIA. 18 STROKE |] parerqgurene COUNTER WEIGHT i } | F | =y- .« . \ 6x 18 evL. ad 2411 | POLIIII IO FI PIII III IIIT IIIT 2A 5 Ez Z —1b—- Fig. 2.—Cross Section. THE TALLMAN any convenient location. The holder re- sembies an ordinary wire-drawing block and has the edge of the plate turned with Y friction grooves. When the coil is all thrown on the block and it becomes necessary to wind out the back end, the small triction wheel, Fig. 1, shown be- tween the blocks is Soak by the hydraulic cylinder, Fig. 3, into the rim of the block. The latteris thus revolved until the end is wound out and around it. This friction wheel is moved by turning the handle of a hydraulic valve which operates the cylin- der and carriage, shown in Fig. 3. The friction wheel runs constantly and each wheel serves two blocks (see plan). After the coil is finished, the whole block with the coil is tipped over on its edge (see dotted tubes are supported on a series of wooden FINISHING ROLLS HYDRAULIC CYLINDER - 61a. 3} STROKE Fig. 3.—Side View of Friction Device. WIRE ROD REEL AND CONVEYOR. cylinders can be placed at any desirable! floats, from the dredger to the land, and and convenient point away from the heat, | thence stretch along on terra firma to the but arranged so that the operator can see) fillings. The dredger, by a mechanical de- the reels. All the attendant hasto do is to turn two handles of the hydraulic valves for each coil. The arrangement is convenient and complete and least com- plicated and expensive. The principal dimensions are given in the accompany- ing drawings. ee The British Board of Trade returns show an expanded Anglo Canadian trade. Dur- ing the first six months of the current year the exports to Canada reached £2, 386,080, an increase of 104 per cent. compared with the same period in 1890. Thé imports vice, cuts into and stirs up the bottom of the stream by means of powerful knives. While the knives are in operation and the water is in a high state of ebullition, a suction pump of enormous strength draws up the boiling water and shoots it with almost incredible force through the pipes. Gravel, sand, rock, mud and water are all sucked up and shot along the pipes into the filling. It is one constant stream of material through the tubes while the dredging apparatus is in operation. It is estimated that 20 per cent. of matter so driven through the pipes is solid, the other 80 per cent. water. - ee v POI a ot ete, =— — i= - te 6 OE eee 134 Carrier Chain. The accompanying cuts illustrate the latest improvement made in carrier chains by the Link Belt Engineering Company of this city. The new chain is especially adapted for sawdust conveyors of large capacity and for slab and offal conveyors which run horizentally or at a slight THE IRON AGE. July 23, 1891 the rest of the way. The site selected for this new concern is on Stony Island avenue near Sixty-third street and almost opposite the central portion of Jackson Park. The company have an option on the ground and will purchase the same out- right. It is thought the tower as far as the first and second balconies will be com- pleted within a year. Reports from the Wheat Fields. In Michigan the harvesting of the win- ter wheat has been in progress the present week. The crop is excellent, both as to quantity and quality. Supplies of new wheat are being received now in Michi- gan from Ohio and Indiana for milling The globe at the + purposes. In Southern Ohio threshing to incline, and for small coal conveyors. The links are forged in one operation by a machine especially designed for the purpose. The manvfacturers have succeeded in producing a light detach- able chain at about one-half the cost of the old hand wrought, and being superior to the latter from the fact | that it is detachable at any point by | simply throwing back a link and unhook- ing, asshown in cut. Another advantage is the fact that no rivets are used, and consequently the annoyance of the chain breaking out at the rivet holes or the rivets wearing out is done away with. The machine making the new style link has a capacity for producing several thousand links per day, each link being a counterpart of the other, and ready for use as soon as dropped from the forge. a Chicago Scheme for a Tower and Hotel Combined. Another gigantic hotel and tower proj- ect for the World’s Columbian Exposition has been set on foot by the Park View Hotel and Tower Company, incorporated under the laws of Illinois, with a capital stock of $800,000, all of which, it is claimed, has been subscribed. The di- rectors of the company are E. W. Allen, Louis Shissler, W. H. Dougherty, J. B. Long and Architect Pearley Hale. The enterprise has been gradually assuming tangible form in the hands of these men for several months. The tower, which is to be built first, will be 533 feet high and constructed of steel throughout. It will have six balconies, two about 150 to 175 feet above the ground, and the rest higher up and about 100 feet apart, the topmost one being in the form of a huge globe. Three of the upper balconies will be in- closed with glass, while the rest will have simply open lattice work around them. The hotel is to occupy the space between the ground and the first balcony. Its pro- posed dimensions are 160 feet frontage by 125 feet in depth. Steel will also be the principal material used in the construction of the hotel. The building will be fire proof, with pressed brick exterior and stone trimmings. The tower will be reached by four elevators running from the ground to the first and second balco- nies. From there the floor of the big globe at the top will be reached by two elevators. It is the intention of the man- agers to charge a certain fee for admission to the first and second balconies. An ad- ditional fee will be charged for ascending CARRIER CHAIN. top will have a bright electric light to serve as a beacon to sailors, and, if possi- ble, the company will induce the Govern- ment to maintain this feature of the affair. I Steel Pressure Blower with Combined Countershaft. The design of the Buffalo steel pressure blower and countershaft cast on the shell complete, was perfected especially for small work. A tight and loose pulley is put on the counter, and the price at which | these machines are sold complete is less Steel Pressure Blower. than a countershaft could be rigged up for so small a blower. But one belt is re- quired in the case of so small a blower. EEE The Mormon refugees from Utah have several prosperous colonies in the Mexican States of Chihuahua and Sonora, Their products are readily sold in the mining camps, and on the completion of the North Mexican Pacific Railroad they will have the advantages of an unlimited mar- ket. Their principal city, named Diaz, after the Mexican president, is irrigated by mountain torrents, corresponding with the plan adopted in Salt Lake City. a limited extent has begun. All in all, it is a good crop. Some farmers are selling at 80 to 85 cents a bushel, but the largest proportion of them will thresh and store their grain. In Southern Indiana thresh- ing is going on satisfactorily. Farmers report yields from 18 to 30 bushels In Northern and Central Indiana threshing has just begun. The yield varies, but throughout the State there is about an — yield. The quality, however, is ne, In Illinois wheat is a fair sample. Most of it will grade No. 2. The yield is un- even. Some fields make 35 bushels per acre. Millers have been paying 82 cents for No. 2 wheat. Three-fourths of the wheat will be stacked, the farmers having confidence in future prices. Northern Missouri reports that 25 per cent. of the winter wheat is now in stack. The yield will average 18 bushels to the acre, of fair quality. In Southern Missouri probably one half the wheat crop is instack. Large variations in yield, running from 10 to 30 bushels. In Southern Kansas about half of the wheat has gone into stack. Where threshed the yield is reported at from 15 to 25 bushels per acre. As usual, a great many farmers are compelled by force of circumstances to market their wheat at harvest, irrespective of prices. But this is not the case so largely this . season as usual. In Northern Kansas from one-half to three-fourths of the wheat will be put into stack. The yield is fair, but the quality poor. In Kentucky little wheat is ever stacked, and this year the weather has been favorable for threshing. Taking the crop as a whole, it is probabiy the best one made since 1884. The price at country stations ranges from 75 to 80 cents. Taking the spring wheat situation as a whole, the crop prospects continue good, much better than a year ago. Ex- cept that seeded latest, wheat is in head, but has not yet begun to fill much. The general manager of a furnace in the Pittsburgh district sends us the fol- lowing data concerning the work done at his plant : ‘‘ While our furnace is old, it has kept up with the times, excepting in regard to brick stoves, which is the only kind which we have not made. We have been in blast five weeks last Saturday, July 11, and have made in that time 4524 tons of 2268 pounds of metal, using 2356,$2, tons of limestone (52 per cent.), 8413,4%,%; tons or 1.86 tons to the ton of iron, 10,302,930 pounds of coke, 2277 unds to the ton of iron made. Our urnace is 65 x 15 feet, with iron stoves of July 23, 1891 135 THE IRON AGE. the old style, two Robinson-Rea & Co. ;and turn loosely upon the eccentrics, so| position P:, thus causing the residue of the old style engines, which we need not run over 32 revolutions, with 3 to4 pounds blast pressure and 80 to 90 pounds steam pressure. We use 60 per cent. Lake ore and 124 per cent. Port Henry, and the balance native ore. We add only the scrap which the furnace makes itself.” TE The Bochkoltz Cinder Car. that by a partial rotation of the shaft the| cinder which may remain upon the plat- eccentrics are made to raise or lower| form P to be discharged. slightly the frame and platform. Whenever it is preferred to remove the The rotation of the shaft is effected | cinder in solid shape the slag is allowed to by means of a cog wheel, E, secured | cool off, the box F is then removed by a thereto and which gears with a worm, 2, | suitable crane, the car with the cinder cake upon a transverse countershaft, y, extend- | on it is taken to the dumping ground, the ing out to either side of the truck A. Each | platform Pis raised by means of the mechani- end of the shaft is adapted to receive a|cal devices, the standards C are swung detachable crank. BY J. B. NAU. A good disposition of a cinder car was patented some time ago by Constant Bochkoltz of Weilerbach, Germany. The’ led shafts r journaled in boxes. aaa = | —— -——— - —— -———-— + 8 — re ee - = owt te RSS Yn ey ee o be ; a 9 ge ae RM 245 2 OA =i ~ 5 a ———— ———_ -—- —__ er Fig. 4 FIG. 4, 5, 6, LOCKS TO TAKE THE PLACE OF HOOKS D IF PREFERRED Fig. 6 . THE BOCHKOLTZ CINDER CAR. outside on the side where the dumping The platform P pivotally mounted upon |has to be done, the platform is tilted the horizontal shaft n is upheld in a hori- |over to the position P,, and the cinder zontal position by means of four vertical |cake will slide off through its proper standards, C, mounted on two other paral- | weight. The ar- After being tilted the platform may be righted again by hand or preferably by moving the clutch block H into engage- ment with the bearing / so as to lock the shaft n to said bearing, and then turning shaft by means of the crank attached to the outer end of the shaft y. The plat- form once righted, the standards C are again thrown up to their vertical position, the latch rods D are hooked to them and the platform is again immovably supported. This car, which is being introduced in the modern German blast furnace, is es- pecially well adapted to such places where the difference of level between the cinder notch of the furnace and the tracks in the yard is about 10 feet. In most of the new blast furnace plants built this difference is generally greater, and in some modern ) works, where the pig iron is taken in liquid Y \ \ oN \ \ \ | / / / — i} = / Se et P/ | } / } uy uf iL oo d t FT \ Re eal Fig. 3 car has been arranged in such a manner | rangement allows each pair of standards to, state at the blast furnace to be carried to that the cinder can either be tapped off in| be made to swing out together from under its liquid state or the chilled cinder can be | the platform P by a rotation of the shaft dumped easily. It consists principally of|to which they are connected. These three parts, viz.: 1,a lower rectangular! standards are kept in place in an upright four-wheel iron railroad truck, A, mounted | position by movable latch rods or by some and provided with the customary bump-| other means in the sbape of locks, as in- ers and couplings; 2, an iron y | dicated in detail on the drawing. frame, B, supporting a platform, P, form-| The top F of the car is made detachable ing the bottom of a detachable cinder box, | from the platform P so as to admit of being F, and, 3, a mechanical device for the/| lifted off therefrom, and is secured in place manipulation of the body frame B. by means of lugs and pins. This top is This manipulation is obtained in the| provided with a tap hole closed by a suit- following manner: The lower truck A | able door. carries three elevated journal boxes, in| When it is intended to pour the cinder which are journaled a longitudinal shaft} liquid, the tap hole is opened and the nm, with three eccentrics, i. These eccen-| cinder flows out toward the end, the plat- trics support three bearings, h, attached | form P is raised by means of the mechani- to the frame B, which bearings encircle! cal device and alloyed to take the inclined the converting works, it is as high as 18 to 19 feet. The total hight of a10-ton car for standard gauge is about 9 feet. oho The wreck of the bark Midway, which struck on the Hen and Chickens shoals 34 years ago, while bound from London to Philadelphia, has been found. She was laden with spelter, pig iron, speigel iron, steel scrap and lead, a cargo worth thousands of dollars. There were 769,300 gross tons of shi ping under construction at the shipyards of Great Britain on June 30, 1891, against 739,914 gross tons at the corresponding date last year. a ae B= , Sen nee on i i BO ta 136 Desulphurizing Basic Pig. The famous Hoerde Works, the pioneers | __ in the basic Bessemer process, have been experimenting for some time with a method of great promise, the aim of which is to eliminate from liquid basic pig the sulphur which it contains. It is well known that the greatest enemy of basic steel is sulphur, so that a lowering of that objectionable constituent may make avail- able for basic steel making metal which otherwise must be condemned. When commercial ferrous sulphide con- taining about 36 per cent. of sulphur is melted togetber with ferromanganese, the sulphur separates as a slag in the form of manganous sulphide, leaving the iron free from sulphur. Experiments made by the Hoerde Works have shown that fluid pig metal from the furnace containing sulphur might by the additon of highly heated liquid manganiferous iron be purified so as to contain only 0.01 per cent. of sulphur. The manganese slag contained as much as 20 per cent. of sulphur and as much as 50 per cent. and upward of manganese. When this manganese slag is mixed with limestone and subjected to a reducing smelting a manganiferous iron is obtained, which may again be utilized for desul- phurizing. In order to carry out the operation successfully it is necessary to keep the bath liquid for a sufficient time, either by its own or by externally applied | heat, so that the slag may separate. The following is the method pursued: The pig iron,either taken direct from the blast fur- nace or remelted in a cupola, is mixed with a quantity of liquid manganiferous iron to correspond with the sulphur con- tents of the pig. We understand that the Hoerde Works propose to use for this pur- pose the well-known Jones mixer, first used at the Edgar Thomson Works. They control the patent in Germany. It is suggested that in practice, in order to obtain a larger body of slag, so that its re- moval is facilitated, several charges be worked successively in the same apparatus, and for the same purpose metallic oxides be also added. Tne following series of analyses reported by P. Tunner in the ‘* Oesterreichische Zeitschrift fiir Berg und Huetten Wesen ” show the results of opera- tions carried out at Hoerde: Desulphurizing at Hoerde. | Sulphur contents Sulphur contents of | | Of iron cast into basic Bessemer pig _ mixed 10 to Il charge, 10tollton | guiphur ton charge. charge. | contents Date | , te al cn santana | | 8 No. | Sulphur | Number | Sulpbur | furnace. | contents. | of charge.| contents. sic taceiaaiinr tanitsceapeelapgmittt nasser netieteniiesl iscliaeedncediciam August 14, 1890. ... .... II 0.276 247 0.056 0.089 - eee ee ree IV 0.137 493 0.044 0.027 September 5, 1890.. ... 0.0... seeeeeeee - II 1.022 sR 0.043 0.034 a = seehe wel eee Sabbvnsenee II 1.02 898 0 043 0.057 . a eas pick Sedaeaheees I 1.53 929 0.043 0.041 s a '" s scuean tea rehanantane: val II 0.67 940 | Not determ. 0.041 SE A ec omnabe aiaetiers Il 0.753 41 * 0.045 EE 5 Alniieh abanie I 0.443 8 | 0.043 0 023 t i on ey abe both aibbaeks. Ueda te 0.271 963 0.056 0.045 > 12, Be nee ne etee sete eewee eens IV 0.436 1,118 (0).088 0 02 aris” ‘sschey. hs. saltdawaeaeeas Il 0 389 1158 | 0.047 0.027 ' a | cudauss “Guwwe hanes’ anes Il 12D | 178 0.054 | 0085 in ww vite. ihe Iv 0.680 | ? 0.054 0.032 . er. os” -' gasckvassn IV 0352 | 240 0.084 0.018 19, Iv 0.427 323 0.0389 0.042 In the beginning of the work pig iron low in sulphur was produced. Then, in order to test the process, high-sulphur pig was purposely made, the figures given for the 5th to the 10th of September showing the result: After that the pig iron was produced without any reference whatever to the sulphur contents. The table given in the above contains only those charges for which an examination of the pig from the furnace was made. THE IRON AGE. The following table gives results of the analysis of steel, taking charges in succession. No. Sulphur. | No. | Sulphur. 1] | 2022 | 0.083 | 299 | 0025 293 0.031 300 | 0.034 204 0042 | 301 0.029 295 0.025 || 302 | 0,081 296 | 0.017 || 303 | 0.084 297 0.024 || 304 | 0.042 298 | 0.025 || 305 | 0.049 j \ The following are analyses taken at random : Sulphur. No. | No. | Sulphur. | || 7744 0.034 | 7773 0.034 7746 0.0388 || 7776 0.021 7748 0.027 | 7777 0.054 775 0.035 | T7384 0.036 7752 | 0.027 || = 8180 0.028 7754 | 0.037 | 8190 0.026 7770 | 0.025 | 8200 0.026 A ——— San Francisco News. There is a good deal now said about the molders’ strike, but it is all tatk. The great establishments keep on the even tenor of their way; the small ones do as best they may. The strike could not have come at a better time for the foundrymen, as this has been on all hands a dull year. The foundries would, in any event, strike or no strike, have been without their usual complement of work. It would have been a quiet season. When, therefore, we hear of establishments not having their full complement of molders, we may be assured that they employ just as many as they would have done had there been no strike. All these strikes and boycotts have had their effect in drawing more closely to each other the various employers, more es pecially the various manufacturers of our city. Unless all signs fail the Employers’ Federation will soon be something more than a mere name. Meetings of a repre- sentative committee have been held dur ing the week, and the proper method of | | | organization is now being debated with earnestness, but as yet the movement is being carried on quietly, the names of those at work not being generally known, and it is under debate whether it is advis- able to remove any of the veil of secrecy which has up to the present enveloped most of the proceedings. Many think it would be better to imitate the system of the federated trades and have each busi- | ness organized in itself, these various or- July 23, 1891 ganizations to send delegates to a central council. In the opinion of your corres- pondent this would be the best plan that could be adopted. It could further be generally adopted throughout the United States. The grand movement for the cr- ganization of capital must follow the same lines as the organization of labor. Even now the plan may have been formulated in this city. The imports by rail continue to be heavy—for the past three weeks 154 cars. Of these 31 cars each were machinery and iron, 19 cars of steel, 17 cars of hardware, 16 cars of wire, 15 cars of stoves, 13 cars of pipe, 6 cars of safes, 2 cars of chain, 2 cars of wire cable and 1 car each of agri- cultural implements and reapers. Thus though business at present is dull, it is very evident that a large trade is looked for. The Iredale has 500 tons scrap iron; the County of Peebles, 200 tons of pig iron; the Avonmore, 16,627 packages of steel wire; the A. J. Fuller, 200 tons of pig iron and 100 tons of muck bars, be- sides large quantites of bar and bundle iron, &c. The pig-iron market has been dull, at $23 to $25 to arrive. The Oceanic had 750 tons scrap iron. Imports of tin plate continue very large ; most of it, however, coming to hand be- fore July 1. The Iredale had 19,974 boxes ; the Goldenhorn, 31,290 boxes; the Aca- pulco, 50 boxes, making a total by sea of 51,114 boxes. By rail we have had 19,124 boxes. Despite the heavy imports, the market has contined to advance and is now quotable at $6.60 to $6.70. The stock on hand is exceedingly heavy, and it is doubt- ful whether the market will be able to keep up unless the packing shall be much heavier than there is now any prospect of. The Monowai, arriving on the 9th, had 2445 ingots of pig tin. The imports have been nearly double those for the same time in 1890. The market is quiet at 21 cents. A large shipment of California tin has re- cently gone forward. This State has large and important deposits, but they have not been worked, the circumstances hitherto not being propitious. From the Cajalco Tin Mines in San Bernardino County higher grade concentrates are obtained than in Cornwall. The cost of fuel for smelting is $3.97 per ton of ore. ee Duty on Patented Articles —A. Featherstone, manufacturer of bicycles at Chicago, representing the English makers of pneumatic tires, imported 300 of these articles. On every tire there is a royalty of 10 shillings, or $2.50, and this royalty Appraiser Pierson decided constituted a part of the cost, and he assessed a duty on the royalty. Feather- stoue claimed the royalty did not consti- tute any part of the price and appealed to the Board of General Appraisers which has sustained Mr Pierson. This decision es- tablishes an important principle in the imposition of duties on patented articles imported from abroad carrying a royalty to the manufacturers. ne A press dispatch from Duluth, dated the 17th imst., says: **The Vanderbilt lines will do something toward develop- ing the iron mines of Northern Minne- sota. Representatives of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern, Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western, the Canadian Pacific and Port Arthur and Duluth and Western are in Port Arthur arranging the terms aud making a contract for the construc- tion of the Port Arthur road through to Duluth. The Union Iron Company, with these roads, own 7000 acres of iron lands, from which they intend to ship ore. The Luke Shore will put on a line of boats to the ore from Duluth to Cleveland. The mineral lands were recently purchased by these companies.” July 28, 1891 The Luehrig Coal-Washing Plant. Continental colliery owners and furnace managers have for a generation been forced to meet the question of producing good fuel and good coke from coals too high in ash and in sulphur to be directly available for use. Among those who were first to raise coal washing to the dignity of a specialty was C, Luehrig, whose plants are —— a TTBS EA EST oe] . 4 IAL h ii WU ie | “Yb Lt er StL 2 3 UIE : il =| ‘i BEE fe gf NN ry : 1 er 334 e mi Pt a Se? THE LUEHRIG COAL-~WASHING employed at dozens of large collieries in| Germany, Austria, Belgium and France. More recently his system has been adopted in