The Iron Age 1891-10-22: Vol 48

‘THE The Richards Open-Side Planer. The engraving on this page shows one of the many uses to which the Richards open-side planer, built by Pedrick & Ayer of Philadelphia, can be put. A general description of the machine and of the va- riety of work it is doing at the Ball En- yine Works, Erie, Pa., will be of interest. The overhanging arm extends so that with a straight cutting tool it will plane 36 inches wide and 8 feet long. This arm is made very deep and is strongly braced, and carries a slide that will plane down 24 inches, this being provided to suit one i RE on Sa a “wh a} ye rh TTT ooh s aw NM i @ San M | i a eo an particular valve seat, which has a deep steam chest cast on the cylinder. This tool slide has automatic down and angular feed of the latest form, and is driven by a 3-inch double-pitch screw with pulleys geared direct on the end. A large pulley drives the tool cutter, and is 24 inches in diameter, the return pulleys being 14 inches in diameter, thereby making a quick return. The machine has legs 2 feet wide at the bottom, forming a space several inches wide in line with the flat face of the bed. This space has a large T- slot, so that the plates are supported at the lower ends, and also between the legs there is bolted a heavy cast-iron beam that ties them together, while the T-slot on its side coincides with the T-slots on the legs. This construction gives the advantage of extra bolting and strength when the tables are low down, as shown in the cut. All the T-slots that support the plates and ta- bles have heavy steel strips planed up to THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1891. suit them, and into these studs are firmly screwed and fastened, thus doing away with wearing and tearing the bottom of the slots, as is the case when bolt heads are used. There are several novel features about the feed, lengthening and shortening the stroke, and starting and stopping the travel. On top of the machine, running the whole length, are two steel racks, one of which is stationary and one movable, and attached to the belt shifters. On the shaft that has the shifting crank to operate the feeding pawls is a gear running in the stationary rack and held by friction. This IRON AGE revolving, the T-belt is shifted, and the return stroke takes place. When the travel is determined, the other bolt and stop are placed in position for the other return stroke. This device admits of very delicate adjustment. The cranks, start- ing wheel and shifting device are all within convenient reach of the operator. In the saddle are placed four phosphor- bronze nuts, giving a large wearing surface. One of these nuts is adjustable to take up wear, so as to prevent back lash on the screw. All the bearings of the screw loose pul- leys are bronze lined and self-oiling. All gibs are taper and adjustable by nuts on te ~~ ————— = || ro} THE RICHARDS OPEN-SIDE PLANER. shaft runs the whole width of the machine. Over this shaft is a sleeve with a gear wheel fastened to it that is driven by fric- tion from the other gear wheel. This gear runs in the movable rack, on which is a hand wheel. By placing the hand on this wheel to stop its revolving, the carriage keeps traveling till the belt is shifted and both belts are on the loose pulleys, and the planer stops. By turning this hand wheel either way the planer will start either forward or backward, as desired. On the sleeve is a triple-pitch worm run- ing into a worm wheel of proper size and number of teeth so that it will make one revolution to the full travel of the tool. On this worm shaft is an arm that moves the same as the worm wheel. Fastened on suitable brackets is a disk that this worm shaft passes through, and on the upper face is a circular T-slot with hand bolts and stops provided, so that when the studs. The bed for doing this particular kind of work is formed with a space left open between the legs, and extending up into the bed a short distance to allow the end of the engine beds to project through and under the machine so that this par- ticular style of bed can be planed. As shownin the cut, the tables are lowered and a piece laid across, supporting the work. This provides means for raising _ lowering the work without ‘the aid < eee pieces, long bolts, &c. Ex- tending along the whole front ‘of the ma- chine is a deep pit, on the outer wall of which is a floor plate, formed with T-slots set in line with the T-slots in the beds, the slots being connected by a cross rail, which forms a foundation upon which to lay large work. The slotted vertical plates extend some distance down into the pit, so that the ie tops come level with the floor plate. will be readily perceived arm strikes a stop this sleeve shaft stops | that the snienapenneds of tables and slots is E ht ger hi oO fr on site ee ony LP - oe & = 674 such that a casting of almost any shape can be so held as to be easily planed. This machine was designed to do all the planing of the Ball engine beds, steam cylinders, and shape up cranks, forg- ings, &c. WORLD’S FAIR NOTES. Construction work has progressed very satisfactorily during the past week. The Mines Building suffered to some ex- tent from delay in receiving structural material from the steel manufacturers, but it is now arriving in good installments and the roof trusses will be put in place rapidly. The roof of this building will be constructed on the cantilever principle. The Horticultural Building was begun according to announcement, and work on it is already well advanced. It will be one of the most beautiful buildings on the grounds. The roof garden of the Woman’s Building now shows its outlines and the gutter work for the various angles of the roof is being put in. Plastering has begun on a portion of the inside. Within 60 days all the wood work of this building will be finished, and it appears probable that this will be the first of the —— structures to be completed. ork on the Art Palace has begun and will be pushed by the contractors with great ropidity. The contracts were let for Machinery Hall, as indicated by the bids published last week, as follows: Iron work, Binder & Seifert, at the rate of 3.698 cents per pound, the amount of this contract being estimated to aggregate $350,000; sheet- metal work and skylights, Louis Biegler, $118,000; exterior covering, the Staff Dec- orating Company, $159,000; carpentry work, James A. McGonigle, $318,800, in- cluding painting and glazing. It is un- derstood that Binder & Seifert represent Cofrode & Saylor. The price at which they took the iron-work contract is regarded in engineering circles as remarkably low, there being a great deal of curved work, requiring special Jabor in shaping and fit- ting, and differing radically from standard ‘bridge or roof construction. The Crane Elevator Company have been awarded the contract for eight electric ele- vators for the Administration Building. There will be two sets, one set running to the colonnade floor and the other to the dome. Revival of the Tower Project. The tower project, which was supposed to have been dropped, has been revived, and it is ‘‘ positively” announced now that a tower 1120 feet high will be built. This is the hight to the top of the flag staff, the top landing being 120 feet lower. It is stated that the Keystone Bridge Com- pany have made a sutisfactory proposition to the promoters of the scheme, agreeing to have the metal portion of the tower completed by February 1, 1893. Options ‘have been secured on grounds immediately adjoining the World’s Fair grounds. The actual cost of the tower will be about $1,500,000. The cost of the Eiffel Tower was a little less than $1,700,000, with cheaper labor and with the price of steel much less than in this country. The American tower can be built for less money, it is claimed, notwithstanding its greater size and earning capacity, on ac- count of its greater simplicity of design, in which standard and merchantable sizes of steel are used. Subscriptions and pledges, it is asserted, have been received from St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and other places, and it only remains for Chi- cago to subscribe for $200,000, the out- side parties taking the place. Transportation of Exhibits. Traffic Manager Jaycox has secured from all but two railway associations in THE [RON AGE, October 22, 1891 the United States a statement of what they | the signing away of any right for damages will do in the way of making reduced | by the holder, it is taken for granted that rates on exhibits intended for the fair. Of 15 freight traffic associations in the United States representing 269 of the leading transportation lines, 13 have agreed to the free return, ownership remaining un- changed, of such exhibits as pay tariff rates on the forward journey. The bulk of the work in the direction of securing concessions in freight rates on exhibits has been with the transportation lines which are not members of the traffic associations. A very large number of these have made full rates going and granted free return, ownership unchanged. Will Carry Goods Free, The Quebec Steamship Company, oper- ating the New York, Bermuda and West India Line, have announced that they will carry free the Commissioners of the Latin American Department, and will also carry without charge all collections furnished by foreign governments at the cost of handling. They will carry at half rates all articles sent by private parties for ex- hibition, and also carry at the cost of boarding all passengers holding through tickets to the exposition. The Chattanooga Southern road an- nounces a free freight rate on natural prod- ucts and half rates each way on other ex- hibits. This is the first road making this concession. The Atlantic Transport Line, with steam- ers runnning from London to New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, has offered free transportation for exhibits in ‘‘ handy packages.” John T. Sickel of Chicago, general Western agent of the line, writes as follows to the World’s Fair authorities: I now beg to confirm our proposition to you, and to request that in the circular which it is intended by you to be distributed among your foreign representatives, or intending exhibit- ors, that you will make notice of our proposi- tion somewhat as follows—to wit: By the courtesy of the Atlautic Transport Line of steamers from London, exbibitors will have an opportunity to forward their exhibits from London to the American seaboard for the cost of handling, as the general managers of the Atlantic oe Line have promised to carry such exhibits free of freight, providing suc exhibits come forward in quantities suitable to the room available on their steamers. As this line can deliver cargoes at New York, Phila- delphia and Baltimore, intending exhibitors can arrange for delivery at any one of these three ports. Shipments from points in the United King- dom and Continent should be sent to Messrs. Williams, Torrey & Feild, agents of the Atlantic Transport Line, No. 108 Fenchurch street, London, E.C., to be shipped by them to the care of the general agent’s office at New York, Philadeiphia and Baltimore. Exhibit- ors should make early arrangements for secur- ing room on these steamers through Messrs, Williams, Torrey & Feild and the foreign commissioners, as the amount of space avail- able for this purpose is of necessity limited. To save expense of handling all packages should be of handy size. Special arrangements must be made for packages of ununeal cite or for machinery. The Hidalgo and Northwestern Rail- road Company, which is the principal transportation agency in northern and northwestern Mexico, has also notified the exposition officials that it will make no freight charges on articles sent to the exposition at Chicago. Insurance for Employees. The Auxiliary Committee on Insurance has practically decided that for the ensu- ing year it will be necessary to place, ap- roximately, $50,000 of aecident insurance. his accident insurance, it is understood, will apply to the employees of the expo- sition alone. The contractors for the buildings are responsible for the safety of their workmen. This leaves visitors to the World’s Fair ground unprovided for; but as no one except employees secures admission to the grounds without a pass, the granting of which is conditional upon such visitors cannot in case of injury claim damages from the exposition management. Brevities, France has asked 25,000 and the Hague 11,000 square feet of space for their pict- ure exhibits alone. Until recently it was thought that the weakest feature of the exposition would be its fine arts exhibit Now, however, it is believed that this will be one of the best of all. Chief Ives of the Department of Fine Arts, writes from Copenhagen that he has completed his work with the artists of Denmark, and that his next visit will be to Berlin. He speaks encouragingly of the prospects of art displays from Europe. Denmark, he says, will be especially well represented. Australia is waking up to the impor- tance of the fair. W. 8. Rae, the editor of the Melbourne Advertiser and the Ess- enden and Flemington Chronicle, writes to Chief Handy saying that his newspapers have published all the World’s Fair litera- ture within reach, and that the colonies will be largely represented at the expo- sition. Already, he says, there is a grow- ing determination in the minds of many business and private men to visit Chicago in 1893. The National Brick Manufacturers’ As- sociation has appointed a committee of five to secure an international exhibition of clay-working machinery for the World's Fair, and the committee has issued an ad- dress inviting the views of the trade. The President of Uruguay has issued a decree intrusting the Association Rural of Uruguay with the duty of preparing an exhibit for that country at the World’s Fair. This association is well organized, and embraces the greater part of the agri- culturists of the republic. The Royal Agricultural and Commercial Society of British Guiana has decided to hold a local exhibition of its resources preliminary to the display it intends mak- ing at Chicago. The Vienna Chamber of Commerce has petitioned the Government for a subven- tion of $125,000 for Austrian participation in the exhibition. The Foreign Department is notified by telegram from Washington that the Ar- gentine Republic has appropriated $100, - 000 for World’s Fair purposes. I The following representatives of the W. A. Wood Mower and Reaper Machine Company have gone West: The Hon. Wal- ter A. Wood, Howard B. Burden, E. Dud- ley Tibbits, Walter P. Warren, J. Russell Parsons and Truman J. Wallace. The committee named will make a visit for the purpose of inspection in and near Minne- apolis. If it should be decided to locate the branch there the Hoosick Falls, N. Y., plant will be maintained also, but it would robably result in a reduction of the num- r of employees. A factory in the West would be for the purpose of manufactur- ing machines for the market west of the Mississippi. The Hoosick Falls plant would be maintained for the manufacture of machinery used in the East and for for- eign markets. The freight on each ma- chine is $4.20. For the past season the Wood Company have not been able to sup- ly the demand for their machines in oreign countries, which will not be the case during the approaching season, for about $150,000 has been spent on increas- jng their plant at Hoosick Falls, E. 8. Cook of the Warwick Iron Com- pany and J. P. Fillebrown, manager of the Montgomery Iron Company, have just cotepintal a series of tests of the fire-brick stoves of the lattercompany. They found as the average of 12 trials a variation of only 15° in one. hour’s blow. October 22, 1891 THE IRON AGE, 675 Engine and Helm Control. The present means of communicating directions from the captain or the officers stationed on a steamer’s bridge to the en- gineer or machinist on watch in the engine room, or to the quartermaster at the wheel, are either mechanical or elec- trical. The mechanical devices are, as a general thing, cumbrous in construction, difficult to operate and quite easily put out of order. The electrical devices are al- most always complicated and in addition are very expensive. There is, and has ;aport” and to instruct the engineer to ‘* back” or ‘‘go ahead” fast or slow, or to stop. But there is no reason why much more specific instructions should not be sent, by means of which the vessel may be more accurately controlled. This point receives particular emphasis when several vessels are cruising together or indulging in tactical maneuvers. In this case almost continuous engine speed changes are re- quired to enable the vessels to maintain proper distance. Furthermore, in action, with casualties constantly occurring, it is exceedingly important for the command- ENGINE AND HELM CONTROL. been for years past, urgent need for a simple apparatus by means of which the person directing the movements of a ves- sel may not only communicate his orders instantly, but may know with certainty that they are understood and are being executed. This is of the greatest impor- tance aboard war ships, where the outcome of a conflict in favor of one side or the other may be dependent upon the rapidity and facility with which the opposing ves- sels are handled. It is a serious objection to the existing modes of intercommunication that they do not enable an order to be transmitted with sufficient accuracy. Thus it is quite possible to send a signal to put the helm, for example, to ‘‘port” or to ‘‘hard ing officer to know that his orders have been clearly understood and implicitly obeyed. The more automatically this in- telligence can be conveyed the greater the immunity from error and the more rapid- ity possible. After a great deal of practical experi- ence afloat and much study of the subject, Lieut. Bradley A. Fiske, United States Navy, has recently developed a signalling system of great ingenuity, which brings the guns of the battery, the helm and the engine room much more completely under the control of a single person than has ever hitherto been accomplished. The system includes numerous arrange- ments of apparatus, which are quite well represented in the accompanying dia- ———— ————————oooOeOEOEOEOEEeEeEeeeee eee cE grams. The system as here given is for use for controlling the engine or the helm. In a somewhat modified form it could be readily adapted for transmitting from the observer to the gun captain the distance the target is from the firing position, as determined by the clever range finders that have been adopted by our navy department and that of several of the foreign powers. Referring first to Fig. 1. Here are shown two arcs of conducting material, over which move two pivoted arms, B and H. The arcs are graduated on each side of their central points to indicate the revolu- tions made by the propeller of the vessel. The ares and arms are connected in series with two indicating instruments; one arc and one indicating instrument being located, for example, on the vessel’s bridge or in the conning tower, the other one in the engineroom. In connection with the needle of the instrument of the engine- room indicator are arranged two local circuits, each containing a bell or other suitable alarm, which circuits are respect- ively closed as the needle moves to its stops in one direction or the other. If the apparatus be arranged as indicated in the diagram, the arms being at the middle points of their arcs, and it be desired to send a signal to the engineer to ‘* go ahead,” the arm B should be moved to the right. By this means the resistance in the circuit is diminished, causing a de- flection of the needles of the two indi- cators in the same direction. The engi- neer then not only sees the needle of his indicator move, but also hears 4 bell sound. And as this bell may be of different tone, for example, from the one included in the other local circuit, he has both visible and audible notice of the order. Meanwhile, the person sending the order notes by the deflection of his indicating instrument that it has been transmitted. Now suppose further that it be desired to have the vessel go ahead at slow speed. The speed of the vessel for a given number of revolutions being approximately known, the person sending the signal moves the arm B, for example, to the mark 15 on the arc A. The results already referred to will then occur. The engine-room bell will, however, continue ringing and the needles of the indexes will remain deflected until the engineer re-establishes the balance of the circuit. This he does by moving the arm H on his arc G to the right to the number 15. He will thus obviously have thrown into the circuit a resistance equal in amount to that by which the total re- sistance in the circuit had been diminished, thus restoring the normal condition. The needles of the indexes will them return to their normal position, the alarm will cease sounding, and the person sending the signals will be apprised that his order has been exactly complied with. By this de- vice an exceedingly accurate and certain mode of regulating the speed of the ship is at all times available, and confusion re- sulting from hastily given and but partially understood orders is done away with. In order to directly control the helm so that the rudder may be adjusted at any exact and desired angle, and also to cause knowledge that the order transmitted has been correctly executed, the apparatus shown in Fig. 2 was devised. It is an automatic means of controlling the helm directly and without the intervention of any one but the person sending the signal. In this case, as in the one already de- scribed, there are two arcs, A and G, over which move pivoted arms, H and B. These arcs are connected in Wheatstone bridge circuit with a battery and with two i.di- cating iastruments, one of which is located at the sending station and the other one near the steeering engine which con- trols the helm. No icular form of steering engine is required; any one of the standard patterns already in use will do. For example, take one that operates a drum, a Rime al SF 676 8, around which pass chains that are shackled to the tiller H, when the engine turns in one direction the tiller moves one way, and when it turns in the opposite di- rection the tiller moves the other way. The arm H on the arc G may be the tiller itself or an arm actuated by the tiller. The two local circuits, which are closed by the movement of the needle of the indicator C, in one direction or the other, include electro-magnets, M and N, which operate a pivoted arma- ture that in its turn moves the revers- ing valve of the engine. The magnet M’ is connected in circuit to the battery which controls the two local circuits, and serves to center the valve, when the parts are in normal position, as indicated in the diagrams. Now, when it is desired to put the helm in one direction or the other, the person stationed at the arc A simply moves the arm B in the direction in which it is desired to adjust the helm and also to the desired extent. This immediately disturbs the balance in the circuit, and the fact, as before explained, is shown on the indicator C’ near him, while the needle on the distant indicator closes one of the local circuits, energizes one of the electro- magnets M or N, which in turn, attracting the pivoted armature O, moves the valve of the steering engine so as to cause it to move the tiller, and hence the rudder, in the desired direction. As soon as the rudder or the tiller H moves over its arc to an extent sufficient to re-establish the balance in the circuit, the parts return to their normal position, when the electro- magnet centers the armature and stops the engine. The operation, obviously, is thus entirely automatic, and the ship is steered merely by the movement of the arm B. soienencegliiallaemesindagiipees Changes in Western Freight Rates. The General Freight Committee of the Central Traffic Association held a session last week in Chicago and decided a num- ber of questions which have been pending for some time. The committee decided that, taking effect October 26, sixth class rates be authorized on structural iron or steel and on iron or steel bridge material, carloads, to apply between all points in the territory of the association. It was decided to advance the present rate of $2.20 per ton on pig iron from Jackson, Wellston, portion 4 Ironton and Hanging Rock, Ohio, to Joliet to $2.40 per ton. It was also agreed to apply a proportional rate of $2 per ton on pig iron from Ironton, Ohio, to Buffalo, N. Y., to be used only on business coming from points south of the Ohio River and not on traffic originating at Ironton. The committee recommended that the application of the Cincinnati Freight Association for rate on pig iron and kindred commodities, Cin- cinnati to Chillicothe, Ill., of $1.75 per ton be authorized. It was decided to recommend that the application of the Pittsburgh committee to apply Peoria rates on shipments of skelp iron from the Pittsburgh district to Kewaunee, IIl., be authorized. The committee agreed that on traffic originating at St. Paul and Minneapolis, forwarded via Peoria, and destined to points in the Central Traffic Association on the south of the line of the Lake Erie and Western road, and on and west of a line diawn from Lima to Columbus, Ohio, Chicago rates may be applied. Regarding the request of the Southeastern Mississippi Valley Associa- tion that the Southern classification be adopted on traffic from all points in the territory of the association to Southern points it was decided that the application of the Southern classification be confined to the boundaries within which it is already authorized—namely: All points west of a line drawn from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Hamilton, Richmond, and And- ersop, to and including South Bend, Ind. THE IRON AGE THE EFFECT OF THE TARIFF, | We are indebted to 8S. G. Brock, chief of the Bureau of Statistics, for a copy of a pamphlet showing statistically the vol- ume and value of our imports and exports since the enactment of the new tariff law and its practical effects upon our foreign commerce. During the 11 months from October 1, 1890, to August 31, 1891, under the operation of the new tariff law, the total value of our foreign commerce, im- ports and exports of merchandise com- bined was $1,603,782,266, or an increase of $74,768,639 over the value of our for- eign commerce during the corresponding period of the prior year, when it was $1,529,013,627. The average annual in- crease of our foreign commerce (imports and exports of merchandise) during the 20 years from 1871 to 1891 was $38,314, - 352. It will be observed that the increase during the first 11 months under the opera tion of the new tariff was nearly double this average annual increase. Of the total commerce of the 11 months ending August 31, 1891, the value of our imports of merchandise was $763,210,965, an in. crease of $25,681.316 over the value of the imports of the a months | e of the prior year, and the value of the exports was $840,571,301, an increase of $49,087,323 over the prior period. Imports Vree of Duty: The value of merchandise imported free of duty during the 11 months ending August 31, 1891, was $364,661,336, as com- pared with $252,648,255 imported free of duty during the corresponding 11 months of the prior year, an increase of $112,- 013,081 during the first 11 months after | the enactment of the new tariff. During these 11 months the portion of.merchan- dise admitted free of duty was 47.78 per cent. of the total imports, while for the corresponding months of the prior year the proportion of merchandise admitted | free of duty was 34.27 per cent., an increase | of 13.51 in the percentage of free goods imported under the new tariff. This is | the greatest in amount and percentage of | merchandise admitted free of duty in the history of our foreign commerce during any similar period. The value of imports of merchandise | free of duty during the fiscal year 1890 was $265,668,629, the largest in any year in the history of our commerce. | October 22, 1891 . The value of the imports of merchandise for the five months from April 1 to Au- ust 31, 1891, was $359, 725,209, of which 200,533,497, or 55.75 per cent., was free of duty, much the largest per cent. in the imports of merchandise free of duty in the entire history of the Government. During the corresponding five months of 1890 the value of the imports of merchan- dise was $356,234,866, of which $118,- 521,444, or only 33.27 per cent., was free. This shows an increase in the value of free merchandise of $82,012,053, and of 22.48 in the percentage thereof, during the five months ending August 31, 1891, over the corresponding period of 1890. The articles of free merchandise upon which there was such an increase are largely those not produced in thiscountry, necessities which daily enter into the con- sumption of the people, such as sugar, coffee, crude india rubber, chemicals, drugs, &c., hides and skins, fruits, nuts, &e. Dutiable Imports Under the New Tariff. During the 11 months from October 1, | 1890, to August 31, 1891, under the opera- |tion of the new tariff, the value of im- ports of dutiable merchandise has been $398.548,629, while during the corres- ponding perigd of the preceding year the value of dutiable merchandise was $484,- 881,394, showing a decrease for the 11 months under tbe new tariff of $86,331, - 765 in the value of merchandise paying duty. It may be noted that the total value of the imports for the 11 months, $763,210,965, exceeded in value the im ports of any year in the history of our Government, excepting the fiscal year 1890, when their value was $789,310,409. If, however, the imports of September, 1891, equal those of August, the total im- ports will largely exceed those of 1890. Reduction of the Customs Revenue. Since the enactment of the new tariff law there has been a large reduction in the revenue from customs. This was contem- plated in the bill itself, which recited at its head, ‘* An act to reduce the revenue,” &c. In the following statement the receipts from customs for the 12 months ending September 30, 1891, are compared with the receipts of a like period of the prior year, when the old tariff law was in oper- ation. The statement was prepared by the Warrant Division, office of the Secretary In 1889 | of the Treasury: Sen Quarters | Receipts from customs. | Increase. Decrease. — SL | — | — | 1889. 1890. | Quarter ending Décember 31........ ... | $51,826,114.08 | $55,444.576.81 | $8,618,462.72 | ........ 1890. 1891. uarter ending March 31 .............. 60,960,291 .37 DEED Beéscces peageen CaS uarter ending June 30........ ...... | 68,606,882 07 MET, seccny she. 668 229,458 .02 uarter ending September 30....... : 66,304,604.92 SME Diias svcscrsnces 21,550,836 .10 SE pct sc wanes dade’ Gieea sharon eee | $237 698,492.45 mannan bionic aalkd eel $41,396,425 .48 | the value of imports of free goods was $256,487,078. In comparison with these entire years, it will be observed that the value of imports of free merchandise for the first 11 months, under the new tariff, was $98,992,707 greater than for the year 1890 and $108,174,258 greater than for the year 1889. It should also be con- sidered that sugar, one of the principal articles of imports, both in quantity and in value, was not admitted free of duty until April 1, 1891, and from that date the value as well as the percentage of merchandise admitted free of duty has been greatly increased. This will be seen if comparison be made of the imports of merchandise for the five months since April 1, 1891, with the corresponding period of 1890. It will be observed there was during the year a reduction in the customs revenue of $41,396,425.49, notwithstanding there was a large increase in the imports of merchan- dise. This large reduction in the revenue occurred during the last three quarters of the year included in the statement. Thein- crease that appears in the first quarter oc- curred in October, 1890, the month in which the new tariff went into effect. The new law did not go into effect until the 6th, and the imports of merchandise and the withdrawal of merchandise from ware. house immediately prior to that date were very large. The aieniin of the revenue from customs during the three quarters end- ing September 30, 1891, as compared with the same period of the prior year, was $45, - ' 014,888 21, but in considering the state- Octooer 22, 1891 ment of the whole 12 months this amount is cut down by the increased revenue col- lected during the first quarter, which oc- curred in October, as mentioned above. It will be remembered, however, that the principal article of our imports of mer- chandise from which the duty was removed is sugar, and by the provisions of the new tariff law the removal of this duty did not take effect until April 1, 1891. During the two quarters since that date it will be seen that the reduction in customs revenue as compared with the same period of the prior year amounted to $41,780, 294.12. From this it will reasonably appear that the reductions for an entire year will be fully as large, if not in excess of the amount contemplated in the enactment of the new tariff law. It further appears from the above table that the total receipts from customs during the 12 months prior to the passage of the new tariff were $237,698, 492.45, and for the first 12 months after the enactment of the new tariff law the receipts were $196,302,066.96. The cus- toms revenue collected during the first riod of 12 months per capita of popu- ation was $3.80, and during the second period $3.07, or a reduction per capita of 73 cents. The reduction in customs revenue bas been greatly accelerated since April 1 last, when the duty was removed from sugar. It appears from the table that the customs revenue per capita of population collected during the six months ending September 30, 1891, was only $1.30. If the customs revenue collected during the following six months ending March 31, 1892, shpuld be in the same proportion, the customs revenue per capita collected during the year ending with the latter date would be only $2.60, or a reduction of $1.20 per capita of population in cus- toms revenues collected for that year. This would be the lowest revenue per capita collected from customs for the 25 years since 1864, and $1.28 per capita less than the annual average rate of duty col- lected during that period on imported merchandise, which was $3.88 per capita. Exports Since the New Tariff, The value of our exports of dumestic and foreign merchandise during the first 11 months ending August 31, 1891, after the new tariff, was $840,571,301, and $49,- 087,323 larger than the exports of like merchandise for the corresponding 11 months of the prior year while the old tariff was in force, when they were of the value of $791,483,978. This increase of $49,087,323 in our exports during the 11 months ending August 31, 1891, was nearly two and one-half times greater than the annual average increase of exports of mer chandise during the 20 years prior to 1891, which was $20,750,425. During the same 11 months of 1890-91, the value of the exports of merchandise has exceeded the value of the imports by the sum of $77,- 360,336. The importance of this large excess of exports over imports will be appreciated when it is compared with the excess of exports of the fiscal year 1890. when it was $68,518,275. In 1889 the balance of trade was against us, and the imports exceeded the exports $2,730,277. In 1888 the balance against us was still larger, and the imports exceeded the ex- ports $28,022,607. It will be observed that the increase in the value of our exports of merchandise is large and very gratifying. This value of our exports for the 11 months ending August 31, 1891—viz., $840,571, - 301—exceeds the value of the exports for any year inthe history of our commerce, except the fiscal years 1881 and 1890. The value of our exports for the 12 months end- ing August 31, 1891, which includes Sep- tember, 1890, and the first 11 months un- der the new tariff, was $909, 264,438, or, in round numbers, about $7,000,000 greater than during any previous fiscal year. IRON AGE, CHE Character and Value of Exports. If the character and value of the exports for the 12 months ending August 31, 1891, which includes the month of September prior to the enactment of the new tariff law, are compared with the corresponding months of the prior year, the results will be found to be marked and very satisfac- tory. The value of the exports of the agricultural products during the 12 months ending August 31, 1891, was $665,711,- 263, against $630,425,046 for like period of the prior year, an increase of $35,286,- 217. The exports of manufactured prod- ucts amounted to $170,560,311, as against $150,577,041 for the prior period, an in- crease of $19,983,270. The combined in- crease in these two classes of exports amounted to $55,269,487. During the month of August, 1891, there was an in- crease in the value of exports of the prod- ucts of agriculture as compared with Aug ust, 1890, of $15,999,952, and an increase of manufactures of $509,552. There was also an increase in the products of fisheries and of miscellaneous products. Imports and Exports under Reciprocity Treaties, The reciprocity clause of the new tariff is opening pew markets and increasing the demand tor our products. During the year ending June 30, 1890, our ex- ports of domestic products to Brazil amounted to $11,902,496, and in 1891 to $14,049,273, an increase of $2,146,777. The treaty with Brazil went into effect April 1 last, and it is not to be expected that the results will be very marked as yet. During the five months ending with August 31, 1890, our domestic exports of merchandise to Brazil amounted to $5,- 133,590, and during the same period of 1891, under the operation of the reciproc- ity treaty, to $6,303,182, an increase of $1,169,592. During the month of August last alone, as compared with August, 1890, there has been an increase in the value of our exports of merchandise to Brazil of $702,903. This increase in exports to Brazil since the reciprocity treaty went into effect has been mainly in locomotives, steam engines, machinery and cars for tramways and ‘railways, wheat flour, bacon, boards, deals, planks, &c. There has been a decrease ia the exports of wheat, lard and cotton manufactures. Our trade with Brazil will doubtless con- tinue to largely increase. The reciprocity treaties with Santo Domingo and with Spain concerning trade relations with Cuba and Puerto Rico did not go into effect until September 1, and as yet there are no available statistics to show the effects of the treaties upon our commerce. These will appear later on, amd will probably show an increased demand for our prod- ucts. Duriog the year ending June 30, 1891, the value of our imports of mer- chandise was, from— See crstcdciewietdiniiweienetal $61,714,395 OU TIN 6 - kWesuedcenciarcawces 3,164,110 I IN i cdiadeccdnwnekae 1,610,360 During the same period the value of our exports to these same countries was, to— i tai eis dias dobdiidns aden’ $12,224.888 2,155,234 1,023,751 Our imports from these islands consist principally of sugar and molasses, tobacco and manufactures of, and fruits and nuts. Our exports to these islands are chiefly of provisions, comprising meat and dairy products, breadstuffs, manufactures of iron and steel. As these islands have imported from other countries largely of these and other articles, and by the recent reciproc- ity treaty the heavy tariff has been in part or in whole removed from the products that will be exported to them from the United States, it is a reasonable conclusion that there will be a marked increase in our 677 exports of agricultural and manufactured products, more nearly equaling our large imports from these islands. OO ——— The Largest Lake Dry Dock. The Detroit Dry Dock Company have just completed what is claimed to be the largest dry dock on the lakes. It is situ- ated in Detroit, foot of Orleans street, where the offices, saw mill, engine. boiler and general repair yards of the Detroit Dry Dock Company have been located during the past 40 years. A. J. Dupuis carried out the work in its entirety, under the supervision of J. C. Parker, superintendent of the Orleans street yard. The soil at this point is fine blue clay, which has enabled the work to progress without interruption from land- slides or leakage of water. Two thousand piles have been driven‘in the dock. Loaded ships carrying a cargo of 3000 tons can be safely docked and those of the largest dimensions can be easily taken in. The inside dimensions are 378 feet long, 91 feet wide on top, 78 fect opening at en- trance, 54 feet opening on miter sill, 55 feet wide on floor, 16 feet 6 inches of water over keel blocks, 16 feet 6 inches of water over sill, 4 feet 6 inches from top of keel blocks to floor of dock, 20 feet 6 inches from water line to floor of dock. The keel and bilge blocks are 5 feet from center to center, averaging 5 feet high, thus leaving plenty of room under a ship for the movements of workmen in making any necessary repairs to her bot- tom. There are two wells 12 feet deep situated at each end of the dock, with cranes above them for hoisting out and re- placing wheels, &c. The caisson gate which, when closed, shuts off the ingress or egress of water, is of steel, constructed at the company’s steel shipbuilding plant at Wyandotte, Mich. It is 12 feet beam, 79 feet 5 inches long, with five 30-inch valves for flooding the dock, which it is estimated it will.do in 20 minutes. Time required to pump the dock out is 1} hours. The whole dock is surrounded with a puddling wall filled with blue clay 5 feet thick and extending down below the old river bed, whieh completely shuts off all water from leaking through the sides. The pumping plant, which is very com- plete, consists of two centrifugal pumps, with 30 inches discharge each. These are driven by two 150 horse-power independ- ent compound Westinghouse engines. These pumps are in a well 22 x 11 feet inside and 35 feet deep, the water passing from the dock to the wéll through a brick tun- nel 54 feet diameter and 55 feet long. The steam for the engines is supplied by a battery of three boilers, 54 feet in diam- eter and 15 feet 6 inches long, built by the Dry dock Engine Works. The fuel is oil, and the whole pumping plant is housed in a two-story brick building, 34 x 81 feet. A dynamo room is provided, where an electric hight plant will be put in during the coming winter, which will supply the entire shipbuilding plant with light. The second floor of the building will be utilized by the workmen at noon and other hours., when work may be tempora- rily suspended, and will be fitted up with an eye to their comfort. This dock is large enough to take in any boat now upon the great lakes, and has been designed es- pecially for the wide railway car ferries and passenger boats with their overhang- ing guards and paddle wheels. The cost of this dock was upward of $200,000. There has also been added to the Detroit Dry Dock Company’ plant a pair of steel shear legs, for hoisting boilers, engines, spars, &c., from and into boats. They are located just above the new dock, are 100 feet high and have a lifting capacity of 100 tons. en + Pay (a £. het mat) 678 THE IRON AGE. October 22, 1891 227 i — OOOO Friction Feed Ratchet. At a late meeting of the Engineers’ Club of Philadelphia Wilfred Lewis exhibited a working model of a patent friction catch invented by him and applied by Wm. Sellers & Co. to their planing machines, The device was intended to take the place of the reversible toothed ratchet com- monly employed on the feed rods and screws, and its special advantages were shown to consist in its superior strength aS 4 34 Fig. 1.—Side View and range of action. In the common form of ratchet the minimum arc of action is determined by the number of teeth, while in the new friction catch it can be reduced indefinitely to any desired amount. The same form of feeding catch is used on other machines, and is available for any purpose to which a common ratchet has heretofore been applied. The construction and operation of this feeding device can be understood by refer- ence to the illustrations. Fig. 1 is a side view showing the engaging member d in section, and the right and left hand heli- cal cam faces o and n of the driver a. Fig. 2 is a section of the line A B, Fig. 1, showing the switch ¢ in its middle or neu- tral position, and Fig. 3 shows the switch thrown over to feed in the direction indi- caned by the arrow. a is the cam-faced driver, having a reciprocating motion upon its axis. & is the driven member, having a coned surface at one end and the abutment collar c at the other. d is the engaging member between a and b, having right and left hand cam faces fitting against the corresponding surfaces 0 and n on a, and a coned friction surface fitting against >. e is the switch turning in a and forming an abutment, against which the plungers f and g may act. A and i are springs actuating the plungers f and g. & and / are stops by which the movement of the plungers is limited. p is the rod to which the device is required to impart mo- tion. aand d fit loosely on the sleeve of b, and when the cam faces are in contact there is a slight amount of clearance be- tween the collar c and the cone face of d. Now, if a be rotated in either direction relative to ) it is evident that this clear- ance will be taken up, and if the motion | be continued 4 will be forced to turn a and d. This is a necessary consequence, because the parts must be so proportioned that the moment of friction between the conical faces of d and /is greater than the driving moment between the helical faces ofa and d. If, therefore, the engiging member is free to engage with the cam faces o and n on the driving member a, the driven member } will follow the recipro- cating motion of the driver. On the and this relation is established by means of the switch e when set as shown in ' ; Fig. 2. An interesting study of the power re- When the switch is set as shown in Fig. | quired to drive an ordinary drill press has 8 the plunger / is forced back by the end | been made by Prof. _Lester _P. Brecken- of the switch e, compressing the spring / ridge, M.E., of Lehigh University. By and forcing the left-hand cam faces to-| means of an ingenious arrangement, which gether. At the same time the switch is| will be understood from the accompapying disconnected from the plunger g, and the | drawing, he was enabled to obtain all the force of its spring, i, is expended on the| data necessary in order to ascertain the stop /. The left-hand cam faces being | power required in ordinary work. The thus brought together by the action of the | forces in action are: 1, gravity; 2, inertia; Power Consumed in Drilling. Fig. 3.—Switch Thrown Over to Feed in Direction of Arrow. Fig. 2.—Section on Line A B. FRICTION FEED RATCHET. spring /, it is evident that when a moves|3, pressure due to the force applied to in the direction indicated by the arrow d|tool in order to produce the required and } will move with it. When the mo-|results. The first force is scarcely worthy tion of the driving member is reversed the|of mention, except in such instances as engaging member is driven only by the | those where the larger sized tools are used spring h, and the pressure exerted there-|and heavy work is to be handled. The from on the conical surfaces of d and } be-| second force is one demanding more at- ing insufficient to drive the latter, the en-| tention, particularly in the case of high- gaging member simply slips around with-| speed tools. Either of these forces may be out effect, as desired. When the switche| determined, however, from the known is turned in the opposite direction to that ' weight, speed, dimensions, &c. INDICATING THE POWER CONSUMED IN DRILLING. shown in Fig. 3, compressing the spring i, The third force, however, is not so the right-hand cam faces will be brought | easily ascertained, and thus the experi- in contact, and the catch will feed in the| ments which are given in detail. hat opposite direction. pressure comes on a drill-press table when ee | drilling cast iron with a 1-inch twist drill ? In reporting the appointment of James| The experiments were made on a drill B. Cooper asa member of the Michigan | having the following dimensions: World’s Fair Board, we referred to him| Diameter of table, 20 inches. as the superintendent of the Calumet and| Diameter of spindle, 14 inches. Hecla Mines. This was an error. Mr.| Speed of countershaft, 250 revolutions other hand, if the engaging member is| Cooper is superintendent of the Calumet | per minute. held in a central position relative to the|and Hecla Smelting Company of South driving member no movement can result, ' Lake Linden, Mich. Diameter of pulley on countershaft, 114 inches, October 22, 1891 THE IRON AGE 679 Width of belt to countershaft, 3 inches. Speed cones, four steps. The drill was ee with speed lever to be operated by hand, with quick return, and machine was also back geared. The indicator cards were taken from an apparatus, as shown in Fig. 1, consisting of acylinder of cast iron, with flange at the base, and bored out to receive plunger. The area of this cylinder was exactly 10 square inches. Near the bottom of plunger three grooves ,*, inch deep were cut, and about 4 inch apart, in order to prevent leakage of oil, which was placed in cylinder below plunger. Communica- tion with oil was then made to a steam guage on one side, and an indicator on the other, as shown. The plunger was 6 inches long and was allowed t