The Iron Age 1892-03-31: Vol 49

‘THE the Springfield Emery Wheel surface Planer. This machine, which is made by the Springfield Emery Wheel Mfg. Company of Bridgeport, Conn., 18 intended for doing with an emery wheel a portion of the work usually done with a file, planer, shaper, milling machine or similar tool. It will do flat and true surface grinding and finishing. It is especially adapted for surfacing iron in the rough where but a smal! amount is taken off, and for finish- ing and cutting down work where the THE SPRINGFIELD EMERY THURSDAY MARCH 31, 1892. pump, and thrown through pipe connec- tions directly on the work being ground. The water and waste ground off flow from the table into a tank in the base, where the | sediment settles, and the clear water over- | flows into the tank below. The first tank, being free from pipe connections, is easily emptied. The table is 36 inches long and | takes in work 18 inches long, 8 inches wide and 12 inches high. The table is| fed by screw feed driven by bevel gears and reversing shaft, the length of feed being regulated by dogs on ship-| ping rod, The reversing shaft has) a universal joint, allowing the table to| WHEEL SURFACE material is of a hard nature, as the surfaces | be moved in any direction, and is fed by of hard iron, chilled iron, steel dies, punches, &c, On tempered work it saves drawing the temper and rehardening, and is true when done, while, if finished on an iron planer, on hardening it will spring and twist out of shape. It is also adapted to finishing work that has been roughed off on a planer where it is desired to take out the tool marks. The emery wheel cuts as fast when the carriage is running back- ward as when forward, while an iron planer cuts only one way. The work can be fastened on the table by chucks, jaws and stamps, as in common milling machines and | hand wheel in front of the machine. worm aud worm gears runniog in an oil tank, to prevent wear. The power feed is quickly thrown in and out of gear by means of the hand lever in the center of the table, and the table can then be rapidly fed back and forth by the bandle at the end. The table has auto- matic cross feed under the wheel, by means of the rocker arm and pawl, which actuates the crossfeed screw, and thus the feed can be regulated to any speed de- sired. The knee can be moved vertically over dovetail ways by means of bevel gears and screw worked by the large The iron planers. The pump furnishes plenty of | weight is 1600 pounds ; hight from floor water to prevent all heating of the work, to center of spindle, 44 inches; length of the amount of water being regulated by a | bearings, 3} inches, with taper split sleeves valve. The water is taken from a tank in capable of being tightened to take up wear; the base of the machine by a centrifugal ' diameter of spindle in bearings, 1} inches; IRON AGE diameter of spindle between flanges, 1} inches; spindle pulley, 5 x 4 inches; emery wheel, 9 x ¢ inches; floor space, 30 x 32 inches; driving pulley on counter- shaft, 18 x 4 inches; tight and loose pulley, 9 x 4 inches, and should run 500 revolutions per minutes, which will give the emery wheel a speed of 1800 revolu- tions. EE The Chicago and Alton Railroad have taken the initiative in reducing the run- ning time of trains between Chicago and St. Louis. The first step was a day train which makes the run between the cities PLANER. in 8} hours, which has proved imme- diately popular with the traveling public. The Chicago and Alton managers are con- spicuous among Western railroads for their progressiveness in introducing improve- ments for the comfort or convenience of their patrons. Their car service is of the best character, the finest work of which the Pullman Company are capable being demanded for this road. The policy of so many Western railroad companies has been the addition of mileage and the extension into a wider territory, rather than the cul- tivation of closer and better relations with the interests depending on them, so that the Chicago and Alton is brought out into stronger relief. It connects Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City and serves the in- termediate territory well, finding rich re- ward in the great local traffic which has been assiduously fostered. 600 mE Mesaba Railroad Development. Developments and explorations on the Mesaba range proceed about as rapidly as the organization of new companies, though not on the same lines exactly. There are about 60 incorporated companies and a very fair minority, at least, have little idea of what it means to actually mine and sell ore, much less to make a successful divi- dend paying mine. The amount of labor and expense involved is entirely strange to them. However, most of the companies are going ahead ina brave sort of way, sending men for development and test- pitting in search of ore. Consequent on the discoveries of ore in the Mesaba country, and in part resulting from renewed attention being drawn to the timber resources of the territory north of Duluth, there is a beginning of railway activity in this section which has not been equaled in the Northwest since the early days of the wheat tratlic of the Dakotas. Before two years have passed the territory, rich in many minerals, timber, farming lands, water power, and the many items that go to make up a valuable land, lying north and west of Duluth, will be fairly gridironed with roads. This territory is 300 miles east and west, and 125 miles north and south, or larger than the three States of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont, and it has, with all its wealth, not a single line of railway. There is surely, then, abundant oppor- tunity for rail development. In chron- ological order the first of these new roads is the Duluth, Mesaba and Northern, which is under contract to be completed in August by Grant & Foley Bros., well-known railway contractors of this section. It will probably be built be- fore that date. It will have a length, with branches to be built this year, of 75 miles, and will reach the Mountain Iron, Biwabic, Hale, Cincinnati and Mesaba Mountain mines. It is an excellent road, with small curvature, no grade of over 20 feet to the mile against traffic, and the work of construction will be extremely light. Next in order is a 15 mile branch of the Duluth and Iron Range road, running directly west to reach the group of mines of which the Biwabic and Cincinuati are the center, and which in- clude the Hale, Kanawha, Chicago, Can- ton. belonging to the railway, Shaw, McKinley and Rouchleau. A continuation of this westerly extension for 12 miles, now in the engineers’ hands, will take the Iron ‘Range road to the Mountain Iron, Charles- ton, Champion and others, and a further extension of ten miles will carry it along to where new developments have shown very rich properties. From many of the properties mentioned, however, the Iron Range road will not be able tu carry ore, as they are tied up on contracts to the Mesaba and Northern. In addition to these branches, aggregating 37 miles, the Iron Range road is getting ready to build a 30- mile cut off, leaving the main line on the east at about the same point the above-mentioned branches leave it on the west, and running due north to Ely. This is where the famous Chandler mine, the Pioneer, Zenith, the Section 30 are, and half a dozen others as yet undeveloped. This line will shorten the distance between Duluth and Ely by 25 miles. The Iron Range road will also soon double track its Jine from the junction of these branches to its ore docks, 35 miles. Then there are now being built or surveyed four different steel rail-standard gauge short lines of road off the Duluth and Winnipeg, which are principally for logging purposes, but are generally understood to ultimately mean branches and feeders of that road, run under its management. Two of these THE IRON AGE. will rua direct into the West Mesaba Range, while one is planned in a more ambitious way and will go straight north to the vast forests and splendid agricultu- ral districts of the Rainy Lake and Lake of the Woods, directly south of the inter- national boundary. Besides these roads, all of which are assured, or building, several others are in the category for early completion. Most important and most definitely assured is the extension of the Duluth and Winnipeg directly west to the Red River Valley, 150 miles. It will then be one of the greatest wheat roads of the Northwest. The Mesaba and Northern has a survey com- pleted for a line of road running slightly west of north from its present contract terminus to the Rainy Lake country, 100 miles. This it will probably build next year. From Ely, the present terminus of the Duluth and Iron Range, a 30-mile link over a line surveyed last Summer will give connection with the Port Arthur, Duluth and Western, a subsidized Cana- dian road, and from it a new direct route to the East over the Canadian Pacific. It will also open to Duluth the rich silver district of Thunder Bay. Of purely projected roads in this same territory there are several, of which the Duluth, Red Lake Falls and Northern, now seeking terminals here, is most im- portant. It proposes to build along the Mesaba range, northwest through the tim. ber districts to the wheat fields of Dakota and Minnesota. For several years a road has been in prospect from Grand Marais, a harbor northeast of Duluth, into the iron ore of the East Mesaba and Vermilion, but as yet it is in embryo. Several other proj- ects are in the same state. The citizens of Duluth will soon vote a bonus of $500,000 to assist in bringing the Duluth, Mesaba and Northern, and Duluth and Winnipeg to terminals here and to aid them in building extensions. Allin all, there promises to be more railway con- struction in the next few years in the ter- ritory tributary to Duluth than in any other part of the Northwest. — ——<—— The Wheeler Power Press. This press was designed and is now being built by Frank Wheeler of Meriden, Conn. The solid pitman, Fig. 2, is so ar- ranged that all the strain and pressure come upon solid metal, the lower end of the pitman being seated in the solid metal of the slide or gate, and not resting upon a screw or pin. At the upper end the pitman is enlarged and provided with an inclined slot, the upper and lower sides of which form parallel ways for the traveling slide block. The angle of in clination of this slot, with respect to a line drawn through the longitudinal center of the pitman, is such that the difference in distance between the upper and lower ends of the slot will equal the length of ad. justment that is desired for the pitman. The slide block is provided with an open- ing to receive the wrist pin on the driving shaft. By loosening the four clamping screws F the block can be moved to any desired position in the slot by means of the screw D. It is evident that this method of construction provides an ex- ceedingly delicate adjustment. Further than this, the pressure comes upon parts perfectly capable of standing, and by ap- plying the pitman so that the direction of rotation of the wrist pin is with its top moving toward the left, in Fig. 2, the pressure, when the power utilized is greatest, will be approximately at a right angle to the ways, thus avoiding any strain watever upon the screw. The double clutch, Fig. 3, is a desir- able feature, since by its use the twisting March 31, 1899 tendencies common in clutches when the contact is made at only one point is a tirely obviated. By using the double clutch, two points of contact are made by the pawls C C simultaneously on direct}, opposite sides of and in and near the «; oe of the press shaft. Clutch and Stop Mechanism, By the use of the automatic brake, Figs 4 and 5, the press is stopped—not sud. denly with a jolt and jar, but gradually and so easily that there is no perc: ptible unevenness in the running of the ma. chine. The brake is 80 constructed as to take up all wear automatically ang is provided with a self-oiling device When the press is started the shaft and its crank make but a single revolution and then positively stop with the crank hold. ing the pitman ip an elevated position The driviog wheel C is loosely mounted on the shaft B, and in its hub is formed an annular recess, furnished at diametric. ally opposite points with two inwardly projecting lugs, as shown in Fiy, 3. Secured to the shaft between the frame anc hub is the paw! carrier D, having an annular friction disk, E, made with q riphery V-shaped in cross section. assing through each of two holes formed at opposite points of the disk is the shank of a pawl that is pressed outwardly against the wall of the recess by a spring, To the other end of each shank is secured a lever, having an inclined or cam surface, The sleeve F loosely fits the hub of the paw! carrier D, and has a cone-shaped flange adapted to pass over and press toward the axis of the shaft tne ends of the cam levers and thereby force the pawls away from contact with the stops. Pivoted to the frame is the lever I, hav- ing a yoke at its upper end provided with set screws, entering suitable recesses in the sides of the cone sleeve F, whereby the lever may, by means of a treadle, shown in Fig. 1, cause the sleeve to move along the bub of the driving collar and compress or release the pawls. This lever I, as shown, is contained partly within a bracket, H, secured to the frame A, which supports the fulcrum of a bell crank lever, K, the short arm of which is pivotally con- nected with the lower end of a rod, E, fitted to slide in a bearing formed in the bracket and carrying at its upper end a segmental friction shoe or saddle, which is preferably Y-shaped in cross section to fit the periphery of the disk FE. A connection is formed between the lower end of the lever K with the lever I, and this connection, as shown, consists of a rod passing through a hole in bracket and secured to the lever I at one end and its other end passing through an eye in the lower end cf lever K and having set nuts each side of the latter. The object of these set nuts is to regulate the friction exerted by the shoe when the lever | is thrown to the position shown in Fig. 5 in an obvious manner. Projecting from the front side of the disk E is an annular cam, G, which varies in hight gradually from one end, where the flange is cut away, to its other end, and the end having the least hight forms a shoulder, as at g, adapted to abut against the side of one end of a stop pin, g’, which passes through a hole in the bracket H and is secured at its other end to the lever I. With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 5 and the driving wheel revolving toward the left the machine will be at rest with the pawls depressed out of engage- ment by the lugs, the friction shoe held in engagement with the disk and the stop pin g’ in the path of the stop or shoulder g. Upon the operation of the lever I to move its end above the fulcrum to the left in Fig. 5 the pin g’ will be removed from in front of stop g, the friction shoe will re- cede and the cone sleeve release the cam i" {4 r a i March 31, 1892 _ THE IRON AGE. | oe = ae passes off the higher end of the cam. Thi% that the stop-pin g’ could not re-enter the jever, whereupon the pawls are moved out- ward by their springs and engaged by the | space between the ends of the annular cam, | immediately causes the disengagement of j but would retura with its end on the sur- ' the clutch, applies the friction shoe, and jugs, thus revolving the pawl carrier and aw - Fig. 2.—Adjustable Pitman. Fig. 1.—Perspective. Fig, 4.—Automatie Brake. Fig. 5.—Clutch and Stop Mechanism, THE WHEELER POWER PRESS. the shaft as long as the lever lisheld in the | face of the cam, and owing to the other] brings the side of the end of the pin into last-mentioned position. Should theleverI| end of the pin being connected with the | the path of the shoulder g to act as a posi- be returned to its normal position as soon | lever I the parts could not return to their | tive stop if the friction shoe fails to stop as the shaft has been started, it is obvious ‘ normal position until the end of the pin | the driving collar and shaft in time. CE A TT cB il la te lat a SAE OS AS A BO BO Nh M-Net 602 WORLD’S FAIR PROGRESS. On the 26th ult. a representative of The Iron Age visited the grounds of the Co- lumbian Exposition and took a series of photographs illustrative of the condition of a number ofthe World’s Fair buildings at that time. They show a number of the buildings in course of construction. Some — J ) i. =S= THE IRON AGE. Thomson-Houston management was sup- posed to have arrived at a conclusion which would be maintained in spite of any influence that could be brought to bear. But, as usual, the giant succumbs to the pigmy. A little company forces the large one to come to terms. Last week the gen- eral expectation existed that the World's Fair authorities would be obliged to send to Europe for competitive bids, as they were not disposed to yield to the Thom- ht Tr el LANA TONER cnncunnU nett “ra” Va lest ae vite / = a i Fig. 1.—View Across one of the Lagoons. not shown, like the Women’s Building’ and the Mines Building, are much further advanced, Fig. 1 is a view across one of the, lagoons, showing on the left the Adminis- | tration Building, in the center the end of | the Mines Building, and on the right the| frame work of the Electrical Building. Fig. 2 gives a view of the Administra- tion Building, whose most conspicuous feature will be the great gilded dome, 120 feet in diameter and 220 feet in hight. Fig. 8 represents the central portion of the Horticultural Building, which will be 1000 feet long, with an extreme width of 286 feet. Its center pavilion is roofed by a crystal dome 187 feet in diameter and 113 feet high, under which will be exhib- ited the tallest palms, bamboos and tree ferns which can be procured. The Fisheries Building will have an ex- treme length of 1100 feet and a width of 200 feet. It will be observed that the view was taken when a part of the iron work of the dome was in place. The present condition of the Electricity Building is shown in Fig. 5. It has a central nave 115 feet wide and 114 feet high, and is crossed in the middle by a transept of the same dimensions. It is 767 feet long and 351 feet wide. Our sixth engraving is particularly in- teresting, since it shows in position the first great steel arch of Machinery Hall, the structure back of it being the traveler. Fig. 7 illustrates the beginning of the work on the great traveler which is to put up the great steel trusses of the Manufact- ures or Main Building. There are 27 of these main trusses, each with a span of 380 feet and a hight of 211 feet. The traveler is 50 x 260 feet and will be 120 feet high. On top of it will be raised a central tower of 135 feet hight, so that the total hight will be 255 feet. The Electric Light Bids. After elaborately explaining why it was necessary for them to demand $38.50 per lamp for the World’s Fair, the Thomson- Houston Electric Company have reversed their position on the question and con- cluded to take $20. This remarkable back-down was most unexpected. The | power, son-Houstop demands. The Standard ' Electric Company of Chicago, a small con- cern, came to the front and offered to sup- ply the lamps for $22 each. They were found to be backed by prominent citizens | of Chicago, men of means, and the; World’s Fair people at once began to treat with them. Meanwhile, the | Thomson-Houston managers experienced | A era March 31, 1899 tors are delighted, for they have eavea $111,000 in case 6000 lamps should quired, and on the 4500 agreed upon | week they have saved $83,000. The allie of the Thomson-Houston Company oma will get some of the lamps, are the Brush Electric Company of Cleveland, Ohio: th Fort Wayne Electric Company of Ven Wayne, Ind. ; the Schuyler, Excelsior ang Western Electric companies. Among these and the Thomson- Houston Company will be apportioned the 3500 lamps, making about 600 lamps each. It will insure q representation at the fair by the severg) companies, and, the directors fee|, wij] further create a spirit of harmony betweea the exposition and the companies of the electrical combine. The Edison Compan will not be represented in the arc lighting plant, since they make no pretensions jn this direction. ast Electric Power. The big contract for lighting the _grounds is not the only plum that has slipped from the Thomson- Houston Com. pany’s hands since the attempt to raise prices. It was decided some months ago that electric power would be used in the buildings instead of steam. Bids for sup. plying this power were opened last week, a few days after bids for electric lighting were received. It was estimated that 2500 horse-power would be required, A company at Windsor, Conn., the Eddy Electric Mfg. Company, agreed to furnish 300 horse-power free of charge. That was the lowest bid received. The Mather Company bid $2.50 per horse- The Thomson-Houston Company, confident that no other concern in the country could successfully compete, put in a bid for $21.20 per horse-power, and demanded the exclusive right to furnish electric power on the grounds. The com- pany would tolerate norival. They in- sisted on the right to supply exhibitors with all the power they needed and pro- posed to levy high charges for the service, bd a tet Fig. 2.—The Administration Building. a change of heart, and on Thursday last re- vised their bid from $38.50 to $20. The Thomson-Houston Company did not get all the lights, but out of the 5000 lamps ne- cessary they were given 3500. Another 1000 lamps were given to the Standard Electric Company of Chicago, and for the remaining 500 lamps or more necessary European firms will be given a chance to bid. Altogether the World’s Fair direc- Chief Burnham then advised the Grounds and Building Committee to reject the Thomson. Houston bid without any further consideration and begin to do business with the Eddy Mfg. Company. Mr. Burnham recommended that, in view of the favorable proposal of the Eddy Company, the exposition directors give them $2.50 per horse- power for 1500 horse- power. He further advised that if the March 81, 1802 Eddy Company accepted that proposition, all other firms wishing to supply genera- tors must do so free of charge. If the Eddy Company furnish only 1000 horse- wer at $2.50, then the Mather Company will be given a share of the contract at the game rate. Headquarters at the Park. Chief of Construction Burnham will move his entire department, which is now = a ee =~ > a cor hema A. 2 ON FS — oie va “ n aaa Se ae | BN’ (ON ON aay |. iE} i Te. ‘4 j Yi, y Be aa THE IRON AGE. penses of the exhibit, erection of a Con- necticut building, &c. The 32 appoint- ments are divided politically and repre- sent Connecticut’s chief industries. The appointments are generally approved. Among the most prominent are: Ex-Con- gressman Kellogg of Waterbury, Presi- dent Houston of Thompsonville, Eugene 8. Boss, agent of the Willimantic Linen Company; Milo B. Richardson, manager of the Salisbury iron mines; Thomas F. Fig. 3.—Horticultural Hall. in the Rookery Building, to Jackson Park May 1. Bids for the erection of a build- ing for permanent headquarters at the park were opened last week and the proposals of the lowest bidders approved by the Committee on Grounds and Buildings. The contractors are required to have the portion of the structures devoted to gen- eral offices completed by May 1. This building, which is to be two stories high, to cost $58,000, and be covered with staff, will house the entire administrative force of the Construction Department. The structure is to be 165 x 310 feet. In the center will be an open court 64 x 211 feet, and about this court will be four im- portant departments. The northeast sec- tion will be devoted to general offices for Mr. Burnham and his assistants. The southeast quarter will furnish room for a hospital. In this hospital will be three wards, 39 x 19 feet each. Two wards will be for male patients and one for female patients. The hospital will be complete in all appointments. The south end of the building, running west from the hospital, will be devoted to the fire department. Here will be located steam and chemical engines, police patrol wagons, ambulances, fire and police alarm offices, stalls for horses, &c. Running east and west through the cen- ter of tne building will be a driveway 18 feet wide. On the west side of the struct- ure, between the driveway and the fire de- partment, will be stable room for 20 horses and a number of carriages and other vehicles. Across the driveway, just north, will be police headquarters. Cells for law breakers are also provided. The northwest section of the building will be devoted to & large restaurant. The upper story is to be largely used for dormitories. Will Look After Connecticut. Governor Bulkeley last Thursday an- nounced his appointments of Connecticut managers of World’s Fair matters, pur suant to a resolution of the recent conven- tion of the Board of Roads at Hartford. The Legislature made no appropriation, but the board will have $50,000 raised by popular subscription to defray the ex- Pickering, a Portland manufacturer who was Connecticut’s agent at the Philadel- phia and Paris exhibitions. The board will organize at once and take immediate steps for the location of the Connecticut building at Chicago. East Tennessee's Fair Convention. The East Tennessee World’s Fair Con- 603 dealers of this section are showing much interest, and they have been asked to pre- pare an exhibit and aid in the work gen- erally. Knox County has voted $20,000 provided that the rest of East Tennessee votes $25,000. The Fuel Contract. Fuel for running the big power plant of the exposition is going to cost between $130,000 and $150.000 and involve a con- sumption of 60,000 tons of coal or its equivalent of 180,000 barrels of fuel oil. Bills for supplying this immense quan- tity of fuel were opened last week and showed that the Standard Oil Company and several Chicago coal dealers were in competition for the job at the following prices: Standard Oil Company during 1892, 42-gal- jg ae er ..-. - $0.70 Standard Oil Company during 1893, 42-gal- ee ae Weaver, Getz & Co., Shawnee coal, No. 1 nut, screened, per ton....... : : Weaver, Getz & Co., Shawnee coal, No. 2 nut, screened, per tom ............6 sss. 2.38 Rhoods & Kkamsey Company, Little Muddy lump, 14-inch screen, per ton.. 2.60 New Pittsburgh Coal and Coke Company, coal, same name, per ton............. nae. Silver Creek and Morris Coal Company, No. 2 chestuut, during 1892....... .......3 +o The specifications on which these bids were made called for the delivery of 5000 tons of coal June 1 next. The other in- stallments, in lots of 3000, 4000 and 7000 tons, are to be delivered monthly, begin- ning early next year, the aggregate to reach between 60,000 and 75,000 tons. If fuel oil instead of coal is used it will be delivered on a proportionate basis. Three barrels of oil, of 42 gallons, are estimated to be equivalent in heating capacity to a ton of first-class coal. Figuring on this basis, the Standard Oil Company appear to have submitted the cheapest bid. One hundred and eighty thousand barrels of oil, the equivalent of 60,000 tons of coal would, at 724 cents per barrel, amcunt to $130,500. Weaver, Getz & Co. offered the lowest vention was held in Knoxville on the 24ih! bid for coal, 60,000 tons of which at their PES La ag Pres een ieitt So eS = = mae: = Fig. 4.—The Fisheries Building. inst., with only a fair attendance. Thomas | lowest figure would cost $142,800. Sub L. Williams, a national Commissioner from | sequently the Standard Oil Company posi- Tennessee, and H. 0. Temple, president | tively refused to enter into a contract of the State Board of commissioners, ex-| to furnish oil for fuel during 1893 for less plained the advisability of having an ex-| than 724 cents per barrel. Mr. Burnham hibit from East Tenne see, the mineral and | recommended that the bid be accepted, timber section of the State. It was re- | which was accordingly done by the com- solved to urge upon the various county | mittee. courts of the 34 East Tennessee counties, all of which meet the first Mcaday in April, to make appropriations so that a Annual Election of Directors. On the books in the treasurer’s office are commodious building could be erected and | the names of nearly 30,000 people, stock- a handsome exhibit sent from East Ten-! holders in the World’s Fair. These sub | ; { | i 604 THE IRON AGE. March 31, 1899 scribers have put their names down for al- most $5,800,000 of stock in the Columbian Exposition. Of the 30,000 stockholders, more than half—in fact, 17,000—have sur- rendered their right to vote at the next election of directors, Saturday, April 2 When the books for registering proxies were closed last week it was found that a majority of the stockholders, but not a majority of the stock, would be repre- D. MeNicoll, general passenger agent of the Canadian Pacific Railroad, has in- formed Chief Smith that that road would send a model passenger train to the fair and also models of ocean steamers in the company’s service. The Executive Committee have approved the plan of constructing a Choral Build- ing 160 x 260 feet just south of the Horti- Fig. 5.—The Electricity Building. sented by holders of proxy votes. The records appear to show that fuliy three fourths and perhaps a larger number of the present board of directors will be re-elected. Some of the holders of proxies have it in their power to elect two or more directors. Should that power be exercised the personnel of the board might be radi- cally changed. On the other'hand, if the excess of votes should be cust for old mem- bers of the board the percentage of changrs would be smaller. The railroads coming into Chicago hold enough stock to put eleven directors on the board. At present they have five. Whether this surplus block will be thrown to old members of the board or exerted to put six additional railroad men on the directory has not been decided. But one fact is detinitely known in regard to the stock holdings of the rail- ways. That is, that the entire amount will be voted for directors pledged to supporta man for president who will not spend most of his time quarreling with national officers of the fair. Brevities. Two hundred and three applications for space at the Columbian Exposition have been made by Philadelphians desirous of making exhibitions. A pamphlet giving choice information as to the World’s Fair has been issued by the joint committee of councils, There was a test of fire-proof paints on the exposition grounds last week in the presence of Chief Burnham and members of the Grounds and Buildings Committee. Eleven temporary structures, each coated with a different kind of fire-proof paint, were fired, with very satisfactory results. None of the buildings would burn until repeated efforts had been made, and three success- fully withstood all attempts to destroy them by fire. The Committee on Grounds and Build- ings have decided that an admission fee of 25 cents shall henceforth be charged for entrance to Jackson Park. Contracts were awarded for furnishine, operating, and maintaining the boiler plant during the period of the exposition. Boilers of 10,000 horse-power capacity will be pu’ in, at a cost of $79,300. cultural Building and west of the lagoon. It will be for the accommodation of the large choruses and will cost $100,000. Contracts for the construction of the Pennsylvania Building at the fair were awarded for the consideration of $67,900. The building is to commence April 1. Bids for constructing the sewerage plant in Jackson Park were opened and it was ae ae I'S a / aA “q 4 Y [ZS A ia ta ee XN \\ VE SY MXN | | DX \ Sas 7% oO 7 ua ™ * ra THE SIGUA IRON MINEs. The existence of iron ore in vast quan- tities in the island of Cuba has beep known to many generations of the natives ’ and to the grandparents of the iron. masters of America of this generation. To the Spaniards and their offspring, the Cubans, these deposits meant nothing, Iron, to them, was a base metal, too mean for their consideration. The Spaniards came to the West for gold, and nothing but gold would satisfy their lust of con- quest. Their descendants hold to the same contempt of the noblest metal of civilization. Many years ago American ironmasters cast longing glances toward these great deposits of mineral, but the then existing laws of Spain formed a byar- rier that foreign capital could not cros3 with profit. But it was only a question of time. American capital saw a chance for protitable investment, and an assault was made on the legal barriers. Americans went to Spain and forced the Spanish law- makers to see the great benefit that would accrue to Cuba, and perforce to Spain, by the introduction of American enterprise and money into the ancient kingdom's chief dependency. The result was that liberal concessions were made, and A meri- can capital was invited to come to Cuba and open up the mineral resources of the island. The First Discovery. The first discovery of iron ore that ex- cited the attention of Americans was made accidentally many years ago. A road was being cut through the Sierra Maestra mountains near Santiago de Cuba, and at one point the cut extended through an immense outcrop of iron ore. The fact was reported to the Government officials, but no value was attached to the dis. covery. The American who heard of it, however, gave much importance t” the v Sy a Ui: (/ \2 — sae ie run ea _—— - 4 Fig. 6.—The first Arch of Machinery Hall. found that 12 miles of mains would be! discovery; and from the cutting of that required for the service. The great traveler in the Manufactures Building is now finished. A quantity of iron for the big trusses has been received and will be hoisted to position this week. $$$ It is reported that the Italian Minister will resume his functions at Washington about the middle of April, if the question of the indemnity shall have been arranged | by th.t time. road dates the direction of American in- terest toward the Cuban iron mountains. The antagonism of the laws precluded any active work by Americans at that time, and the discovery was apparently for- gotten. The importance of the discovery, however, was impressed on the mind of Don José Ruig de Leon, and this gentle- man, in 1881, obtained a patent from the Spanish Government to the Lola mine. His action opened the eyes of other Spanish gentlemen to the possibilities of March 3t, 1892 _ — tron deposits, and other claims were nickly taken up. Among the wealthiest aid most influential of these gentlemen was Don Francisco Batlle y Gene, who, with his associates, acquired possession of the Juragua mines, now being worked by the Bethlehem Iron Company and the Pennsylvania Steel Company. — These properties were acquired by the Lehigh Valley capitalists in 1881, after the submission of absolute proof that the ore dep! sit was of vast extent and of Bessemer quality. Work on the property was begun early In 1883, and was pushed with such energy that the first shipment of ore was made in the month of July, 1884. This was the first shipment of iron ore from Cuba to the United States, or elsewhere. The establishment of this great industry naturally caused a ‘* mining craze” in the western end of Cuba, and many claims of jron territory, good, bad and indiffer- ent, were ‘*denounced,” or pre-empted throughout the Sierra Maestra range. As the Spanish flag (a privilege for which the| of 60,000 acres, which stretches along the iIWN/-7F THE IRON AGE. 605 company paid $8000), to the port of | Caribbean Sea for upward of 12 miles. Sigua, 26 miles from Santiago. The Sigua Company. Before detailing the examination of the mines and plant a brief history of the for- mation of the company is given. Thomas H. Graham of Santiago de Cuba secured the control of the sale of the property, and in the fall of 1889 presented a report on it to E. D. Smith of Philadelphia. The lat- ter was convinced of the importance to the Eastern market of a supply of high-grade Bessemer iron ore and of the fact that the The Mines, The expedition spent several days in going over ‘the mines of the Sigua prop- erty, and made careful measurements and estimates on the lines marked out by the experts who had preceded them, as well as those who are now in charge of the operations. The first property visited is known as the Chauvenet mine, where a ledge was exposed at an elevation of 700 feet above theeea, measuring 40 feet across, so far as now developed at that point. quality of ore was in abundance on the| 2™€ hundred and fifty feet higher up it Sigua property. Ina short time he suc- ceeded in forming a syndicate, among whom were the following capitalists: E. W. Clark, B. F. Cryde, George F. Tyler, John Thomas, R. 8. Brock, Blake, Boisse- vain & Co., Samuel Dickson. A. J. Dull, Robert Fleming, of Glasgow ; Stuart Wood, F. J. Kimball, president of the Norfolk & \ r - on | Lele Reda tLe A Sale | oe J) A | —~ 25 ——aa". ~/4 Le -ectetteetnl eee iY A — tam N - ER A ee SY = a V4 Ze 9 at SS Sd ———_ =" aL \ A Y i gq ‘ NJ VIN ./ el | chy. WME ANG: AE mo ate, i f 4 wy a GMPal % PS > = Fig. 7.—A Part of the Traveler forthe Main Building. arule the claims were small, but there were some notable exceptions. The most notable was a group of mines which are now the property of the Sigua Iron Com- pany. These mines were acquired by Don Francisco Batlle about the year 1883. They were repeatedly examined by an American expert, who had secured the Juragua mines for their Pennsylvania owners, with the result that he became convinced that they were of great extent and value. The mines were quickly pur- chased by a syndicate, and during the past eighteen months work on them has been prosecuted with all the speed that push, enterprise and money could accomplish. On February 25 an expedition composed of gentlemen interested in the Sigua prop- erty and experts sailed from New York and spent one week in inspecting the mines and plant of the Sigua Company. The expedition was composed of 8. H. Chauvenet, president; J. 8. Singer, secre- tary and treasurer; Sabin W. Colton, Ed- mund D. Smith, directcrs of the Sigua Company ; Stuart Wood, stoekholder; Dr. Alexis Du Pont Smith, medical expert; George W. Goetz, metallurgical engineer; Gen. George R. Snowden and the rep- resentative of The Tron Age. The party reached Santiago de Cuba one week after sailing from New York, and were met at that port by the company’s sea-going tug Conchita, which transported them, under Western Railroad Company; Henry Levis, John B. Lennig, Vivian, Gray & Co., of London; the Virginia Development Com- pany, Mr. Smith himself, and other prom- inent men of Philadelphia, New York, London and Glasgow. The syndicate ap- pointed a committee to name experts and to visit Cuba in company with them. The committee selected by the syndicate and the experts appointed for the purpose of making an exhaustive examination of the mines, their accessibility and of their con- dition for operation, were: W. J. Rattle, of the firm of Rattle & Nye of Cleveland, Ohio, mining expert; E. V. D’Invilliers, mining expert; David Thomas, an experi- enced iron man; S. H. Chauvenet, Clar- ence M. Clark and E. D. Smith. The committee and their experts re- mained on the island until they had satis- fied themselves completely of the accom- plishment of the object for which they had come to Cuba. The result of the report made by this committee was, to say the least, favorable, and the Sigua Iron Com- pany were formed with a capital of $5,000, - 000, and the stock was taken up by the members of the original syndicate. With- in the next two or three months the com- pany will be prepared to work 15 distinct mines, have constructed their own road of standard gauge, and their own well-ap- pointed harbor, all of which plant lies within the company’s magnificent estate has been exposed to a clear width of 74 feet; 250 feet higher up it showsa greater width, and 500 feet higher, or 1290 feet above the sea, it outcrops boldly, but no work has been done at that point to de- termine its exact width. This vein has been proved for a length of 1100 feet. The next visit was to the Clarence mine. At this point, under a cover or hanging wall, the vein has been proved to a depth of 90 feet, still continuing down in ore. Adjoining this is the Katharine mine, where work has been done to uncover the vein at one point only. The ledge out- crops boldly, and ore in places projects above the surface at a distance of 48 feet upon the grade of the mine railroad, which runs around the hill on the 950 feet contour. The Katharine mine appears to have a width of not less than 300 feet at this point, but sufficient developments have not yet been made to ascertain its exact width. Adjoining the Katharine is what is known as the Dutilh mine. This is the great showplace at present for this part of the property. It is practically a cliff of ore, from which, as is to be expected, many gigantic bowlders have detached themselves, some of these bowlders being 300 tons in weight. Standing upon the mine railroad on the 950 feet level one can see this ledge or cliff of solid ore extend- ing to an elevation of 194 feet. The same ledge outcrops below the 950 feet level. The width of this ledge is apparently 450 feet at its greatest extent, but it has not been actually proved on account of the difficulty in determining the exact loca- tion of the foot wall, owing to the detached masses and bowlders. Next to the Dutilh mine, and 300 feet higher up, are the Graham and E. D. Smith mines, which are situated within 100 feet of the incline. No work has been done upon these veins at all, but the vein shows a clear width of upward of 50 feet, and is probably much wider. This vein outcrops for a distance of over 300 yards, at varying elevations, showing an undoubted depth of upward of 400 feet. Adjoining the Graham and E. D. Smith mines, and about 200 feet from them, is the Wood vein, upon which no work has been done, but which, like all the veins in the Sigua property, shows a handsome width at the outcrop. These seven veins lie parallel or nearly parallel to each other, and within a distance of something less than 1800 feet. It will thus be seen that at this point on the surface nearly half of the mountain is ore. Continuing around in the same direction the mine railroad on the 950 feet level crosses the Virginia vein, the Clyde, the Colton, the Dickson, the Clark, the Rosalie and other outcrops, upon none of which has any work been done. Atthe Arroyo Negro, on the oppo- site side of the mountain, the ledge known as the Clark mine outcrops, showing an apparent width of about 450 feet, before any developments were made. Mr. Rattle estimated the ore actually in sight at 1,260,000 tons, and, as he says, to be ab- solutely on the safe side, he assumed that ore existed only toa depth of 10 feet. In 606 making this estimate he only took one- half of the ground measured, and made allowance for 1 ton of rock to 1 ton of ore. Since his examination of the property his test pits have, in many instances, been deepened, and in other cases the company’s developments have proved the amount of ore actually in sight to be in excess of the amount which Mr. Rattle reported. The company’s mine captain declares that enough ore isin sight at the Dutilh mine alone to supply the company’s wants for six years, based on a shipment of 400,000 tons per year. The Quality of the Ore, With regard to the quality of this ore the experts lay stress on the fact that the amount of phosphorus in the ores at the eastern end of the range is very low, but that it increases uniformly toward the western limit of the range. The Sigua mine being located at the eastern extrem- ity of the range shows hardly more than a trace of phcsphorus in the ore. To the westward of Santiago de Cuba the amount of phosphorus increases to such an extent as to almost exclude the ore from Besse- mer uses. Sulphur is «!so almcst entirely absent in the Sigua ores. The following analysis shows what is estimated by the experts to be the compo- sition of the general run of the Sigua ores: MR vicGhibinn ie ciankvniapeneaawaactnew ee 64.20 anaes (eran aia ek Aisbal bn erin W ceteeia tw III 5 gs sahin peti Ruane ews Gukienere 0.023 PE ois cinladinstanctancawadkswanan 0,042 IN Ss cunnncs ore: ARR KE Bien 0.88 ND ccc vet amtncinn? Lbkkwaxe imines 0.74 NURS cra at askin AewvsiboccaNewaine 0.91 BN ic nsskcankoweosiuncs Lesanes 0,28 An assay of asample by Booth, Garrett & Blair of Philadelphia of coarse grain ore from the Dutilh mine shows 664 per cent. of iron, ,35, of phosphorus, and less than ;{, of sulphur. An assay by the same chemists of a sample of close graio ore from the Katharine mine shows ;,';, phospborus. The Sigua ore is pro- nounced by such experts and ironmasters who have seen it to be an ‘‘ ideal ore for high-grade steels.” The Geology. Since the opening up of the iron mines near Santiago geologists have made a care- ful study of the formation in that vicinity. The geology of the region in which the Sigua mines are located is very simple. The region is primarily constructed of azoic rock, which is syenite. Along the coast the syenite is overlaid by coraline, more or less broken away toward the foot hills. Fragments of the coraline stratifi- cation are found on the foot hills at an elevation of 1500 feet and perhaps ata greater hight. The syenite is frequently traversed by dykes of igneous rocks, gen- erally porphyritic. In some cases these dykes are diorite. Frequently the coraline in the vicinity of the eruptive rock is found to be metamorphosed into white marble of close texture. The marble con- tains more or less pyrite, which probably destroys its commercial value. At the port of Sigua there is a fine quarry of this marble, which the company use on the construction of their break- water and also for their masonry work. As is usual, the specular iron ore is found intimately associated with chlorite and epidote. It is an unquestionable fact that some of the ore is, technically speaking, a pseudomorph of the coraline rock. Some geologists, notably Dr. Kimball, bave assumed that all the deposits in toto are of this formation. It is the opinion of Mr. Graham, who has given careful attention to the geology of this region for the past ten years, that the latter is not the case. West of Santiago the geology changes and the stratified rocks are encountered— notably the red sandstone as well as the THE IRON AGE. limestone series of the Silurianage. No iron ore is encountered in the latter region, but numerous deposits of manganese, many of which are being worked. It is a notable fact that the valley of the Sigua River and adjacent districts are al- most entirely made up of diorite and porphyry, and this is not the case in other parts of the ore-bearing zone. This may account for the great magnitude of the Sigua iron ore deposits. The Town of Chalia At the mines the company have estab- lished a town called ‘‘ Chalia,”’ which has been laid out with every consideration tor the comfort and health of the large mining population. Included in the plan is a Catholic church, a church for the use of Protestants, schoolhouse, several bakeries, the ice manufactory now in operation, and a laboratory. <A little plaza is being taste- fully laid out in the center of the town. Adjoining the town is a space upon which are being constructed the company’s shops, which comprise a foundry, sawmill, car- penter and planing shop, the icehouse already mentioned, and a large machine shop fitted up with drills, forges, and all the necessary equipment for a well-ap- pointed shop. Chalia is delightfully lo- cated, and nestles among the hills of Sigua, in the beautiful valley of the river Juha, at an elevation of 600 feet, and the com- pany have shown great foresight in provid- ing healthy, comfortable and attractive places of residence for their employees. This is of great importance in Cuba on ac- count of the labor question, labor being difficult to secure there. : From Chalia the road reaches the sea at the Port of Sigua by a uniform descending grade for a distance of 8 miles, crossing the Julia, and afterward the Sigua River, over three iron bridges supported on foundations of solid masonry, which are constructed of a beautiful white marble, this being the most economical rock avail- able for the purpose. The maximum grade of the road is 3,4, per cent,, and the maxi- mum curve 24°. The Shipping Facilities, At Sigua the company have constructed a large yard quite sufficient for the needs of their prospective large output. They bave also constructed at the Port of Sigua a breakwater for the protection of their ore dock pier now in corstruction. This pier is modeled after the well-known Lake Superior ore dock pier, and is being rapidly pushed to completion by Anderson & Barr, contractors of Jersey City. The foundation of this pier is upon piles driven through 14 feet of sand tothe rock. These piles are stiffened, and at the same time protected from the ravages of the teredo nevalis by gravel and broken rock, with which the palmetto crib surrounding the piles is filled. The width of tbis pier is 42 feet, and it is 480 feet long. It has sufficient water at its inshore end to float ships drawing us high as 26 feet of water. At the outer end of the pier the water is 28 feet deep, and it isintended by the company to extend this pier to alength of 1200 feet in the near future. The pier, which is be- ing constructed, affords an admirable lee in any weather, but it has been deemed prudent by the company to provide the additional shelter of a breakwater, al- though