The Iron Age 1893-06-01: Vol 51

; Fi v Vi ee ‘THE Spring Return 12-Inch Mortar Carriage. The mortar carriage of which the accompanying engravings show all the main points is a combination of an En- glish (Easton & Anderson) and a Rus- sian (Riskszoff) invention, its principal | THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 1898, The lower ring, termed the lower base ring, is attached permanently to the | masonry by the kLolding-down bolts, means of the intervening live roller ring. The mortar is mounted on two cast- IRON AGE ranged to fire only between angles of 35 and 60 degrees, so that the force of | the recoil cin be directly taken up by while the upper ring, known as the up- | per base ring, revolves freely upon it, by | | | steel trunnion carriages, sliding on the | these cylinders, and but little lateral strain will be communicated to the upper base ring. After the recoil the elastic forc: of the springs will usually return the mortar into battery. Should this fail, hand bars working in ratchets SPRING RETURN 12-INCH MORTAR CARRIAGE. feature being the arrangement of spring and hydraulic cylinders to take the re- coil. The lower carriage is made up of two gun-iron rings, placed one upon the other, and separated by a live roller ring of steel and wrought iron. ‘The — carriage consists of a transom and two side frames containing the nec- essary mechanism for carrying the mortar, these parts being made entirely of guy iron and being attached per- manently to the upper ring of the lower carriage. two side frames. To each of these trun- ; cut into the side frame will accomplish nion carriages is attached a piston roi, working ina cast steel dydraulic cyl- inder permanently attached to the side frame. At the same time the trunnion carriages are connected by means of the compression screw with the nest of springs contained in the spring cylin ders, the upper sections of which are cast into and form part of the side frames. These spring and hydraulic cylinders are inclined to the horizon at an angle of 50 degrees, and the mortar is ar | the result readily. The lower base ring is cast from gun iron ina single piece, and weighs about 8 tons; it is 14 feet in diameter, and has on the lower sides an inner and outer set of holes to receive the holding down bolts, which are imbedded in the masonry. The upper side has a groove cast into it to serve as a guide for the flange of the conical rollers in the live roller ring. On the interior of this ring is a training gear of gun iron, made in six sections and bolted to a ee ee 1216 THE IRON AGE, June 1, 18938 the ring. The live roller ring consists of an inner and an outer hoop of rolled ‘iron and 24 steel conical rollers. Each hoop is divided into two sections of 180° each, which are kept apart by by 12 separators made of cast iron and having a 14-inch bolt clamping them. These hooys are cut out to fit over the trunnion of the steel conical rollers. To protect these rollers from dust there is attached a guard plate of wrought iron, screwed to the upper base ring, the whole when bound together readily revolving upon the path cast in the upper face of the lower base ring. The upper base ring overhangs the lower ore for a depth of 3 inches, and in such a way as to leave a small amount of play between them. This ring 1s cast from gun iron in a single piece, is nearly 14 feet in diameter, and weighs about 12 tons. On the under side it has paths or grooves cast into it to fit over the conical rollers of the live roller ring. On a projecting flange on the upper side the cast-iron floor is screwed, and placed immediately in the rear and fastened jn the same way are two cat iron guides which serve as a track for the shot barrow. Still in the rear of these is screwed the training index finger, graduated to minutes. There is also bolted to the upper base ring the right and left hand side frames for carrying the mortar; these are straightened and held apart by the transom, which is bolted to them and to the upper base ring. On the lower extremity of the verti- cal forged steel training shaft is a training pinion of bronze which works in an internal training gear, while on the upper end is a training gear work- ing in the worm on the horizontal train- ing shaft. The right-hand frame of the upper carriage is cast from gun iron and weighs 3 tons. Screwed to its inclined face are three steps of wrought iron, while to its side is bolted a gun-iron guide for directing the mortar into po- sition and to protect the hydraulic cyl- inders. Cast into the frame is a cylin- der for holding the springs ; th's is extended below the side frame by an additional casting bolted to it, and its upper end is closed by an iron cap. Passing through both side frames is the horizontal training shaft of forged tached to it the leading mechanism, This last consists of a forged steel load- ing arm, terminating at one end in the loading scoop, made of wrought iron and lined with hard-wood strips. For regulating its hight there is a stud and check nut of forged steel. To the other end of the loading arm is attached the forged steel lever loading arm, which is forked at its extremity to receive a bronze swivel nut through which works the threaded portion of a forged steel Plan. | - BSS SSS ~ : init dereeeen y T : cs a ihinmte Zz, fs of WIN CE OE ested acaasas T LIT TTT UTTAR TL, bas EEE SSAS ESE ft j aes A ZZ SES — Sy i — Ld wera A SR, RS Section Hydraulic Cylinder. SPRING RETURN 12-INCH MORTAR CARRIAGE. steel. On the right hand side frame are bolted outer and inner cast-iron brackets through which this shaft works. On the left-hand side frame there is but one bracket for this shaft to work through. On this shaft, between the frames, is mounted a worm, engag- ing with a worm gear on the horizontal training shaft. At each end of this lat- ter shaft is a crank. The construction is such that with aman at each crank the upper base ring and its load can be revolved readily. The left-hand side frame is similar to the right-hand one, with the exception noted above, and has in addition at- loading screw. At the front end of the side frame is the bronze swivel bearing through which the loading screw works, the bracket for which is bolted to che frame. At the front end of the load- ing screw is attached a cast iron hand wheel which has a forged-iron handle cased with bronze tubing. Connecting and stiffening the two side frames is the gun-iron transom, weighing 1} tons. For a rest for the muzzle of the mortar, when in a loading position, there is attach«d to the tran- som a buffer, made up of ten pieces of g-inch thick felt and two pieces of sheet iron for separators, all surrounded June 1, 1893 ; THE IRON AGE. 1217 ) by a sheet-iron protector. The transom , weighing nearly 1 ton each. These work | mortar is placed in the carriage a set of | also has a buffer stop of hard wood to | on tongues cast on the side frame, the | buffer felts with separators is placed on check the breech of the mortar when | friction sides of which have bronze | the upper side of each trunnion, to act —E : vy tht eal (\ sana yyih GO 4 ' . r ; ; Sectional Side Elevation. | ‘7 ra : | q : \/ Front End Elevation. SPRING RETURN 12-INCH MORTAR CARRIAGE. . s : : ° : : ‘ it the piece is elevated to its highest | gibs riveted to and screwed on to | as acushion when the mortar is returned i firing position. them, while the circular portion in | to battery. On top of these buffers is To hold and carry the mortar there | which the trunnion of the mortar rests | placed the cast iron trunnion seat cap, are two trunnion carriages of cast stee!, | is also lined with bronze. After the | and to hold them in position there is oro we ee me et on a De eee ee oe Rr ar ne ES. Hae = gee et = ie oe EE Re f i t if ih i } f eo Sees SN 1218 THE [RON AGE. June 1, 1893 bolted over all a cast iron holding-down cap. For the purpcse of lubrication two oil holes are placcd in each car- | riage, these holes being protected by covers fitted to them. On the lug on this carriage is attached the spring com- pression, screw, which rests on the springs in the cylinder, separated from them by a hardened steel washer to take up the wear. The two hydraulic cylinders are made of cast stee’, and are tested to resist a pressure of 8000 pounds. One is bolted to each side frame, and also to the lower section of the spring cylinder. These have forged steel piston rods at- tached to the trunnion carriages at one end and working in the cylinder at the other. with each other by means of pipes to correct any inequality of pressure, and they are also arranged to permit the flow of the liquid from the rear to the front of the piston heads, which flow can be regulated by means of plugs. For the purpose of inserting the springs in the cylinders there is fur- nished with each carriage one inserting spring bolt 16 feet long. For elevating and depressing the mortar there is shrunk on it, just in front of the trunnion hoop, a steel mor- tar band, to which are bolted two wrought-iron elevating gear brackets, to each of which is attached a bronze elevating gear. These gears work in forged steel pinicns attached toa bronze gear wheel, which in turn works in forged steel pinions of the hand wheels. These wheels have a cast- iron hub with wrought-iron rim and spokes extended through the rim to serve as handles, At the end of the shaft cn which the hand wheel works is a forged iron clamping nut which rigidly holds the piece in any position desired, and an index finger extends over the bronze gear wheel to — as a guide in elevating the mor- ar. Outside of the upper base ring and on line with its upper surface there is per- manently attached to the masonry a cast-iron index ring divided into half degrees. This is made of cast iron and cast into arcs of 45° for conven- ience of handling, as the complete cir- cle weighs 2 tons. Furnished with each carriage is a pair of shot tongs and a shot truck of forged iron and steel made to carry either the 600, 800 or 1000 pound shot. This truck is so arranged that by running it on the upper base ring the loading scoop readily picks up the projectile and carries it to the breech of the mortar. These carriages are built by the Builders’ Iron Foundry, Providence, R. I., whose work in connection with the 12-inch mortars we have described and illustrated very fully in former is- sues. mm It is officially shown that the total immigration from Japan into the United States from 1861 to 1892, inclusive, has aggregated 5271. During this time many of these have returned and some have died,so that the present number of Japanese in the United States is quite inconsiderable. The enormous icebergs from the Ant- arctic Ocean reported by ships going around Cape Horn suggest the prob- ability that the temperature in the Southern Ocean wes unusually high last summer, and that the opportunity may be favorable for discovering the vastness of the continent at the South Pole. The two cylinders are connected | Lalance & Grosjean Mfg. Company’s Works. As the pioneers of seamless stamping aud sheet-iron «nameled ware manu- facture in the United States, the La- lance & Grosjean Mfg. Company of Woodhaven, L., I., and Harrisburg, Pa., have a justly deserved reputation, while the fame of their agate ware ex- tends far beyond the limits of the United States. It is probable that the familiar trade-mark of the firm, aftixed to articles of their manufacture, is known in almost every corner of the globe. A story is even related, as strictly veracicu:, to the eff«cct that one of the members of a recent polar expe- dition picked up an agate ware cup at nearly as high a latitude as has ever been reached by man; a relic, doubtless, of some former explorers in that icy region. The following brief mention of the rise of this important industrial estab- lishment will be of interest: The firm of Lalance & Grosjean is one of over 40 years’ standing. The present head cf the concern was one of the original founders. He is Florian Grosjean, a native of Switzerland, who in early life emigrated to the United States. About the year 1850, he started in business in a small way with a com- patriot, W. Lalance, as importers of sheet metal culinary vessels. These articles the partners shortly commenced to manufacture for themselves on a limited scale in the city of New York. Prospering in their undertaking, they moved, in 1863, to Woodhaven, Long Island, where they built a factory, em- ploying from 75 to 100 hands. In 1869, the business having increased in size and importance, the firm was iacor- porated under its present title, and con- tinued thriving until February, 1876, when the whole plant was destroyed by fire. The buildings were, however, quickly re erected, and on a much more extensive scale than before; so that in July of the same year, after a stoppage of but five months, the works were again in full operation. Since that period the history of the Lalance & Grosjean Mfg. Company has been one of unbroken progress and prosperity, until they stand to-day as the largest manufacturing concern of their class in the world. Mr. Grosjean, who on the death of his partner became head and principal stockholder of the company, is still actively engaged in the business as president. He can look with natural pride upon the vast industry which he originated and has built up from the smallest kind of an cnterprise to its present dimensions. President Grosjean is a notable example of the boundless possibilities which lie before every se lf- helpful and intelligent young man in this country. Starting in life as a pocr boy, with absolutely no advantages to speak of, he has managed by enterprise and perseverance to place bimself among the foremost and most honored captains of industry in the United States. The Woodhaven Factory. A brief sketch of the Woodhaven factory of the Lalance & Grosjzan Mfg. Company and some facts in relation to the manufactures there carried on are appended. Considering the immensely increased use of enameled ironware for household purposes everywhere, it will be readily understood how large a bus- iness is done by the company in this line of goods alone, not to speak of the extensive list of household utensils in bright and japanned tinware, in plain iron and steel and other material, which are also produced at the factory. It is said to run into millions of dollars an- nually. Consequently the visitor to Woodhaven will expect to find a very large establishment. And he will not be disappointed. The great pile of red brick buildings, with high clock tower end chimney, which constitute the factory, are a very noticeable feature on the line of the Long Island Railroad. Woodhaven Junction, near which they are situated, is less than half an hour’s run from the Brooklyn terminus of the road, and is very easy of access. The circumstance of the railway running under the walls of the establishment furnishes it with the best of shipping facilities. The buildings cover three- fourths of the company’s ground, or three whole blocks. A fourth square is still available for future extensions, being at present occupied by workmen’s dwellings and some large oil tanks, which will be presently referred to. By a reference to the ground plan presented with this article the dispo- sition of the buildings, yards, &c., will be plainly seen. The whole plant covers some 16 acres, and is upward of + mile in circumference. The main block, situated to the east, which is almost wholly covered by buildings, measures 500 feet square. On three sides, as will be noticed on the plan, it is surrounded by an unbroken line of shops and warehouses, These run to three and four stories in hight, some parts having a basement in addition. Stamping Department, The whole ground floor of the outer buildings fronting the north, parallel to the line of railroad, as well as of those on the east side to the middle of the block, is occupied by machinery for pressing and stamping sheet steel and iron goods, except at the north- west corner, where is situated the ma- chine shop. The presses used for the purpose, some of which are the most powerful tools of their class ever made, were mostly designed and manufactured on the spot. Thirty-five machinists and a corps of draftsmen are con- stantly employed on this work, which is a very important item in the economy of the establishment. The stock of tools of various kin is in hand is valued, we are told, at over $750,000. A spe- cial fire proof storehouse is provid«d for the more expensive ones. In the stamping sho; s rows of presses and stamping machines are lined on each side. Here the sheet iron and steel are cut out and stamped into culi- nary vessels and the various articles of household use manufactured in the factory. The majority of these are passed on to the enameling shops to be turned into agate or other enameled ware. The largest presses used are capable of forming articles upto 3 feet in depth and 4 feet in diameter, exerting the enormous pres:ure of 4000 tons. These machines are said to do the largest work in seamless stamp- ing that can be accomplished by any concern in the world. The metal sheets used for this purpose are any- where from No. 7 to No. 27 gauge, ac- cording to the use to be made of the objects and the strength required. Bathtubs, for example, which are probably the largest articles stamped out of one sheet, are often formed of comparatively thin metal, and, provided the subsequent annealing is carefully done, are said to be perfectly strong ° ENAMELLING FURNACES ; || DWELLINGS = ——— a, eee BRIOGE ENAMELLING SHOP ENAMELLING SHOP = a = ——— otentihe a ee Fg ne ee ee a . ‘J . - a = — — aoneeaETET oe ee Secs So eoaaaacen — = , — — mm a . —— ea kw ~~ saaekiinen =e ¥ - ee —eheape ; Re i eee = = SSS eee Sass Se & rot N _ LONG ISLAND R. R. | _— x a — 7 — = SS — a a —- =m = a ea = - || 1] | || ke \ - 000 feet - > i ATLANTIC ; ” AVE. . ~ ~ . , HYD. oe nae . . 7 = - ae | | , er os - ; > ] [ MACHINE SHOP SHEET STEEL "AND IRON ow . E _d | mt Ne oe v < ‘ b -—4 } ‘N \ ee — Y ‘ tw an es ul ae a . 7. . ha > Sen é x Ww '\ t, %\ < a D oO \ \S a. a j al < u | ‘ , Y 2 <q < a. 3 ’ b j = = = ‘ | u uw < | 4 be \ ? Oo n b - - z a < “f wo ° | wo” = . : fz} a \ a 2 = = oO \ ig 5 , x x Zz ud 0 \ = oO = ° O < UO < sy 2s a | uw c 4 7 z 2 7 7 iw 2 5 3 D » Z z Ct * z | ¢ 3 I wi < WwW uw x 9° ; sie] £& wi aoa ~~ OIL TANK = = 7 mH | —— iT? ° ca) | J store “ AS as | ~ is | x 2 oc wane 3 | < = Oo 0 = oa < WAREHOUSE FOR S 5 ' Q QO SHEET IRON Ww 4 | BRIDGE = Ww : STORAGE AND STEEL So - = FOR = = ‘S . a | FINISHED ‘ Oo “ | _ = | GOODS ~ a. Ww a o z x Oo < a cr PIT III x 9 I x I UNIVERSITY PLACE PLAN OF WORKS OF THE LALANCE & GROSJEAN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, WOODHAVEN, L. LI. June 1, 18¢3 Le Re LL TRIE ee Pn Se aie te ee —_ = eS <r — ee: Ee ee ee a 2p a “hare mt Ag MY line pare mera ~2= . nl EE: eer eR ea Sx tee el eg ee 2 f } | 1220 and eflicient, notwithstanding their tenuity. Strong kettles for special uses and other large articles require, of course, the heavier gauges of sheet metal. Boiler heads take the thickest metal used in the factory. Spinning lathes are placed in the second story of the north front, the third floor being used for tin work A great part of the soldering work of the establishment is carried out on this floor, the soldering stoves being heated by gas. Immediately above the stamping shops <n the northeast face are the power presses for the smaller goods. As an instance of the volume of work compassed by one of these tools, it may be mentioned that a single stamping press seen here was turning out cheap teaspoons at the rate of 21,000 daily, the spoons flying out from the press almost faster than the eye could follow them. The attendance of one boy was all that was required for handling the articles and operating the machine. After witnessing this operation, one cou'd more readily understand how it is possible to put such goods onthe mar- ket at the seemingly ridiculous price of 60 cents a gross. The third floor of this portion of the establishment is oc- cupied by japanning ovens devoted ex- clusively to the preparation of the larger sizes of tea trays, of which great quantities and varieties are turned out. Enameling Department, The extensive line of enameled goods manufactured by the Lalance & Gros- jean Mfg. Company forms, however, the main feature of their business; and the space allotted to this department is naturally large. The whole of the southern portion of the main block is occupied by shops where only agate ware is treated. This well-known ware is made of sheet iron, which is found to take the enamel coating better than steel. The process of coating is not a complicated one, and may be briefly described as follows: The enamel prep- aration, which is a kind of glass mixt- ure, the actual component parts being of course, more or less of a secret, is mixed and melted in large vats and ovens placed in the center of the block. When ready for use, the composition is transferred to a series of baths lo- cated in the south wing, where a num- ber of women and boys are employed in dipping the article to be enameled. It should be mentioned that each arti- cle requiring coating is previously pickled and then scrubbed and thor- oughly cleansed in order to remove all impuritics which would prevent the enamel adhering to the metal. The article, after receiving its first coat of enamel preparation, is transferred to one of a long range of ovens placed parallel to the dipping troughs. Here it is fired for about seven minutes; after cooling it is redipped, and again fired —the process being repeated until the object receives its last coating. This is of a different kind and imparts the nec- essary gloss and hardness to the enamel coating. The quality of the ware de- nds entirely upon the number of coats it thus receives. The enamel used for the last coat on agate ware is said to be the only preparation of its nature yet discovered which is capable of withstanding the action of acids. Sulphuric acid has ab- solutely no effect upon its surface. For this reason the firm have developed quite a large business in special pans and ves- sels for chemists’ use. They are cheaper, stronger, and more lasting than those formerly used for this purpose. THE IRON AGE. Agate ware pans, too, are now largely used by photographers for their work, being more economical and effective than the more expensive receptacles heretofore made use of, besides bein easily keptclean. In fact, we are tol that agate ware is constantly finding fresh uses. Besides this specialty, other ware in blue, white, pearl and mottled enamel is turned out in large quantities. Shops for operating these lines of goods are situated in another part of the block at right anglcs to the north front, and ad- joining the annealing furnaces. More dipping troughs and ovens are placed in them, the process of enameling being essentially similar to that above de- scribed. Oil Fuel, Fifty-four furnaces are in use for fir- ing enameled goods, besides which 20 large annealing furnaces, standing in juxtaposition to the stamping and press- ing shops, are kept in full blast for treating the stamped iron vessels. These, and all furnaccs on the works, are heated by oil fuel, which has been found to give here the best and most economical results. Crude oil, the mate- rial used, is consumed to the amount of about 9000 gallons daily. The oil is kept in large storage tanks, marked on the plan in the as yet unbuilt on square to the west. These tanks have an aggregate capacity cf 160,000 gal- lons. The oil is conveyed into them by natural flow through pipes connected with stand pipes adj>ining the railroad track, the material being delivered di- rect from the tank cars. From these reservoirs the oil is pumped to the vari- ous portions of the works as required. The system of firing used is that of the Aé-ated Fuel Company of Springfield, Mass., who erected the oil plant. The saving of time and labor and the gain in cleanliness involved in the adoption of oil fuel is said to be immense. The dirt and ashes attending the use of coal are entirely avoided, and the fires can be instantly lighted or extinguished. The second floor of the south wing is used for the manufacture of wash boil- ers in tin and copper, of which a very extensive line is made. The wash-boiler shop is one of the fincst of its kind, be- ing more than 300 feet in length. All the various processes of piecing and finishing the utensils are carried on here —soldering, riveting, &c. This shop is connected, by means of a bridge over the intervening street, with the second floor of the new tinware department in the center block. Tinning Shop and Boiler House, A large proportion of the tinware made at the factory is retinned after manufacture, particularly that which has been at all heavily stamped. For this purpose a large tinhouse is pro- vided. It is located almost in the cen- ter of the eastern block, as will be seen by reference to the plan. The tinhouse contains 40 pots, holding in the aggre- gate about 150,000 pounds of melted tin. These pots are kept constantly at melting heat, year in and year out, the material being never permitted to so- lidify. Parallel to the tinning shop are the boiler houses, containing a battery of eight tubular boilers of 100 horse: power each, made by Smith Brothers of Brooklyn. Next to the boiler house, and between it and the gas plant, rises a brick chimney 157} feet high, which serves to carry off all the smoke and va- pors of the factory. Every fire in the entire establishment is connected with June 1, 1893 this central chimney by means of a spider-web-like ramification of under- ground flues leading from all parts of the establishment. Power is supplied by two horizontal engines. One Cor- liss engine of 500 horse-power is placed near the northeast corner of the main block, and one of 250 horse-power, made by the Fitchburg Machine Com- pany of Fitchburg, Mass., is located near the northwestern corner. The lat- ter supplies the power for the new buildings on the second bleck. Adj ining the second engine house is the polishing and grinding shop, con- taining a large number of emery and corundum wheels. Next to this depart- ment are the shops contain’ng the steam hammers, mounted on a foundation 35 feet deep. These hammers are very powerful and are capable of striking a blow of 2 tons. In addi'ion to the departments we have briefly mentioned, a large number of others are housed in the numerous buildings which cover the main block. Exigencies of space, however, forbid further enlargement in this direction. One can only name the japanning houses, the blacksmith’s shop, the departments for making ears, bails and handles of vessels, the mills for grinding enamel, and othcr places where are conducted the hundred and one minor processes incidental to a great factory. Specially designed machinery is employed for the carrying out of almost every detail con- nected with the various manufactures, a great part of which really deserve a de- tailed description, which it is impcs- sible to afford at present. Reference should not be omitted to the great castellated clock tower stand- ing at the northeast angle of the square, which is a very prominent feature of the works. The Tinware Factory. Passing from the northern quadrangle, which is nearly covered by houses, we come to the second square on the west- ern side, where is situated the newest portion of the factory buildings. This part of the works is connected with the main buildings by means of two bridges on the second floor, and a subterranean tunnel. The L-shaped building, 300 x 40 feet, which stands in this portion, was erected only last year. It is four stories in hight, brick built, and in gen- eral features similar to the outer build- ings of the northern square. Here is conducted the bulk of the tin ard japanned ware manufacture. Some of this class of goods are, as will have been noticed, still made in the older portion of the works, but it is intended to eventually transfer the whole of the tin work to this side, leaving the main buildings exclusively for the operations connected with enameled goods, the growing demand for which calls for largely increased space. All kinds of domestic tinware, stamped and pieced, plain, and decorated, are turned out in the numerous shops of the building. Machines of special design for seaming, wiring, bending, flanging and otherwise operating the various articles of tin- ware manufactured enable the sundry operations to be carried out with the greatest quickness and economy of labor. Indeed, the actual hand labor put into the work all over the factory appears to be reduced to the finest minimum. Ma- chinery accomplishes almost all the me- chanical operations in which the inter- vention of the human hand was formerly considered essential, and does it with far more accuracy and celerity. A great deal of the soldering here is done by women and girls. Mme see ee June 1, 1893 THE IRON AGE. 1221 Some very handsome decorating is conducted in a portion of the new build- ing, on such articles as may be ap- propriately embellished—namely, tea and coffce pots, tea trays, water cool- ers and other enameled or japanned goods. A department of considerable size is tenanted by the company’s de- signers and decorators. The outline de- signs are usually laid upon the object to be decorated, the color being subse- quently applied by hand. Some of the japanned articles, as tea and crumb trays, coolers, &c., are decorated with ornamentation in gold and colors, which is placed on the article from transfer paper, on which the paiterns have been stamped by means of chromc-lithog raphy. The lithography is also carried out on the spot. Warehouses and Stores, Adjoining the tinware factory is a large building containing the raw ma- terial in sheet iron and steel. About 50 tcns of this material are used weekly. The whole of the supply is furnished by the company’s new rolling mills at Har- risburg, Pa., which were first put into operation about three months ago, and of which a detailed description was pub lished in a recent issue. The amount of tin plate used in the manufacture of tinware reaches a weekly average of nearly 1000 boxes. It is likely that a de- partment for the manufacture of tin plates will before long be added to the firm’s Harrisburg mill, in order that they may supply themselves with this important item. This course has already been taken with great success by a large stamping company of St. Louis. Several other stores for material, and also for finished goods, are located on the second block. The principal ware- houses are, however, placed in the southeast angle of the main block. The ground floor of this section is used for office purposcs and for wrapping, paper- ing and packing goods. These goods are then eitber stored in the large ware- houses on the floors above, or are, when boxed and required for shipment, trans- ferred to the adjacent loading shed. A very large stock of goods is carried by the firm not only here, but also in their New York, Boston and Chicago stores. The facilities for shipment are excel- lent, and can be readily seen on the accompanying plan. The sidings from the line of the Long Island Railroad traverse the works in a number of di- rections. Several tracks are arranged for delivering the raw material along- side the various stores. The line which communicates with loading shed di- vides into a double track, and is so ar- ranged that the cars for the East are always loaded at one side of the shed, and those for the West on the other side. About four carloads of goods are sent away on an average daily, besides some 500 cases for the New York trade, which are dispatched separately. For the packing of these goods about 2,000,000 feet of lumber is cut up yearly, the packing cases—for which no charge is made—costing the company in material and labor some $50,000 an- nually. The lumber store and box fac tory are located on the middle block, as shown in the plan. Precautions Against Fire, It is stated that the insurance com panies regard the Lalance & Grosgean factory as one of the very best risks they have, owing to the excellcnt fire atrangements provided. There is a regular fiie brigrade composed of 50 employees, who are said to be a most efficient corps. Every precaution has been taken in the buildings to make them as nearly fire proof as possible. The roofs are all of metal with galvanized iron cornices. All the wood work of the interior is lined with metal, and s iding iron doors divide the various shops. A supply of buckets, with vertical pipes and hose, are placed in each building, while 25 hydrants are located inside and outside the yards These are all connected with two reservoirs of 4,0€0, - 000 gallons capacity, situated on an elevation at about three quarters of a mile from the factory. The pump- ing capacity is about 1,000,000 gal- lons daily, the water being obtsined from artesisn w Jls. These reservoirs con- stitute also the chief water supply of the town of Woodbaven. Every precaution has been taken to avoid the risk cf a similar disaster to that of 1876, and, so far as human foresight can go, the preventive measures adopted almost entirely preclude any recurrence of such an unfcrtunate event. The build- ings are he:te> partly by stesm and partly by st ves. Organization and General Arrange- ments, A feature of this great industrial ¢s- tablishment which is well deserving of lengthened description, but to which we can afford but a passing reference, is the efficient system of organization which pervades the entire factory. Although some 1700 hands—men, wo men, boys and girls—are emp! -yed, all seem to know exactly what their work is and appear to d) it thoroughly. There is no crowding aod no hurry. There are, it appears, about 40 different departments, each one of which is in charge of aforeman, to whom is rele- gated the entire control of the workers in that department, and wo is directly responsible to the general superintend- ent, E. W. Ball, for the work of his branch. Several of these departments are again sub-divided in‘o sections con- trolle. by leading men who are respon- sibe to the foreman in charge. The system, which is of the nature of that in a large regiment, is stated t» operate with clock-work regularity ; but it mu t have required a vast amount of organizing skill to bring it to perfec- tion. The sp:ce allotted to each worker is very generous, and one of the most striking points in the whole establish- ment is the amount of elbow rom possessed byall. The arrangements for supply of light and air are excellent, and the general health of the werkers is consequently said to be exceptionally good. The firm exercise a wise liberality t> ward their employees, and in many ways evince a concern for their well- being and comfort which is apparently fully appreciated on their part. Strikes are unknown, and we are told thats»me hundreds of the men now working for the firm have been continually in their employ for the last 10 to 25 years. Most of them have grown up in the concern and take the greatest personal pride in its success and progress. The surroundings of the factory are very at- tractive. A park has been laid out im- mediately adjoining it, where green sward, flowers and trees, and benches for rest, are provided for the pleasure and refreshment of the workers and their families. From all reports there is a remarkable contact or personal in- terest and sympatby between employers and employed, whieh fully accounts for much of the success of the concern, and which can but make for good and cheerful work on the part of their em- ployees. The presidency of the Lalance & Grosjean Mfg. Company is held, as we have mentioned, by the venerable foun- der, Florian Grosjean. Mr. Grosjean is ably assisted by the vice president, Augustus J. Cordier, to whose energy and judgment much cf the later success of the concern is due. E. W. Martin is secretary and treasurer, and E. W. Ball has charge of the factory. Besides the immense domestic busi- ness done by the company, they have a very large foreign connection. Their principal markets abroad are found in Canada, Australia and Brazil, although they are doing a good trade in South Africa, China, Japan, India and other quarters. This foreign business is yearly increasing. The main office of the La- lance & Grosjean Mfg. Company is at 19 Cliff street, New York City. ————— EE — Canadian Mineral Production. The Geological Survey Department of Canada has prepared statistics of the mineral productions of the Dominion for each year from 1886 to 1892, which, although showing on the whole asteady increase during the whole period, record a falling off in the case of most minerals last year. The production of copper shows an increase from $354,000 in 1886 to $1,169,740 in 1891, but it fell to $925,589 in 1892 Gold started with $1,330,482 in 1886 and the output has declined year by year, until in 1892 it amounted to $900,483 The silver production in 1886 was $209,090, and steadily increased till 1890, when it was $402,662, then declined to $264,510 in 1892. Iron ore to the value of $126,- 982 was produced in 1886, and has slowly increasei with some fluctuations to $142,005 ia 1891; in 1892 it went up to $254,206. Nickel statistics are given Only for the last three years. The figuris are $933,282, $2,775,976 and $3,513,339, a very gratifying increase. The coal production shows an increase. In 1886 the value of the output was $5,017,225; in 1891 it had gone up to $8,144,247, but it fell last year to $7,- 181,610. In mica the output in 1886 was $29,008 and it has steadily in- creased to $100,923 in 1892. The phosphate production, on the contrary, is decreasing. In 1886 it was $804,633 worth; in 1891 $241,603; in 1892 $157,424. The total output of metallic ores in 1886 was $2,021.549; in 1890, $3.570.685; in 1891, $5,551,195; in 1892, $5,807,049. The non metallic ore production was $8,096,719 in 1886, $14,359,174 in 1891, and $13 334,267 in 1892, the largest increase being in coal. ouemeemes —— cco The Grand Jury made a very strong presentment in the ccs? of H. B. Hol- lins & Co., who prosecuted for libel when reports attacking their solvency were circulated. No indictments were found on account of the conflicting character of the evidence, but the pre- sentment says the incident should be made the occasion of more stringent legislation against the originators and repeaters of unwarranted rumors. Gos- sip mongers are especially denounced, and the ‘‘ conspirators,” who are said, ‘in this instance, to have had the ser- vices of the gossips,” are vigorously condemned, although they escape being either named or indicted. The population of Denver and sub- urbs, as shown by the new directory, is 150,000, a gain of 10,000 during the last year. Oe ET tt OR i TH SO can a | = — _= SRST I ae a | i 0 Re ae eerie PR FR eT nappies EO ES Se TEL I OAR II IE Ie Sa ee ae ea j . wy ov oS eneresest Fo - em = The Indiana Gas Belt. BY C. R. BOYD. The practical application of natural gas as a fuel, in the reduction of nearly ull metals, has been so fully demon- strated in Pennsylvania and elsewhere in the last two decades that it has be- come a recognized power in the litera- ture of metallurgy. Even in those local- ities where natural gas has become Jess abundant than formerly by its too prc di- gal use or culpable waste, the return from gas to the use of other forms of fuel must be accompan‘ed with mar y pangs of re- gret; though other forms of fuel may be also both cheap and reliable. Con- sider the inexpensive and absolutely cleanly application of natural gas in comparison with fuels which must be handled several times in their applica- tion, and then, after combustion, a very large percentage of the whole, as resi- dues, be removed, involving additional expendituze and annoyance. Add to this the lading of the air and the coat- ing of every neighboring surface with soot and dust, often difficult if not im- possible to remove. W. J. McGee of the United States Geological Survey, now one of the rec- ognized authorities in these special lines, say®, in his admi:able introduction of Dr. Phinney’s memoir on Indiana nat- ural gas, as follows : ‘* The use of rock gas has forced upon practical fuel consumers a conviction long held by students, i. ¢., that the gas eous is the most convenient and econom ical of fuel as well as illuminant. Even if the natural supply of rock gas were ex hausted to-morrow, manufacturers of glass, certain grad«s of iron and other products would sulstitute an artificial gas for the natural product rather than return to coal.” For several weeks the writer has en deavored, by most careful investigation, to read some of the important lessons taught in this extensive gas fie'd of In- diana, having in view, mainly, all the points of practical utility involved in the questicn of the employment of nat- ural gas as a fuel. The State Geologist of Indiana, 8. S. Gorby, says the whole gas field is about 5000 square miles, much of which is low pressure or light in yield, and the rest of it, more centrally placed, about 1600 square miles, is high pressure, or abundant in yield. As for all purposes of metallurgy on a large scale the heavier yield of gis would be required, let us consider the application of gas as a fuel in the area of high pressure. This area, in Indiana, is divided into three parts. The largest connected body (or nine-tenths of the whole) is in the counties of Grant, Madison, Dela- ware, Jay, Blackford, Howard, Tipton and Hamilton. Another part, about 17 miles long by 7 in width, is in the western part of Tipton and Hamilton counties, and athird piece, 8 miles in diameter, is in Hanccck County. The eographical center of the largest area is 3% miles northeast of Alexandria in Madison County, at an elevation above the sea of about 970 feet. Adding to the largest body the weight of the other two smaller areas described, the center of gravity is brought within the corporate limits of Alexandria, lying at the junction of the Lake Erie & West- ern with the Big Four Railway. The truth of these statements may be easily verified by reference to the admirable reports and maps of the State Geologist, which are ably rein- forced by the memoir of Dr. Arthur THE [RON AGE. John Phinney, issued as an extract from the Eleventh Annual Report of the Director of the United States Geo- logical Survey. This place is also found by this in- spection to be centrally located with refererce to the flattened dome or crown of the broad anticlinal which passes from the direction of Cincinnati, northwesterly, through the counties named, The distance from the surface down to the Trenton limestone—the reservoir of the gas—being an average of 925 feet about here, the initial or static pressure of the gas is about 325 to 300 feet per square incb. In all wells of 3 inches diamater which happen to be drilled the same depth into this Trenton rock, possessing uniform porosity as this does, the flow per day is about 8,000,000 cubic feet. This estimate of the flow has been carefully made by the method given in Professor Ortou’s very able report now forming a part of the literature of the United States Geological Survey. One well, the volume of which was; estimated June 1, 1893 by that company in obtaining their fuel, after purchasing, or having donated to them their building ground, was simply the $1000 or $1100 apiece paid for sink- ing their wells. As to steel manufacture, Mr. Beatty, president of the Midland Steel Company of Muncie, says he is now making 25 tons of billets per day out of pig, scrap and Iron Mountain red iron ore, in the open-hearth furnace. In looking over the whole plant I observed that all the heating was done with gas under a press- ure reduced to about 24 to 8 ounces per square inch, the final product being sheet steel. The Midland Steel Com- pany employed about one-half the daily yield of six wells, whose aggregate yield, when all the gas is on, is about 12,000 000 cubic feet per day. The Indiana Iron Company, at Muncie, are making daily 125 tons of rolled iron, square ard round, using three fifths of the possible yield of nine wells, whose total yield would be about 25,000,000 feet per Gay. The gas is delivered and radiated from a bin pipe. Much care is Fig. 1.—Ferspective. THE DRYSDALE for flow through a casing of 5% inches, has a discharge of 12,435,000 cubic feet in 24 hours. Several wells in this locality are down 50 feet into the Trenton lime- stone, without adding any moisture whatever to the gas; and, for this reason, it is assumed that the supply of | gas here will be longer-lived than the average. The preservation of the gas supply against wanton destruction is now care- fully guarded by law; and there is also a stringent provision against wells be- coming more numerous than one to every 40 acres. So great is the de- sire of owners of all the gas territory, within the central area of the belt, to preserve the supply for use of manu- facturers and for domestic purposes, that no pipe lines to cities or distant places are permitted to come into it, it matters not what inducements may be held out. So that there is an area of fully 400 square miles around here, into which no such pipe lines are now located. It may be perfectly reasonable, there fore, that such extensive establishments as the De Pauw Plate Glass Works are establ'shed here. The expcnse incurred TURRET LATHE, exercised at Muncie to see that no wel is used to its full pressure, for fear of the intrusion of salt water, which, ev- erywhere underlying the gas, is proba- bly nearer to the surface of the Trenton _ rock at that place, so near to the south- / east margin of the high-pressure gas field. Near the center the average to each well is now about 8,000,000 cubic feet each, while the averages just given are little over 2,000,000 feet per well. Anderson and other places in the gas belt have enterprising steel and iron rolling mills and foundries, and, proba- bly because of the important element, possible longer life of the gas here, A!- exandria is preparing to erect the mcst extensive steel plant in this part of In- diana. The best and most reliable series of analyses of this gas is doubtless that of Prof. C. C. Howard of Starling Medical College, Columbus, Obio. re 92.61 Cllofiamt 2a... ..ccccsiccccccccccsecces 0.30 EE cave vecc cred cneebagaeeenree® 2.18 MII ohio cv sc doddvcaeccevedusres ch aeD GER ie icrevecevssesee scecvenes es 0.34 COPDOUNG BONG oeciericcdcdccedenesveves 0.26 CAPDOMIS ORMIO voce cnccess senoenccess 0.5 Sulphureted hydrogen .............++- 0.20 Although the State authorities here and others are discountenancing the June 1, 1893 THE IRON AGE. 1223 use of natural gas in steel and iron works, trying to restrict its use to glass manufacture, other simpler manufact- ures and domestic uses, it is evident that the ratio of increase in the estab- lishment of iron and steel works in the gas belt is probably much greater at this time than it is in any other part of the country. Various other combina- tions are rapidly taking hold of this en- tire field, and the number of manufact- uring enterprises being added daily and almost hourly to the sum total is aston- ishing. a The Drysdale Turret Lathe. The turret Jathe of which drawings are here presented was designed by Hugh Drysdale of 2 Edgewood place, gous forms of irregular shape. Each distinct pattern is cut upon a separate disk adapted to the shouldered chuck and is used individually and serves as a pattern of the work to be turned. It also serves as an actuating cam that makes contact connection of the face 2” with an anti friction roller, ¢’, engaging | the slide carriaged. Onthe tool bcdy L, in the turret K, is provided a slide carriage, d, transversely mounted in dovetailed slide ways, v*, Fig, 7, and has arranged on its top a fixed dove- tailed guide way, A, Figs. 2, 8 and 9, | which serves to guide a correspondingly Cleveland, Ohio, and has been in suc- | cessful operation in the Standard Sew- ing Machine works of the same place for several months. The object sought | in Figs. 1 and 2. recessed base plate of the tool block /. On the inner side of the slide carriage is an upright extension, s’, having fixed in its topa pin, 7, that engages the cable i carrying the weight M, as shown To the side of the tool body L, Fig. 7, is permanently secured the rod /*, that extends | hrough a hole inthe downward extension s’ of the slide carriage, and is encircled by a | ing end with which knife in the groove as it is worn or ground away. The knife has a cutting edge on its projecting «nd, with which toturn the cam, of an elliptical, poly- onal or heart shape, or cther faces of irregular shape, corresponding to the pattern face J’. A similar groove, knife and adjusting screw are longitudinally arranged on the tool block /, the knife having a cutting edge on its project- to turn cam hoilows, collars, &c., similar in shape to the pattern face l°. The knives to be used individually are secured in their respective groove o° by | means of a cap piece, »*, and set screw, x®. The tcol block 7 has aslot, f°, ver- tical'y through its body, a cap piece, /*, extendirg over the sides of the slot, a screw, /*, projecting through the cap and slot into a correspondingly threaded hole in the slide way /, which firmly re- tains the tool block / to the slide car- risge d when in use. The tool tL lock is moved to or from the bar metal on the DETAILS OF by the inventor was to provide certain attachments to the spindle and frame of a turret lathe by means of which cams, elliptical, polygonal, heart-shaped and other analogous forms of irregular shape could be readily turned. Fig. 1 shows the machine in perspective ; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts c