The Iron Age 1899-01-12: Vol 63 Iss 2

THE JRO he iN A Review of the Hardware, Iron and" ‘Zo. Ubi 4, hei Published every Thursday Morning by David Williams Co., 232-238 William St., New York. Vol. LXITII: No. 2. New York, Tlevadin, PN 72, 18ep $4.50 a Year, including Postage Single Copies, Ten Cents. “New York. Boston. TUDOR IRON WORKS, ST. LOUIS, MO. MANUFACTURERS BOAT SPIKES. THE BRISTOL COMPANY, Waterbury, Conn. Bristol’s Recording Instruments, For Pressure, Temperature and Electricity. All Ranges, Low Prices and Guar- anteed. Send for Circulars, ~ BRAIDED CORD. Send for Samples. SAMSON CORDAGE WORKS, - Boston, Mass. TURN BUCKLES. Brax ; New York. Cleveland City Forge and iron Con, Cleveland, 0. TURN BUCKLES. Merrill Bros., TI ess on xm are Brooklyn, E. D., N.Y. IRON ORES. PILLING & CRANE, Cowie: Block, Pittsburgh. The genuine is stenciled “ Apollo-Vandergrift ” APOLLO BEST BLOOM GALVANIZED IRON What does anyone gain by using com- mon galvanized iron ? Nothing ; and loses time (which is wages) and standing (which also is money ). Apollo Iron and re Company Factory Loaded Paper Shells Smokeless and Trap Shells, With Nitro Powders. Acme Shells, With dense Nitro Powders. New Club Shells, With Black Powder. ALL GAUGES, ANY WADDING, ANY COMBINATION OF LOADS. SPECIAL LOADS IF DESIRED. UNION METALLIC CARTRIDGE CO., - Bridgeport, Conn. SEND FOR LATEST PRICE LIST. DAHALL BOILERS so cu 2. CAPEWELL HORSE NAILS. NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA, CHICAGO, ST. LOUIS, BOSTON, DETROIT, CINCINNATI, SAN FRANCISCO, PORTLAND, ORE., BUFFALO, BALTIMORE, NEW ORLEANS. THE CAPEWELL HORSE NAIL COPIPANY, HARTFORD, CONN. BRANCHES: Excelsior Straight-Way Back Pressure Valve. This valve has no dash or complicated levers out of order. Its dngle sedebletned ell saad dy ye oe an Se ee re oh ae nee iene. caine exert ence Ts Rory 3 or w as a relief, or exhaust on a condensing has 90 equal. It is noiseless and free from any complicated aiechenets JENKINS BROTHERS, NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA, BOSTON, CHICAGO. “Blaha Guele Tubing the Best, sz 97 MAGNOLIA METAL Best Anti-Friction Metal for all Machinery Bearings. Beware of Imitations. Genuine Magnolla Meta) is made up in bars of which this is s fac-simile ; mark peed on each der of each “ Same 8,00, ie asd : penn Ee A Li ene c wv > _* THE IRON Fe / id 4 pare 4 ey ee Se Tt paae’ rae t 4: -aher Ansonia Brass x” Correr Co. MANUFACTURERS OF BRASS AND COPPER} Seamless Tubes, Sheets, Rods and Wire. ingot Copper. SOLE MANUFACTURERS Tobin Bronze (TraDE-MARK REGISTERED.) Condenser Plates, Pump Linings, Round, Square and Hexagon Bars, for Pump Piston Rods and Bolt Forgings. 19 & 21 Cliff Street, - - New York. rm Ni ERBURY CONN, " SEAMLESS BRASS AND COPPER. TUBES, vein. to 82in. Diam. BRAZED TUBES and BRASS RODS, Brown & Bros. Seamless Copper Range Boiler. Waterbary' Established 1845. Sheet, Roll and Platers’ Brass, German Silver, Copper, Brass and Ger- man Silver ire. Brass and Copper Tubing. COPPER RIVETS AND BURS. PERCUSSION CAPS, TAPE MEASURES, METALLIC EYELETS, Brass Kettles, Brass Tags, Powder Flasks, Shot Pouches, &c., AND SMALL BRASS WARES GF EVERY DESCRIPTION. HICK’S PRIMERS, BERDAN PRIMERS. Cartridge Metal in Sheets or Shells a Specialty. DEPOTS: 60 Centre St. New York. 126 Eddy St., Provi- dence, R. i. 38 Mechanic St., Newark, N. J. MILLS at WATERBURY, CONN. POWDER MILL ROLLS A SPECIALTY. WARRANTED SOUND. BRIDGEPORT, CONN. MATTHIESSEN & HEGELER ZINC CO,, LA SALLE, ILLINOIS, SMELTERS OF SPIELTIR AND MANUFACTURERS OF SHEET ZINC AND SULPHURIC ACID. Special Sizes of Zinc cut to order. Rolled Battery Plates. Selected Plates for Etchers’ and Lithographers’ use Selected Sheets for Paper and Card Makers’ use Stove and Washboard Blanks. ZINCS FOR LECLANCHE BATTERY. BRASS ae MFG. GO. sont sarap at Address all communica - tions to the faciory. sess ORDER, BRONZE DOOR =x"NG Bs, Bronze and Plated Roses, Combined Rose and Escutcheon Cushion Business Cards, Mucilage Brushes. Novelti SALESROOM: 117 Chambers St., New York. FACTORY: 86-92 Third St., Se. Brooklyn, Brass ieles of ee Ps order, HENDRICKS BROTHERS, . Proprietors of the Belleville Copper Rolling Mills, MANUFA CTURERS OF Brasier=’, Bolt and Sheathing COoOPprPER. COPPER WIRE:AND RIVETS. Importers and Dealers in ingot Copper, Block Tin, S$ peiter, need, Antimony, etc 49 CLIFF ST., NEW Y Brass Co. | «0 suars. &c., Patent Mirror Pin THE PLUME & ATwoon Mrs, Go., Sheet and Roll Brass WIRE PRINTERS’ BRASS, JEWELERS’ METAL, GERMAN SILVER AND GILDING METAL, COPPER RIVETS Pins, Brass Butt Hinges, Jack Chain, Kero- sene Burners, Lamps, Lamp Trimmings, &c. 29 MURRAY ST., NEW YORK. 144 HIGH ST., BOSTON. 199 LAKE 8T., CHICAGO, ROLLING MILL : THOMASTON, CONN. FACTORIES : WATERBURY, CONN, SCOVILL MFG. C0., Manufacturers of BRASS SHEET, WIRE, TUBES, Hinges, Buttons, Lamp Goods, Nipples, Pumps and Oilers for Bicycles, Braziers’ Solder, Aluminum. Factories, WATERBURY, ( CONN. New York, Bridgeport Deoxidized Bronze & Metal C0.,) ;or1N, DAVOL & SON Ss, AGENTS FOR Brooklyn Brass & Copper Co., DEALERS IN COPPER, TIN, SPELTER, LEAD, ANTIMONY. 100 John Street, - New York. WILLIAM §. FEARING, 256 Broadway, NEW YORK, SELLS TO THE TRADE Sheet Brass, Fancy Sheet Brass, German Silver, Copper, Brass and German Silver Wire, Brazed and Seamless Brass and Copper Tubes, Brass and Cop- per Rods, Brass Ferrules, Pure Copper Wire, Sheet and Ingot Copper; Spelter, Tin, Antimony, Lead, &c. ur ro |THE BRIDGEPORT BRASS €0., BRIDGEPORT, CONN. 139 Murray St., New York. 85-87 Pearl St., Boston. 17 N. 7th St., Philadelphia. MANUFACTURERS OF SHEET AND TUBING Copper | WIRE. Lamp Geods of all Kinds. BRASS AND COPPER GOODS In Great Varieties. “Xesnt=ae.F =vG— Se Se Oo peer D —————_ Now F. EF. WELGH MPG. 00. 68 SUDBURY STREET, BOSTON. ‘THE IJRON AGE. THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 1899. The Filer & Stowell Heavy Cross Compound Corliss Engine. The Filer & Stowell Company, Milwaukee, Wis., are building a distinctive type of cross compound Corliss engines, shown in the accompanying illustration. Their shops are equipped to build this style of engine up to 3000 horse power. The special features of the engine are as follows: The design of the frame is the company’s heavy duty or ‘£1900’ pattern. It was designed especially to meet the demand for direct connected electric work or where high rotative speeds are required. It is cast in one piece and the portion containing the cross head guide is carried down t) the foundation instead of being of the usual bar- meet rotative speeds up to 150 revolutions per minute: The cylinder is completely covered with a planished steel lagging with polished corner strips. A peculiar feature of this lagging is that no screws enter into its construction which show on the external surface. It is easily kept clean and is neat and handsome in appearance. The cylinder is secured to a foundation plate, which is extended on the valve gear side to form an oil drip. The valve gear is of the disconnecting type, simple, accessible and perfectly noiseless in operation. The steel dies or plates have eight wearing edges and are provided with a patented adjustment whereby the lap can be changed while the engine is running. In case the valve gear fails to ‘‘ hook in.”’ it is only necessary to increase the lap of the dies, and, as this adjustment can be made THE FILER & STOWELL CROSS rel form cast separate and bolted to the frame. This construction not only stiffens the frame but also forms a continuous base from end toend. Another advantage is that no bolted joint is necessary between the frame and cross head guide. It thus secures great rigidity and strength, and is at all times in perfect alignment. The main journals are provided with quarter boxes, the wear being taken up by a wedge adjustment. Cross head guides are bored from a line passing through the center of the cylinder. This center line is kept very low, with the end in view of bringing the reciprocating parts as near the foundation as possible. The frame is extended out under the eccentrics, forming a drip pan. The cylinders are provided with double ports in both steam and exhaust. This insures high initial steam pressure in the cylinder and freedom from back pressure on the exhaust side. The valve seats are brought close to the bore of the cylinder, with the resulting small clearance space. The ports are made ample in size to meet the demand for high piston speeds, it being the intention to COMPOUND CORLISS ENGINE while the engine is running, a shut down isavoided. An- other feature is the patented arrangement of the drop lever. This lever is keyed to the valve stem in the usual way, but to relieve the stem of all strain, except that due to rotation, the hub of the lever is turned to fit intoa recess formed in the bonnet. It will be readily understood that by this arrangement all transverse strains will come on the bonnet and the valve stem will be subjected only to rotation forces. This practically eliminates all wear of the stem at this point. The wrist plate has been designed with the object of reducing its momentum to the least possible amount. By referring to the cut it will be seen that it consists of five levers radiating from a common hub or center. Many builders have adopted the plate or wheel form on account of cheapness in construction, but it is often found neces sary to support the outer end of the stud when these forms are used. With the lever design no support is necessary even at very high speeds. The throw of the wrist lever is very much reduced by the use of double 2 THE IRON AGE. ports in the cylinder, and the valve gear as a whole is particularly adapted to high speeds. The hook rod is provided with a special device discon necting the valve gear from the eccentric motion. The rod does not require to be held up during the time the engineer is handling the starting or stopping of the engine. It cannot throw out while the engine is in operation, as it is clamped in position after being thrown in. Is is so designed that no lost motion in the joints can take place and is neat in appearance and convenient to handle. When required separate eccentrics for driving the steam and exhaust valves are used The connecting rod is of the solid end type, the ends being slotted out square to receive the boxes. The adjust- ing wedges are placed horizontally both at the crank end and at the cross head end. The construction of the rod is such that the taking up of wear will leave the distance from center to center of pins constant. The wedges are so constructed that they back up the boxes to their full width and depth, and no springing canoccur. The wedge is operated by a screw bolt, enabling a most delicate adjustment. The enlarged diameter of the rod is placed nearest the crank end or at the point where the greatest strain occurs. The diameter of the neck at the crank end is ;made larger than that at the cross head end to meet centrifugal forces The cross head is of a very compact pattern and made of the company’s special semisteel. The pins are ground to a taper fit in the cross head eyes and are secured to the cross head by bolts passing through a flange which forms a part of the pin This plate is also tapped to receive forcing out screws for removing the pin from the cross head. The shoes are adjustable, have unusually large wearing surfaces and are turned to fit the cross head guide The governor is of the centrifugal inverted, weighted, high speed type and is extremely sensitive to variations of load or speed. It is provided with a patented safety stop which is perfectly automatic and dependent on the action of gravity alone. It requires no attention from the engineer when the engine is being stopped or started, or at any time while the engine is in operation. It consists of an idler pulley running on the governor belt, and so long as this belt is in position the safety stop does not act on the cut off cams. In case the belt runs off the pulley or breaks, the cut off cams are put into such a position as will prevent the valve gear from opening the steam ports and the engine comes to a stop This engine has been designed to meet the demand for a Corliss type of engine capable of the most severe service. Speeds as high as 150 revolutions per minute can be met successfully. This is made possible by the great rigidity of the frame, strength of working parts, short strokes, small angular motions of valve gear, large ports and large wearing surfaces throughout All features leading toward economy have been care- fully worked out. Owing to the special construction of the steam and exhaust valve the clearances have been brought down to a minimum. High initial pressure in the cylinder is securel by double ports and short and direct passages to the cylinder. The cut off is sharp securing complete expansion, and taken in combination with high s'eam pressure, proper ratio of cylinders aid speeds, the highest economy is attained i A New Tin Plate Company.— Among recently licensed corporations in Illinois are the Wilmington Tin Plate Company of Wilmington, which is a town located in an important coal mining section. The capital stock author- ized is $250,000. The incorporators are William Dougal, D Trevoe, Lewis Jenkins and T. W. Jenkins. The Chi- cago Chronicle says that it can be stated on the very best of authority that the money bas been subscribed, plans perfected and a location selected for another $250,000 tin plate mill It is admitted by those closely identified with what is known as the Whitney Syndicate in New York City that they have obtained control of the Edison Electric liluminating Company of New York, thus giving the syndicate a practical monopoly of the electric lighting. heating and motive power for the city. January 12, 1599 Time of Testing Steel. As a cyntribution to the discussion of W. R. Webster's paper, before the Mining and Metallurgical Section of the Franklin Institute, on ** Spe-ifications on Structural Steel and Rails,’? A A Stevenson of the Standard Steel Works, Barnham, Pa., made the following interesting point: [ think it is desirable not orly to have the dimensions of the test piece and the pulling speed standard. but also important to have a record of the period elapsing between the time when the product is finished and when tests are made. That a change takes place in steel after finish- ing which materially afects the physical results cannot be questioned. In connection with the above the follow ing figures may be interesting. The test pieces were all cut from tires and duplicate tests, as far as possible, from the same part of the tire, as, owing to section of a tire and to process of manufacture, tests from different parts of the same section show a variation strength. Per cent. Per cent. Remarks Elastic limit. Dimensions, Ultimate Elongation. teduction. pap \ Pulled within three days 2x 0.500 53,490 107,460 15 | after tire was made. 2 x 0.500 56,037 108,700 16.30 24.30 Ten days oor . 4 Or . 99 on } Pulled within three days 2x 0.500 50,940 99,590 if 22.20) after tire was made. 2x 0500 53,000 103,164 18 27.40 aon “ve omg . : ” > ax | Pulled within three days 2x0.500 56.037 111,050 10 12.37 5 after tire was made. 2x0.00 61,130 111,410 15 21.50 Ten days later. > ” "@ -< afte 2x0.7% 70,370 121,250 1 14.914 Pulled five days after ( tire was made. 2 x 0.798 71,980 121,970 14 17.89 Seven days later 2x0.798° 65,080 121,470 11.50 13.55) Seven days after tire was i made. 2 x 0.798 64,400 121,160 18 16.30 Fourteen days later. The tests were all pulled at the same speed. inn = gee Pneumatic Tools. Pa © Phe following interesting statement by the Chicago Pneumatic Tool Company, Monadnock Block, Chicago, Was feceived too late to appear last week in its proper comhection in the review of the Chicago and Northwest machinery trade: The year just closed has shown a rapid increase in our business from month to month, and 1899 opens with promises of still further increase. Our business for De- cember, 1898, was probably four times as great as for the corresponding month of 1897, and the business of the year as a whole has been of the most gratifying order. The use of pneumatic tools is expanding in different directions all the time, while the demand for the tools among those already using them is constantly on the increase. In manufacturing shops generally, and in railway shops and shipyards in particular, it is no longer a question of whether the use of pneumatic tools can be afforded, but rather that they cannot afford to be without them. This fact is so well recognized by the United States Navy De- partment that we have been recently awarded contracts for equipping the principal navy yards of the country. The Boyer riveters, hammers and drills are in uso all over the civilized world, as well as in all the railroad shops and other large plants in this country. Our new hand riveters for shipbuilders, bridge and structural work have proved to be an even greater success than anticipated. Taken as a whole, our business has exceeded our expectations, and every indication points to a still further increase in the use of our pneumatic tools and ap pliances during the coming year. In foreign countries our trade is rapidly growing also, and our president. J W. Duntley, who is now in Europe, reports an excellent prospect for doubling the business next year. Our tools have been adopted as standard in several of the important shipbuilding yards along the Clyde and in many of the more extensive establishments in England and on the Continent a me ee The Anaconda Product.—In their annual circular D. Houston & Co. metal brokers, of New York, give from official returns the following as the monthly product of the great Anaconda Company: Pounds. | Pounds, IT ick tanks henna 9,978,618 | August................... 8,359,352 a 10,063,626 | September,.............. 8,582,544 SEES * UE LAPOOENE. . nn eccce acces seen 9,036,103 IN Anke sutieaexuaenian 12,183,212 | November ones. « « ie DE ckncsberhvens subewesh 2,279,936 | December (estimated).. 9,017,109 SERS” eee 9.567.160 | va es ee 2,928:269| Total.......... se... 108,205,311 In 1897 the production was 131,471,127 pounds, so that there has been a heavy reduction in the output, partly due to the fire in one of the mines. ee ode ee January 12, 1899 Ocean Shipping and the Export Trade. BY WILLARD S. MATTOX MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, December 19, 1898.—In his recent interview in The Iron Age, Mr. Carnegie struck the keynote of American commercial expansion when he said that “our export trade has come to stay.” This phrase expresses the hopes and ambitions of the manu- facturing world from Maine to California. No one will doubt the wisdom of a business policy, imperial in scope and aims, which will compel tribute from the nations of both hemispheres. But Mr. Carnegie did not stop long enough to tell us how such a desideratum was to be realized. ‘Our export trade has come to stay.” ‘True, but we must insure stability and permanency. Supply exists; demand, also, is evident, and is increas- ing year by year. New markets are being opened up to American producers every month. Our imports have decreased and our exports have increased by leaps and bounds. The possibilities of trade with the Far East— China. Jupan, Australia, the Philippines—are just being realized, and the future is heavy with rich promise. These are self evident propositions and will be readily granted. With conditions favorable to a large expan- sive movement, with a resistless pressure from within, radiating to every point of the world’s circumference, with a continued surplus of supply, and the superiority of American manufactured and raw materials acknowl- edged in many countries, we may well congratulate our- selves on our prosperity. But it must soon be the care of American producers to provide amply for the movement of their goods to foreign ports. The threatening element in the general condition of prosperity is the lack of American bottoms, the lack of shipping facilities and the fact that we are at the mercy of British shipowners for the conveyance of American products to the consuming districts of both continents. Mr. Carnegie touched on this point and called attention to the menace to our trade, but it is a matter which must soon be considered practically, and ways and means devised for alleviating a stricture which may choke or seriously impede our foreign busi- hess and render more uncertain the tentative predica- tion that our “ export trade has come to stay.” Some attention has already been devoted to this un- satisfactory feature of our export business. Remedies in plenty have been advised, but he is a skillful physi- cian who first acquaints himself with every detail of the disease before he prescribes, and it would seem that not too much has been said or can be said to make the United States appreciate its precarious position in this regard. To realize the urgent necessity put upon us to provide adequate tonnage for American made goods it is only necessary to know how our trade with foreign countries has been growing and what America is doing to-day. The present cotton season has been phenomenal and heavy movements Europeward have characterized this year. The quantity already in sight shows an excess of 300,000 bales over the same date last year. Estimates put the crop at somthing like 11,500,000 bales, though it may fall below this. Grain has been coming to Europe in unusually heavy volume, with cotton, from many Southern ports. Indeed, so active has been the export trade from the South that Gulf ports and others engaged in this traftic have had to increase their dock facilities and harbor capacity. The pig iron export trade has never been larger. To-day it actually exceeds the domestic sales in the Alabama district, and according to the president of the Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railway Company that concern’s foreign trade has lately been 65 per cent. of their total output. Heavy business in American iron is reported from Germany, Holland, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium and Great Britain. American pig iron, too, has found its way to Russia and Norway and Sweden. American steel is continually widening its field of action. Steel rails, billets, blooms, angles and plates are exported in large quantities. Reports come to hand every week of new steel mills building in the West and Central States, or large additions to the capacity of existing plants. American steel rails are going to Calcutta and Bombay. Already we are encroaching on Great Britain’s trade with her colonies. American steel rails are now shipped to Barbadoes and Australia. Recently an order was given in America for 2500 tons of 83-pound rails for a railroad in Ireland. With American steel rails selling at $18 per ton and English rails at $23 to $25 per ton the assumption is warranted that this is only an open- ing wedge to a greater business with Great Britain and her possessions. Locomotives built in America are running on rail- ways in China, Japan and India. Electrical appliances of American workmanship are known the world over. THE IRON AGE. 3 American cycles and component parts and American sewing machines are selling in England, Germany, France and other parts of the Continent. American cast ivorn pipes-are securing over home made products. In nearly all of the classes of goods for which Ameri can producers are seeking markets abroad there are of- fered steadily increasing opportunities. Recently pub lished statistics, under the title “ ‘lrade and Navigation of the United Kingdom,” show that our exports to Great sritain are increasing, while she is sending us less and less each year. She bought from us in October, 188: Copper, £129,677, as compared with £73,931 in October, 1897; lead, £41,087 in October, 1898, compared with £36,611 in October, 1897; hewn wood and timber, £54,- 012 in October, 1898, compared with £37,714 in October, 1897; wood, split, sawn, planed or dressed, £134,657 in October, 1898, compared with £91,869 in October, 1897; leather, £274,683 in Cctober of this year, against £175,- 723 last year; bacon, £471,840, against £363,984 last year; hams, £303,635 in October, 1898, against £197,588 last October. There has been a corresponding decrease in Eng- land’s exports to us of wood, cotton piece goods, worsted tissues, hardware, tin plate, &c. These are demonstrable facts, gratifying in themselves, but they carry an omi- nous corollary. How are we shipping our cotton and grain, and iron and steel, and articles of all kinds ? What freights do we have to pay ? What are the fa- cilities for moving this vast volume of products to an- other shore ? England is the carrier of the world, and Amercan shippers send their goods in British bottoms. We have no option, no control of the shipping interests in which we are so intimately concerned. The present cotton season suffices to point a warning and a threat. Though the crop has been excessive, exporters have been confronted with alarmingly high freights. Eng- lish shipowners have demanded such high rates from charterers that the latter have beeh forced to exact kill- ing tariffs from cotton, grain and iron shippers. Pig iron has suffered with cotton. American sellers have been obliged to engage tonnage at a price shillings be- yond their calculations, or, failing to ship, risk having their English customers buy against their contracts in the open market. Thus it happens that although the cotton crop is heavy and pig iron sales in England and on the Continent have been unprecedented, the actual delivery of both these articles has been comparatively meager. Shippers in America have been completely at the mercy of foreign shipowners or charterers, and ocean room has been kept up to prohibitive rates all this fall and winter, with no sign of relief. I have information of one cotton exporter who bid for room in a steamer about to leave one of the South- ern ports. The agents informed the cotton man his bid was $1 a ton under their ideas of what freight was worth. He had wired his Liverpool consignees that the cargo would go on a certain date, and he was forced to meet the demands of the shipping people. Another in- stance of American dependence on British shipping in- terests has to do with a well-known New York firm of pig iron merchants who sent out a bid for 20,000 tons of room over a year to Manchester and Liverpool. It came to nothing, though the offer was little below the current rate. More recently it has come to my knowl- edge that an English firm importing American iron is- sued an inquiry for 10,000 tons of room from an Ameri- can port to Manchester and Liverpool. The reply from every shipping company was that they could pick up all the pig iron they wanted at their own rates, and they declined to bind themselves to a contract for any amount. Such conditions damage American export trade more than is generally realized. One of the chief complaints nade by foreign customers is that our shipping facilities are inadequate and uncertain. An American firm send out a representative to England or the Continent at great expense. He may be fortunate and sell some sample lots. These come forward in good time and give satisfaction. Then larger orders follow and contracts are given. Up to this point the relations between buyer and seller are pleasant, but shipments against contract are delayed or rates are so high the American house cannot afford to ship. Continental buyers prefer to deal with home concerns, where deliveries can be secured and guaranteed, and in many cases contracts with American houses are canceled at a loss to sellers, or when taken up are never renewed. It is safe to say that a regular and steady foreign business established on an undoubtedly firm basis cannot be secured until Ameri- can shippers are sure of better facilities for moving their goods, and have a more direct interest in the ship- ping business from their own shores. Another symptom of the disease—shipowners dis- criminate between the ports of Manchester and Liverpool in favor of the latter. As an example, the rate to the contracts in Great Britain 4 THE IRON AGE forluer port on Amercan pig iron is about of cents per ton higher than to Liverpool. Some months back the authorities of the Manchester Ship Canal Company, to promote trade with this port, induced a half score of shipping colpanies to agree to carry American iron to Manchester for the same rate that prevailed at the time 0 Liverpool his agreement was in black and white, as J understand it from H. M. Gibson, the general traftic agent of e Ship Canal Company But despite this in no case that Ll am aware of have shippers in America been able to take advantage of this agreement, and the difference of 50 cents a ton to Manchester over Liver pool still prevails, and shipping companies disregard a contract ch was designed to assist American ex porters These are some of the s1 Iuptoms of the disease, and it remains for some physician to apply the remedy. What form this will take is still open to debate. That the case needs attention is apparent. Government aid to private enterprise might be one medicine, though a paternal government, exercising such functions, does not recommend itself at once to a democracy. However, one need only realize the desperate nature of the na- tional body to be sure that the prescription will not be long forthcoming. oe - - Marine Engineering on the Great Lakes. Two years ago the Great Lakes Register was organ ived to compile a complete classified register of all the shipping on the lakes for insurance purposes. In order to insure a thorough inspection of the machinery of ves sels, the machinery department of the Register was or- ganized with Walter Miller in charge. The work of this department and the results obtained—which illustrate the magnitude and importance of the great lake ship- ping interests—are found in a paper by John N. Coffin, before the Civil Engineers’ Club of Cleveland. Aside from the purely commercial aspect, the author demon- strates conclusively that the marine engineers and archi- iccts of the interior and the builders who execute their designs are fully as capable and as thoroughly abreast of the times as their brethren on the seaboard. The modern ship, with all its refinements, floats as much on our fresh water ponds as it does upon the vast oceans. More than 1300 vessels were surveyed, of which 1150 were screw propellers; over 50 were side wheel, the re- mainder being tow barges equipped with boilers and steam pulps, or with hoisting or steering machinery. Of the first class 960 had solid cast wheels, 6 of bronze, 8 of steel and the rest of cast iron. There were 185 sec- tional wheels. Twenty-three of the paddle wheels were fitted with feathering floats and 20 with solid floats. Of the high pressure non-condensing engines, 98 were built during the period 1870-8, 185 during 1880-9, and 93 dur- ing 180-8. Of steeple compounds there were constructed during the same times 62, 89 and 391, and of triple ex- pansion none until the second decade, when there were G7 and 147 during the last. One quadruple appeared in ISSO-9 and G in 1890-8. The Scotch and water tube boil- ers have shown the most rapid growth, 8 of the first during the first period, 198 during the second and 348 during the third. Of the second one was made in the lirst. none in the second and 35 in the last. The pres- sures have inereased from 50 to 300 pounds, and those from 150 to 200 pounds are common, From this it will be noted that the high pressure non-condensing engine the early type—is being supplanted by the steeple com pound, and this by the multiple expansion type. The Inarine 1 box boiler has been displaced by the Seotch, ind the water tube is now running for the supremacy. The tendency has been to increase the boiler pressures ind there are now 12 boilers carrying 250 pounds. The paper states that “there seem to have been no hard and {ust rules for the construction of engines on the lakes, md ear iilder has followed his own ideas to a greater r less degree in the proportion of the several parts of the eng ~ he built, as well as in their special design. In the ite ank shafts we have found that about 400 vere ot e solid forged ee 17 of these being of steel ind 3S wrought iron. Seven hundred and eighty were built » shafts. of w h 285 were of interchange- ible s s. 13 of them being of steel and the remainder f wrought on. tn the total number, 354 were found nh section, according to the Lloyd’s rules for dete ning the size of crank shafts.” Ore ses of Weakness are noted, the most essential eing sufticient thrust bearings, inefficient bolting of columns, columns to bed plates and bed Hates to eir seatings: too light connecting rod fasten nes nd failure to use relief valves on the cylinders. Phe bh ers on the lakes have not been sparing in the January 12, 1899 use of cast iron for bed plates, columns and channel plates. The highest classification is 100, from which rate it descends to 5U0 by points of 5. The highest rating given to any boat built earlier than IS70 is SS. Most of those between 1S70-S0 rate from 70 to 90, those from 18S0-00 from 75 to 95, though there were 62 built during this decade with rating as high as 100. The majority of boats rating from 90 to 100 have been built since LSO9O. Concernihg the rules which have been formulated the author says: “In compiling rules for future construction it has not been our intention to create anything particularly uew or to deviate widely from the rules adopted and maintained by the older classification societies, such as London Lloyd's, British Corporations and Bureau Veri- tas, but it has been our aim rather to carefully select and adapt such rules as may have a special bearing on the peculiar requirements of the practice on the. great lakes. In this respect we have taken the rules of the older societies as our basis, simplifying them where we deemed simplification possible and adding to them such items as seemed advisable to cover these special require- ments, basing our alterations and additions on the data gathered from our survey of more than 1300 vessels now running on the lakes. These data showed us be- yond question whether the rules which we took as our basis were sufficient or were more rigid than the require- ments demanded.” The boiler rules have been made to agree as closely as possible with those of the United States Board of Supervising Inspectors. They cover only the common types, such as fire box, Scotch and vertical cylindrical boilers, the water tube being too diversified in design to permit its being covered by hard and fast rules. The engine rules differ but little from those of the older so- cieties. Other rules apply to the pumps, piping and con- nections and electrical installation. _— EE Gold Production of the United States in 1898. The Director of the United States Mint Bureau has published a statement of the production of gold in the several States and Territories of this country for the cal- endar year 1898, prepared from the preliminary estimates of the officials and agents of the bureau, which, although subject to revision, are deemed to be approximately cor- rect. This statement places the value of the gold output last year at $65,782.677, or $8,420,000 in excess of that of 1897. The following table gives the estimates for 1898, as compared with the final returns of the production of the same States and Territories in 1897: 1898, 1897. Snetenss 695% +ackatuerses sheets aeesecaatens 2,039,930 $1,178,000 Ps abs bndenessckeseGehienstavan ene avn e eters 3,185,490 2,895,900 Eee dite dibhe xteesainsbaemamaiwed 14,883,721 14,618,300 PEN 65050 ckkdessk eee nsicdunahscmsccdeses “eon 24,500,000 19,104,200 OO EERE aie SUabbepachecketacescnskene Te 1,701,700 Ns Sie nubn nuns kabkits petkcal iis ekebeat 65,000 €2,700 PR cicenesics ee vives SiR ih at hc i akaacaaab 5.209.302 4,373,400 DE iccsicht Chal sskbuwseiseadins epiassdtas 2,959,731 2.976.400 NN ie a keg ae s tpanebaneus 360,000 356.500 ES eee iuveuw<e = seenbedoak 1,343,669 1,353,100 TR «chins veumeeunnetisnsesnsmee suuewe 5,841,406 5,694 900 PE cacnnGstecdkiiaenneees*ssgi00' As ee 7,500 7,400 PAccCtbGGGihaies wetenssnchisseebenns pb saseers 2,170,548 1,726,100 SEN. . xctudatvaktunesso0 cebadiescn<sawascen 599 483 419,900 rae cha cb deeb hebisskePaekosbaenwanssebs 5,168 11,200 South Appalachian States..................0.0.. 337,832 283,300 a inidvines shes viens sbkniediscdbeboukseu $65,782,677 $57,363,0C0 It will be seen that nearly all of the States show an in- creased production. Colorado maintains its pre eminence as a gold producing State and increases its lead by a much Jarger output than in any previous year. California’s total production, while slightly in excess of that of 1897, was «onsiderably checked by the prevailing drought, which affected the placer mines. The output of the lode mines, however. showed a material increase over that of the previous year. _ —_ The New York Journal of Commerce summarizes the remarkable business and financial record of the year 1898 in the following manner: 1, Largest aggregate sale of stocks on the New York Stock Exchange since 1882, when this year’s total was exceeded by about 3,000,000 shares, and in 1881, when it was exceeded by about 4,000,000 shares; 2, largest aggregate sales of bonds on the Stock Exchange: 3, largest aggregate bank clearings of any year; 4, largest aggregate earnings of railroads through- out the country; 5. largest aggregate exports of bread- stuffs of any year; 6, largest aggregate exports of manu- factured goods of any year; 7, largest aggregate exports of produce ani merchandise of any year: 8 largest cotton crop of any year; 9, smallest number and liability of failures for at least five years. A circular letter is being signed by the manufacturers, merchants, business men and the Board ot Commerce of (BRITE | | January 12 1899 THE IRON AGE. 5 Youngstown, Chio, addressed to the officials of the Erie Railroad, in New York, asking that early action be taken in the direction of erecting a new passenger station in Youngstown to replace the present one —_—— The Lewis Gas Engine. The J. Thompson & Sons Mfg. Company, Beloit, Wis, are manufacturing the Lewis gas engine for gas or gaso- line, which is herewith illustrated. This view is repro duced from a photograph of an actual 16 horse-power engine fitted to use gasoline. The special features of this engine are as follows: The bed or base is of a design which allows the cylin der to be placed in the best possible position to do its work without causing any undue strain or tendency to spring ing or vibration. The base is large enough to carry the cylinder almost its eutire length, instead of b-ing ex tended, as is the case 1n many other engines. This man ner of placing the cylinder is the best, and although this arrangement is the more expensive to build it is consid ered cheaper to the purchaser in the long run’ The bed is high enough to clear the wheels of the toundation The cylinder is cast separate from the bed and may be removed in case it is desired to do so. It is made from close grained refined iron, and is accurately bored, fin other types of gas engines. The main exhaust in this engine is the first, which occurs at the end of the stroke, through a port uncovered by the piston Through this port most of the burned product escapes, thereby relieving the engine of pressure at the proper time and leaving very little heat to pass out through the valve. Since the engine ia relieved of pressure before the exhaust valve opens, the valve requires little power to raise it, and as there is very little heat passed out through the valve there is no annoyance from burned oat exhaust valves. The exhaust chest is completely water jacketed. Another advantage secured by this method of exhaust is in greatly reducing the usual obj~ctionable noise The mixer is a distinctive feature of the engine. The gasoline is pumped from a tank placed outside the building into the mixer, where is retained only sufficient to supply the engine; the excess overflows and returns to the tank The operator does not regulate the gasoline, but regulates the air supply according to the grade and quality of the gasoline and the atmospheric conditions. In this way can always be secured a perfect mixture of air and gasoline, no matter what the weather conditions may be The air regulating devices are very simple. Persons unfamiliar with gas and gasoline engines some- times ask if there is any danger of the engine exploding. The Lewis engines are perfectly safe in that respect, because it is not possible to get enough gas into a cylinder THE LEWIS ished and fitted. Great care is also exercised in the proper alignment of the cylinder and other working parts. The cylinder is cast open at both ends of the water jacket. so that the head and front ring can be easily removed and the water jacket cleaned out from lime or mud. The piston is of the trunk type and may be easily removed when desired. The crank shaft is of open hearth steel, milled from oue piece, contains no welds, and is amply heavy to carry the weight of fly wheels and will not spring under the heaviest load the engine may be called upon to carry. The crank is machine finished over all. The main crank bearings and bearings in connecting rod are of unusually large proportions and are made of phosphor bronze, which experience has shown to be the best metal for this pur pose. This constructicn and the efficient means for oiling provided reduce the liability of hot journals to a mini mum. The mechanism which operates the two valves and other moving parts is very simple and not liable to get out of order. All the working parts, excepting the two valves, are in plain view of the operator, are easily accessi- ble and none of them is frail or delicate, or likely to get out of order. All parts of the engine are made inter changeable, so that any parts becoming broken by accident or carelessness may be replaced quickly. The governor is of the well-known automatic type, and peculiarly adapted to gas engine use. The operation of the governor is one of the distinctive features of the Lewis, and its action is such as to contro] the amount of fuel admitted into the engine, instead of entirely closing the inlet valve and allowing the engine to run several revolutions between impulses, as is common with GAS ENGINE. to cause a rupture. Too much gas will make no explosion at all. Proposed Plumbing Supplies Consolidation. Rumors of a projected combination in the field of plumbing supplies, which have been afloat among the trade during the past week, appear to have a substantial basis. We learn from a reliable source that such a move- ment is not only on foot but that it has very good pros- pects of success. It appears to have originated in the West with Chicago for its base, but a number of the East- ern manufacturers in this line have been invited to join and are likely todo so. It is not proposed to include all the concerns of the country in the combination, but an effort is being made to secure the co operation of the most important companies. The plan, it is understood, con templates the acquirement by purchase outright of the various plants, as in the case of most of the large consoli- dations lately organized. The different works, however, are not to lose their identity under one general corporate title, but will each continue to manufacture their special- ties under the old names. The promoters of the scheme were in New York lately and, it is stated, secured a favor- able consideration of their plan from three or four of the largest plumbing supply manufacturers here. They are now negotiating in other quarters The movement will be watched with great interest by the trade at large. $i ~ The manufacturers of iron and brass bedsteads are forming an organization for the purpose of regulating prices. Meetings were held last week at the Great North- ern Hotel, Chicago, for this purpose. ue 6 THE IRON AGE. Foundrymen’s Association. The regular monthly meeting of the Foundrymen’s Association was held at the Manufacturers’ Club in Phila- delphia on Wednesday, January 4, the president, P. D. Wanner, occupying the chair. The Executive Committee reported as follows: ‘‘ It is impossible to tell at this early date what the new year will have in store for us. All of the dark clouds have passed away and the American people are at peace with all nations. The balance of trade is in our favor, and gold is coming to our shores in large quantities, therefore it would seem that a prosperous year is before us. The last year was a good one in many ways, particularly as regards foreign trade. We are told that the exports of grain, agricultural machinery, steel rails, locomotives, machinery, cast iron pipe, malleable iron castings, &c., have been greater than ever before This, to say the least, is very satisfactory, and the iron, steel and brass foundries of this country have profited. Unusual efforts are being made looking for foreign trade, and what has once been done can be done again; therefore if all records have been broken during the past year in the shipments of the articles named above, it would seem that the year 1899 would be another record breaker. While looking for for- eign trade we must not neglect our domestic trade. We have no doubt our shops and factories will depend toa greater extent on that than on export trade, and we look for a larger business than ever before, as those who have kept their money tied up in banking institutions and stockings will feel safe in making good investments. We have nothing to do, then, but tu wait for further develop- ments.”’ The committee having charge of the preparation of a memorial on the death of Thomas Glover, late a member of the association, made a report in the form of a memorial, which upon motion was ordered to be spread upon the minutes, and furthermore properly engrossed and forwarded to the relatives of the deceased. The president called attention to the bill now before the United States Senate in relation to the protection of American shipping in the matter of carrying freights, and Jas. S. Stirling presented the following resolution, which was duly carried and copies ordered to be forwarded to Senators and Representatives of the State: “ Whereas, Ninety per cent. of the imports and exports of the United States are carried in foreign ships. which annually receive from the people of the United States a sum estimated at $200,000 000, which is taken out of the country in gold or its equivalent and contributes to the employment of aliens abroad, while at the same time depriving our own people of the employment that sum would constantly give if it were retained in the United States; and, ‘ Whereas, A bill has been introduced in the Senate of the United States (No. S. 5024) by Hon. M. A. Hanna, and in the House of Representatives (No. H. R 11,312) by Hon. S. E. Payne, the purpose of which is to restore to American ships a fair share of our foreign earrying, to the end that the money so expended may be retained in the United States, giving employment upon our farms, our mines, our forests, our factories, in our shipyards and on board the ships to our own people; therefore, be it * Resolved, That the Foundrymen’s Association favors the adoption of Senate bill No. 5024 and House bill No. 11,312, which are identical, at the present session of Con- gress, and respectfully requests that each of the Senators and the Representative from this district, in Congress, do their utmost to secure the passage of these bills, in the interest of the people of the entire United States and for the more adequate defense of the nation.”’ F. A. Riehle called the attention of the meeting to the low prices for castings existing in the foundry trade in the face of the better condition of trade in general. He believed, he said, that the time had arrived when better prices should be insisted upon. The chairman expressed himself as being of the same opinion and stated that at the recent letting of the con- tract for the supply of cast iron pipe required by the city of Philadelphia four or five of the foundrymen bidding put in prices showing $1.50 to $2 per ton advance on the prices at which the last contract was awarded. The con- tract was taken, however, by a founder who bid the prices which ruled last year. As far as his company were con- cerned they were going to ask better prices, and if all would do it some profits could be secured during the next 10 or 15 years. He thought the matter of asking higher prices for castings should come up for general discussion at the next meeting of the association. After some discussion Joseph Thompson moved the following resolution: ‘ Whereas, It is the sense of this association that the selling prices of castings are and have been for some time much too low to admit of honest and reasonable profits to founders: therefore, ved, That this association recommends every January 12, 1899 foundryman to establish higher prices for castings of all kinds, and that at the next meeting of the association the subject be taken up for general discussion, and that founders not members of the association be invited to attend such meeting and make suggestions as to the best course to take to secure a general advance in prices; further, ** Resolved, That the co operation of the other foundry- men’s associations in the country be invited.”’ The resolution was carried unanimously. Jobn Birkinbine then made an address, with 68 lantern slide illustrations, on ‘“*The Basis of the tron Industry,” as follows: In opening my last report to the United States Geo- logical Survey I made the following statement: ‘* The year which ended December 31, 1897, was the banner year of pig iron production in the United States. The output was 9,652.680 gross tons and was also the largest ever reported by