The Iron Age 1899-06-29: Vol 63 Iss 26

THE IRON AGE 9) @ wo wUyYyse yy A Review of the Hardware, Ir ..3,3%05 Trades. Oo uBleBIqy J f ee villiam St... New York. ublished every Thursday Morning by David Willa: 66 &I ol. LXIU: No. 26. New York, Thursday, June 29, 1899. Fes tae i eye Slag Seading Matter Contents.........page 46 Classified List of Advertisers. .... .s «8 5 g . - Aphabetical nex todvertiors 118]! Blank Cartridges for Holiday Celebrations. Advertising and Subscription Rates ‘‘ 57 ~ MADE TO FIT ANY CALIBRE—RIFLE, GUN OR REVOLVER. LS ee a EXTRA CRIMP—LOUDEST REPORT. Bg i TRADE TUDOR IRON WORKS. ST. LOUIS, MO. MANUFACTURERS BOAT SPIKES. : Te auso. covran QUtion Metallic Cartridge Company, Bristol’s Recording BRIDGEPORT, CONN. : Instruments, AGENCY, 333 BROADWAY, NEW YORK. For Presanre, Temperature WINNERS OF HANDICAP, 1893, ’94, ’95, ’97, ’98, 799, oS ; i T r 1 | p () | | r RS See Page 76 CAPEWELL HORSE NAILS. anteed. Send for Circulars, NEW YORK, A NEW WORLD’S RECORD was made at Peoria, Ill., May 8, 1899, when Cc. A. YOUNG BROKE 2133 TARGETS STRAIGHT with factory loaded ammunition made by the “SAMSON SPOT CORD ~ — - ~ Also Massachusetts and Phenix Brands of Sash Curd. SAMSON CORDAGE WORKS, - Boston, Mass, TURNBUCKLES. PHILADELPHIA, BRANCH OFFICE: 11 Broadway, New York. CHICAGO, Cleveland City Forge and Iron Co., - ’ Cleveland, O. ST. LOUIS, - BOSTON, TURN BUCKLES. Merrill Bros., 465 to 471 Kent Ave. Brooklyn, E. D., N.Y. COKE PILLING & CRANE, DETROIT, BRANCHES: ciNcINNATI, SAN FRANCISCO, PORTLAND, ORE.. BUFFALO, BALTIMORE, NEW ORLEANS. THE CAPEWELL HORSE NAIL COLIPANY, HARTFORD, CONN. CLAIM THE FOLLOWING MERITS FOR JENKINS BROS.’ VALYES. Manufactured of the best Steam Metal. : . No regrindiug, therefore not constantly wearing out the Seat of the Valves. . Contain JENKINS DISC; which is suitable for all Pressures of Steam, Oil, and Acids, . The Easiest Repaired, and all parts Interchangeable. 5. Every Valve Tested before leaving the factory. - ALL GENUINE stamped with Trade Mark. JENKINS BROTHERS, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston Brass Prices High, So Use Bright “Swedoh” Stamp- ge. 103 ing Steel Easily Brass Plated and Save Money. P# MAGNOLIA METAL Best Anti-Friction Metal for all Machinery Bearings. Beware of Imitations., Genuine Magnolia Metal is made up in bars of which this is a fac-simile : No waste with Apollo galvanized iron, because it is soft tough ductile bend- able malleable and flat; Saves time. Apollo Iron and Steel Company, Pittsburgh. Chic. Office, Fisher Buildi MAGNOLIA METAL CO., (‘Stzacracicror:) 266 & 267 WEST ST., NEW YORK, ssi veartornsé, The name and trade- mark @ on eack box and bar, and the words ® anufactured in United States” and “ Patented June 8, 00, are stamped on the un- der side of each . TESS, ts 42488 — 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. 99 John Street, - - New York. WATERBURY CONN, . _—MANUFACTURERS OF— {EETIBRAS«& sit COPPER. Ss -BRAZED BRASS &. COPPER TUBES. SEAMLESS BRASS & COPPER TUBES”38"DIAM. “9 OT, 2 ~ CHICAGO, ILL. . NEW YORK, ROOM 202, POSTAL TELEGRAPH NCH 8106, 253 BROADWAY. ~. § PHILADELPHIA, ROOM 320 PHILA BANK BLDG. £2,| CINCINNATI, C. ROOM 308 NEAVE BLOG THE IRON AGE < Vth ti ttlla : N N N i] Waterbury Brass Co. Sheet, Roll and Platers’ Brass, German Silver, Copper, Brass and Ger- man Silver Wire. Brass and Copper Tubing. COPPER RIVETS AND BURS. PERCUSSION CAPS, TAPE MEASURES, METALLIC EYELETS, Brass Ketties, Brass Tags, Powder Flasks, Shot Pouches, &c., AND SMALL BRASS WARES OF 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. |. 38 Mechanic St., Newark, N. J. MILLS AT WATERBURY, CONN. NEW YACHT COLUMBIA All Her BRONZE CASTINGS are made of our... Ordnance Bronze Bridgeport Deoxidized Bronze & Metal Co., BRIDGEPORT, CONN. Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Co., LA SALLE, ILLINOIS, SMELTERS OF SPELTER AND MANUFACTURERS OF SHEET ZINC AND of Zin -elected Plates f Special Sizes cut to elected heets for Pay order. SULPHURIC ACID. Rolled Battery Plates or Etchers’ and Lithographers’ use er and Card Makers’ use Stove and Wasbboard Blanks ZINCS FOR LECLANCHE BATTERY. BRASS GOODS MFC. 60. “"~ Address all eemmanica - tions to the tactory. di er f wi 1 RK fae % iD “La awe Bre a ed «@ of Stamped Brass Goods, Milwer and Nickeled and rass Labels for Cans Rubber Moulds. SPECIAL GOODS MADE 10 ORDER, BRONZE DOOR EKNOBSB, Bronze and Plated Roses, Combined Rose and Escutcheon Plates Socket Shells, &c., Patent Mirror Pin Cushion Business Cards, Mucilage Brushes. Novelties of new design made to order. SALESROOM: 117 Chambers St., New York. FACTORY: 86-92 Third St., So. Brooklyn, HENDRICKS BROTHERS, Proprietors of the Belleville Copper Rolling Mills, MANUFACTURERS OF Brasiers’, Bolt and Sheathing COPPER. COPPER WIRE AND RIVETS. Importers and Dealers in ingot Copper, Block Tin, Spelter, Lead, Antimony, etc. 49 CLIFF ST., NEW YORK. THE PLUME & ATWooD M6. Co, Sheet and Roll Brass WIRE PRINTERS’ BRASS, JEWELERS’ METAL, GERMAN SILVER AND GILDING METAL, COPPER RIVETS AND BURRS. Pins, Brass Butt Hinges, Jack Chain, Kere- sene Burners, Lamps, Lamp Trimmings, &c. 29 MURRAY ST., NEW YORK, 144 HIGH ST., BOSTON. 199 LAKE ST., CHICAGO, ROLLING MILL : THOMASTON, CONN. | FACTORIES : WATERBURY, CONN. SCOVILL MFG. CO., Manufacturers of BRASS SHEET, WIRE, TUBES, Hinges, Buttons, Lamp Goods, Nipples, Pumps and Oilers for Bicyeles, Braziers’ Solder, Aluminum. Factories, WATERBURY, CONN. DEPOTS : Chicago, New York, Boston. JOHN DAVOL & SONS, 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. THE BRIDGEPORT BRASS 6O., BRIDGEPORT, CONN. 19 Murray St., New York. 85-87 Pearl St., Boston. 17 N. 7th St., Philadelphia. MANUFACTURERS OF Brass {SHEET AND TUBING Copper | WIRE. Lamp Goods of all Kinds, BRASS AND COPPER GOODS In Great Varieties. On aee SCRE WA Ors Rew cwrremce Cue GLecTeteee CwErYSES a oveeE Se Se eee ‘THE IRON AGE. THURSDAY, JUNE The Illinois Steel Company’s Slabbing Mill. The developments of the steel trade in late years have brought into use remarkable changes from the type of rolling mill existing in the days of puddled iron. Among these is the slabbing mill, designed mainly for the pur- pose of breaking down ingots intended to be finished into plates by a separate mill. The slabbing mill ranks with the heaviest of mills used in making blooms for rails or structural shapes. They are so massive that they can handle with ease a huge 10-ton ingot, and reduce it toa size fitted for finishing in a plate mill or perhaps turn it out in still smaller dimensions to be cut into merchant billets. Of this class is the new slabbing mill built in Fig. 1.—View of Rolls THE SLABBING MILL OF THE ILLINOIS 1898 as an addition to the works of the Illinois Steel Company at South Chicago, and herewith illustrated. This mill is designed to make billets, blooms and slabs for use at the other plants of the company and for the trade in general, and also to make slabs for the plate mill, thus largely increasing the product of that mill. It is located between the open hearth steel and plate mill departments, and arranged so that the ingots, after being cast on cars in the open hearth department and stripped of the molds in a conveniently arranged stripping house, can be run directly into the heating furnace building lo- cated at one end of the slabbing mill building. Here are located six vertical regenerative pit heating furnaces, size 614 x 16 feet, into which the ingots are charged while still hot by one of the two 15-ton electric traveling charging and drawing cranes. After proper heating the ingots are delivered by this same crane on a roller table and con- veyed to the roll train. This roll train is a combined blooming and slabbing mill, having vertical rolls for the STEEL 29, 1899. rolling of slabs. These vertical rolls may be drawn out of the way and the mill is then operated as a reversing blooming mill. The horizontal rolls are 32 inches in diameter and 84 inches long, and they are driven through 40-inch pinions by a pair of geared reversing engines 46 inches in diameter by 60-inch stroke. These rolls are de- signed with a bull head in the center 40 inches long for the rolling of slabs, and with four box grooves on both sides of this bull head for various sizes of billets and blooms, thus making it possible to roll a large variety of product without changing rolls. The top roll has a ver- tical lift of 36 inches, and is counterbalanced by two hydraulic cylinders under constant pressure, and the screw down is operated by a hydraulic device. The ver- Showing an Ingot Pussing Through. COMPANY, SOUTH CHICAGO, ILL. tical rolls are 20 inches in diameter and are driven direct by a separate pair of reversing engines 26 inches in di- ameter and 30-inch stroke. ‘These rolls are moved side- ways by a screw mechanism operated through gears by an electric motor. The roller tables, extending 40 feet on each side of the roll train, are driven by a 12 x 12 inch reversing eugine. On the side opposite to where the ver- tical rolis are located a hydraulic manipulator for the turning and handling of ingots has been provided. The slabs or billets are conveyed to the shears by a roller table driven by an electric motor. In this table are two hydraulic turntables for turning the slabs or blooms in case of necessity. The first shear, located 107 feet from the roll train, is designed to cut the slabs and large blooms, and is oper- ated by hydraulic pressure of 750 pounds per square inch. It is arranged to cut a width up to 50 inches, with a stroke adjustable up to 28 inches. This shear is designed with a view to the greatest economy in the consumption Sane Wiws ———— ——- — 2 we Se see tl een, Sa sue. was = | wee wet ~~ . ead - =o — = ES eee: 2 ~ > = Some y Sa eee aur : = eee i’ EE SF tar oe aterial requires. +) + Lait , re Water sing of the top knife, and the operator can set only as much stroke as the thickness of the vertical hydraulic cylinders set tandem and arranged so ‘ operator can bring into action one or two or all The stroke is adjustable by the lower The shear is also equipped with three THE IRON AGE. June 29, 1899 to the smaller shear by a roller table driven by an electric motor. In this table is located a hydraulic weighing de- vice for the weighing of slabs or blooms sheared at the large shear. After being sheared the billets are delivered on narrow gauge cars by a tilting table, enabling the operator to pile the billets in layers to any desired hight. Fig. 2.— View of Rolls and Engine. ome ciate nd rT } “* fet ® . +O, LR pay ? “asd beget Hj > Gere of ee rye Apa ct ea ig. 3.—View of Shears for Cutting Billets, Blooms and Slabs. THE ILLINOIS STEEL COMPANY’S SLABBING MILL. size f the naterial to be sheared The cars, after being loaded, are hauled by a locomotive to the storage and shipping yard, where, after passing small hydraul ine with which under a sprinkler and being properly cooled and in- . don narrow gauge cars to be spected, the material is loaded in standard gauge cars: by st ge and shipping yard or a o-ton electric gantry crane, specially designed for this neg furnaces \t a distance purpose. This crane travels the entire length of the yard, s s | la smal hydraulic a distance of 400 feet. The main building is 68 feet 6 l to. the smaller material which is inches in width by 850 feet long, being provided with crane runways its entire length, and being served by two June 29, 1899 THE electric traveling cranes in addition to the above men tioned two charging cranes for heating furnaces. One crane is of 380-ton capacity for roll changing and other heavy lifting, while the other is a 15-ton high crane, specially designed for the quick handling of the product of the mill and for lighter work of all kinds. In a lean-to 42 feet wide is located the balance of the ma chinery. the speed In one end are the boilers, eight in all, of Stirling type, and set in batteries of two, with a nominal capacity of 3000 horse-power. In this lean-to are located two hydraulic pressure pumps of ample capacity, a hy- draulic accumulator, a water tank, a feed water heater, two boiler feed pumps, &c. This mill is of the latest and most modern design, provided with all known labor sav- ing devices. From the time the material enters the mill at one end in its crude state till it leaves it at the other in its finished form all handling of material is done auto- mr 8=3«5srti(‘=F—).” 2S [RON AGE. 3 Chicago’s Natural Gas Supply. Kxteasive precantions against a shortage in Chicago's supply of natural gas are about to be taken. Contracts lave just been closed by the Chicago & Indiana Natural was Company, through whose mains gas is piped fron the lidiana fields, for the erection of a large new pump ing station at Howell Corner, Grant County, Ind., and the construction of a new 10-inch main into Chicago. ‘The total cost of this improvement will reach $1,250,000. The pumping station which now natural gas into Chicago is at ntown, a few miles east of Ko- homo, and the company has been drawing its supply of from 75 wells in that vicinity. Through heavy drains, it is said, this territory has become alarmingly weak. and extension of lines 25 miles into the heart of the gas belt became a necessity to insure adequate sery- ce. With the location of a pumping station at Howell Corner gas will be pulled a tota! length of 160 miles be- fore it may be tapped for consumption in Chicago. The forees Gre gas Fig. 4.—View of Soaking Pits, Traveling Cranes and Ingot Tip. THE ILLINOIS STEEL COMPANY’S SLABBING MILL. matically by hydraulic or electric machinery with a mini- mum of hand labor. The product of this mill includes billets from 3% x 3% inch up to blooms 24 x 24 inch, with any intermediate size desired, and slabs from 2 to 10 inches thick and from 14 to 38 inches wide, and in special cases up to 48 inches wide. The yearly output of this mill is estimated to be from 200,000 to 250,000 tons. — Sets The Bloomsburg Car Mfg. Company of Bloomsburg. Pa., are working on an order of steel flat cars for a rail way in China. The cars are to be 34 feet long, with 60,000 pounds capacity. The cars will be taken to Jersey City and shipped from there by vessel to China. The regents of the State Agricultural College at Man hattan, Kan., are receiving bids for erecting the extension to the machine shops, for which the last Legislature appropriated $16,000. The capacity of the shops will be doubled and the new buildings will include blacksmith shop, foundry, testing laboratory, steam fitting shop, brass foundry and an additional machine shop. The extension will provide room for 300 additional students and will be ready for use October 1. new lines will meet those of the Ohio Natural Gas Com- pany. which supplies 32 cities in that State and pumps as far east as Springfield. By means of the extensions, it is declared, Chicago consumers are insured natural gas as long as it exists in Indiana soil. The new station will be operated in connection with the Greentown station— the new one forcing gas to that point and Greentown pumping it on across the Illinois State line. At a time when authorities have said that Chicago’s days for Indiana natural gas were numbered, expansion of service of the magnitude indicated is reported to mean that the companies now pumping gas are preparing to utilize their extensive plants for oil pipe lines when the earth has been drained of gas. > Ten thousand tons of steel rails have been purchased in England, through James Cooper, Montreal. for the extension of the Great Northern Railway of Quebec. All the fencing is to be done by the American Steel & Wire Company. A certificate of increase of capital from 3600,000 to 31,000.000 bas been filed by the American Metal Company of 52 Broadway, New York. June 29, 1899 THE IRON AGE. ea ‘ODVOIHO HLAOS ‘UDjT WAlauey—'s * BHI HHH dOHS 3NIHOVW fF] ‘ANVdWOO 'I4QLS SIONITII ‘TIW ONTAAVIS HONT-ALYOd t = i t yNVL 10 | F—=i, yOLVINANDOY A UL “TAD ONINENL uVaHS 4300168 es Sa t y vOlVvuvd3s = dWNd 3uNSsaud Zl TT, EELS oe oop Cua eet eee a ener: 7 Se 7 = 2a? Wises (PIOLP TE peer sot Ce ~ . 5 + iw 2 WW Seliatiemnien deities eee June 29 1899 A New Army Contract Policy. WASHINGTON, June 27, 1899.--The War Department hus announced a new policy with regard to contracts that is of the utmost importance to manufacturers, and espe- cially to those furnishing guns, ammunition and ord- nance stores. The action outlining the new policy has been taken by Acting Secretary Meiklejohn, who has dis- qualified one of the leading firms engaged in the manu- facture of rapid fire guns from participating in a new contract on the ground that the firm are now in arrears on a contract let to them more than a year ago. The De- partment announces officially that this section will be re- garded as a precedent and will be followed in all similar cases hereafter. The announcement of the Department’s policy fol- lowed upon the opening of bids several days ago for a number of 6-pounder and 15-pounder rapid fire guns. Several of the leading manufacturers submitted bids, that of the Driggs-Seabury Company being the lowest. In the usual routine of the Ordnance Bureau this bid was indorsed by General Buffington, Chief of Ordnance, as approved, and all the papers in the case were then trans- mitted to the Acting Secretary of War for formal rati- fication. Mr. Meiklejohn’s attention having previously been called to the fact that the Driggs-Seabury Com- pany were in arrears on another contract he declined to approve the new contract, but called for all the papers in the case with a view to investigating the alleged delin- quency. The records of the office show that the Driggs- Seabury Company in April, 1898, contracted with the De- partment to furnish 7S 15-pounder and 20 6-pounder rapid fire guns, together with a quantity of ammunition, the total being estimated at about $700,000. The con- tract called for the delivery of all the guns and ammuni- tion within 12 months from date, and when taken up by Mr. Meiklejohn a few days ago, it appeared that the manufacturers were over 60 days in arrears. The Acting Secretary thereupon rejected the bid of the Driggs-Sea- bury Company for the new lot of guns, and was about to let the contract to the next lowest bidders, whose bid was some $70,000 higher, but upon further consideration he decided to avail himself of the Government’s right to reject any and all bids, and he therefore ordered that the guns and ammunition should be readvertised, stipu- lating, however, that no bids should be received from firms then in arrears upon a contract. For the information of the trade, the correspondent of The Iron Age has secured from Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn the following definite statement concerning the new policy of the Department and the reasons for its adoption: “From time to time the Department has experienced more or less annoyance from the failure of contractors to carry out the stipulations concerning deliveries made by them in their formal contracts with the Department. It is obvious that the Department cannot indefinitely neg- lect the enforcement of contracts in this respect, and I have therefore decided to notify all manufacturers that hereafter they must enter into contracts with the War Department with the full knowledge that they will be held to a strict accountability for the deliveries to be made thereunder. I believe this policy is just to the com- panies contracting with the Department, fair to all their competitors, and necessary to the proper protection of the interests of the Government. It is certainly not fair to give to a company already behind in their orders new contracts which other companies are willing to take at reasonable figures, with guarantees of prompt delivery. “In the case of the Driggs-Seabury Company I di- rected that their bid be stricken from the list, for the rea- son that they have been unable to deliver certain guns and ammunition which should have been in the Depart- ment’s hands last April. I am free to say that I should not only have taken the action I did, but should have gone still further and canceled the unfulfilled portion of their contract had it not been for the fact that they had actually done some work on each of the guns contracted for, and I did not desire to impose too heavy a hardship upon them. There can be no misunderstanding, however, on the part of a contractor as to the risk he incurs by the defaulting in his deliveries. Every contract made by the Department contains a provision substantially as follows: “*Tf any default shall be made by the party of the first part in delivering all or any of the articles mentioned in this contract, of the quality and at the times and places herein specified, then, in that case, the said party of the second part may supply the deficiency by purchase in open market or otherwise (the articles so procured to be of the kind herein specified as near as practicable), and the said party of the first part shall be charged with the expense resulting from such failure. Nothing contained in this stipulation shall be construed to prevent the Chief of Ordnance, at his option, upon the. happening of any such default, from declaring this contract to be hereafter null and void, without affecting the right of the United THE IRON AGE. 5 States to recover for defaults which may have occurred; but in case of overwhelming and unforeseen accident, by fire or otherwise, the circumstances shall be taken into equitable consideration by the United States before claiming forfeiture for non-delivery at the time specified.’ “In certain of our contracts it is stipulated that a for- feit of a certain amount per day for delays shall be with- held from final payments, but whatever the terms of these provisions they will be carried out hereafter. It has been suggested that in this case I might have awarded the contract to the next lowest bidder. I might have done so but for the very material difference in price, amounting to $70,000. I also desired that there should be no suspicion of favoritism, and therefore I decided that new bids should be submitted. Of course, it should be understood that our new policy will be enforced ration- ally, and a reasonable allowance will be made for non- deliveries resulting from acts of Providence, &c¢., over which the contractor can have no control.” W. L. ©. <2 <—_— An Important Consolidation of Coal Properties. The negotiations for the consolidation of all the oper- ating coal mines in the Monongahela Valley, and all the coal transportation companies in the Ohio and Missis- sippi valleys, under the name of the Monongahela Con- solidated Coal & Coke Company, have practically been completed. The company were financed by Whitney & Stephenson of Pittsburgh and J. B. Finley, president of the Sixth National Bank. The company will have a ‘apital of $30,000,000, divided into 400,000 shares of com- mon stock at a par of $50 a share, and 200,000 shares of preferred stock at a par of $50 per share. The preferred stock will bear 7 per cent. interest, non-cumulative, to be first paid out of the net earnings in any one year before any dividends are paid on the common stock. In addi- tion $10,000,000 worth of 50-year 6 per cent. gold bonds will be issued. The property that the company will ab- sorb will lie principally in Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania, but large interests will also be secured in West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Louisiana. A fund will be provided for the purchase of such firms and° prop- erties that the new combination is now unwilling or un- able to secure. The temporary directors of the company are J. B. Finley, George I. Whitney, Andrew W. Herron, cashier of the Fort Pitt National Bank, M. D. Ullery and John M. McBride. Options have been obtained on the follow- ing plants, which represent all the river coal interests: Advance Coal Company, Alps Coal Company, Bailey, Wilson & Co., W. H. Brown’s Son, W. Harry Brown, E. A. Brahm & Co., P. R. Budd Coal Company, Belle Bridge Coal Company, Blackburn Bros., California Coal Com- pany, Crescent Coal Company, Coal Bluff Coal Com- pany,’ Caskey boat store, Delta Coal Company, Du- quesne Coal Company, Elizabeth marine ways, Enterprise Docks, Eclipse Coal Company, Flinn Coal Com- pany, W. H. Flint, James M. Guffey, Gallatin Mines, James H. Hopkins. W. S. B. Hays, Hays Coal Company, Iron City Dock Company, W. C. Jutte and George C. Maxwell, C. Jutte & Co., T. M. Jenkins & Co., Robert Jenkins, James Jones & Sons, Catsburg Coal Company, Ivill Mines, Rostraver Coal Company, Excelsior Coal Company, Monongahela Saw & Planing Mill Company, George Lysle & Sons. McKinley Coal Company, Lysle Coal Company, Marmet Company, steamer “Stella Moren,” Monongahela & Western Company, New York & Cleveland Gas Coal Company, W. W. O'Neill Coal Company, O'Neil & Co., Steamer “ W. W. O'Neill,” Pa- cific Coal Company, Pittsburgh Dock Company, Pitts- burgh Transportation Company, Pursglove .& Gordon, Pittsburgh Southern Coal Company, Retief Towboat Company, Riverville Coal Company, S. O. Rhodes, Pine Run Coal Company, John Shoup & Co., R. S. Smith, 8. C. Snodgrass, Knob Coal Company, George W. Thomas, J. E. Umstaetter, Tide Coal Company, W. B. Rodgers, Gray’s Iron Line, T. J. Wood, W. G. Wilmot & Co., Joseph Walton & Co.. John F. Walton and others, John A. Wood & Sons, Queen City Elevator, Raab & Bohmer, Oollier-Budd Elevator, Marmet Company, three elevators; S. S. Brown, three elevators, and Pittsburgh Coal Com- pany, two elevators, at Cincinnati. The New York & Long Island Terminal Railway Com- pany were incorporated this week at Albany, N. Y., with a capital of $7,000,000, to operate an electric or other power railroad 3 miles long, from Flatbush and Atlantic avenues, Brooklyn, under the East River to West Broad- way, south of Fulton street, Manhattan. The directors named include: Charles M. Pratt, Frank L. Babbott, Eugene G. Blackford and Lowell M. Palmer of Brook- lyn; George W. Young, August Belmont, Joseph H. Auerbach, Henry D. Booth, Lewis Cass Ledyard, Rich- ard A. McCurdy, Charles D. Dickey and James Timp- son of New York, and Dumont Clarke of New Jersey. a ce ammnanie i = me oe em reer? . a res ® vd + Se tetera = =~ == = oe ee oe Sa ae dea. _—— =s Te om mee eee ee ~<a 3 > 2 ae oF (ie & Sek | oe ere SR Sy OR eee ee eens se ere nei — age — > == Vanes Bs ww < Ses Fe oe a — =~ tt 8 i. Sn RS Sas The Utilization of Furnace Gas for Power.—l. One of the burning questions of the day in the metal lurgy of iron is the utilization of blast furnace gas for the production of power through the intermediary of gas engines. Development in this direction has been rapid and many American iron makers join with their Eu ropean bret bren in the belief that very important economies may be effected. Thus far, we believe, nothing in the direction of test or requirement bas been done in this country, which makes a record of European work doubly interesting. Before the last meeting of the Tron and Steel Institute Enrique Disdier of Bilbao, Spain, read an elaborate paper, largely taken up by theoretical calculations, which presents a series of considerations of great interest. We make the following extracts from Didier’s Paper. During recent years many engineers have strongly ad- vocated the installation of coke ovens adjacent to the blast furnaces in view of the advantages that accrue. Of these the following may be enumerated: 1. There is compiete control over the manufacture of the coke, which is so indispensable to the proper working of the furnaces. 2. Different varieties of coal may be mixed, as is most expedient and economical. 3 Breakage of coke. due to handling and transport, is avoided to a considerable extent. 4. The percentage of moisture in the coke can be more easily controlled. 5. In most cases the rates for freight and handling are lower for coal than for coke. ° 6. Saving of fuel by the utilization of waste coke oven gases for raising steam. The case may now be considered of a coke oven and blast furnace plant with each furnace making 100 tons of pig iron daily, with a consumption of a ton of coke for each ton of iron made. The coke is made from coal yield- ing 71 per cent. of coke and 270 c. m. (9585 cubic feet) of gas per ton. Each biast furnace also supplies 200,000 c. m. (7,060,000 cubic feet) of gas daily in excess of the quantity required for the hot blast stoves. First Method. Under the best conditions, by firing the boilers with the coke oven gases, 486, or say 5vV0, horse- power, are obtained, while the blast furnace gas will give 579, or say 600, horse-power. The total horse-power then is 1100, though it may be said that in existing plants not even two thirds of this power is actually obtained. Second Method.—If now the coke oven gases are used for raising steam, and a satisfactory solution of the prob lem of using blast furmace gases in gas engines were obtained, the results would be 500 horse-power from the ovens and 2083, or say 2100, horse power from the blast furnace gases. The total then becomes 2600, which ex- ceeds that of the previous case by 1500 horse-power. Third Method.—There is another new course open for consideration. In this the coke ovens are heated by the blast furnace gases and the oven gases are used for driv- ing gas engines. The available oven gases will be 38,000 c. m. (1,342,000 cubic feet), which, at the rate of 1.92 horse-power per hour per meter cube, will give 3040, or say 3000, horse-power. In order to replace in the coke ovens the 70 per cent. of the heat produced by their gases, or the heat correspond- ing to 38,000 x 70 = 26,600 c. m. -(918,230 cubic feet), there must be burnt 26,600 x 5.95 = 158,270 c. m. (5,589,- 350 cubic feet) of blast furnace gas. This will leave a surplus of 41,730 c. m. (1,450,558 cubic feet), or slightly over a fifth of the total, and the excess can be used in gas engines for raising 435 horse-power. The total power obtained by this method therefore is 3475, or say 3500, horse-power, showing an increase of 2400 and 900 horse- power respectively over the first two methods of working. The advantages of heating the coke ovens with blast fur- nace gases and of using the oven gases for driving gas engines 1s obvious, even if blast furnace gases could be satisfactorily employed for the gas engines. There is no serious difficulty in heating coke ovens with blast furnace gas. It is a matter of every day prac- tice at all iron and steel works to heat the gases, and even at coke ovens this is done for the air in certain cases. Also it is perfectly feasible to drive gas engines with coke oven gases from which the by-products have been re- moved, and the gas engines used with ordinary coal gas can be used without alteration. The dust in the blast furnace gases is not injurious to the coke ovens, but rather the reverse, as it tends to stop leaks in the flues of the ovens. For driving gas engines coke oven gases possess many advantages over blast furnace gases. They give over 30 per cent. more power, with the same size of engine, and the gas mains and distributing pipes can be made very much smaller, so that the plant is rendered much cheaper. THE IRON AGE. June 29, 1899 Then again, coke oven gas containing the light oils forms an excellent illuminant. Asa heating agent for use in open hearth and reheating furnaces it is an ideal fue!, as the time of heating is shortened, the size of the regenera- tors can be reduced and the producers dispensed with. With the above described plant making 100 tons of pig iron daily, after allowing sufficient gas for driving the machinery there is still a residuum of 30,000 c. m. (1,059, - 500 cubic feet) of coke oven gases daily, which may replace 9396 tons of coal in the year, if employed for heat- ing purposes. It has been shown that by the second method of utiliz- ing the two kinds of gas as much as 2600 horse-power may be produced and that the gain amounts to 1500 horse- power. With a consumption of 1.5 kg. (3.3 pounds) of cual per horse-power hour, this represents a saving of 19,440 tons yearly, and at 8 shillings per ton the economy realized amounts to £7776. On the outturn of 100 tons of pig iron daily this represents a reduction in the cost per ton of iron of 4 shillings 3.85 pence. By the third method the increase in power becomes 2400 horse power, the coal saved amounts to 31,104 tons, valued at £12,441 and the cost of the pig iron is reduced by 6 shillings 11 pence per ton! When the coke oven gases only, without the excess of blast furnace gas, amounting to about 21 per cent. of the production, are used in the gas engine, the extra produc- tion of power amounts to 1900 horse- power, and the saving in coal is increased to 24,624 tons of coal annually, while the cost of pig iron is reduced by 5 shillings 5.66 pence per ton. Far reaching changes in iron and steel works practice may be expected when coke ovens and blast furnaces are placed side by side, forming one complete plant, and working according to the third method described above. Steam boilers, steam pipes. steam engines and gas pro ducers will be dispensed with, and will be replaced by a gas main through which coke oven gases will be distrib- uted to furnaces and gas engine. A central] station with dynamo driven by gas engines might also distribute elec- tricity to electro motors scattered about the works to replace several of the present steam engines. Excellent gas engines rated up to 250 horse-power and capable of being worked with coke oven gases without any modifica- tion of the ordinary form have long been in use. Larger sized gas engines, ranging up to about 1000 horse-power, have already been built and their general adoption is only a matter of time. Almost simultaneously with the meeting of the Iron and Steel Institute the same subject came up for elaborate treatment before the Verein Deutscher Eisenhuettenleute at Duesseldorf, the first speaker being Fritz W. Luer- mann of Osnabrueck, whose earlier work in this direction we have referred to in the past. From Luermann’s Paper we take the following data: The concerns who build gas engines and the works using them assert that at present no difficulties arise from the thickening of the lubricants and the possible coking thereof by the high temperatures in the cylinders of the gas engines. There are now in operation in Germany the following plants: 1. A two-cylinder gas engine of 600 horse-power at the works of the Hoerder B. W. u. H. V. at Hverde, built in accordance with the Oechelhauser patent by the Berlin- Anhaltische M. B. A. G. at Dessau. This engine has cylinders 480 mm. in diameter and in each there are two pistons. Each cylinder is arranged for two cycle, so that both combined produce a single cycle engine. It makes 130 revolutions and is directly coupled to an alternating dynamo. 2. Two two-cylinder engines of 200 horse power and two of 300 horse-power, together 1000 horse-power, at the works of the Oberschlesische Eisenbahnbedarfs A. G. at Friedens Huette, near Morgenroth, built by the G. M. F. Deutz at Cologne-Deutz as four-cycle engines. They are used for electrical purposes. 3. A single-cylinder Deutz engine of 60 horse-power at the Gutehoffnungs Huette at Oberhausen. 4. An Otto engine of 60 horse power at the Differdingen furnace plant at Differdingen, built by the Berlin- Anhalt- ische M. B. A. G. at Dessau. 5. A four-cycle 150 horse power engine at the furnaces of Phoenix at Bergeborbeck, built by Hartley & Petyt, Bingley, England. 6. Gebr. Koerting are building a 500 horse-power en- gine which is to be put in operation soon. A large number of installations are now being made in Germany. A total of 6960 horse-power are being built by the Gas M. F. Deutz at Cologne-Deutz, including one 600 horse power for Gutehoffnungs Huette, Oberbausen ; two of 1000 horse power for Hoerde. two of 600 horse- power each and two of 1000 horse-power each for Dude- lingen, all for electrical service. and one of 500 horse- power forthe Lot. H. V. Aumctz-Friede at Kneuttingen for a blowing engine. The Berlin-Anhaltische M. B. A. G. is putting in two 600 horse-power engines for Hoerde. The Ver. M. F. Augsburgu M. B. G. Nuernberg at Nuern- tol: VS sree . June 29, 1899 THE IRON AGE. berg is building two 600 horse power engines for Roech- ling, Koerting is working on a 100 horse-power engine for Donnersmarck and Cockerill is putting up four 500 horse- power engines for Differdingen, one of 500 horse. power tor Kneuttingen, one of 500 horse power for Ruhrort and one of 200 horse-power for Roechling. The total horse- power under construction foots up 12,740 and gas engines of @ size up to 1200 and 1500 horse-power are now being offered, while a year since 200 horse power engines were considered large. Mr. Luermann discusses the question, How much power may be obtained from blast furnace gases not re- quired for the manufacture of pig and how much money may be made in doing it? Both questions, he argues, could until now be solved only on the basis of theoretical -alculations, because the practical results obtained are not numerous enough. We need not enter into these calcula- tions now. Mr. Luermann takes up some practical con siderations, however, which deserve mention. He deals with the subject of greater economy in the use of furnace gas and urges the employment of double seated bells, now in use with many furnaces, and better arrangements at the hot blast stoves. So far as the coupling of gas engines with blowing machinery is concerned it may be stated that none are now in Operation, but that six plants are being built. THE AJAX BOLT HEADING MACHINE. There are difficulties inherent in the coupling of a gas engine and a blowing engine. The former produces its best effect when running at 120 to 130 revolutions and when always under full head. The valves of the usual blowing engines are serviceable only for engines making from 30 to a maximum of 60 revolutions. The transmis- sion of power from a gas engine to the blowing tubs might be so arranged as to provide for a reduction in the number of revolutions through telts, gearing or rope, but this is not regarded as desirable The best way out of the difficulty has been to introduce blowing valves capable of working at higher speeds. Luermann cites two designs which he regards as promising. These are the Lang-Hoerbig and the Riedler-Stumpf valves. The former have been introduced in Austria, Hungary, Ger- many, Russia and Belgium. Luermann states that he has them working at a speed of 120 revolutions on the hori- zontal cupola blowing engines of the basic Bessemer plant at Dillingen. The Riedler-Stumpf valve is being used for a number of blowing engines now in course of construction and has been employed for a considerable time in connection with air compressors running up to 200 revolutions. With reference to the consumption of gas in hot blast stoves Mr. Luermann states that the stoves of the Cowper type have an estimated consumption of one-half of the total gas produced by the blast furnace. This is 20 per cent. more than the theoretical quantity. In recent years a number of modifications have been introduced in order to improve the combustion of the gas and the distribution of the hot products of combustion in the regenerators of the stoves. Mr. Luermann refers particularly to the sys- tem of Boecker at Friedens Huette, O. S., now introduced ~~] in connection with 125 hot blast stoves. At Ilsede there are two furnaces, of which one is so equipped while the other is not, which permitted of a reliable comparison. Prof. E. Meyer of Goettingen made measurements and ascertained that the stoves equipped with the Boecker systems used 40 per cent. less of gas than the other stoves not so equipped. - a The Ajax Bolt Heading Machine. The recently designed bolt header of the Ajax Mfg. Company of Cleveland, Ohio, has a positive grip to the dies and at the same time an automatic relief and read- juster. If by accident or carelessness of the operator anything should be caught between the dies, the auto- matic relief becomes operative, and as soon as the ob- struction is removed the relief readjusts itself. The re- lief is automatic both in relieving and readjusting, and the machine is always ready for work. It matters not whether the obstruction be 1% inch thick or 1% inches thick, the action on the relief is the same. The machine is simple in design, of great strength and is noiseless in operation. >_> American Shipbuilding. The Marine Review, in its “ Blue Book of American Shipping ” for 1899, presents the following review of the development of American shipping and shipbuilding dur- ing the past year: The report of the Commissioner of Navigation for the Treasury Department fiscal year ending June 30, 1899, will show a growth unprecedented in the history of ship- building in this country, and the figures for the year just opening will be even more interesting. There are now building in our shipyards for the United States and foreign countries more than fifty naval vessels, valued at upward of $40,000,000, exclusive of armor and arma- ment, and more than 200 merchant vessels (no small craft of any kind included), the aggregate value of which exceeds $30,000,000. The shipyards of the entire country have, in fact, orders on hand sufficient to keep them in operation for periods ranging from oneto three years. The largest merchant ves- sels and vessels of war ever constructed on wis side of the Atlantic are now on the stocks in American yards. All the yards, great and small, are developing and ex- panding. At Newport News, Va., alone the improve- ments under way will entail an expenditure of $2,000,- 000. A $38,000,000 shipyard is in process of establish- ment on the Delaware, and another with a capital of $1,000,000 is projected. A total value of about $6,000,000 is represented by all new tonnage now under way in shipyards of the great lakes, and there is every reason to expect that this aggre- gate will be kept up for a couple of years to come, not- withstanding the higher values now prevailing in labor, material and supplies of ail kinds. The Cramps of Philadelphia and the Union Iron Works of San Francisco have completed the first war vessel for foreign powers turned out from American shipyards in many years. The American “tramp” steamer has made its appearance. New England dis- tricts are again witnessing quite a little activity in the construction of wooden vessels, even to the placing of an order for a six-masted ship that is to carry 5500 tons dead weight. Progress in the construction of pleasure craft has not been less rapid. The Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, com- pleted recently the most powerfully engined steam yacht ever constructed for a private owner, and a summary of the year’s orders shows almost twoscore steam yachts ranging from 60 to 303 feet in length completed or under construction in American yards. Plans have been made which will place at least a few American dry docks, both floating and stationary, at the head of the world’s structures of this character. The great timber dry dock now building for the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company at Newport News, Va., will so far surpass all others of its class that two ordinary naval vessels can be accommodated there- in simultaneously, while the floating dry dock of the Government to be stationed at Algiers, La., will sur- pass those other products of its aesigners’ skill, the Stet- tin and Havana docks. Finally, the United States has learneu much from the foreign shipbuilder and his kindred artisans, and seem- ingly the sritish shipbuilder is ready to accord more at- tention to the trend of events in this country. An Amer- ican firm recently furnished to Belfast builders a large consignment of ship plate for the ‘! Oceanic,” the largest vessel ever constructed, and the British technical jour- nals are universal in the concession that in America is to be found the future rival of Great Britain as a ship- building and ship owning nation. a a a " oe ies Se nei es ee) 2 Seas | A eR TK Se OR = ee Se % mare meee 7 THE IRON AGE. June 29, 1899 The Kennedy Furnace Filling Apparatus. for the Duluth Furnace Company. The drawings show clearly how easily this construction may be applied to It is a well-known fact that in recent furnace practice, any furnace, although the problem is greatly simplified where the fillers are at the top of the stack, they are where there is no incline but only a vertical hoist, which Fig. 1.- End Elevation, | {| | | | } | Ui i | i |e Bs hd TX iq A \ 1 | J 1 i | | “ P N, uti / \ } A ~ +i + 4 4 - rom by ot ee ae ti id Fig. 2.— Side Elevation. THE WALTER KENNEDY BLAST FURNACE FILLING APPARATUS often overcome by escaping gas, not only endangering may be removed. their lives but making it difficult to operate the furnace. These difficulties are overcome by equipping the furnace with the filling apparatus designed by Walter Kennedy It is still more simplified when erect- ing an eutirely new furnace. The details of this con- struction may be briefly mentioned, as follows: The large bell and hopper are similar to those in general use, and ¥ atlas She June 29, 1899 therefore require no special notice. The first feature which is new is the conical gas sealing hood, which is made in segments to admit of being easily removed and is provided with explosion doors, thus insuring safety and providing an easy method for examining the interior workings of the apparatus, but, more important than all, preventing an escape of gas when the large bell is low- ered. It is estimated that this loss amounts to 10 per cent. While a great waste of fuel it is also the cause of rapid deterioration of the furnace top itself by burning it out. It also affects the stoves and boilers by the con- tinual change in temperature which takes place when the gas is allowed to escape at the top. Resting on this hood is the seat for the small bell, which latter performs the double duty of closing the opening when the large bell is lowered and also of distributing the stock evenly over i ‘ 4 ‘ 4 4 THE IRON AGE. 9 Which is the all important point in furnace work. 2. Cheapness and simplicity, both in construction and in operation. 3. An absolute saving of gas. Since being introduced at the Duluth Furnace the Kennedy blast furnace skip has been adopted by the Cambria Steel Company, at Johnstown, Pa., for six of their blast furnaces, and also by Laughlin & Company, Limited, for their four new Eliza Furnaces, at Pitts- burgh. ee ee A Proposed Rod Mill Abandoned.—The American Steel & Wire Company are shrewdly placating important competing interests. The company are large manufac- turers of woven wire fencing, but quite a number of fair sized concerns are also engaged in the same line, some of a ‘ ‘ , / / - #2 i$ | —-4 See © Fig. 3.—Plan. THE WALTER KENNEDY BLAST FURNACE FILLING APPARATUS. the large bell. Surmounting this is the oblong hopper, into which the stock is dumped by the skips, making it possible to use two of the latter, which balance each other, thus economizing power and increasing the capac- ity of the filling apparatus with an engine of a given size. The skips are operated by an ordinary hoisting engine placed in any convenient position, the operator being at the bottom, and from this point attending to the charging of the skips, the hoisting of them and the oper- ating of the bells, so that there is no one required on top of the furnace. The saving in labor on even a small furnace has been found to be considerable, while on a large furnace it would, of course, be much greater. An increase in ton- nage is no longer limited by the ability of the men to charge the furnace, as by actual trial it has been demon- strated that a furnace provided with two buggies similar to the ones illustrated can be filled at a rate which would yield 1000 tons of iron per day. These are a few of the points worthy of mention in Mr. Kennedy’s filling apparatus, and they may be sum- marized as follows: 1. An even distribution of the stock, them having been in it for years. These outside concerns have been planning to co-operate in the erection of a rod mill and wire plant to supply themselves with the wire needed, unless an arrangement could be completed on favorable terms with the American Steel & Wire Com- pany. Announcement is now made that the company haye agreed to sell wire to the 13 leading fence manufac- turers at a price as cheap as they could expect their own cost of production to be, while on the other hand the fence manufacturers will maintain a selling price that will assure a reasonable profit to all concerned. The proposed rod mill and wire plant will hardly be built under the circumstances. <cepnnenicgiaianiaiiaaitipieaih In order to encourage the development of their mer- chant marine the Russian Government have decided to pay the Suez Canal dues of Russian steamships for the next ten years, as the Austrian Government has done for some time. At present there are only 24 Russian steamships of more than 2000 tons, and of these only four are of more than 14 knots speed. . . >= Set. MMR oeERE Esk el a ee ee ee ne imuae ~ i) - 7 cit oo ae] SSeS: Ce. rar 7 oe 4 10 THE Anti-Trust Legislation. George F. Baer