The Iron Age 1899-07-27: Vol 64 Iss 4

THE [ROIs 4GE A Review of the Hardware, Iron and Meta.” ‘SX ades. Published every Thursday Morning by David Williams Co., 232-233 William 8t., New York. Vol. LXIV: No. 4. New York, Thursday, July 27, 1899. $4.50 a Year, including Postage Single Copies, Ten Cents Reading Matter Contents.........page 46 Classified List of Advertisers. .... . 259 _ Alphabetical Index to Advertisers “* 122 oid Straight Advertioing and Seoarintinn Rates‘' 53 / / DEPENDS Bt. Louis, Mo, ‘ TUDOR IRON N WORKS. Reliable Ammunition. ST. LOUIS, Mo. The charge in a factory-loaded shell is always uni- ee form—its carrying power and accuracy never vary. BO AT SPIKES. We make every class of cartridge used in a fire- arm—and will b2 pleased to send you manent price list at any time. THE BRISTOL COMPANY, Waterbury, Conn. Bristol’s Recording Union metallic Cartridge Co., . o" *e seceoeege eeee %e ° o nee —_ Instruments, Winners of Handicap, 1893,-94-95-97°98-99. Vor Pressure, Temperature 313 Broadway, New York. Bridgeport, Conn, and Electricity. All Ranges, Low Prices and Guar- —_—__—— /. anteed. Send for Circulars, Prana a sxaconsrorcons OAHALL BOILERS "= ® Alse Massachusetts and Phenix Brands of Sash Curd SAMSON CORDAGE WORKS, - Boston, Mass, CAPEWELL HORSE NAILS. TURNBUCKLES, y — NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA, 8) 11 Broadway, New York. ape BRANCH OFFICE: a » New Tor Cleveland City Forge and Iron Co., Doreenee ne 0. pv lethe gg VIR AS TURN BUCKLES. DETROIT, 4 oe eke BRANCHES: ciINCINNATI, ara Merrill Bros., SAN FRANCISCO, as ae Mane ane PORTLAND, ORE., ‘ = 58 BUFFALO, BALTIMORE, Foundry Iron. NEW ORLEANS, PILLING & CRANE, Si Bullding, Philada. THE CAPEWELL HORSE NAIL GODIPANY, Lewls Block, Pittsburgh. HARTFORD, CONN. WE CLAIM THE FOLLOWING MERITS FOR JENKINS BROS.’ VALVES. 1. Manufactured of the best Steam Metal. 2. No regrindiug, therefore not constantly wearing out the Seat of the Valves 3. Contain JENKINS DISC, which is suitable for all Pressures of Steam, Oil, an¢ Acids, A 4. The Easiest Repaired, and all parts Interchangeable. 5. Every Valve Tested before leaving the factory. 6 ALL GENUINE stamped with Trade Mark. JENKINS BROTHERS, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston. We supply a stranger with galvanized iron right off, unless aregular customer hed Brass Pri Prices High, So Use Bright “Swedoh” Stamp- sey I0/ ing Steel Easily Brass Plated and Save Money. MAGNOLIA METAL Best Anti-Friction Metal for all Machinery Bearings. Beware ef Imitations. Genuine Magnolia Metal is made up In bars of which thig is sath money" The name and be a = box and bar, and t words ® aiestaren in United States” = “ Patented June 3, 90,” are stamped on the un- der side of each bar. MAGNOLIA METAL CO., (Qzz=z5s242") 266 & 267 WEST ST., NEW YORK, timss.cung gets ahead of him. They're thick now. Apollo Iron and Steel Company, Pittsburgh. ez MANUFACTURER*® OF BRASS AND COPPER Seamless Tubes, Sheets, Rods and Wire. ingot Copper. SOLE MANUFACTURER Tobin B TRADE-MaRK REGISTERED. Condenser Plates, Pump Linings, Round, Square and Hexagon Bars, for Pump Piston Rods and Bolt Forgings. 99 John Street, RANDOLPH & CLOWEs LLU TL LTLIAS LL me —MANUFACTURERS OF= -WEETIBRAS. oi COPPER. > BRAZED BRASS & COPPER TUBES. SEAMLESS BRASS & COPPER TUBES”’38"DIAM. . ” : WEP! CHICAGO, ILL. , NEW YORK AOOM 202 POSTAL TELEGRAPH 8106, 253 BROADWAY LADELPHIA, ROOM 320 PHILA BANA BLDG Ae NNATL O ROOM 308 NEAVE BLOG New York. THE IRON AGE Waterbury Brass Co. Established 1845. 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 Kettles, 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 MANUFACTI SHEET ZINC AND Special Sizes of Zinc cut to « RERS OF SULPHURIC ACID. order Rolled Battery Plates Selected Plates for Etchers’ and Lithographers’ use Selected Sheets for Paper and Card Makers’ use Stove and Wasbboard Blanks. ZINCS FOR LECLANCHE BATTERY. Mt t St B sil an : BRASS COODS MFC 60 met S- ~~, -~%, - —S, ~y Dt pee ~ ° Rubber Moulds. Address all esmmunica - tious to the factory. BRONZE DOOR ENOBSB, Bronse and Plated Roses, Combined Rose and Escutcheon Plates. Cushion Business Cards, Mucilage Brushes. Novelties of new design made to order. SALESROOM: | 17 Chambers St., New York. FACTORY: 86-92 Third St., Se. Breeklyn. HENDRICKS BROTHERS, Belleville Proprietors of the Copper Rolling Mills, MANUFACTURERS OF Brasicrs’, Bolt and Sheathing COPPER. COPPER WIRE AND RIVETS. Importers and Dealers in ingot Copper, Block Tin, Speiter, Lead, Antimony, etc. 49 CLIFF 8T., NEW YORK. Socket Shells, &c., Patent Mirror Pin THE PLUME & ATwooo Mr6. oo, MANUFACTURERS OF 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- eene Burners, Lamps, Lamp Trimmings, &c. 29 MURRAY ST., NEW YORK. 144 HIGH ST., BOSTON. 199 LAKE ST., CHICAGO ROLLING MILL : | FACTORIES : THOMASTON, CONN. WATERBURY, CONN. SCOVILL MFG. CO., Manufacturers of BRASS SHEET, WIRE, TUBES, Hinges, Buttons, Lamp Goods, Nipples, Pumps and Oilers for Bicycles, Braziers’ Solder, Aluminum. Factories, WATERBURY, CONN. DEPOTS : New York, Chicago, Boston. JOHN DAVOL & SONS. AGENTS FOR Brooklyn Brass & Copper Co.. DEALERS IN COPPER, TIN, SPELTER. LEAD, ANTIMONY. 100 John Street, ~ New York WILLIAM S. FEARING, 256 Broadway, NEW YORK, SELLS TO THE TRADE Sheet Brass, Fancy Sheet Brags, German Silver, Copper, Brass and German Silver Wire, Brazed and Seamless Brass and Copper Tubes, Brass and Cop- per Rods, Brass Ferrulea, Pure Copper Wire, Sheet and Ingot Copper; Spelter, Tin, Autimony, Lead, &c. THE BRIDGEPORT BRASS CO., 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 Geeds of all Kinds. BRASS AND COPPER GOODS In Great Varieties. 7 * WELCH MPG CO. 65 SUDBURY BTAEET, | IHE IRON AGE. THuRsDAY, JULY 27, 1899. ° s til after the passage of the Chicago limited, at 10.30 i} Replacing a Large Drawbridge on the o'clock. During the blocking of the main line all trattie ( Pennsylvania Railroad. passed around the Center street branch, \ —_—— Drawbridges have been removed and replaced, more An unusual and notable engineering feat was per or Jess frequently. by means of pontoons. By this method . formed last Sunday by the Pennsylvania Railroad at its a float, lower in the water than usual, is placed under crossing over the Passaic River, a few hundred feet east each span of the bridge, and then pumped out. The ris- ee i\ ih nr re rir a ye Aine a BBR i Red ; y 3 Pe Vg : | The Old Bridge. / aS VN rN oF : Fig. 2.— Old Bridge and New Drawbridge, Looking North. j REPLACING A LARGE DRAWBRIDGE ON THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD ; | of the Market Street Station,, Newark, N. J. This was ing boats lift the bridge clear of its seat, and it is car- ) the substitution of a new 600-ton drawbridge for the old ried out of the way. The new bridge, which has been 2 and much lighter one, weighing only 350 tons. The built upon pontoons, is then floated into position and j actual work of removing the old bridge and placing the iowered into place. It is evident that this plan can only new one on its site occupied but a few moments, but be successfully carried out when there is ample water i several hours were consumed in fitting the turning gear, space on each side of the draw—first, of course, for the - placing the wedges and latches and shifting the tracks reception of the old bridge and for the building of the of the approaches. None of this work could be done un- new, i in such location as will not obstruct travel through F ei ee 2 ee or 2 neg — a draw It is not feasible in the case of a narrow n, Where the swing occupies practically the entire of the stream, as is the case with the Pennsyl Bridge under consideration. Therefore in this in , another scheme had to be adopted. This con in the lengthening each way, up and down stream, THE IRON AGE. July 27, 1899 tracks and arranged under the bridge, as shown in Fig. t, were eight ordinary car trucks, upon which the bridge was carried by suitable blocking. A few days be- fore the bridges were moved this bridge was supported entirely upon ball bearing screw jacks. It was raised to a suitable elevation to permit the lower members to Fig. 3.— New and Old Drawbridge. =——lUllhUh!}!S = aR > ae tiag wt ~~ enthimmane + } y4.— Neu Drawbridge, Showing REPLACING A LARGE DRAWBRIDGE fenders. ‘These extensions were about 250 long at each end. ‘They consisted, as shown by the engravings, of piling, which supported two ordinary tracks of standard gauge. These were constructed on timber beams placed on top of the pile. They were so located as to be just within the side trusses of the two bridges. The new draw, having a total length between pin centers of 213 feet 4 inches, was built upon the south- > ern extension, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Upon these Trucks upon which it was Mounted. ON THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD. clear the pivot machinery in the center during its travel along the track. This type of jack was employed in preference to the hydraulic, by reason of the fact that it could be more surely relied upon to maintain the bridge at the required hight. In addition they required no at- tention after having been once set, as would have been the case with hydraulic jacks, owing to their liability to leak under heavy and continued loads. The scheme was to move both bridges along the track July 27, 1899 formed as described. frequent river trafic, in any way. the bridge could have constructed floats. [t will be evident that by the method pursued both pas 1 in the clear are 105% feet each in were left entirely open for the passage of boats. At this point there is a. large and Which could not be interfered with There was no side room whatever in-which new been on sages, whicl width, In fact, the river was freer from obstruction than when the draw was in working order. After the passage of the last train the old draw was lifted 10 by of 72 hydraulic jacks, and wedged upon trucks placed upon the track beneath it. The two structures were then bound together by inches means cables THE IRON AGE. . 3 caine up, the wet rope shrunk, and before it could be ioosened from the hoisting drum the bridges moved a short distance as stated. When everything was ready the engines were started and without a hitch of any kind the bridges traveled over 200 feet, the time occupied be- ing about 744 minutes. Afterward they were pulled a little further, and, as it chanced, a few inches beyond the pivot. The new bridge was then rested truly over the exact center of the pier. jacked back until it The bridge was out of place laterally only 14 inch. The old bridge, was composed of three trusses, The which had been doing duty since 1869, the new has old while the one but two. tracks, therefore, in bridge were iy Fig. viet vm Ws rs ) r imi iy * ; ds — 7. BS: 5 5.—Looking South. aon —— Wi Ne i NAR ore gt bows Neu Fig. 6.—Looking South.— The REPLACING A LARGE DRAWBRIDGE and held apart by distance pieces. The trucks had also been united, the whole forming a composite structure ar- ranged to move along the two tracks on 16 trucks. At the northern end of the tracks were placed two or dinary hoisting engines, Fig. 7, which did the pulling. Some 214 miles of 6-inch Manila cables were employed. The tackle was carried around four-sheave doubled at each engine, the tackling being that the engines pulled practically upon one rope. This obviated all trouble which might have arisen if the en- gines had been so arranged as to pull upon independent ropes. After the slack had been taken up it was noticed by those watching the bridge that it moved a few inches. In a certain sense this movement was premature, al- theugh it occurred at a time when the old structure was free from all obstruction. At that time a brisk shower blocks, so arranged Draubridiye Half W Ly Travel. yt its ON THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD. further than in the new, because of the of the center truss. with upalt presence As soon as the old bridge had been swung into line the new one gangs of men were placed at work upon each approach, the tracks of which had to be removed and relaid nearer together in order to properly meet those of the new draw. The ends of the approaches had previously, as far as was practicable with the working of the old bridge, been arranged to receive new draw. the tracks and placing the the wedge seats and locks of the fixtures, turning mechanism in position oceupied until 5.50 p.m., The placing of these changing when the new bridge was first swung. The new moor Iron Company, carried out under the personal direction of L. H. principal assistant engineer of the road. bridge was designed and built by the Edge- and the work of substitution was 3arker, MiSs ° > aE ace ete > t= —. ee SI Fm GPT ieee ae — 4s ee ee . Go ape oe mec, = eae we Bh Ae * wr + 4 THE The Canadian Niagara Power Company. A most important announcement in connection with the Niagara power development is made to the effect that an amendatory agreement between the commissioners for the Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Free Park, acting for the Government of the Province of Ontario and the Canadian Niagara Power Company, was executed on July 15. The information, however, was not made public until the 22d inst. The agreement thus exceuted was author ized by an act of Parliament passed in March last, and it extends the time of the Canadian Niagara Power Com- pany within which 10 000 horse-power must be developed in the Canadian park until July 1, 1903. The new fran chise is for 110 years and the annual rent has been reduced from $25,000 to 315 000. There are also other amendments to the grant, such as the location of the plant and power house. all the plans for which have now been approved. The Canadian Niagara Power Company, on their part, have yielded their exclusive right to the use of waters within the Canadian park and the commissioners of the park are at liberty to deal with other companies for the development of power outside the territory occupied ty the Canadian Niagara Power Company. The original franchise between the park commissioners and the Canadian Niagara Power Company was executed in April, 1892. Under the terms of this grant the power IRON AGE. July 27, 1899 Thomas M. Adams, Robert Peebles, E. C. Means and M. H. Houston, ail of Ashland, Ky.; Oscar Richey and B. H. Barr of Ironton, Ohio; John G. Peebles of Ports- mouth, Ohio, and W. W. Franklin of Columbus, Ohio. The board organized by the reelection of the former officers—viz.: I. A. Kelly, president; E. C. Means, vice- president; B. H. Burr, secretary, and L. R. Putnam, treasurer. The iron and Bessemer steel departments have been in continuous and successful operation during the year, and the fine new Garrett rod mill running night and day since starting, April 1, and is now making records in that line for successful running and tonnage. This com- pany do not belong to any of the recent consolidations and control their material from the ore to finished product. a A New Shipbuilding Plant. Work has been started on the plant which the New York Ship Building Company propose erecting on the Delaware River in the lower end of Camden and adjacent to the northern boundary of Gloucester City, N. J. Henry G. Morse, president of the company, has stated that the work would be pushed with all possible speed. The con- tracts for the construction of the buildings and laying out of the yards have been awarded. A high fence has been built inclosing the grounds. Considerable large ma- Fig. 7.— Hoisting Engines.—Old Bridge at the End of its Travel. REPLACING company were to have 10,00) horse power developed and water connections made for 25,000 horse-power by Novem- ber 1, 1898 The grant was good for a century under renewal and the annual rent was to be $25,000 a vear for the first ten years, after which 1t was to increase $100) a vear for ten years more, until the annual rental was 335 000 a vear, at which amount it was to remain for the years under which the grant was renewed. The new franchise is far mcre satisfactory than the old one so far as the Canadian Niagara Power Company are concerned. lts terms are more liberal and it gives them four years longer in which to develop 10 000 horse power. The reve- nue to the park is lessened $10,000 a year. —O—-.q690.36282 The Eckel Bros. Steel Company.—A new mill was started at Syracuse on the 1lith ult. by the Eckel Bros. Steel Company, of which Peter Eckel is president, Philip Eckel vice-president and Francis H. Nye, Jr., is secretary and treasurer. Jacob, Louis, John and Frank Eckel are the master rollers, all of the parties having been tormerly connected with the Sweets Mfg. Company of Syracuse. The new company will make a full line of merchant steel, including tire, shoe toe calk, cutter shoes, machinery steel, spring steel, agricultural steel, and tees, angles, channels. They also make special sbapes and angles and rods for bedstead work. or Ashland Steel Company’s New Wire Rod Mill.— At the regular annual meeting of the Ashland Steel Com pany. heid in Ashland. Ky., un July 20, the following directors were re e ected for the ensuing year: I. A. Keliy, A LARGE DRAWBRIDGE ON THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD. chinery has also been contracted for. Owing to the pro- tracted deliveries which are being named by machinery merchants, it is thought that the tools will not be deliv- ered rmauch before the building in which they are to be erected will be completed. Mr. Conradson, who designed the Gisholt lathe, is chief engineer for the company. The company have also secured the services of Cap- tain Randle, until recently Commodore of the fleet of the American Line of the International Navigation Com- pany. He is the first vice-president and general consult- ing superintendent of the entire plant. The company will build large merchantmen, and it is also unofficially stated that they will make a bid for large Government work. Professor Dewar, while lecturing at the Royal In- stitute, Londen, on June 7, introduced “a new agent in chemical research” in the form of liquid hydrogen. After explaining that liquid hydrogen was costly, excess- ively volatile and had to be preserved with great care, he pointed out that there must always be something that would enable them to preserve it as much as possible from radiation. Therefore, in his experiments, he would surround it with liquid air. The reflection of a tube of liguid hydrogen was then thrown on the screen, the lec- turer drawing attention to the surrounding air solidifying as snow. In another experiment a piece of cork sank to the bottom of the liquid hydrogen. Next proof was af- forded that the newly discovered liquid has not mag- netic properties. The temperature at boiling point is 21 degrees absolute, or 252 degrees below freezing point. July 27, 1899 Mechanical Devices for Riveting and Calking Ships. We tind the following in a paper by R. T. Napier be- fore the institution of Civil Engineers: The only machines that need be considered in connec- tion with shipbuilding divide naturally into two classes viz.: 1, Machines that close the rivet by pressure; and 2, machines that close the rivet by percussion. The first of these is represented by the well-known hydraulic riveter, Which made its appearance in the shipyard about oU years ago, and by the less known but no less useful pneumatic riveter, which has perhaps half as long a working record. ‘These machines are too well known to require description; the inherent disadvantages of the class is that, as the working strains must be self con- tained, no separate holder up being possible, the use is limited by the depth of the gap, and, with the increase of the gap there increases, in a greater ratio, the weight. In this counection it may be stated that an ordinary hydraulic riveter of 24-inch gap, such as used for fram- ing purposes, weighs about 10 hundredweight, and that one of S4-inch gap—perhaps the largest hitherto used in ship work— weighs about 51% tons. Early in its history the hydraulic riveter—a success from the outset when riveting up work brought to it Was set to such work on board ships on the stocks as it could be brought to bear on. So far as the writer's knowledge goes, a saving in cost and time did not always attend this proceeding, and it certainly has not become the general practice of shipbuilders. According to the published accounts an application of the hydraulic riv- eter on a large scale was niade in the case of the steamer * Oceanic.” The second class of riveter—viz., that in which the rivet is closed by percussion—is as yet only on its trial on this side of the Atlantic, although, in a measure, ap- proved and adopted on the other. This riveter in its ae- tion approaches as nearly as may be to hand work, a hammer being kept in motion by a suitably applied elec- tric motor or by compressed air, the rivet head being held up by a separate device. The convenience of being able to commence riveting at any stage during the work of plating is unquestioned, and the simplicity of handling a machine’ weighing pounds instead of hundredweights is equally so. The noise that a pereussive riveter makes is admittedly against it, and for this no remedy is forthcoming. It is not in the nature of a riveting machine to close a counter- sunk rivet, leaving the point tiush with the plating, and either a point more or less cupped must be accepted or the surplus metal must be chipped off. Since butt land- ings are no longer thought an offense to the eye with Shell plating, so. no doubt, cupped rivet points might live down existing delicacy on the subject. With a bare steel deck it is otherwise, and here chipping is unavoidable. American practice is to do this chipping by means of a tool, also driven by compressed air, and then flatten the point by a second application of the riveter. Two axioms have long ruled in connection with riveted work, the tirst being that the least diameter of hole that could be punched in an iron plate was represented by the thickness of such plate; and the second that a rivet of 1% inches in diameter was the limit of the power of an aver age riveting squad to knock down satisfactorily. With the advent of the riveting machine, as applied to keel plates and top sides, the naval constructor will again have a free hand to proportion rivets and plates to ad vantage. Assuming that the difficulties of rigging the gear do hot stand in the way, there seems no @ priori reason to prevent the bulk of shell riveting being done by the hydraulic or pneumatic machine, provided that other con- siderations be made subordinate. By working all the plating clinker system—a system less objectionable now that joggled landings have banished slips—and proceed ing from the keel plate upward, completing one strake at a time, a riveter with a gap sufficient to take in the broadest plate would do the job. In the case of decks, the same might be done, working inboards from the stringers and closing the center strake by hand: and even bulkheads might conceivably be done Were the stiffeners erected first. To what extent it would be profitable thus to depart from present practice is a matter for discussion. Whatever other difficulties would be faced in the shipyard a trial of the percussive riveter on its merits would be no difficult or expensive matter. To any who at present have pneumatic riveters in use, and consequently have compressed air at command, it would be a trifle; to the many who employ electric energy for other purposes this would make but a small addition. Calking Machines, Regarding the application of machines to the calking ef ships not much is on record. Such machines, driven THE IRON AGE. 5 by compressed air, were brought before shipbuilders eight or nine years ago, and others, electrically driven, were also advocated. In the hands of their respective in- ventors these machines did good work, and shipbuilders were not slow to buy them, but after the purchase came the trouble in the refusal of men to work them. In some yards the difficulty was got over, and the machines are doubtless now at work; but in others the opposition of the calker in possession of the job seemed serious, and the machines were laid to rest in the tool store. In Amer- ica the calking machine had a record to show, and its adoption on this side may yet be accomplished. The Material of Ship Rivets, It is known to every shipbuilder that Lloyd’s Com- niittee does not legislate one way or another in this mat- ter; that the rivets are good iron or good steel is all that the surveyor looks to. It is also known that the Com- mittee of the British Corporation, while nominally leav- ing the builder free to use either iron or steel rivets, ree- ommends the latter, and practically puts a premium on them by prescribing, for certain thicknesses of plate, quadruple riveting for iron rivets, and only treble for those of steel. Both rules cannot be right in this matter, and as some builders take credit for using steel rivets exclusively, while others never use a steel rivet unless oWnhers insist upon it, there is room for the matter being discussed and settled. The tirst time that the question was brought before a representative gathering of experts was in the interesting paper read by Mr. Martell of Lloyd's, in IS7S, before the Institution of Naval Arehi- tects. The results of various experiments were given in the paper, and from them the author concluded that * In order to accomplish this ’’—i. e.. insure the strength of the plates being realized—either the rivets should be larger or more closely spaced, or “* the butts would have to be treble riveted with iron rivets or double riveting with steel rivets adopted.” In the discussion it was stated, on the part of the dock- yards, that H. M.S. “ Lris” was riveted with iron rivets, as the iest had shown a slight advantage for these over steel. Various gentlemen expressed their preference for steel rivets, and the matter was left for the future to settle. In 1SS81 the well-known series of reports on riv- eted joints was laid before the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, but from this little light on the present sub- ject can be got. The experiments conducted by Pro- fessor Kennedy were all made with steel rivets, no com- parison with iron rivets has seemingly been thought nec- essary; and out of the tables in the report of the com- mittee—having Professor Unwin for its official leader—it may be worked out that the average efficiency of seven treble steel riveted lap joints is 63.57 per cent. of the solid plate, while that of a like number of similar joints with irou rivets is 71.45 per cent., or fully 10 per cent. more. As Siemens-Martin steel is not so satisfactory for smithy purposes as iron made by the puddling furnace’ there seems no initial reason why the opposite should hold good in the case of rivets which. as often as not, are heated to a welding temperature. With the light of 20 years’ ex- perience in the building of steel ships this matter can surely now be judged on. =_>-——™” Some Steel Car Statistics. Three years ago the steel car industry was in its in fancy; two anda half years ago it employed about 1000 hands; to-day 30,000 men and boys are earning their lis ing at it. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad has bovght G000 cars, the Pennsylvania Railroad 3000, the Lake Shore 2000, and nearly all the Eastern roads have given orders for some of the cars. The rise of the steel car has benefited the steel rail and bridge material manufac turers, as railroads are laying heavier rails and strengtl ening bridges to prepare for the revolution in the freight traftic system that the new ear has produced. To reduce the dead weight and yet increase the load bearing ca pacity of the parts was a problem that was not solved till the adoption of steel pressed into shapes best calculated to bear the strain of heavy loads. The wooden car of 70,000 pounds capacity weighed 35,000 pounds, the ratio of the light weight or weight when empty of the car to ts carrying capacity being 50 per cent. The steel car of 80,000 pounds capacity weighs 28,000 pounds, a ratio of 35.62 per cent. One of 100,000 pounds capacity weighs 35,000 pounds, a ratioof 32.27 per cent. In brief the wooden ear that carries 70,000 pounds of coal weighs 35,000 pounds; the steel car that carries 110,000 pounds of coal weighs only 500 pounds more. The wooden car carries coal equal to twice its weight: the steel car carries three times its own weight, with 3500 pounds to spare. Rail- Way reports show that the 80,000-pound cars of the Penn- sylvania Railroad are built at a cost of SSU0; it is esti- mated that the steel car of 100,000 pounds capacity costs about $1000. The life of a wooden car averages 15 years, with $35 a vear for repairs, and the life of a steel car is DO years, with repairs costing $10 to $15. WW. ee See IE: PHT a ruts etna eT r a ——- a : —* ‘ a - 0 THE IRON AGE. A Controversy on Disappearing Gun Carriages. WAS#INGTON, July 25, 1899.—A very remarkable con- troversy has arisen in the War Department concerning the relative merits of the two leading types of disappear- ing gun carriages, known as the Howell and the Crozier Buffington carriages. The issue has been carried to a point where the propriety of the conduct of very high officials has been called seriously in question, and an issue has been raised of great importance to private inventors and manufacturers. The final determination of the con troversy, which is now Lefore the Secretary of War in the form of an appeal from the owners of one of the patents in question, has been put over for decision by Secretary Alger’s successor and will be awaited with great interest. Some time ago the Board of Ordnance and Fortifica tion, which is charged by Congress with the duty of experimenting with new types of ordnance and the selec tion of models for use in the service, by formal action adopted as one type of disappearing gun carriage the device invented by Commodore William Howell of the Navy, which had been severely tested at the army proving grounds. Previously the Department had adopted the so called Crozier Buffington carriage, which was the joint production of Captain Crozier, the present representative of the United States to the Disarmament Congress at The Hague, and General Buffington, recently appointed Chief of Ordnance to succeed the late General Flagler. It is stated on high authority that the Board of Ordnance and Fortification did not intend to displace the Crozier- Buffing ton carriage’ by the adoption of the Howell carriage, but merely to include it among those with which satisfactory experiments had been made demonstrating its efficiency and its special availability for rapid installation for coast defense. This view of the case does not appear to have prevailed in the Ordnance Bureau, for General Buffington promptly took exception to the action of the board and in a communication to the Secretary of War not only com- mented very unfavorably upon the Howell carriage but went so far as to pass certain strictures upon the personnel and expert character of the Board of Ordnance and Forti- fication. The representatives of the Howell patents, when apprised of the action of General Buffington, at once appealed to the Secretary for a hearing. and have since filed a statement in which they defend the Howell car- riage and comment caustically upon General Buffington’s attitude and the spectacle that 1s presented by a Chiet of Ordnance using his official authority to prevent the adoption of the device of a rival inventor. At the outset of the statement of the representatives of the so called Howell patents tne writer protests against the references made in previous communications by Gen eral Buffington, Chief of Ordnance to the expert character of the Board of Ordnance and Fortification. ** We do not feel,’ says the writer, ** that the board needs ‘any defense at our hands, and we do not presume to answer this criticsim. Suffice to say that the Board of Ordnance and Fortification is one of the most important boards organized under the authority of Congress, and is representative of the engineers the Ordnance Bureau, the artillery branch and the civilian interests of the coun try, and is presided over by the general of the army. This board is unquestionably charged by Congress with the important work of directing the building of coast defenses and Congress regards it as a board of experts. The Ordnance Office has always been represented on the board oy an officer of acknowledged ability and experience. We lieve that each ot the officers representing his particular branch of the service has always been selected because of his peculiar fitness for the duties of the board, and we are at a loss to know who General Buffington will acknowl edge to be experts in the army outside ot himself and Cap tain Crozier ** Referring to General Buffington’s explanation of his interest in the foreign patents taken out on the Crozier Buffington carriage, we do not see that he shows a state of facts materially different from those as stated hereto- fore. General Buffington shows that be and Captain Crozier still anticipate doing some business with the for- eign patents. He says ‘the whole matter is in the hands of Captain Crozier.” whu 1s now abroad, and it may rea sonably be expected that before he returns he will have successfully exploited the patents, to the financial advan tage of General Buffington and himself. The fact that each feature of the invention as soon as perfected is proinptly patented abroad indicates that the inventors are hardly paying patent charges without the expectation of realizing financially on the sale or license of those patents. ‘The following extraordinary spectacle is now pre- sented to American inventors, to officers interested in the coast defenses of the country and to the public: General Buffington admits a partnership interest in the Crozier- Buffington patents for disappearing gun carriages. By the rule of the Department he is the officer who makes contracts for ordnance material. His partner, Captain July 27, 1899 Crozier, has not dedicated to the United States the use of any of the patents which have been taken out in his name for disappearing carriages since the issuing of the Crozier- Buffington patent. These patentsare all used in the con- struction of the Crozier Buffington carriage, so called. ‘The Supreme Court of the United States has laid down the rule in Twelfth Wallace, in the case of Burnes, an army officer, against the United States, that where the United States uses a patent with the consent of the owner an implied contract arises on the part of the United States to pay to the patentees a royalty for the use of said patent. There is no question, therefore, looking at it in a legal aspect, but that Captain Crozier can go to the ¢ ourt of Claims at any time he desires and recover from the United States a royalty for the use of his patents by the Govern ment. It is evident from the contention in this case that the present Cnief of Ordnance does not intend that any fur- ther improvements in gun carriages shall be made except by himself and Captain Crozier, and although there must be some $5,000,000 te $8 000,000 to be expended in gun Car- riages for the coast defenses before they are completed in ac- cordance with the Endicott board’s scheme, the inventive genius of this country is put upon its notice tnat it is useless for them to pay any attention toward the improvement of this most important branch of the coast defense. Phis monopoly will resist any attempt to interfere with its right. ‘*One of the peculiar incidents of this controversy 1s the summary relief of Major Phipps, the ordnance officer on the Board of Ordnance and Fortification, a few days after the board bad recommended the approval of the Howell carriage as an additional type for the coast de- fenses and the substitution. on recommendation of General Buffington, of Captain Wheeler, whose friendly interest in the Crozier-Buffington carriage is shown by the signa ture of that gentleman as a witness to the Crozier-Buffing- ton original patent. Major Phipps has been upon the board for some years. He was president of the Ordnance Trial Board which reported upon the tests of our carriage and voted for the adoption of the Howell carriage as & type. The law contemplated that the Board of Ordnance and Fortification should be composed of impartial officers: Whether the removal of Major Phipps and substitution of Captain Wheeler can be regarded as carrying out the principle for which the board was organized and which the law contemplated is a question that admits of no argument. : ‘From all these facts, Mr. Secretary, we leave it to you to draw your own conclusions as to what is right in the premises. We respectfully call the attention of the board to the fact that all the technical points submitted by General Buffington have been considered bv the board and the fallacy of his arguments shown by the test of the Howell carriage.’ ep The communication then proceeds to discuss the criti: cisms of the Howell carriage made by General Buffington, each point being taken up in order and the conclusion reached that the Howell carriage can be operated with much less strain upon the gun, the carriage and the foundation than the so called Crozier Buffington carriage. ‘* The foundation of the Howell carriage will be much cheaper and more satisfactory,"’ it is said, ** for, 1, there is no greater overturning moment, and 2, the Howell platferm is entirely free of strain due to the sudden shift of heavy weights. In the Crozier-Buffington carriage after fire the weight of 30 tons is suddenly shifted 946 feet and again when the gun returns to the firing position. If the Crozier-Buffington carriage be trained 180 degrees there will be a shifting of over 60 tons from nearly the extreme verge of the foundation on one side to the verge on the other side, which may account for the settling of the foundations as stated in the public prints. In the Howell during fire the only change of weight is in the preponderance of the counterpoise. For a train of 150 degrees the center of gravity of the moving parts (over 60 tons) moves about 3 feet instead of 25 or 30 feet, being near the center of the foundation always, as in the Crozier-Buffington for the same train, and the Howell foundation is not weakened by the enormous activity necessary to accommodate the weight of the Crozier Buffington.” ; It is expected that an oral hearing will be given to all interests as soon as General Alger’s successor has suffi- ciently familiarized himself with his surroundings to take up the routine business of the Department. The repre- sentatives of the Howell patents confidently assert that the record will disclose facts bearing out all their state- ments and indicating that the Chief of Ordnance has been actuated solely by personal considerations in his coarse toward the Howell carriage. ww, 2.0, ———— The International Wire Syndicate.—Essen, July 9, 1899.—As reported at the time, the negotiations between the American and German delegates to form an interna- tional wire syndicate halted chiefly because the forma- tion of a German syndicate on drawn wire failed through the pretensions of a Silesian works. This concern have July 27 1899 THE IRON AGE. 7 now modified their position and the formation of the Ger- man syndicate is now assured, to take effect probably on October 1 and at the latest on November 1. This, it is hoped, will be followed by the formation of the interna tional wire syndicate. Midsummer Pig Iron Statistics. The American Iron and Steel Association of Phila- delphia has published the detailed statistics of the pro- duction of pig iron for the first half of 1899. They show that the output of pig iron of all kinds has been 6,289,167 gross tons for the first six months of 1899, as compared with 5,904,231 tons during the second six months of 1898, and 5,869,703 tons during the first half of 1898. The production of the coke and anthracite furnaces was as follows: Production of Coke and Anthracite Pig Iron First Second First half of half of half of States and Districts. 1898 1898 1899, kt eee a 111.11 140 790 Ss.) ae 54,695 15.086 4 ave" Pennsylvania: Lehigh Vailey. veuteuwes. Sonuee 122.889 74,340 Schuylkill V ‘alley .. 150,060 152,361 175.19 Upper Susque hanna V alle y. 0.444 46,222 77,438 Lower Susquehanna V alley.. 254,282 240,559 257,381 Juniata Valley... e 16,805 50,999 8,150 Allegheny County....... .. 1,465,585 1,557,366 1,580,576 Shenango Valley .. 426,365 13,312 $28,727 Miscellaneous bituminous... 258,138 24,925 14,8 + Maryland........ ; ..e. 105,684 101,7 Virgina.... ae acme a 126,941 »> 163,389 North Carolina.... ............ hake we aaeeue », 397 DIGDOUIA. 655<c00cees seeenalne 493, 609 103,833 02,483 West Virgina...... can .-+ 104,516 88,183 98,138 al aes 48,730 51.994 4 020 Tennessee........ : 122,537 123,404 134,193 Ohio: Mahoning Valley (se See 36,269 147,044 Hocking Valley .. .. oo 2,765 7,500 Lake Ooumtses .....e.cccscee 194,601 194,275 183,136 Miscellaneous bituminous... $30,737 43,062 42,202 Hanging Rock bituminous... 57.440 87,793 92,289 Dc 5 e5%cnckee=*enate ...-. 666,580 699,318 705,623 Wisconsin...... pvp dkewee) meds 72.722 61,8386 (4,091 Missouri.........- PISA: 17,940 22.378 16,098 a 35,597 5,625 15,961 MI ok een . . .),722 700 5.770 484 6,160, 682 The total production of coke and anthracite pig iron in Pennsylvania was 2,767,008 tons during the first half, 2,767,633 tons during the second half of 1898 and 3,046,- 664 tons during the first half of 1899. Ohio produced during the three periods named 995,843 tons, 984,164 tons and 1,072,171 tons, respectively. The production of Bessemer pig was as follows: Production of Bessemer Pig. First Second First half of haitof half of 1SUs, 1808, 189 , Pennsylvania: EOI VOMCT sc dccccccceces om ‘ 38,434 36, €86 15 SS 26,257 28,884 28,124 Upper Susquehanna Valley... ...... 50,444 16,222 77,438 Lower Susquehanna Vailey. ............ 182,027 178,282 194,264 DEORE OOUIET oc esccccsccecscesces 1,210,249 1,249,015 = 1,247,26 Shenango Valley......... Te SI ee 68,815 256,410 112033 Miscellaneous bituminous............ .- 177,548 191,692 194,818 2 ee Lthebeteneauys: Se 83,184 93,749 SS WIR cs oo r0ee es ecesdiennonseseeue 104,516 88, 18:3 98,138 Ohio: Mahoning Valley and Hanging Kock ne oe cae cubemenen waenns 295,367 250, 108 293,768 Hoe king SPREE Res : ON are ae 173.5 188,91 66,704 Miscellaneous bitumin OUS.... 0. 30 331 ) 27.499 (| engeecrlie egg fa aaa 87,445 622,679 642,528 a higan and Wisconsin. .............. aS , 602 11,957 7 CU DICeeekstcehe ee sesweeatescersonnt ; 2 "4 Colorado....... er Pee va ptkans + ebbenwees 48,951 aia : ; i. eee ; : eee. 3,703,584 3,033,800 3,788,907 The total sebiaaiiiens of Pameiiee pig iron in Penn- sylvania was 2,053,774 tons in the first half of 1898, 1,987,191 tons in the second half and 2,113,418 tons in the first six months of 1899. For Ohio the figures for the corresponding periods were 799,937 tons, 770,598 tons and 787,971 tons. The production of basic pig iron is reported as fol lows: Production of Basie Pig Iron. First Second First half of half of balf of 1898 1898. 1899 PPT eee 645 einken Pennsylvania—Allegheny C ‘county. 153,429 224,727 230, 109 Other counties. .. _—......... 102,318 102,229 128,771 Maryland, Virginia and Alabama 55,834 98,995 82,377 Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin and Mis- i Riticacaddancnesetusdcetcass -- 26,259 22,008 24,700 EAR ee ere 337,485 447,959 465,957 The quantity of “iden and ferromanganese produced in the first six months of 1899 was 104,496 gross tons, against 104,128 tons in the last six months of 1898 and 109,641 tons in the first six months of that year For the chareoal iron industry the report shows the folowing Production of Charcoal Pig Tron. First Second First halt of halt of half of 189s 1898 1899. Massachusetts........ eae 1.243 2 418 978 Connecticut ....... eyes 421 > 910 1,390 New York Sp eee : 816 724 060 Pennsylvania....... F411 2.650 1,334 Maryland....... ees . : bx Oe a oO” “a é ; 107 GOOrBIE. ..cccces cee ae 7,315 6,447 : aan NE a cicecccsca: ‘e ; 18,239 1849 14.604 We adwindeutncaas ; ; : 1.817 3361 4 Tennessee. aa pie ‘ 8.28 215 7,044 ae eRe er 108 243 2.862 Michigan.... jpevesnase easics anne sean 72,792 ) Wisconsin....... ere imate 6 sa sia 87,163 Missouri......... 24. aye | > |. ere re Sicha .. 147.00 140,74 125,48 On the question of stocks Mr. Swank says: Our statistics of stocks of unsold pig iron do not include pig iron sold and not removed from the furnace bank, or pig iron in second hands or in the hands of creditors, or pig iron manufactured by rolling mill owners for their own use. The stocks which were unsold in the hands of manufacturers or their agents on June 30, LS99, amounted to $1,220 gross tons, against 571,577 tons on June 30, 1898, and 291,233 tons on December 31, 1898. Included in the stocks of unsold pig iron on hand on June 30, 1899, were 4827 tons in the yards of the American Pig Iron Storage Warrant Company which was yet under the control of the makers, the part in these yards not under their control amounting to 45,973 cons, which quantity, added to the 81,220 tons above mentioned, makes a total of 127,193 tons which was on the market at that date, against a similar total of 415,338 tons on December 31, 1898. The total stocks in ‘the above named warrant yards on June 30, 1899, amounted to 50.800 tons. against 150.800 tons on De- cember 31, 1898. =i aimee The World’s Iron and Steel Production. We are indebted to James M. Swank, general manager of the American Iron and Steel Association, for copies of a monograph forming part of the forthcoming volume of the ** Mineral Resources’ published annually by the United States Geological Survey. It presents full statis tics of the iron industry of this country and the leading producing countries of the world. The following table summarizes in admirable form the statistics of the world: World’s Production of Piq Iron and Steel. — Pig iron. Steel.-— Produc- Per Produc- Per- tion cent- tion cent- Countries Year Tons nue. Year Tons. age. United States ...... . 1898 11,773,934 3.02 1808 8,932,857 7.02 Great Britain. IS98—s- 8,631,151 4.21 1898 4, 65, OSE 19 Germany and Luxsem Se 1898 7,232,988 20.29 1808 79,570 = - 25.96 cca dtabiaoeined 189s ' 7.11 1808 1,473,100 6.11 Relgium, .. 1598 179,101 2.75 1808 653, 130 2.71 Austria and Hungary . 1807 =: 1, 38.493 ..67 1896 880.696} +65 Russia and Finland . 1898 2,193,750 6.1 IS 1,153,000 1.78 les cnncecs secon Some 8.197 1.51 1897 275,128 1.14 ES ‘ 1898 261,799 73 189s 215,015 88 Italy.... EE eee * 1s SS 02 189 13,940 27 Canada.... Ae 68,7 19 189s 21,540 09 Other countries..... 1807 125 000 39 18 15,000 .06 ee: “shear 9,009,988 100 00 1,126,962 100 00 English tons of 2240 pounds are used for Great Britain, Canada the United States and * other countries,”’ and metric tons of 2204 pounds for all other countries, metric tons being used as the equivalent of English tons in ascer taining the total production for all countri ~~ In the United States Circuit Court at Pittsburgh, on Friday. July 21, a bill in equity was filed by the Carnegie Steel Company. Limited, asking for an injunction restrain ing Edmund W. Heyl and William J. Patterson, compris- ing the engineering and contracting firm of Heyl & Pat- terson, from manufacturing an apparatus for casting and conveying pig iron. The defendants, with Julian Ken- nedy, the well known mechanical engineer; Charles A. Arthurs and W. Wilson Burns, have just sec ured a charter for the Pittsburgh Casting Machine Company, and it was their intention to manufacture the conveyor on a large scale. The Carnegie Steel Company. Limited, in their bill claim that the Heyl & Patterson machine is an in- fringement on a patent of Edward A. Uehling of Birming ham, Ala., which they purchased some years ago and have - in use in their furnace plants. The Carnegie Steel Company, Limited, further allege that the defendants have been manufacturing the apparatus and have thereby caused the Carnegie Company great financial loss. Dam- ages and an accounting are demanded. } § i —_— : ae ee ol ee a i — oe eT ea eS s THE IRON AGE. The Walker Magnetic Chucks. The magnetie chucks for planers, grinders or lathes built by Oc S. Walker & Co. of Worcester, Mass., do away with all bolting, strapping, wedging or sticking down work on planers or surface grinders. They are not only good for thin work, but better for thick work. They have a wide range for such work as packing strips, racks, gibs, plates, straight edges and parallel work of all kinds. Work with beveled edges and work impos- July 27, 1899 in Fig. 1 and in detail in Figs. 2 to 5 is an extremely powerful one, having a strong magnetic attraction in a horizontal direction against a vertically adjustable back rest as well as a holding down attraction. Ad- vantage is taken of this feature to hold work for finish- ing the edges as well as the flat sides. A squaring de- vice is also furnished with the chuck so that the edges ean be planed exactly at right angles to the sides. Edge finishing up to 314 inches high can be done. The whole face of