The Iron Age 1901-02-21: Vol 67 Iss 8

A Review of the Published every IRO*:AGE - 420 wise [ es, Hardware, Iron, Machinery and Meval Trades. Thursday Morning by David Williams Co., 232-238 William St.. New York. . & New York, Thursday, February 21, 1got. Si: Reading Matter Contents iphabetical index to Advertisers ‘‘ assified List of Advertisers .. “ ertising and Subscription Rates “‘ 149 151 85 OO a Year, including Postage, Single Copies, Ten Cents, Dynamo Bt. domog ey ' DELTA New York THE BRISTOL COMPANY, Waterbury, Conn. Bristol’s Recording Instruments. Fer Pressure, Temperature and Electricity, Silver Medal, P .ris Exposition. All Ranges, Low —— and al AMSON SPOT CORD > = — 4 assachusetts and Phenix ds nett. and SON CORDAGE WORKS, Boston, Mass. TURNBUCKLES. i Branch Office, 11 Broadway, New York. peveland City Forge and IronCo., - Cleveland, O. vTARN BUCH UES. —2 MERRILL BROS. pniligil — 465 to 471 Kent Ave. Brooklyn, E.D., N.Y. MILL CINDER, ILLING & CRANE, Girard Building, Phila, ey ery r Wgebareh. New Yor Also Apollo galvanized iron is better in every respect ; and costs less money for almost any sort of a job—in the v ages . American Sheet Steel Company Battery Park Building New York CLIMATE MAKES NO DIFFERENCE IN THE SHOOTING QUALITIES OF U.M.C. Ammunition. “Shoots well Send for new Shooting Records end UMC. Catalegue. TheWVnion Metallic Cartridge Co, Factory - Bridgeport, Conn. in any gun. Agency 315 Broadway, New York, NY. Depot. 425 Market St, San Francisea,Cal. > GAHALL BOILERS Soo Page 104 CAPEWELL HORSE NAILS. NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA, CHICAGO, ST. LOUIS, BOSTON, DETROIT, CINCINNATI, SAN FRANCISCO, PORTLAND, ORE., BUFFALO, BALTIMORE, NEW ORLEANS. THE CAPEWELL HORSE NAIL COMPANY, HARTFORD, CONN. BRANCHES: Jenkins Bros.’ Valves are manufactured of the best steam metal, and are fully ‘teed, Why experiment with cheap valves? If you want the BEST ask your dealer for valves manufactured by Jenkins Brothers. Re- member all genuine are stamped with Trade Mark like cut. JENKINS BROTHERS, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston. Brass Prices High So Use Bright “Swedoh” Stamp- 5 19 ing Steel. Easily Brass Plated and Save Money. page MAGNOLIA METAL. Best Anti-Friction Metal for all Machinery Bearings. Pac-Simile of Bar. TRA Beware of a>. imitations. MAGNOLIA METAL CO., Owners and Sole Manafacturers. 266 and 267 West St.. tTondon, Chicago, Montreal Pittsburgh, NEW YORK. Boston, San Francisco. Philadelphia, THE IRON AGE. THA ANSONIA RRaAss p” COPPER CoO. MANUFACTURERS OF BRASS AND COPPER Seamless Tubes, Sheets, Rods and Wire. Ingot Copper SOLE MANUFACTURERS Tobin Bronze (TRADE-MaRK REGISTERED.) Condenser, Piates,Pump Linings, Round, Square and Hexagon Bars, for Pump Piston Rods and Bolt Forgings. Waterbury Brass Co. Established 1845. Sheet, Roll and Platers’ Brass, German Silver, Co , Brass and Ger- man Silver * Brass and Copper Tubing. COPPER RIVETS AND BURS. TAPE MEASURES, METALLIC EYELETS, Brass Kettles, Brass Tags, Powder Flasks, Shot Pouches, &c., AND SMALL BRASS WARES OF EVERY DESCRIPTION Cartridge Metal in Sheets or Shells a Specialty. DEPOTS : 60 Centre St., New York. 126 Eddy St. dence, R.{. 38 Mechanic St., Newark, MILLS AT WATERBURY, CONN. Deoxidized and Ordnance Babbitt and Anti-Friction Metals, Best and Cheapest. BRIDGEPORT DEOXIDIZED BRONZE & METAL 60., BRIDGEPORT, CONN. 99 John Street, New York. ee ee Randolph-Clowes Co., Main Office and Mill, WATERBURY, CONN. MANUFACTURERS OF SHEET BRASS & COPPER. BRAZED BRASS & COPPER TUBES. SEAMLESS BRASS & COPPER TUBES TO 36 IN. DIAM. New York Office, 253 Broadway, Postal Tel- egraph Bidg., Room 202. Chicago Office, 602 Fisher Bld Boston Office, Cor. Oliver and Purchase Sts. grew NJ ‘Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Co., LA SALLE, ILLINOIS. SMELTERS OF SPELTER AND MANUFACTURERS OF SHEET ZINC AND SULPHURIC ACID. Special Sizes of Zinc cut to order. Rolled Battery Plates. Selected Plates for Etchers’ and Lithographcrs’ use. a et be A - r mad ef: Wheel, 83. 00 5 Wheel, $3.25 R. A. HART, Selected Sheets for Paper and Card Makers’ use. ZINCS FOR LECLANCHE BATTERY. BRASS Fivsuers J: J RYAN & CO INISHERS 9898 ' Best Bronze, Babbitt Metals, Brass and Aluminum CAST!NsS _ | ee BROS. MFRS, WESTFIELD MASS _BATTLE CREEK, MICH. v0 Veen Uf PROPRIETORS OF THE Belleville Copper Rolling Mills, Braxsicrs’ Bolt and Sheathing COPPER, Importers.and Dealers in Ingot Copper, Block Tin, Spelter, Lead, Antimony, etc. Stove and Washboard Blanks. — i — at a a) Co sebue!_E— 1M @ieblal-t-col eee |) THE METAL SUBSTITUTE Guaranteed. 2) HENDRICKS BROTHERS MANUFACTURERS OF COPrPrvER Ww iRE AND RIVETS. 49 CLIFF ST., NEW YORK. THE PLUME & ATWOOD MFG, 0, MANUFACTURERS OF Sheet and Roll Brass —AND— WIRE PRINTERS’ BRASS, JEWELERS’ METAL, GE MA SILVER AND GILDING METAL, COPPER RIVET AND BURRS. Pins, Brass Butt Hinges, Jack Chain, Ke sene Burners, Lamps, Lamp Trimmings, &c. 29 MURRAY ST., NEW YORK. 144 HIGH ST., BOSTON. 199 LAKE ST., CHICAG( FACTORIES : WATERBURY, CONN, ROLLING MILL : THOMASTON, CONN. SCOVILL MFG. CO., Manufacturers of BRASS SHEET, WIRE, TUBES. Hinges, Buttons, Lamp Goods, Nipples, Pumps and Oilers for Bieyeles, Braziers’ Solder. FACTORIES, WATERBURY, CONN. DEPOTS: CHICAGO, NEW YORK, BOSTON. JOHN DAVOL & SONS AGENTS FOR Brooklyn Brass & Copper Cc DEALERS IN COPPER, TIN, SPELTER LEAD, ANTIMONY. 100 John Street, New Yo Arthur T. Rutte SUCCESSOR TO WILLIAM S. FEARING, 256 Broadway, New Yor Sheet Brass, German Silver, Co per, Brass and German Silver Wire, Brazed and Seamless Brass and Copper Tubes, Sma Tubing a Specialty. Brase 4 Copper Rods, Brass Ferrules Sheet and Ingot Copper; Spelt Tin, Antimony, Lead, etc. “PHONO - ELECTRIC WIRE. “IT’S TOUGH." TROLLEY, TELEPHO - and TELEGRAP LINES. BRIDGEPORT BRASS ( 19 Tlurray St., New Y: MOAfAR DO) ORDER. SEND FOR Cun 1888 ARE = ‘TF WELCH MPG. CO, 63 BUDBURY STREET, Mills, Bridgeport, Cenn. eee — — oo aaa | ie ee eee ee eee ee — THE IRON AGE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1901. The Hooper Pneumatic Concentrator and Drier. The Hooper Pneumatic Milling Company of 515 West Thirtieth street, New York, build the two machines illustrated, for the drying and concentration of ores of all grades. The concentrator is remarkable mainly for the extreme simplicity of its construction and the efficiency with which it does its work. It will effectu- ally separate ores into two, three, four or five groups, and will handle ores in which the variation in gravity is less than 1 pound. In ordinary work, where there is but one mineral to be recovered, the receiving bins can be so located and the ore passing over the screen so guided as to form three groups, one at the extreme right containing only the mineral, the central one being THE HOOPER PNEUMATIC middlings, with a certain proportion of mineral, and which, if necessary, may be passed again through the machine, while the third is tailings, having no value. Tests of the machine, working upon a mixed lead, zine and fluorspar ore, in which the highest theoretical saving of zinc was 67 per cent., resulted as follows: Test No. 1, 62.91; Test No. 2, 65.16; ‘Lest No. 3, 61.11; the average being 63.06; or within less than 4 per cent. of the highest theoretical saving. Tests made with these same ores on three of the leading concentrating tables using water resulted in zinc concentrates which ran respectively 25, 45 and 45 per cent. On this ore the lead saving by the process here described was 14 per cent. better than the water tables. Results of an equally satisfactory character have been made in the handling of gold, silver, lead and other ores. The essential features of the machine will be under- stood from the first three engravings; it consists of a base, across which extends the driving shaft, carrying two eccentrics, as indicated in the sectional elevation, Fig. 2. The stroke of the machine may be varied as demanded by the character of the material by shifting the eccentric strap, so as to produce any length of stroke from nothing to the maximum. Upon the right hand end of the shaft is mounted a split pulley so designed and weighted that it may be shifted in order to counterbalance the eccentrics, no matter in what position they may be. The eccentric rods are attached to a rubber diaphragm beneath which is a perforated screen of thin sheet metal. The diaphragm is cut to form flaps, so that upon the down stroke of the ec- centrics air is admitted to the chamber. Immediately above and connected with this chamber is a second circular one also provided with a rubber diaphragm arranged in flaps. It will be apparent now that at each stroke of the eccentrics air is admitted through the lower diaphragm, discharged through the upper one, CONCENTRATOR AND DRIER, and its force expended upon the cloth underlying the concentrating screen. The upper diaphgram serves also as a stop which prevents dirt being drawn into the air chamber. = The concentrating table is mounted upon a universal joint so that any desired inclination may be given to it. It consists of a frame shaped as shown in the plan view, Fig. 3, under which is stretched the cloth, which covers a grated bed, the gratings being of the same angle as the lower riffles of the concentrating top and which fit accurately on the grate bars. The pul- sations of air through the cloth cause it to vibrate between the riffles. The air is also subdivided into small columns which, passing through and in con- junction with the riffles, cause the separation. Immediately above the cloth and resting upon it is the concentrating table, which consists of two sets of guide strips arranged at right angles with each other and at angles of 45 degrees with the side of the frame. The lower group of strips is about 3-16 inch in hight and serves to guide the metal contained in the ore to the right hand end of the lower or discharge end of the 4 } 4 —_* 2 table. The second group of strips rests upon the first, is about 2 inches in hight, and guides the tailings to the extreme left, or the tailings side of the table. From what we have said, the principle underlying the operation of the machine will be understood. Crushed ore composed of particles having different gravities is separated by agitation, the heaviest seek- ing the lowest position, the next heaviest being on top, and so on. Bearing this in view it will be understood that the rapid impulses of air through the cloth thor- oughly shake up the crushed ore, the heaviest particles of which are separated from the useless parts and are guided by the lower strips to their particular side of the table. At the same time the lighter particles remain on top and are guided by the upper strips to the oppo- site end of the table. The pitch or inclination forward facilitates the passage of the ore from the feed to the discharge end. Eleven degrees forward is usually the most allowable and 5 degrees sideways the most re- quired in that direction. The side angle has a direct effect on the character of the concentration, some ores requiring more, others less, the exact angle being de- termined by observing the concentration, as the ore passes over the table. This can be determined with THE IRON AGE. February 21, 1900 of the top are mainly used. The feed is so regulated that the whole bed of the machine is nicely and evenly covered after a few minutes’ running with from % to % inch of ore above the cloth. The Drier. vamp and wet ores are first dried in the machine illustrated in Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive. This consists of an inclined box furnished at its lowest end with a CONCENTRATES SIDE Fig. 8.- Plan of Concentrating Table. \< | » Ud oH SSS SE Tus IRon AGE Fig. 2.—Sectional Elevation through Fig. 1. THE HOOPER PNEUMATIC CONCENTRATOR AND DRIER. reasonable certainty, since the concentrates ought al- ways, with a proper adjustment of the machine, to be clean. These adjustments can readily be made while the machine is running. Each eccentric is provided with a dial face, as shown in the upper right hand view, Fig. 2, which indicates the exact length and stroke, from nothing to 1% inches, at which the machine may be set. The proper stroke gives the ore a crawling motion, the particles working up and down through each other and seemingly crawling as they travel toward the discharge end. The pulsations range from 350 to 450 per minute, cone pulleys being provided for obtaining the desired varia- tion of speed, though the machines can be set up to suit size of ore at a certain speed and require no cones. Upon the upper end of the machine is placed an iron hopper provided with a series of gates facing the discharge end. There are three or four gates in this hopper, but the two nearest the right angled side steam manifold, the pipes of which lead up through the under side of the bex. The ore is fed into the machine through a chute at the top, strikes the guide plates or steps C, by which it is guided to the lower end, pass- ing in its passage above the steam pipes B, leading from the manifold A. At the lower end is the receiving hopper D. The construction of the manifold, which is the most important part of the machine, will be understood from Figs. 4 and 5. It consists of a cast iron pipe formed with a central dividing wall. Screwed into the outside pipe and communicating with the inlet steam chamber is a 2-inch pipe covered with a cap at its upper end. Within this pipe and screwed into the partition wall in the manifold is a 1-inch pipe, open of course at both ends. Steam is admitted to the inlet chamber, passes up through the 2-inch pipe, and down through the 1- inch pipe to the outlet steam chamber. In a typical arrangement employing this drying and February 2), 1901 THE concentrating system the several units would be so ar- ranged that the ore would pass as nearly as possible in a direct line through the plant. There would be first the ore platform for receiving the crude material, from which it would pass to a coarse crusher, then to a drier, if this should be necessary at this stage of the operation. From here it would go to coarse rolls, then finishing rolls, then to the screens and ore bins, from which it would be conducted to the concentrators for / ; / / Al INLET STEAM \ | = . \ \ a | é CHAMBER \ x) ¥ f > 7 } — | & : : 2 Qe) CHAMBER \ I\y \ \ \ f \ \ OUTLET STBAM A Fig. 4.—Section of Manifold in Drier. Fig. 6 —View of Drier with Case Broken Away. TRON AGE. 3 pulverizing made by the leading mining machinery manufacturers are entirely suitable. machines as >_> The Toledo (Ohio) Machine & Tool Company have giving special. attention to the requirements of Viel od Dod el bed ded been - | STEAM INLET——> | M | povwen i] Reel Die .) a | ¥ || ee M STEAM OUTLET - a | — J Us ll THE IRon AGB Fig. 5.—Sectional Elevation of Drier. Fig. 7.—Sectional Elevation of Drier. CONCENTRATOR AND DRIER. THE HOOPER PNEUMATIC separating the values, and from there to the storage bins and tailings discharge outlet. While these con- centrators require the ore to be dry for separating the values (consequently use no water), yet in mill con- struction the standard lines of power crushing and shovel manufacturers, and“=have designed and built a number of tools for shovel makers, which very materially reduce the labor cost on this class of work. The com- pany are now equipping four large shovel plants, which will be put in operation within the next six weeks. F ee | i The Clergue Enterprises. The vast Clergue enterprises at Sault Ste. Marie, both metallurgical and mechanical, are progressing rapidly, and every few weeks it is possible to announce some new determination on the part of the syndicate along the line of progress laid down at the beginning of Mr. Clergue’s work there. Fr. H. Clergue has just returned from the East and Europe, where he has been attending to the com- mencement of the immigration undertaking which is called for under the terms of the immense land grants given the Algoma companies by the Canadian Govern- ment. It is expected to bring out many thousands of the better class of immigrants during the coming months, and a very marked start will be had before next fall. While he has been engaged abroad getting machinery in motion important experiments and determinations at home have not been permitted to lag. Speaking of these Mr. Clergue said yesterday to me: ; ‘We are now having prepared plans for two char- coal blast furnaces which will be very much larger than any yet attempted. The fragile character of the fuel has supposedly prevented the adoption of larger fur- naces for charcoal work; we are not convinced that the profitable limit as to size for charcoal furnaces has been reached, but have wondered if the difficulty of obtain- ing proper fuel has not been the principal restraining influence with every charcoal iron works. The location of the Algoma Central Railway, through 1000 square miles of hard wood forest, will secure our charcoal furnaces an ample supply of fuel, while our arrange- ments for the manufacture and sale of our by-products will serve to very largely reduce the cost of our fuel. There has not yet been any public mention of this project, as we have felt it necessary to exhaust the experience of charcoal furnace practice before engaging in so radical an advance, The matter is now fully de- termined, however. “We have on hand 200 carloads of material for our Bessemer plant, and the foundations are already well under way. The erection of a part of the machinery has commenced. The Riter-Conley Company have se- cured the contract for the erection of thesteel structures, but all the walls will be of stone, conformable architec- turally to our other works here. The Bessemer plant, I think you already know, will consist of two con- verters having a capacity for 600 tons daily, besides which there will be two tilting open hearth furnaces with a capacity of 50 tons each daily. “The Midland furnace of the Canada Iron Furnace Company is now producing 125 tons daily of excellent pig iron from Helen ore, which has proved itself ex- ceptionally desirable in the furnace.” In speaking of this Helen ore in The Iron Age some months ago I stated that it seemed to me to be of a character that would prove excellent for furnace use. Mr. Clergue speaks of the saving of by-products; I understand that some very new patented processes for this work are to be used at the new furnaces, appliances that are expected to exceed in results anything that has so far been put into general use. The Algoma Central road is steadily pushing its way northward, and the extent of the forests of spruce and hard woods it is passing through is a surprise to the most sanguine. Mr. Clergue is not too enthusiastic when saying they have “1000 square miles of hard wood forest.” At the Sault the work of erecting buildings and in- stalling machinery is still continuing steadily. The sulphite works are about to begin operations and in a short time there will be a very large daily production of sulphite pulp. The company have no intention of making their pulp into paper, preferring to deal in a very wholesale way. The nickel reduction works are also well along. At the Helen mine they are working away developing and quarrying ore for the coming season’s shipments, and at the Gertrude pyrrhotite prop- erty they are busily engaged in similar operation. The Michigan Lake Superior Power Company, that portion of the enterprise that is erecting a 50,000 horse- THE IRON AGE. February 21 1901 power canal on the Michigan side of the Sault rapids, are about to commence remedial works at the head of the rapids, that are designed to offset the increase of flow of Lake Superior by the opening of the com- pany’s power canals. These works will cost about $300,000, are accepted by the Government engineers, and will be started as soon as the ice is out in the spring. They will follow the general course of the Canadian Pacific bridge across the head of the rapids and will consist of a series of concrete piers connected by movable steel shutters. These works are demanded by the navigation interests of Lake Superior on the part of both the United States and Canadian Governments. With them in place there will be no lowering of the water of Lake Superior, though the entire flow, except that small portion necessary for the operation of the locks, shall be diverted through the canals. So much, indeed, is intended, and it is the expectation that the famous Sault rapids will in a few years be dry. Mr. Clergue is attempting to create in Canada a market for the ore his company have come into posses- sion of along the north shore of Lake Superior. To this end he has become interested in the Canada Iron Fur- nace Company at Midland, and in the Cramp Ontario Steel Company at Collingwood. These works, with those outlined above for the Sault, will give a home market for from 400,000 to 500,000 tons a year, and will thus take care of a very large share of the probable product of the mines for some time at least. To those that have been of the opinion that these mines would have an effect on the general ore situation in the United States, this will possibly come in the nature of a sur- prise. D. E. W. iin, —_—— The A. Y. McDonald & Morrison [lfg. Company. The A. Y. McDonald & Morrison Mfg. Company, Du- buque, Iowa, are graduaily removing from their old plant to the new one. The new works comprise two connected buildings, one of which is used for foundry purposes and the other constitutes the machine shop. The foundry is one story high and covers a ground space 140 x 220 feet. It is equipped with a cupola for iron and a number of furnaces for brass. The brass fur- naces are built near the boilers, the waste heat from the furnaces being utilized in raising steam, requiring the use of but little direct fuel for that purpose. The foun- dry is equipped with a number of special molding ma- chines built by the company from their own designs. The machine shop is 140 x 185 feet, having a clear space in the center to the roof, the center being well lighted from side windows in a long cupola. A wide gallery extends down both sides of this building, this gallery be ing used principally for brass finishing machines, a por- tion being inclosed for a drafting room. The iron work- ing machines gre placed on the ground floor. They in- clude numerous special automatic machines designed for the company’s particular requirements. They manu- facture a large line of iron house and farm pumps, being among the most extensive manufacturers of such goods in the world. The new works have been laid out to enable a large output to be easily handled. The company also manufacture an important line of plumbers’ sup- plies. Plans have been completed for the erection of a very large warehouse on ground set apart for the pur- pose between the machine shop and the railroad tracks adjoining the property. When the warehouse is built the raw materials will be received from a track adjoining the foundry and the process of manufacture wili carry everything forward to a point convenient for shipping the finished product. ii, ——- Pittsburgh-Buffalo Freight Rates.—The rates “of freight on articles of iron and steel in carloads from Pittsburgh to Buffalo have been reduced to 9 cents per 100 pounds and in less than carloads 11 cents. These rates are lower than fifth and sixth classes, on which basis most of the concessions of February 1 were fixed. The old rates to Buffalo, in effect since October, 1899, in iron and steel articles were 11% cents per 100 pounds in carloads and 14% cents in less than carloads. Febuary £1, 1901 THE IRON AGE. 5 The Pressed Steel Car Company. Under date of February 14 F. N. Hoffstat, president of the Pressed Steel Car Company, issued the following statement: As stated to you at the stockholders’ meeting held on January 23, 1901, it was impossible to have the audit of the company’s books completed at that date, but in pur- suance of the promise then made you, it is my pleasure to inclose herewith a condensed balance sheet, duly cer- tified by the Audit Company of New York, showing the condition of this company at the close of the fiscal year ending December 31, 1900. In your examination of this balance sheet, it will be well to bear in mind that when your company were incorporated they had a cash work- ing capital of but $1,500,000, and at that time were doing a business of but $1,000,000 a month. By reason of the great demand for their product, it was deemed wise to more than double their capacity for the manufacture of pressed steel cars and pressed steel trucks, bolsters, &c., and another plant was installed dur- ing the past year for the construction of an entirely new line of work—steel under framed, wooden topped cars. The result of this installation has been very satisfac- tory, and the company are now in a position to bid on the erection of all kinds of freight cars. Since the incorporation of the company, as you will see from the financial statement, the profits have aggregated $4,312,284.84. Out of these profits, $1,750,000 in preferred and $875,000 in common dividends have been declared and paid. The McKee’s Rocks plant cost $1,581,580.48, and additions for the purpose of acquiring property and making improvements to original plants, amounting to $555,701.77, have been taken out of the initial working capital and earnings. From this you will see that the actual cash working capital of the company has been somewhat encroached upon, but the plants and the capacity have been more than doubled, and the monthly production increased from $1,000,000 to upward of $2,000,000. Increased volume of business necessitates the carrying of larger stocks of material, and for the full operation of the plants, so far as can be seen, it will be necessary to carry between $4,000,000 and $5,000,- 000 worth of material on hand at all times, and for this purpose the company have been compelled to be an ex- tensive borrower. During the past year money has been borrowed at low rates, but it has been deemed advisable and prudent to fund this floating indebtedness. There- fore, a mortgage for $5,000,000 covering a period of ten years and bearing interest at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum, to secure notes maturing at the rate of $500,000 each year, has been executed, with the right to the com- pany to anticipate payment of all or part, as provided for in the mortgage. These notes have been disposed of on terms advantageous to the company. By this means the company secure extra working capital, and their interest charges are limited to not ex- ceed $250,000 the first year, and $25,000 less every year thereafter. There was disbursed last year for interest on borrowed moneys $215,820.70, which was charged off to operating expenses, and we believe that more than the difference appearing between this amount and $250,000 can be saved in extra discounts on materials purchased. The retirement of the notes annually will strengthen the company and reduce their interest account. Nothing has been added for appreciation of the com- pany’s real estate, which has largely increased in value during the year, and nothing has been deducted for de- preciation of plants, for the reason that it has been the custom of the company to charge all expenses for the keeping up and replacing of dies, tools and machinery to operating expenses, and by reason of the practically indestructible character of the plant and properties, their newness and high efficiency, no necessity has arisen up to the present time to open a depreciation account. With the company well equipped for economical handling of their large and growing business, their debts funded at 5 per cent., and ample working capital to continue their business, their future position seems as- sured. The balance sheet of the company on December 31, according to the report of the Audit Company of New York, was as follows: Propettion: GWG SPOMGRIGs «ous occa ccc aennne as $22,650,000.00 Cost of construction McKee’s Rocks plant....... 1,581,580.43 Additions and improvements to plants, other than McKee’s Rocks, from January 1, 1899, includ- ing purchase of real estate, amounting to SS iia 0.0 yao wu 4 bia. om e's Rca ere wie GL a 555,701.77 ELT Te Pe ae 272,082.19 Current assets: Accounts receivable.............$1,915,767.77 Stock of materia! on hand....... 4,922,952.55 DE? cap nub eats beast ve hk @ aoa 214,034.55 ——_——_—— 7,052,754.87 I es ee ae OT So gee ee eee eee $32,112,119.26 Liabilities. Capital stock, common...........$12,500,000.00 Capital stock, preferred.......... 12,500,000.00 3 —_—_——$25,000,000.00 Purchase money mortgage (4 per cent. due 1909) McKee’s Rocks Ss 5 aa we wrort's otha Sew exe alk ara Current liabilities : Nd cn Sate atie ks MONEE DOGG s 6.5 0 5 kev ewes 1,9 Accrued salaries and wages (pay- Pe ere re ee Accrued dividends, being the fourth quarterly dividend on the pre- ferred stock, declared January eg ET la sine ies ac0ro a/R Gea: < s 235,000.00 218,750.00 — 5,064,834.42 Surplus: Balance January 1, Ey ¥86 baw doa. $1,362,103.85 Deduct dividends paid on common ee 750,000.00 —- -——~- - 612,103.85 Add profits for year without deducting any reserve for depreciation ..... 2,075,180.99 Deduct dividends paid on preferred DOU sxdvas ceiwes 875,000.00 1,200,180.99 ——— 1,812,284.84 co ORR eo ee ee ea eee ee $32,112,119.26 neti eee Portable Fire Extinguishers.—Edward Atkinson, in the annual report of the Manufacturers’ Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Boston, says: “ We have in past years assented to the use of portable fire extinguishers in main works and factories, advising them in some cases to be put in counting rooms, engraving rooms and other similar places, but not into the main mills and works. We objected to the use of the glass bottles cortaining chemicals and we still object to them, but we believe they have disappeared from the market. The reason for not encouraging the portable fire extinguishers in their early stages was that any apparatus which required time for its adjustment, coming between the handy bucket of water and resort to the pump, had in some cases in- creased the loss by delay in place of preventing it. That type of fire extinguisher has been displaced by better ones, which can now be used in about as simple a man- ner as a bucket of water, by simply reversing the posi- tion of the fire extinguisher, thus mixing the chemicals and letting on the Stream. Therefore, while we would not let up on our suggestion for open pails and buckets, by which more fires are put out than by all other appliances, we call attention to the effective use cf portable fire ex- tinguishers in their application to the inside of the mule carriage, to fires under carding engines and to other conditions where, even if the sprinklers have started promptly, water from other sources is needed in order to put out a fire. Small hose is coming into very general use for this purpose, and with this safeguard we may now recommend modern fire extinguishers of approved types.” —iiie A telegram from A. J. Moxham, general manager of the Dominion Iron & Steel Company of Sydney, to H. M. Whitney is quoted in the Montreal newspapers to the effect: ‘‘ Suiphur, which was our doubtful point, is under absolute control to-day, and this with unwashed coal.” a 5 = ext) -amnureseegs stots se peat 6 THE The Cleveland Molders’ Settlement. CLEVELAND. Ohio, February 16, 1901.—The strike of the Cleveland molders came to an end late last evening when Molders’ Union 218, representing the molders of Cleveland and Lorain, ratified the articles of agreement made by the joint conference which has been in session since February 8. After one of the most stubborn struggles in the his- tory of labor troubles the molders have lost nearly every point involved. They return to work at $2.75 per day, the same wages they received previous to July 2, 1900, when the strike commenced. The contention over the non-union molders was settled by the agreement that the non-union men under contract are to be discharged when their contracts expire, but in taking back union molders the foundrymen decide whom they wish to take back and whom not. The strikers will give up several shop rules that have prevailed heretofore, but which have been considered obnoxious by the foundrymen. On June 3 there will be a joint conterence, when there will be an ad- justment of the question of wages, the agreement to con- tinue for one year. Neither side claims to have won a decided victory and both claim to be satisfied, although it would appear that the advantage is on the side of the employers. The strike has been a terrific handicap to the manufacturing industries of Cleveland, for although during the latter days enough non-union men were secured to take care of a large portion of the work required by local manufac- turers, during the earlier days nearly all of it had to be sent to surrounding towns. On the manufacturers’ side the strike was conducted by the National Founders’ Association, and Secretary John A. Benton maintained his headquarters here, supervising the work of securing non-union men. Large sums of money were spent by the association in traveling expenses, special police and in bonuses to the imported men, many of them being paid as high as $4 per day in addition to the standard $2.75 per day. During the entire strike the Molders’ Union paid regular strike wages of $7 per week to all union men who remained in the city and did picket duty. Out of the 683 men whe struck not one returned to work and about 300 continued to draw strike pay until the end. The presidents of the two organizations estimate that the actual money expended during the strike has been at least $400,000, while the incidental expenses, loss of time and production are said to reach $600,000 more. In addition to this the strike was attended by the loss of three lives, among them a lieutenant of city detectives. A number of non-union men were injured at various times. The articles of agreement follow: 1. That the Iron Molders’ Union of North America shall declare the strike off, and cease immediately to picket the foundries of the city, the men’s boarding houses and homes and co-operate with the foundrymen of Cleveland and Lorain in the operation of their foun- dries. 2. The contracts now in force between the foundry- men of Cleveland and Lorain and their employees shall be completed in good faith, but no more contracts shall be made for the foundrymen of Cleveland and Lorain unless in case of strike. The National Founders’ Asso- ciation shall discontinue at once advertising for or en- gaging molders for Cleveland and Lorain foundries, and give notices provided in the contracts for the discon- tinuing of the bonus, and the National Founders’ As- sociation agree not to support any members if they re- fuse to comply with the terms of this agreement. The National Founders’ Association will not require over 40 days for the disposition of the men now employed. As fast as the present employees leave and any shop is vacated the Iron Moiders’ Union of North America agrees to have that shop immediately filled with its members, and the Cleveland and Lorain foundrymen agree to ac- cept the same to the number required by the foundry- men in the operation of their foundries and the work started; the selection of the men to be left to the foun- drymen. These men may not of necessity be former employees. TRON AGE. Febiuary 21, 1901 3. The Iron Molders’ Union of North America to notify their men to apply for work at once and make engagements for the time they are to return to work based on one day’s notice, said netice to be sent to the nen required by the foundrymen as soon as the foun- dryman has found his work, patterns and shop in readi- If there is a fuiJure on the part of the Iron Mold- ers’ Union to bave the molders return to work then the Cleveland foundrymen are to engage such molders as are satisfactory to themselves, and the Iron Molders’ Union agrees not to support its members if they refuse to obey the oréers of the president to return to work un- der the terms of this agreement. 4. That the minimum rate of wages shall be 27% cents per hour for the floor and bench molders, and any man returning to bis former employer shall be paid at the same rate of wages he received prior to July 1, 1900, 10 cents per day. And overtime shall be paid at the rate of time and a half, except in case of ac- cident or cause beyond control consuming not over 30 minutes, and double time for Sundays and holidays, to wit: July 4, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Labor Day. 5. That the further adjustment of wages shall be by means of an agreement negotiated on June 3, 1901, for one year thereafter, and shall conform to any joint reso- lutions and ageements adopted by this conference on that subject. 6. That each foundryman shall take back all his own apprentices, and each apprentice shall return to his former employer. 7. That the arbitrary limitation of output on the part of the molders, or arbitrary demands for increase in the output of the molder on the part of the foundryman shall not be in accord with the spirit of equity which shall govern the relationship of employer and employee, all attempts in that direction are to be viewed with dis- favor. 8. That the right of the foundryman to operate moid- ing machines in foundry shall not be questioned. In determining who shall operate them, regard should be given to the question of how their possibilities can be brought out and how the work can be most economically produced. 9. That the work shali commence promptly at the hour from which wages are calculated. 10. That other questions which have been the cause of friction and bad feeling between the employers and em- ployees of the Cleveland and Lorain foundries are to be the subject of further investigation and correction when such abuse is found to exist, the object of this being to bring into closer relationship employer and employee, so that their mutual interests may be protected. And further, that the investigation and removal of the abuses that the foundrymen complain of are to be subject to a rigid investigation by the president and vice-presi- dent of the Iron Molders’ Union, with the understanding that they will see that such abuses cease. 11. That the details above mentioned, together with any disputes relating to their adjustment are to be settled by the presidents of their respective associations or such person or persons as they may designate. 12. The foregoing agreement applies only to the fol- lowing foundries now on strike, but in those cases in which only a small per cent. of the molders employed by any of the foundries was involved in the present strike, it is to be understood that the terms of this agreement Shall apply only to that per cent.: American Shipbuilding Company, City Foundry Com- pany, Cleveland Castings Company, Fulton Foundry Company, Kilby Mfg. Company, Lorain Foundry Com- pany, Mahler Wheel & Foundry Company, McBeth & Co., Otis Steel Company, Palmers & De Mooy Foundry Company, Patterson Foundry Company, Riverside Fouit. dry Company, United States Cast Iron Pipe & Foundry Company, Variety Iron Works Company. , Less, less At Pittsburgh an order has been made in the case of Edwin E. Smeeth and others against the Fox Bronze & Copper Company, granting a preliminary injunction re- straining the defendants from further making or selling an improvement for copper bosh plates, on which the complainants claim to have a patent. February 21, 1901 THE Notes on Tuyeres. BY JOHN M. HARTMAN, The photograph * of tuyere shown will be quickly recognized by all bronze tuyere makers as among those returned and reported as being made of bad metal. An analysis of the metal shows it to be standard metal. The cause of the trouble lies with the founder, who does not keep his air passage open in the fuel in front of the tuyere to let the air penetrate into the crucible, or it may be in the use of too large a tuyere. When the cinder trickling down through the fuel in front of a tuyere be- comes chilled by the entrance of the air at that point the blast is diverted upward and starts melting above the tuyeres, burning off the surface of the tuyere and oxidiz- ing the metal, making it brittle. This molten material wears grooves on the surface of the nose, and when these grooves meet and join they cut a large groove in the nose, which cracks open. The water then enters the furnace, chills the hearth and lowers the grade of the iron. An investigation of a case like this will reveal that the pricker rod for opening the space in front of the tuyere is lying in some corner, dusty and rusty. Soon as symptoms that the blast does not penetrate are discov- X IRON AGE. 7 and the destruction of the tuyere from the molten ma- terial flowing down over it is quickly accomplished. The result is a loss to the furnace proprietor and the tuyere maker, who must come in for his share of blame. More watchfulness on the part of the keeper and the use of the pricker rod by the helper will give the superintendent more peace of mind and a larger profit from his furnace. Means should be provided at every tuyere to show that all the tuyeres are working evenly. When tuyeres with excessively large nozzles are used the air has no pene- trating power and is reflected upward, and the molten material flowing down over the nose of the tuyere burns it in the manner already described. This is corrected by using a smaller nozzle, but the pricker rod must not be abandoned. A clinker forming in front of a tuyere has a crushing strength of 311 pounds per square inch, while pressure of the entering air is 12 pounds. What chance has the air to penetrate the clinker and get rid of the melting of the rills of iron from the melting going on right over the tuyeres. The application of the pricker rod is the only thing to stop it. What is more effective and saves loss of the blast is a small cartridge put up against the clinker or driven into it and exploded. These can be had cheap- ly, and do their work, as they open a fissure through the THe /Ron AGE IMPERFECT BRONZE TUYERE. ered the pricker rod must be applied vigorously until the blast penetrates the crucible properly. This whole trouble comes from the abandonment of the pricker rod. A furnace having a pricker rod worn bright by use does not have this trouble, and a more uniform working with increased results is obtained. The air passing the nose of the tuyere is at a temperature of, say, 1200 degrees, and is highly oxidizing. Copper melts at about 1950 de- grees, and the cast iron running over the nose of the tuyere is at a temperature of about 3600 degrees. These conditions all favor the burning of the surface of the nose of the tuyere. When a rill of iron flows over the nose the tuyere gets hot in spite of the water circulating in it, and as the surface of the metal approaches a red heat the air begins to burn or oxidize tue copper. The metal of the nose does not melt, but burns, leaving it brittle, spongy and easy to crack. The temperature of the crucible and the cinder on No. 1 iron is about 3600 degrees. At a temperature of about 50 degrees the cin- der chills close to the nose of the tuyere, creating an ob- struction to the entrance of the air, thus dispersing it sideways and upward and preventing penetration. Cold air requires almost constant use of the pricker rod. When pipe stoves are used, with the attendant air tem- perature of 900 degrees of air, the cinder does not chill so quickly. Still, the pricker rod must be used. With brick stoves and an air temperature of 1200 degrees the cinder chills less quickly than with 900 degrees, but the pricker rod cannot be abandoned. With the larger volume of air now used, an obstruc- tion once formed in front of a tuyere soon becomes worse *The mark X on the half-tone is due to an imperfection in the photograph. clinker, allowing the blast to penetrate to the fuel back of the clinker and melt it away. How many furnacemen know which tuyere is taking the most blast, robbing the other and causing scaffolds with explosions ? The simple fact of losing a number of tuyeres in succession at one opening shows that the furnace is working lop sided. When they are lost all around the proof is furnished that there is not sufficient penetration, which is due to a chilled center or excessive- ly large nozzles. The wider the crucible the more care is required to get penetration to the center and save the tuyeres. Has the art of running a furnace increased with the size of the furnace used to-day ? A velocity of en@ering air of 20,000 feet per minute is required for anthracite, for coke it is 15,000 feet, and for charcoal 10,000 feet per minute. This estimate has been justified by 25 years’ practice, and no cause has been found to change it if good work is required. Tuyeres have run 33 months, to be then taken out be- cause they were worn too thin for safety. Twelve months is a good run for a tuyere, but plenty are burned in half an hour. Zine or lead in the ores alloys with the metal on the nose, melts and runs off. With the rapid driving of furnaces as at present the greatest care and watchful- ness is imperative. That the metal was burned off the top of the nose of the tuyere here described is shown by measurements of the nose at the burned part at the top and at the bot- tom. At the part of the top burnt the thickness was 3-32 inch. The good metal at the top had a thickness of 3-16 inch, while the good metal at the bottom was % inch thick. te THE 38 A Duluth Water Power Undertaking. Papers in condemnation proceedings are being filed at Duluth by the Highland Canal & Power Company, who propose to construct in St. Louis and Lake counties, Minn., a water power canal to have a very large capacity, and to be able to deliver at the machines of consumers 100,000 24-hour electrical horse-power. The discovery of the fact that a canal practically on one level might be constructed across St. Louis County from a point within the city iimits of Duluth to within a few miles of the Canadian border, 100 miles away, was a notable one, and was made by F. A. Cokefair, an engineer from New York. He has associated him- self with Eastern capital that is claimed to be able to carry out the project. To judge from the railways that cross the same region or to follow the surveys heretofore made, one can scarcely credit the state- ment that a waterway, practically without locks, can be secured for this distance through such a region, but accurate surveys show there is not the slightest ques- tion of the fact. The water shed covers an area of more than 2500 square miles, taking but a proportion of the annual storm flow, and impounding it in reservoirs, while the nature of the ground and the extent of swamps, lakes and streams to be crossed makes particularly easy the 100,000 horse-power that can be uniformly maintained through a far longer period of drought than has ever been known in the region. The open canal brings water to a point within the city limits of Duluth, and some 776 feet above the level of Lake Superior. The drop will be through a series of steel pipes to the power house located in the center of the manufacturing district along the Duluth-Superior harbor. There is an immediate demand at Duluth-Superior for not less than 30,000 horse-power, and with an as- sured power delivered at the consumer’s door at the price proposed to be charged by the Highland Com- pany a material increase of this demand is expected. It is stated that nowhere else in this country can power be generated and sold so cheaply, on account of favor- able conditions for ease and cheapness of construction, maintenance and operation, with an abundant and re- liable supply of water, an available fall of 776 feet and short distance transmission. It is expected by the pro- jectors of this company that they will sell power on a graduated scale much like that of the Cataract Con- struction Company, and at about two-thirds the price charged by that company. The estimates show that the cost of the entire system of canal and installation of plant will be not greatly in excess of the cost of the tail race of the Cataract Company at Niagara Falls. There is along the line of the proposed canal a very large quantity—many hundred millions of feet—of pine timber, much of which cannot be gotten to market except by some such canal or by railways to be con- structed. None of this timber can now be brought to the saw mills at Duluth. There are also along the line millions of cords of pulp wood, now very valuable, and at present under the same restrictions as to trans- portation. There are also many other kinds of valuable products. All of these can be floated down the canal to the head of the hill above the city of Duluth. The company propose to erect a conveyor system running from the terminals to the harbor of Duluth-Superior, and to deliver these materials there at low cost. This it is expected will be an important and valuable feature of the system. In the conveyor system many new and interesting engineering problems have been worked out. Plans, surveys and estimates of cost have been com- pleted for the entire system, for both the waterways and terminals, and it is expected that construction will begin early the coming season. The plans and estimates of cost, &c., have been in- dorsed by J. T. Fanning, consulting engineer, of Min- neapolis, and other well known men in the profession. a a. ; Freight Rates on Cast Iron Pipe.—The request of the makers of cast iron pipe, notably the United States Cast IRON February 21, 1901 AGE. Iron Pipe & Foundry Company, for a reduction in freight rates on cast iron pipe, has been refused. The railroad freight ageuts met in Columbus last week and took the matter up, but decided to continue in force the old rates. The rate from Scottdale, which has the only cast irom pipe plant in the Pittsburgh district, to Chic