The Iron Age 1901-03-21: Vol 67 Iss 12

HE TRON_AGE A Review of the Hardware, Iron, Machi... “ Hoses Trades. Pul ished every Thursday Morning by David Williams Co. 2R32-2RF 33 Winiam St... New York. Vol.67: Ni 0. 12. New York, Thursday, March 21, rgot. $5.00 a Year, including Postage. Single Copies, Ten Cents. Read’ ig Matter Contents iphavetical Index to Advertisers ‘ jass fied List of Advertisers dvertising and Subscription Rates ‘‘ 151 153 THE BRISTOL COMPANY, Waterbury, Conn. Bristol’s Recording Instruments. Fer Pressure, Temperature and Electricity, Silver Medal, Paris Exposition. All Ranges, Low Prices, and Guar- apteed. Send for Circulars. 4 AMSON SPOT CORD . _ 67 A New U. M. 6. .22 Short Smokeless Cartridge AT A REDUCED PRICE. Little Noise. No burning grains of powder from the rifle’s muzzle. Comparatively Cheap. Your Dealer has it or can get it for you. THE UNION METALLIC CARTRIDGE CO, 315 BROADWAY, N. Y. BRIDGEPORT, CONN. GAHALL BOILERS suru ACCURATE, SMOKELESS, CLEAN. AueMvauisefSashtera SON CORDAGE WORKS, Bosten, Mass. TURNBUCKLES. ie nee Office, 11 Broadway, New York. land City Forge and ironCo., - Cleveland, O, UTARNBUCEL=ES. MERRILL BROS., ies: 465 to 471 Kent Ave., Brooklyn, E.D., N.Y. PILLING & GRANE, | APOLLO BEST BLOOM Girard Bullding, Philada. GALVANIZED IRON : — “4 Lewis Block, Pittsburgh. 56 Pine St., New York. Any man does more and better work with Apollo than with common galvan- ized irons. Shows in the wages ac- count and the business. American Sheet Stcel Company Battery Park Building New York CAPEWELL HORSE NAILS. NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA, CHICAGO, ST. LOUIS, BOSTON, DETROIT, CINCINNAT‘I, 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 ge EST ask Why experiment with cheap valves? If you want the your dealer for valves manufactured by J Brothers. 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- gu 1A __ing Steel. Easily Brass Plated and Save Money. pat Re- MAGNOLIA METAL. Best Anti-Friction Metal for all Machinery Bearings. 266 and 267 West St.. NEW YORK. London, Chicago, Montreal, Pittsburgh, Boston, San Francisco, Philadelphia. MAGNOLIA METAL CO., Manufacturers; Owners and Sole ae ae THE IRON AGE. THE ANSONIA BRaAss p” COPPER CO. 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. $9 John Street, New York. | 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 ey, Postal Tel- egraph Bldg., Room 202 Chicago Office, Sa Fisher Bld Boston Office, Cor. Oliver and P Sts. Watechaiey ans 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 Shellc a Specialty. DEPOTS: 60 Centre St., New York. 126 Eddy St. dence, R. 1. 38 Mechanic St., Newark, Wd MILLS AT WATERBURY, CONN. Deoxidized and Ordnance Babbitt and Anti-Friction Metals, Best and Cheapest. BRIDGEPORT DEOXIDIZED BRONZE & METAL CO,, wow BRIDGEPORT, CONN. 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 Lithographers’ use. Selected Sheets for Paper and Card Makers’ use. Stove and Washboard Blanks. ZINCS FOR LECLANCHE BATTERY. BRASS Finsiers 5 — For ae at wa 3a”, Cohebalel— hho J..RYAN& CO. Oi eblat- 5-10, Best Bronze, Babbitt Metals, Brass and Alominum CASTINGS On Sb t Notic No better counter made. Ud R. A. HART, 5 Wheel, Guaranteed. 4 Wheel, $3.00 $3.25 BATTLE CREEK, MICH. Buy A SEAMLESS LINENOID FOR $25.00 AND Paddle Your Own Canoe, Crane Bros., Canoe Builders, Westfield, Mass. SEND FOR CATALOGUE. HENDRICKS BROTHERS PROPRIETORS OF THE Belleville Copper Rolling Mills, MANUFACTURERS OF Braziers’ Bolt and Sheathing COoOPrPiER, COPPER WwiRE AND RiIvETs. Importers and Dealers in Ingot Copper, Block Tin, Spelter, Lead, Antimony, etc. 49 CLIFF ST., NEW YORK. THE PLUME & ATWOOI MANUFACTURERS OF Sheet and Roll Brass —aND— WiR PRINTERS’ BRASS, JEWELERS’ METAL, SILVER AND GILDING METAL, COPPER AND BURRS. Pins, Brass Butt Hinges, Jack Chain, K sene Burners, Lamps. Lamp Trimmings, &c. —— ER RI 29 MURRAY ST., NEW YORE. 144 HIGH ST., BOSTON. 199 LAKE ST., CHICA 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, PACTORIES WATERBURY, CONN. NEW YORK, BOSTON. wore DAVOL & SONS AGENTS FOR iaictidiens Brass & Copper Co DEALERS IN COPPER, TIN, SPELTER, LEAD, ANTIMONY. 100 John Street, - New Yor Arthur TI. Rutter SUCCESSOR TO WILLIAM S. FEARING, 256 Broadway, New York. Sheet Brass, German Silver, Cop per, Brass and German Silver Wire, Brazed and Seamless Brass and Copper Tubes, Small Tubing a Specialty. Brass an Copper Rods, Brass Ferrules. Sheet and Ingot Copper; Sp-lte Tin, Antimony, Lead, etc. “PHONO - ELECTRIC WIRE. “IT'S TOUGH.” TROLLEY, TELEPH(NE and TELEGR ‘Ph LINES. BRIDGEPORT _ 00. 19 Tlurray St., New Y °«. Mills, S52 gta Coun. \4 7. F. T WeLeer GPa GO 85 BBSURY TRARY, SOTO" ‘THE IRON AGB TuursDAy, Marcu 21, 1901. Electrical Transmission Direct from the Coal Mine. A German Coal line Plant at Essen-Ruhr. BY FRANK C. PERKINS. The great success of the Niagara electric power trans- mission plant, and many others of a like character throughout the United States, has caused many engineers to wonder why if water power can be transmitted to a distance for use in industrial centers it is not equally advantageous to generate the electric current at the coal mines and transmit the energy lying idle in the kw., requiring engines of more than 7000 horse-power to drive them at their normal output. The generating units of this power house are shown in the accompany- ing illustrations and consist of 500 kw. and 1000 kw. Drehstrom alternators directly connected to high power compound engines. There are three three-phase generators of 1000 kw. each, delivering alternating currents of 5000 volts po- tential. The speed of these generators is 94 revolutions per minute and the revolving portion of the generator acts as the tly wheel for the engine. The other two units consist of direct connected 500 kw. generators supplying current at the same potential and driven by engines making the same speed. The exciter dynamos One Thousand Kilowatt Three-Phase Alternator at Essen-Ruhr. ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION DIRECT FROM THE COAL MINE. great culm banks to the various nearby cities. This practice will undoubtedly come into general use within a few years and has already been tried in Germany with great success. At Essen, an important industrial town, situated in he heart of the Rhine and Westphalian coal district, he well-known German firm, Electricitiits-Actien-Gesell- ‘haft, formerly W. Lahmeyer & Co., of Frankfort-on- ie-Main, have recently erected a large power plant,which ay have especial interest on account of the peculiar rrangements and the pleasing decorations of the engine 0m not commonly seen in this country. The power house is erected in the direct neighbor- ood of an important coal mine. The boilers are heated y top gases of coke ovens from this coal mine. The en- ine and generator room are equipped at present with lyphase alternators, having a total capacity of 5000 F are direct counected to the alternator shafts and are of the six-pole continuous current type. A rotary converter is used to supply the necessary continuous current for operating the motors employed for driving the condensing pumps. These motors oper- ate at a speed of 420 revolutions per minute, and the pumps are geared to 120 revolutions per minute. The rotary converter operates at a speed of 1000 revolutions per minute and has a capacity of 50 kw. The current from this plant is to be used for lighting the various railway stations of the Government, located at distances up to 20 km. from the power house, as well as supplying power as at present to a number of indus- trial works, located in places at short distances from Essen. Among the ,numerous manufactories whose plants are operating by electrical energy transmitted from this power house at Essen are the Westdeutsches =o ad —~ ee a Per ee ee ae ay il iit ae bi 2 THE IRON Kisenwerk of Kray, Union Maschinenbau-Actien- Gesellschaft of Essen, nd the Blechwalzwerk Schulz- Knaudt. The latter pli is equipped with 19 polyphase alternating current aggregating about 500 horse- The works at three-phase about 100 while the Union Maschinenbau-Actien-Gesellschaft have six trans- formers of 600 kw. capacity and operate in addition to a large number of incandescent and are lamps more than 40 motors of a total capacity of 600 horse-power. The Electricitiits-Actien-Gesellschaft, formerly W. Leh- meyer & Co. of Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany, were awarded a Grand Prix at the Paris Exposition for the installation of the Essen-Ruhr plant, shown by maps, drawings and They awarded the motors power. using six horse-power capacity, ‘ray is motors of photos. were also highest prize for their 1500 horse-power steam alternator. By using the waste material at the various coal mine country an shafts throughout the enormous amount of THe IBONAGE AGE. March 21, 1901 The Russian Duties on Metal Goods. Increased Duties Underestimated, WASHINGTON, March 19, 1901.—The Treasury Depart- ment is in receipt of additional official information with regard to the Russian decree levying punitive duties on certain American products taxable under the metal schedule, which sets at rest a number of disputed ques but shows that the increased duties levied have very much underestimated. It now appears that the increases provided by the Russian decree are cal- culated upon the general, or maximum, tariff rather than upon the conventional, or minimum, tariff, which makes a difference of about 25 per cent. in the punitive rates which must now be paid. It is also learned that the in- crease is not uniform upon all the paragraphs specified tions, been Fig. 2 —Five Hundred Kilowatt Alternator at Essen Ruhr. ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION energy could be developed, and by means of the latest polyphase power transmission methods now in practice thousands of horse-power could be transmitted to com- paratively great distances. The Niagara-Buffalo power transinission has not only been a great success in the past few years, until at present Buffalo is receiving more than 10,000 horse-power with a line potential of 11,000 volts, but it will be even more satisfactory in doubling this amount of power by the use of a line potential of 22,000 volts, a total of more than 20,000 horse-power be- ing available with the present pole line construction. A vew aluminum conductor line is under of con- struction which will be capable of conducting energy to the extent of 10,000 more horse-power, or a total of 30,000 horse-power, which will be available as soon as the wer house and turbines and generators are installed over the hew wheel pits, which will be in time for the Pan-American Exposition. process new p ainda The New England Foundrymen’s Association has elected George B. Buckingham of Worcester, Mass., president; H. A. Carpenter of Providence, vice-presi- dent, and Fred. L. Stockwell of Cambridge, Mass.. sec- retary. DIRECT FROM THE COAL MINE in the decree, but that on paragraph 150, covering cust iron wares, the proposed increase is 20 per cent., cal- culated on the general or maximum tariff, while on the other paragraphs affected the increase is 30 per Ceutl In addition advices from the International Custous Bureau at Brussels state that the rates imposed on «Xx other paragraphs of the metal schedules have been te™- porarily increased 10 or 20 per cent., the increases be levied, however, upor all importations without regard * country of origin and being calculated upon conven tional rates where such rates are provided in the tari law. The official text of the Russian decree, which has been received by the Treasury Department, is as fol- lows: The Official Text, * According to the terms of Remark 1 to Article 628 of the Custom House Regulations, and of the annex to ihe said Remark, and by virtue of the right reserved to ithe Minister of Finance in accordance with the report made to His Majesty, the Emperor, dated March 31, 1900, the Minister of Foreign Affairs for matters coming under his jurisdiction has decided: ‘I. To apply, within the limits stipulated in the an- March 21, 1901 THE nex to Article 628 of the Customs Regulations, an in- creased tariff on products manufactured in the United States of North America which upon their importation are included in Articles 150, 151, 152, 153, 161 and Sec- tion 2 of Article 167 of the customs tariff for European commerce, “IL. For the goods imported and classed with the Articles of the customs tariff enumerated in the forego- ing Paragraph I, certificates of origin must be presented to the officers of the customs house in conformity with the rules given below when said goods do not bear the manufacturer's stamp, or other indications showing their origin. “TIT. ‘he measures enacted in the foregoing two paragraphs are to be applied within 15 days from the date of their publication. “The Minister of Finance has brought this decree to ihe notice of the existing Senate under date of February 19, 1901, annexing thereto the rules for the certificates of origin in order that the same may be published. * Published by the Senate February 15, 1901.” Article 628 of the Customs Regulations and the an- nex thereto, referred to in the above decree, are as fol- lows: * Goods which form the basis of manufacture and trade in these countries which do not give Russia the most favored privileges of import and transit are sub- ject to the following duties, imperially sanctioned on June 11, 1891: “1. Thirty per cent. increase on the following para- graphs of the customs tariff: . . . 151, 152, 153, 161 and 167, Section 2. “2. Twenty per cent. increase on the following para- graphs: «a ss 1 From this extract it will be seen that the Russian Government holds that the United States does not “ give Russia the most favored privileges of import and tran- sit,” and has levied the punitive duties of 20 per cent. on Paragraph 150 and 30 per cent. on the other paragraphs mentioned as a measure of retaliation. The provision of the ministerial decree above quoted, requiring certificates of origin for all goods specified under the paragraphs upon which puvitive duties are levied, is intended for the protection of importers of such goods from other coun- tries than the United States, and also to prevent indirect importations of American products. Calculations made «n the basis of the Department’s official advices show the general conventional and punitive duties on the paragraphs embraced in the ministerial decree to be as follows: Equivalents: Pood = 36 pounds; funt = 0.9 pounds. 150. Cast Iron wares: 5 CR, COU, DOP POG 6 6ck cecccceccsccces $0.579 COE GN cee k esd bacto ss es cedenwveds 0.4632 IIE. CN oils one 40 hoo be aed sewen eam Xs 0.6948 2. Vessels of cast iron, enameled, per pood........ 0.772 I Ms sock o's bu ota ae a ae a oe ree None Ns 5.555 eR owes aKes ee eN ce esashe 0.9264 3. Cast iron wares, filed, polished, turned, painted, bronzed, tinned, varnished, enameled (except vessels), zincked, or coated with other metals, even combined with wood, copper, or its alloy, OOP DEOES occ cdzeccevedtoansse aid Oe dee oa’ 1.3124 COOISOE (GUAT ik 6 6:5.b 00 tile cebiees ces tins 1.0808 I NE 55, da ahs ds: Che tee bab en we oe 1.5749 31. Manufactures of iron and steel, forged, stamped, or cast, not filed, or filed on the sides and edges only, but not otherwise wrought, except those specially mentioned; forged nails, per pood.... 1.3124 ; Comvemtbeel GHG. ccccccasdcodecccvscavevces 1.0808 DRE Ns. 5 obo wkd bedhbns es eee scence 1.7061 .152. Iron and steel boiler work, such as boilers, reser- voirs, tanks, cases, bridges, pipes, as well as all articles of sheet iron or steel, not specially men- Comad, DEF MOOK. .rcvccccceccacesescocccece 1.3124 CE Ms + cach anc as o hed eebee neat ees 1.0808 NE) Gs ok doses ve asveresrsedsssonsns 1.7061 i583. Manufactures of iron or steel, not specially men- tioned, shaped, turned, polished, bronzed or otherwise worked, combined or not with wood, copper, or its alloys, weighing: 1. More than 5 funts each, per pood.............. 1.3124 Conventional duty...... Sob dousccesévess *..-+ 1.0808 Pennetta GMs ccccccconcccasescucescceceges 1.7061 2. Five funts or less each, per pood............... 2.0844 CED GE sc ccccsntcesvvenecorseeeene 1.6984 DER Gs vec cboecd vb etus cdo esesésseces 2.7079 IRON AGE. 3 92 3. Padlocks, and other locks cept those of copper, also WOOd SCFOWS, Per J Od... cccecccccscsses 3.088 Conventional duty...... 0 .cccccccscccccsceces None EMCTORMNS GUEF 6 ccc PMc cccrcccccsececces 4.0144 161. Tools for the use of artists, trades, factories and WOEMERODS, POE POOG sa 7 oo cccccceccscevencdve 1.0808 es eee ee errr er 0.8492 SRCONUOE -QOET sx. oie cise coma ses cmon ew waders 1.405 167. Sec. 2. Gas and water meters; motors worked by gas, hot air, or petroleum; dynamos, sewing tenders, and knitting machines; portable en- gines (with the exception of those mentioned in Sec. 5).; fire engines (excepting those mentioned in Sec. 3); machines of all kinds not specially mentioned of cast iron, iron, or of steel, with or without parts of other materials, per pood.... 1.3124 a 2 rrr Te Te eer Te eT ere eT Tee 1.0808 eee er eee ree 1.7061 The advices from the International Customs Bureau at Brussels show that an increase of 10 per cent. has been made in the tariff on articles of copper and its al- loys, if gilded or silvered; on iron or steel wire, and on wire made of copper or its alloys, including wire gauze or wire covered with textile materials or gutta percha. An increase of 20 per cent. has been made upon cutlery “set in gilt, silvered, plated or other metallic composi- tions, in tortoise shell, mother of pearl, ivory, &c.,” also if set in common materials with ornaments of the above mentioned materials, including gold and silver, side arms, sword blades and other blades of all kinds; port- able firearms, accessories of all kinds for firearms, car- tridge cases, cartridges, and caps loaded or not; and on spectacles, eye glasses, telescopes, &c., with or without glasses. It should be remembered that these increases are levied alike on the products of all countries. While diplomatic negotiations promise the shortest way out of the present controversy with Russia the Treasury Department is doing everything in its power to expedite the determination by the courts of the ques- tion as to whether the Secretary has properly decided that the manipulation of the internal revenue tax on sugar by the Russian Government amounts to a bounty. A case has already been made upon an importation of Russian sugar, and Colonel Gibson, special attorney for the Treasury Department before the Board of General Appraisers at New York, will hold a conference with the Treasury officials within a day or two to perfect the Government’s defense. Should the board hold that Rus- sia does not pay a bounty it is the present disposition of the Secretary of the Treasury not to appeal the case and thus a settlement may possibly be reached within a few days, as the proceedings before the board are very ex- peditiously conducted. Should the decision go against the importers, however, it is assumed that the case will be taken to the United States Circuit Court and finally to the Court of Appeals, where it will probably rest, as Treasury officials do not believe the basis for an appli- eation to the United States Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari can be found. The speed with which the case can be disposed of in the courts will depend chiefly upon whether the secondary evidence submitted by the De- partment will be taken by. the importers as the basis of an agreed statement of fact, otherwise the matter will be postponed until the United States Consul at Odessa, who has furnished the information, can journey to the United States to testify. An interesting suggestion has been made in this con- nection by a prominent Treasury official familiar with the Russian statutes, who states that it is entirely com- petent for any merchant or importer doing business in Russia to make a test importation of American goods on which the punitive duties have been levied—which duties went into effect on March 3—and to protest to the Russian Senate, which maintains advisory jurisdiction over the ministerial offices, that the Minister of Finance has improperly costrued the countervailing duty levied by the United States on Russian sugar as a discrimina- tion against Russian commerce. It will be noted from an examination of the decree presented above that it is based upon the contention that the United States has discriminated against Russian commerce, and if the Russian Senate upon the appeal of the importer should decide that no such discrimination has been made it is assumed that the decree would be withdrawn. w. L. c. < Ras Ve a= ee a re ee es ppc = eet \) l = on Per: wa Notes from Great Britain. The Market, Lonpon, March 9, 1901.—The market seems to have settled down to a steady waiting game between makers and consumers. The consumers are waiting to see the outcome of the American steel combine; the makers, in their turn, are waiting for fuel prices to come down. Between the coal masters, the iron and steel masters, the American combine and the cautious tactics of buy- ers, the market is in a state almose of somnolence— though, to be sure, it always sleeps with one eye open. Unofticially association prices have gone by the board. Thus the Midland standard price for unmarked bars is $40, but sales are being effected at $33 to $35. Middles- brough is quoted at $33, Lancashire at $35 and North Staffordshire at $35 to $37.50. Best bars are just now selling much more easily than common bars, but not in great quantities. To-day the following prices are ef- fective: Marked bars, $47.50; Dudley brand, $50; Staf- fordshire, $35; corrugated sheets, f.o.b. Liverpool, $55; hoop iron, $41.25; nail rod and rivet iron, $35; Bessemer billets, $25; Siemens, $26.25; mild steel bars, $36.25; steel plates, $36.25; steel girders, $33.25: steel angles, $32.25. The export trade is falling off badly, although orders are coming in from India and Australia. These orders do not nearly replace those that are being fast com- pleted. A Criticism of Mond Gas, There has recently been such a unanimous chorus of approval of Mond gas that a little adverse criticism is refreshing. One criticism is to the effect that the heating value of Mond gas when compared with ordi- nary coal gas is very low. ‘The calorific value of the Mond gas has a thermal efficiency of about 150 units per cubic foot and contains 42 per cent. N, 16 per cent. CO., whereas coal gas has 0.7 CO, and 0.5 N, and an efficiency of 680 thermal units per cubic foot, or four and one-half times the heating value of the Mond prod- uct. Moreover, it has to be remembered that Mond gas is largely a water gas, and for every ton of fuel gasified 214 tons of steam are required in its production. Assum- ing the gas making plant will assist in steam generation to the extent of 25 per cent., there would still require to be provided large boiler power to meet the deficiency. These practical difficulties must, of course, be met be- fore Mond gas can be considered a commercial success. The Belleville Boilers. The service engineers are all curious as to the future use of Belleville boilers in the British Navy. Parlia- mentary debates on this question create immense excite- ment. On the whole, expert opinion has steadily set itself against the continuance of Belleville boilers. The Water Tube Boiler Committee have now submitted their report, which, it is rumored, is inconclusive. The commit- tee favor the water tube boiler to the cylindrical, but they are not of opinion that the Belleville is the best of its kind. The committee ask for time and money to make further experiments. They are about to visit the works of John Brown & Co. of Clydebank, to witness the evaporative trials of two boilers for the great armored c uiser “ Leviathan,’ 14,100 tons, 30,000 horse-power and 28 knots speed. Meantime it is interesting to know that the sum paid in royalties to the Generateurs Belle- ville Company has already amounted to $600,000, and that when present contracts have been completed the sum will amount to about $1,000,000. Boller Tubes and Wire Ropes. An engineer at Johannesburg writes that there is now a great demand for boiler tubes and wire ropes for the Witwatersrand mines. The dimensions of boiler tubes most in demand are: Length in feet. Diameter in inches. 8% 3% 10 3% 12 3% or4 14 4 16% 4 The last mentioned tubes are most in request. In wire ropes the dimensions required are those of 2000, THE IRON AGE. March 21, 1901 2500, 3000 feet and over, to a diameter of 1 1-8 inches. These sizes, both of boiler tubes and wire ropes, are being heavily stocked by merchants at Cape Town, East London, Port Elizabeth, Durban and Lorenzo Marques. Offers of these goods should also be made to the agents of the mines in London, Paris and elsewhere. It is wise to remember that American engineers are “ well in” in South Africa. 8. G. H. -_ — Lake Iron Ore Matters. DvuLuTH, MiInn., March 16.—The indications are for an extremely early opening of navigation, but there is no move toward an ore freight rate by lake. This is largely due to the ownership of both mines and a por- tion of the ore fieet by the new United States Steel Cor- poration and in part to the strike of marine engineers. The steel company, owning sufficient tonnage to move their ore, are not desirous of making any rate except at some point near the bottom, and the longer the mat- ter is deferred the easier it will be, with this great lever of combined ownership, to make a rate that will satisfy. As to the possibility of the sale of the Corrigan min- ing interests to the combination, which I first mentioned a week ago, I learn that offers have been made for the mines at a good price, but have not yet been accepted and may not be. The Corrigan party figures that both inside and outside concerns will want their mines some time. There has been talk also of a sale of the proper- ties of the Cleveland Cliffs Company to the combination. It may be set down as a fact that so long as W. G. Mather lives there will be no sale of these splendid properties to the United States Steel Corporation or to anybody else. Negotiations are under way, it is ru- mored, for the sale to the combination of some other outside mineral interests. Additional pieces of land have been bought this week around Negaunee and at Teal Lake by the Oliver and Cleveland Cliffs iron companies, and now every inch of shore line of the lake is owned by one or the other. The testing of the lake will be next in order. The Cleveland Cliffs have six drills now on their new $600,000 pur- chase at Negaunee and several more on the Breitung lands, over which there is litigation. A second drill has been started at the East Negaunee by the Oliver Com- pany, who have an option on the mine. There are many other properties near this that are now being looked into. These include the old Rolling Mill, now the Ches- ter of the Chester Mining Company of Duluth; the old Milwaukee, which shipped 400,000 tons; the Grand Rap- ids, which has shipped 110,000 tons; the Manganese, Chicago, Green Bay and New York Hematite, several of which are owned by the Breitungs. The annual report of the Commissioner of Mines of Michigan incorrectly states that the Rolling Mill belongs to Samuel Mitchell. He has not owned it for a year or two. The old Michigan, Menominee range, located at Crys- tal Falls, is now a full fledged mine and is one of the first properties in that region that the Oliver Company have transformed. It is not yet a shipper of a pound of ore, but has model buildings and shaft houses and the finest machinery plant in the district. In 1899 the Oliver Company unwatered the old exploratory shaft and sunk it another level and found plenty of ore. There is now a three compartment shaft and three levels are developed with lots of good ore. A crusher will be in- stalled. There are indications of a large output this year. The old Monongahela mine, near Crystal Falls, has been taken by Jones & Laughlins and will be pumped out and inspected at once. It is supposed to con- tain a good deposit of ore. Steel is arriving at Duluth for the new line of the Eastern Minnesota to the central Mesaba range, and the road will be handling ore in July. John T. Jones of Iron Mountain, who has been exam- ing the deposits of the Orinoco Iron Company, 350 miles up the river of that name, in Venezuela, has returned and tells your correspondent that he was disappointed in the showings of ore there. Seven cargoes have been shipped to this country, but the stories told of the moun- March 21, 1901 THE tain of ore and of the ease of mining are, Mr. Jones says, decidedly overdrawn. Railroad men are much interested in the 100.000 pound wood ore cars the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul are building for their Crystal Falls traffic. These cars are of the same capacity as the largest steel car, and, strange to say, are of almost exactly the same dead weight, being less than 30,000 pounds, or less than 20 pounds to 100 pounds of live load. The over all dimen- sions of these cars are 22.25 x 9 feet, with hopper 7 feet deep and reaching to within 26 inches of the rails and the doors hanging to within 3 inches of the rails. The cars are exceedingly stiff, a load of 112,000 pounds de- flecting them inappreciably. The only pressed steel ore cars to carry more than 100,000 pounds are a lot for the Duluth & Iron Range that were built for 112,000 pounds. A large number of these cars will be used for ore this year. r= W. —_ The Boynton & Plummer Overhead Drill. The overhead or hanging drill here shown is intended for drilling large work, such as plates used in boiler making, shipbuilding and similar work where a large THE BOYNTON & PLUMMER OVERHEAD DRILL. swing is required. The machine drills to the center of a 49-inch circle. The distance frum the wall or post to the spindle is 2414 inches, and this can be made greater by blocking out. The drill, which is built by Boynton & Plummer of Worcester, Mass., is back geared and has three kinds of feed—viz., lever feed, screw feed, and lever and screw feed combined. The steps of the cone pulley are 4, 64%, 8% and 11 inches in diameter for a 2%-inch belt. The tight and loose pulleys on the counter- shaft are 10 inches in diameter for a 3-inch belt. : > The Highland Iron & Steel Company.—The Highland {ron & Steel Company will be the name of the corpora- tion organized to build a rolling mill at Terre Haute, Ind. The company will have a capital stock of $300,000 and will be officered as follows: President,- Philip Matter of Marion; vice-president, J. L. Smith of Muncie; secre- tary, W. M. Myers of Muncie; treasurer and general manager, W. C. Ely of Marion. It is stated that con- tracts have been placed for the equipment of the plant. IRON AGE The Cuban Tariff. WASHINGTON, March 19, 1901.—Advices received at the War Department from Governor-General Wood state that arrangements are being rapidly perfected for the complete revision of the Cuban tariff by a commis- sion of five members, of which Col. Tasker H. Bliss, collector of customs at Havana, will be chairman, and Mr. Louis V. Place, president of the Cuban Economic Commission, one of the two Cuban members. General Wood has been instructed to nominate the three other members, two of whom will be Americans, chosen in all probability from the staff of the Treasury Department either in the island or the United States. General Wood is also carrying out the instructions of the Department to secure a suitable place for the holding of public hear- ings, for it is intended to devote a month or six weeks to the taking of testimony concerning the desirability of changes with respect to rates and classification before any attempt is made to draft the revision. With regard to the principles that will govern the Commission in making up the new schedules, a promi- nent official of the War Department said to the cor- respondent of The Iron Age: “The new tariff will be framed primarily to raise the revenue necessary to carry on the government of the island, and in this connection the fact must not be lost sight of that by a recent order, which will take effect on April 1, the export duties on tobacco, which g have heretofore supplied about $1,000,000, will be cut off, and an equal amount must be secured from other sources. The great importance to the development of the tobacco industry in the island of the abolition of the export duties the Department believes fully justifies the action taken in striking off this tax. It does not follow, of course, that higher duties will be levied in order to secure a larger income, but simply that an effort will be made throughout the schedules to find the ‘revenue point ’—that is, the rate at which the largest revenue can be derived, and which in many cases will probably be a rate lower than that now in force. “It is a misapprehension to assume that in this re- vision it will be possible to make rates specially favor- able to American manufacturers and exporters. The treaty of Paris specifically prohibits the making of dis- criminations in rates in the interest of the United States, but it may be taken for granted that the Commission will modify any rates which experience has shown have a tendency to discriminate against American goods. Complaint has been made with regard to certain sched- ules that the classifications, rather than the rates, op- erated to exclude American manufactures, and where this can be shown the Commission will probably remedy the difficulty. American manufacturers will do well, however, to bear in mind that their foreign rivals are willing to make goods to meet the tastes of the islanders, the necessities of climate, &c., and that it is not possible, even at some sacrifice of price, to find a large market for goods which the Cubans do not want. It is assumed that after providing sufficient revenue the most im- portant consideration in the minds of the Commission will be the levying of low duties upon necessaries of life and articles of every day use. “The hearings to be held in Havana will furnish the only satisfactory opportunity to manufacturers, export- ers and others who desire the adoption of special rates or classifications to make their wishes known. It is not practicable to hold additional hearings in the United States, and it is assumed that any one having an im- portant matter to lay before the Commission will not grudge a trip to Havana. “ Communications addressed to the Commission will receive due consideration, but oral hearings will doubt- less be found much more satisfactory, especially in meet- ing counter statements of others or objections that may be raised by the Commission. It is now anticipated that a notice of 60 days will be given after the new schedules are promulgated before they will take effect; hence it is not likely that the new tariff will go into force before August 1. In the meantime the existing tariff will ex- or <n nie ot Te Vek ake we Se eee a 4 : - | 4 4 6 pire on September 15, but will be extended without fur- ther modification until the revision becomes effective.” The War Department has already received a number of recommendations for changes in the tariff, but these have all been forwarded to Colonel Bliss at Havana, and this course will be pursued as to all other representations that may be received. It is assumed that after the re- vision is completed by the Commission it will be laid before the Secretary of War for his approval, although it is unofficially stated that after the Commision has passed upon the schedules the Secretary will only modify them where he is convinced of the absolute necessity for such action. w. ZL. Cc. Testing Enameled Cooking Ware. BY C. N HOOPER, DUBUQUE, IOWA. There is no question but that a more thorough de- tailed knowledge among the buyers and consumers of enameled sheet steel cooking wares of the general meth- ods employed in its production, especially that which pertains to a better understanding of the necessities in securing high grade results, will be of mutual benefit both to consumer and producer. The use of enamels for covering iron and steel was made practical by the German chemists, and this is where the technicalities of using enamels for a large variety of purposes are more generally understood. We in this country have but followed the methods developed there, in compound- ing enamel formulas, and have applied these German methods to our American mechanical development in the production of tin and galvanized ware. The increasing popularity of enameled goods lies in the fact that the glass-porcelain covering retains all the advantages of glass or hard porcelain vessels, and the durability of the metallic body to which it is ap- plied. Enamels were first used on cast iron hollow ware, then on sheet iron hollow ware, and as the cheaper sheet steel was developed it replaced the sheet iron. It is possible to enamel on almost any metallic body that will withstand the required heat, but the usages have been changed to more economical methods of pro- duction, which has lowered the price correspondingly to the consumer. Enamels being of a glass-porcelain nature, are unlike galvanized ware, in that there is no absorption of the covering by the iron or steel body. While enamels are composed of elements that do not combine with iron or steel under some conditions, the heat at which they can be fixed by firing must neces- sarily be limited to such temperatures and time of ex- posure as will not destroy the shape of the metalic vessel. It is very evident that under these limitations no chemical action takes place beyond the absorption of the iron oxide, and if at all, it must necessarily be at high heats and on heavy sheet steel or castings which will not be destroyed during the operation. The adhesiveness ‘of enamels to an iron or steel body depends on the porosity of its surface. The enamel being applied in a finely ground and liquid state enters all of the minute openings of the surface, and when slagged in the furnace, the enamel is welded together in a homogeneous mass, anchored in a myriad of places to the metallic surface. This can be readily seen on a cast iron surface, but as sheet steel has had its original crystal formation drawn out into a fibrous structure dur- ing the rolling process in forming the sheet, the surface has to be manipulated to increase its porosity. This fibrous structure is what enamelers depend on for adhesiveness, and as the old fashioned sheet iron was of a more coarse fiber than modern steel, a satis- factory clinch was obtained with less attention to tech- nical details. It is commonly known that iron and steel expand under heat and contract while cooling, and it is also a fact that all elements are affected to a more or less extent by a change of temperature. The elements en- tering into an enamel compound have a wide variation of elasticity at different temperatures, and it is evident THE IRON AGE. March 21, 1902 that where a combination of elements forming enamels is applied in direct contact with a steel body, it is absolutely necessary to have the elasticity of the enamel and steel not only of the same extent, but also of the same rapidity. The chipping or peeling of an enamel or the bending out of shape of the vessel is usually caused by a difference in the elasticity of the enamel and of the steel, either.in heating or cooling. As each element used in enamels has its own peculiar action in creating expansion or contraction, in combination it therefore becomes possible to counteract the excessive individual elastic action of one element with that of another with an opposing elastic effect, so that the com- bined elasticity of the enamel coating will correspond with that of the steel. With these individual actions known and with a system of thoroughly testing these peculiarities during manufacture, it has become possible to create enamels to cover almost any kind of sheet steel or iron that will contract and expand equally under ordinary domestic use. A simple method of testing the correspondence of the elasticity of the enamel with steel is to fill the enameled vessel with water and boil strongly, then pour out and suddenly submerge the vessel in cold water, which causes rapid contraction. After this has been re- peated two or three times and the enamel has not peeled, chipped or crazed, the elasticity has been regulated satisfactorily for all practical purpose. The opposite action from that of peeling, chipping or bending out of shape is crazing, where the enamel coat- ing cracks in a myriad of places. This fault is best observed with a magnifying glass. Testing for Resistamce to Acids, Enamels are composed of materials which contain the same elements as glass and hard porcelain. These materials are mixed together and smelted in a furnace, producing a frit, which if properly proportioned is in every respect a true glass. This frit is ground, with more non-fusible materials, applied to the steel body and brought to a sufficient heat to thoroughly weld them together, which forms a porcelainlike mass, the more fusible frit binding the non-fusible materials together into a homogeneous mass. Enamels necessarily contain a larger proportion of alkalies and fluxes than the ordinary glass, as it is neces- sary to reduce the temperature at which the enamel frit will slag, so that the shape of vessel to which it is applied will not be destroyed during burning. P The larger the per cent. of alkalies in an enamel the more readily the coating is affected and destroyed by the ordinary cooking acids. The lighter the steel the lower the temperature at which enamels must slag, and, of course, they must then contain a larger per cent. of alkalies and fluxes. Enamels are more often made soft for the sake of rapid working in burning, or because the furnace equip- ment is poor, or because it is desired to cheapen pro- duction. There is no technical or mechanical reason why enamels should not be so compounded and pro- portioned that they will resist ordinary cooking acids, even on the lightest of sheet steel. A simple way of testing the acid resistance of cook- ing ware is to boil in the vessel for 15 or 20 -minutes a 10 per cent. solution of acetic acid. To. this add sul- phurie acid. If there is no precipitation the enamel has not been affected; if there is, it is shown that the enamel is not of a composition that will withstand the action of ordinary cooking acids. Lead in Enamels, Lead in an oxide form has a very beautiful effect in smelting enamels and gives a gloss to the surface with a depth of tone not obtained by other elements. As it has no deteriorating effects where the enamel in which it is used does not come in contact with acids, it ean be and is used to a great advantage, but it should not be used in any form or proportion in cooking ware enamels, as it will produce poisonous effects. The Ger- mans have a law prohibiting the use of lead in enamels for cooking utensils. The presence of lead is easily detected by applying a few drops of strong nitric acid March 21, 1901 THE on the enamel vessel, thereby destroying the outer cov- ering. Then wash in water thoroughly and apply a solution of sulphate of ammonia on the destroyed part. if the enamel contains lead this spot will turn dark at once and black later; if there is no lead present the spot will remain as it was. Enameled sheet steel cooking utensils can be divided into two classes, those covered with a transparent coat- ing taking its color from the metallic base, and those in which the enamel covering is so densely opaque that it destroys the color of the metallic body. The first coating of enamel that is applied is compounded espe- cially to absorb the iron oxide formed during the burn- ing. It surrounds or combines the impurities of the steel, and enters all the minute openings of the surface. It should slag only at as high a temperature as the form and thickness of the steel vessels will stand with- out destroying their shape. It is more like a porcelain than the second coat. It has some degree of porosity and covers the steel in a lacelike manner, which al- lows a working between the glaze and metallic body during expansion and contraction. The cover coat is of a somewhat softer nature and slags completely at a temperature which only softens the ground coat enough to thoroughly weld the two together. The cover coat fills in and covers completely all the little imperfections of the ground caused by impurities in the steel and other causes, and may be a thin transparent glaze, a dense opaque, a translucent, or a colored enamel. From a technical point of view, it is impossible to cover sheet steel completely with one coat of enamel, but it is possible, with proper combinations and manipulations known to those in the business, to cover sheet steel completely with two or more coatings. The successful covering of a steel body is more readily secured with translucent or opaque enamels than with those of a transparent nature. The durability of ware depends on covering the steel completely, as any un- covered or partially covered spots, may they be ever so small, will soon corrode. Testing for Completeness of Cover, A simple method of ascertaining to a certainty how well a steel body is covered with an enamel coating is to submerge the vessel in a strong solution of sulphate of copper in water. After it is allowed to remain for 10 or 12 hours and has then been carefully removed, the exposed steel spots, be they ever so small, will be shown by the adhesiveness of an exaggerated gathering of metallic copper. The test, while very simple, is thor- ough, and will develop many surprising results, especial- ly on the cheaper class of one-coat ware. The requirements, therefore, in the production of durable enameled sheet steel cooking ware are a cover- ing the chemical composition of which produces the same elasticity as the sheet steel, thus preventing chip- ping, peeling, bending or crazing, whose composition must be properly proportioned, so that it is not easily affected by cooking acids, and of a hardness to resist scouring or ordinary heat. It must contain no element that is poisonous. The enamel must also be so applied that it covers the sheet steel completely in all parts. A good grade of ware can be produced in almost any color or combination of colors or decoration found in glass or hard porcelain, without interfering with the foregoing requirements. A high grade ware should be made with a fair weight of sheet steel, and where flat bottoms are required, as in fry pans, the weight of steel should be increased. The enameling industry is like all others in that a demand for goods at a low price has developed a sup- ply of cheap wares, which should be handled for just what they are and not compared with those in which careful attention has been given to the detailed features required to produce a line of well balanced enamels of substantial qualities, in which a fair weight of sheet steel is used, and burned at a high temperature. These simple methods of testing enameled cooking ware, which any consumer can use, will give buyers an op- portunity of satisfying themselves as to the quality claim of any particular line of goods. IRON AGE. 7 Lake Superior Copper Mines. Houcuron, Micn., March 18.—The activity of this re- sich, With the continuance and apparent reasonable per- manence of 17 cent lake copper, is wonderful. Within the past week two contracts have been let for immense stamp mills, one each for Champion and Trimountain mines. They will be on the shore of Lake Superior, near that of the Adventure mine, that will soon be under rapid construction. The great mill of the Isle Royale Company is ready for work, and one head will be tarted at once. The Baliic mill, on the shore of Lake Superior, west of Houghton, is almost completed, but cannot be stamping rock until late in the coming sum- iver. The Mass will, still further west, is now under way and will be at work next winter. The Wolverine and Mobawk mills, to the northwest, will be started us soon as the deep snow is off the ground. All these mills will add largely to the copper producing possibili- ties of the region, and another year should see a very considerable increase in the amount of refined copper turned out from this rich district. Nearly 40 stamps are included in these new milis, and they will be able to crush about 40,000 tons of reck daily. The Mass, Baltic and Mohawk mines Rave levied as sessments for the purpose of providing funds for mills, &e., and the second part of the $9 assessment on Tri- mountain