The Iron Age 1901-05-23: Vol 67 Iss 21

~ aed THE Published every . ot ee ek eet .. ~ it he . 2 , as inl ade SS «eh Seralit ns ait A Review of the Hardware, Iron, Mac +49 J) 1 ueuosmmg§ | Trades. Thursday Morning by David Williams Co., IRON_._ AGE o1N9148UyT 232-238 William St... New York. Vol. 67: No. 21. New York, Thursday, May 23, rgor. $5.00 a Year, including Postage, Single Copies, Ten Cents, Reading Matter Contents.........page 60 Alphabetical Index to Advertisers ‘‘ 143 Classified List of Advertisers..... “145 Advertising and Subscription Rates “‘ 67 i keen Doom uis, Mo. New York. [IRON AND Bristol's Patent Steel Bolt ioe SAVES Time, Belts, Money. GreatestStrength READY TO APPLY FINISHED VOT With Least Metal Send for Circulars and Free Samples. THE BRISTOL CO., Waterbury, Conn SAMSON SPOT CORD Alse Massachusetts and Phenix Brands of Sash Cord. SAMSON CORDAGE WORKS, Boston, Mass. TU c=" Branch Office, 11 a_k, New York. Cleveland City Forge and IronCo., - Cleveland, O. MERRILL BROS., 465 Kent Ave. BROOKLYN, N.Y. PILLING & CRANE, Girard Bullding, Philada. Lewis Block, Pittsburgh. 56 Pine St., New York. COKE APOLLO BEST BLOOM GALVANIZED IRON The worse your galvanized iron, the longer it takes you A New U. M. C. .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. Send fer Illustrated Felder Describing the New .22 Shert. THE UNION METALLIC CARTRIDGE CO., ACCURATE, SMOKELESS, CLEAN. 315 BROADWAY, N. Y. BRIDGEPORT, CONN. GAHALL BOILERS sr CAPEWELL HORSE Dasa: NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA, CHICAGO, ST. LOUIS, BOSTON, DETROIT, CINCINNATI, SAN FRANCISCO, PORTLAND, ORE., BUFFALO, BRANCHES: BALTIMORE, NEW ORLEANS. THE CAPEWELL HORSE NAIL COMPANY, HARTFORD, CONN. to work it. Loss in wages; no gain, American Sheet Steel Company Battery Park Building New York Jenkins ’96 Packing. Pronounced by steam users throughout the world the best joint packing manufactured. Expensive? Not at all, as it weighs 30¢ less than many other packings, consequently is much cheaper. JENKINS BROTHERS, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago- ‘Brass Prices High, So Use Bright “Swedoh” Stamp- See 134 ing Steel. Easily Brass Plated and Save Money. pa MAGNOLIA METAL. Best Anti-Friction Metal for all a Bearings. fy (5 Oy — 2 OH NO fy (Vy Hy Hy Oy AN Pac-Simile of Bar. Beware of imitations. MAGNOLIA METAL 00., Owners and Sole Manufacturers, London, Chicago, Montreal, Pittsburgh, Boston, San Francisco, Philadelphia. 266 and 267 West St., NEW YORK. ee td THE IRON AGE. 5 - 7, al be te Hee Fh, ee renee “ SMe seh - tin THE ANSONIA Brass p” COPPER CO. MANUPACTUREES OF BRASS AND COPPER Seamless Tubes, Sheets, Rods and Wire. Ingot Copper. 60LE MANUFACTURERS Tobin Bronze (TRADE-MarkK REGISTERED.) Condenser, Plates,Pump Linings, Round, Square and Hexagon Bars, for Pump Piston Rods and Bolt Forgings. Established 1845. Sheet, Roll and Platers’ Brass, German Silver, Copper, Brass and Ger- man Silver Wire, 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 89 John Street, New York. Randolph-Clowes Co., Main Office and Mill, WATERBURY, CONN. MANUFACTURERS OF a Specialty. DEPOTS: 60 Centre St., New York. 126 Eddy St., Provi- dence, R.!. 38 Mechanic St., Newark, N. J. ~ MILLS AT WATERBURY, CONN. Cartridge Metal in Sheets or Shells THE PLUME & Atwood Mré. Co., MANUFACTURERS OF Sheet and Roll Brass —AND— WiRE PRINTERS’ BRASS, JEWELERS’ METAL, GERMAN SILVER AND GILDING METAL, COPPER RIVETS AND BURRS. Pins, Brass Butt Hinges, Jack Chain, Kere<« sene Burners, Lamps, Lamp Trimmings, &c. | 29 MURRAY ST., NEW YORK. 144 HIGH ST., BOSTON. 199 LAKE ST., CHICAGO, ROLLING MILL ;: FACTORIES ¢ THOMASTON, CONN. | WATERBURY, CONN. SCOVILL MFG. CO., Manufacturers of BRASS SHEET, WIRE, TUBES. SHEET BRASS & COPPER. BRAZED BRASS & COPPER TUBES. SEAMLESS BRASS & COPPER TUBES TO 36 IN. DIAM. New York Office, 258 Broadway, Postal Tel- egraph Bidg., Room 202. Chicago Office, 602 Fisher Bld Boston Office, Cor. Oliver and Deoxidized Bronze Best Acid-Resisting Metal in the United States. . . Send for Price. Bridgeport Deoxidized Bronze & Metal Co., BRIDGEPORT, CONN. hase Sts. Hinges, Buttons, Lamp Goods, Nipples, Pumps and Oilers for Bieyeles, Braziers’ Solder. FACTORIES, WATERBURY, CONN. DEPOTS: WEW YORK, CHICAGO, BOSTON. JOHN DAVOL & SONS, AGENTS FOR Brooklyn Brass & Copper Co., 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. OUNDERS BRASS Finisuess J.J. RYAN & CO. \ i — Sor ae eee A — 3. Cobeb ao] — iE — 1a Oi obla!_F-de Best Bronze, Babbitt Metals, Brass and Alominum CASTINGS. 0] MEGAPHONES DISCOUNT TO HARDWARE DEALERS, Crane Bros., - Linenoid Mfrs., - Westfield, Mass. BR. A. HART, SEND FOR CATALOGUE. No better counter made. 4 Wheel, $3.00 5 Wheel, $3.25 Guaranteed. BATTLE CREEK, MICH | HENDRICKS BROTHERS PROPRIETURS OF THE Belleville Copper Rolling Mills, MANUFACTURERS OF Braziers’ Bolt and Sheathing COPPER, COPPER WwiRE AND RIVETS. Importers and Dealers in Ingot Copper, Block Tin, Spelter, Lead, Antimony, etc. 49 CLIFF ST.-. NEW YORK. . Sh DEALERS IN COPPER, TIN, SPELTER, LEAD, ANTIMONY. 100 John Street, New York. Arthur T. 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 and Copper Rods, Brass Ferrules. Sheet and Ingot Copper; Spelter, Tin, Antimony, Lead, etc. “Deareh-Light” OIL and GAS Bicycle Lantenns. Send for Circulars and Electrotypee. THE BRIDGEPORT BRASS CO., Bridgeport, Conn. N.¥._ 17 No. 7th St., Phil t 87 Pearl St. Boston 19 Murray 8t.. 85 BESSEMER STEEL, GRASS AND OlL- TEMPERED SPRINGS. Sa CUE “) SPRmOs oe came OF auact QUANTITIES To OROER. _ Ff WELCH MPG CO. 69 SUDBURY STREET. BOSTON. Se Pee ae PT AT PR ee ee Se TuHurspAy, May The First Large Turret Lathe. BY THOMAS COULTER, BRIDGEPORT, CONN Thinking that it might be of interest to you and your readers to hear something about the first real large tur- ret lathe or turret machine that was ever built or used in this country, or, I believe, in any other country, I send the following account: The inventing and marketing of this large machine went through the usual hardships and knockdowns of inventors generally, particularly in the years 1872 and 1873. At that time we, Thomas Coulter and Hector Mc- Kenzie, were in the employ of the Howe Sewing Machine Company, and while there conceived the idea of making 4 machine that would take a wagon axle and finish it omplete before being removed from the machine. Our ‘THE IRON AGE 23, 1901. late one instance: A prominent axle maker in New Haven was shown the machine. He seemed interested, and wanted some six months’ time, more or less, to de- cide. We granted his request, and waited anxiously the expiration of the time, but not hearing from him I thought it proper to call on him, and if necessary ex- plain anything that he might wish to know. So off I went to New Haven, thinking that he must be interested: if not, hoping that I might be able to show him what could be done with such a machine. I arrived at the house in due time; called for him at the door; was told he was in the hothouse among the flowers, and would I like to go and see him there. I gladly consented; was warmly received, &c. I said that I had called to see what he had done about the axle machine. After a little while he said: “ Well, sir, I would not give you 10 cents for your patent.” I THE FIRST LARGE TURRET LATHE. means for carrying out such an undertaking were very limited. We hired a room in a convenient place and went at it nights after working hours. Some of the work we had to get done for us by machine shops. The first machine had a wooden bed and legs, which were ornamented with beautiful scrolls, as shown by the accompanying engraving. After a long and hard strug- gle we finally got it so that we could turn out an axle. Then we had to get it protected the cheapest way that we could, the result being the filing of a caveat in the Patent Office. Now is when our real troubles commenced. There was the machine, but where was the man or con- cern to give it a start. We had no money; who had was the question. There being several axle shops in Bridge- port we applied to them. One said “‘ Yes, you can have room here to put it up, and if we like it we will talk to you about it.” We put it up, but they did not buy. They had excuses. We tried others. We had to explain that we could build a better one the next time, but it would cost more money. The result was that we could find no person to see it as we did, and we had no money to ven- ture with the business of making them. To show you what set backs we received I will re- told him that I would take the papers and he could keep the 10 cents. I returned to Bridgeport with a heavy heart. The machine had to be removed to Mr. McKenzie’s cellar, and was there about a year. In the meantime I had changed my place of work to a regular machine shop, and while there my employer got a contract to make 10,000 sucker rods for pumping oil wells. He was changing his lathes, milling machines, and any other ma- chines that he had in order to get out those joints, and was thereby injuring his other business for the want of these tools. While watching all this going on it oc- curred to me that I could do all this work on my axle machine. I said to him, “ What will you give me if I fin- ish a machine and do this work for you?” The result was that the machine was dug up out of the cellar, set up, and was making sucker rods in quick order, even with the wooden bed. This gave us new courage to seek other axle makers, and among them was one in Philadelphia, who came to see us. The result of his coming was an agreement that we should get out a set of patterns, such as we thought best for a machine that would turn out 40 sets of axles SOA a ceecunsienntanenetitinnectinntiaiinihnimainenmtions snd tea aia te ee : ey ‘ * air Ie <7 ave pometenien - ~ —— 2 THE IRON AGE. each ten hours, which meant 160 axle ends. We were to go to his shop in Philadelphia and build the machine. If any of your readers were ever in a wagon axle shop in the year 1877 they have an idea what tools we had to do with in the way of building a large turret lathe and have it finished in six weeks. We agreed to do all this on our part, besides granting to them the patent rights for Phil- adelphia and vicinity for which he was to give us $600. We got the machine finished in the time stated, and got our money, after it was decided that “‘ Philadelphia and vicinity ” meant the four States of Pennsylvania, Del- aware, New Jersey and Maryland. We then thought that a few more bargains like this would finish up our patent, and, sure enough, it did. We started to build a machine, but were so anxious to get orders for them that we did not get price enough, and finally sold out our re- maining rights to Wheeler Beers of Bridgeport, for a house and lot valued at about $2000, for which we real- ized about $1200. Mr. Beers put the machine on the mar- ket and it proved most successful. After this I turned my attention to the making of carriage spring machines, of which there are a great many now in use. I am now president of the Bridgeport Automatic Machine Com- May 23, 1901 a rotating tool holder, L, placed on the slide L’. A longi- tudinal movement is imparted to this slide by means of a shaft, N, turning a pinion formed in the slide. The holder may be held at any desired point by means of the screw Il. At several points around the holder, as shown in Fig. 2, the tools for finishing the axle are arranged so that either may be turned into axial line with the man- drel. In order to secure the tool holders while in opera- tion and hold them unvaryingly in their relative posi- tion a guide, P, is arranged on the bed, its upper surface being grooved, and surface of the several tools being formed with a rib, n, corresponding with the groove, 80 that before the advancing tool reaches its working point the rib will enter the groove and thereby form a guide as the tool is presented. To feed the tools automatically there is arranged @ shaft, R, on the side of the bed, which receives a slow rotary motion from the gears at the head. On this shaft, Fig. 2, is a worm, T, which engages with the worm wheel on the shaft N. On this same shaft is a sleeve between the gear S and the hand wheel r, which is arranged so as to have an axial movement on the shaft. When the nut t is turned it forces the hand wheel and sleeve forward A i OS a ee Fig. 2.—Plan, THE FIRST LARGE TURRET LATHE. pany, of which my son, James Coulter, is secretary and general manager. Description of the Machine, The first patent issued for this machine was dated February 17, 1874, and was entitled “ Improvement in Machines for Turning Carriage Axles.” A patent em- bodying improvements was issued on December 11, 1877, and from this we take the accompanying drawings and the following description: At one end of the bed A is a mandrel, C, arranged in suitable bearings. This mandrel is driven through gear- ing from the pulley D. It is employed for the support of the axle, and is made hollow and open in one or two sides, so as to allow the body of the axle to be intro- duced therein from the front end. Through the rear end of the mandrel is a spindle, a, Fig. 4, formed with the point or center } on its inner end. At the extreme rear end is a fixed nut, d,threaded to fit a thread on the outer end of the spindle, this nut being provided with a suit- able handle by which it may be turned to move the cen- ter in or out. The inner end of the mandrel is furnished with a chuck, F. A collar, H, is placed on the mandrel, along which it may be easily moved and held at any point by the set screw h. The inner end of the spindle a rests in this collar, hence if the body of the axle be short and the center thrown far enough forward to meet it, it will be supported by the collar and the inner end of the axle will be held firmly. On the bed and in line with the axis of the mandrel is so as to press the pinion firmly and couple it with the shaft N. In that condition the revolution of the shaft imparts the requisite longitudinal feeding movement to the slide L, but when the nut is released the slide may be moved freely and very rapidly by means of the hand wheel r. Hence it may feed slowly while doing its work and be quickly returned thereafter. In order to arrest the tool when it shall have done its work a clutch, u, Fig. 3, is arranged on the shaft R, to en- gage the worm T, and from this a lever w extends up- wardly. On the slide is an adjustable stop, z, which, when the slide ismoved forward to the predetermined distance, will strike the upper end of the lever, disengage the clutch and stop the revolution of the worm. This enables a single workman to attend to several machines. ERAS Peas 0° 2 EES. Se a The Fox Machine Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., are exhibiting their products in Block 38, Machinery Build- ing, at the Pan-American Exposition, Buffalo, They have a space 16 x 18 feet, in which they are exhibiting iron and wood working machinery, sash pulleys, and typewriters. Their iron working tools comprise milling machines, multiple spindle drills, shapers, punch presses and bicycle tool machinery. Their wood working tools comprise wood trimmers, miter machines, dado and grooving heads, and sash pulley inserting tools. The inserting tools comprise boring machines, quadruple bits and triple bits. The company have for some time been manufacturing the Fox typewriter, which forms a conspicuous part of their exhibit. a ta ane z= May 23, 1901 THE IRON The Plans of the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company. The following statement of the plans of the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company has been issued by J. C. Osgood, the president: The improvements in the steel plant of the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company, which were provided for by an issue of $12,000,000 of common stock authorized by the stockholders September 25, 1899, are rapidly approach- ing completion. The first furnace, which will double the pig iron output of the company, is about ready to go into blast. This will be followed by two other furnaces in quick succession. The plan, as outlined to the stock- holders in the circular addressed to them at the time the meeting was called for the increase of the capital stock, provided for the increase of the company’s steel product from 150,000 to 600,000 tons, or four-fold. It was also stated at the time that it would be desir- uble for the company to convert a portion of this in- creased product into more finished products, such as tin plate, wire, nails, sheets, &c. In order to carry out these plans an agreement has been entered into with Blair & Co. of New York and the Illinois Trust & Savings Bank of Chicago, whereby they underwrite an issue of $10,- 000,000 of 5 per cent. convertible debenture bonds. These bonds will bear date August 1, 1901, and will be convertible at the option of the holder into common stock of the company at par at any time after February AGE. 3 The Colorado Fuel & Iron Company will be operated in entire harmony with the United Siates Steel Corpora- tion, and it is the desire of all interested parties that the existing pleasant relations shall continue. The company have not adopted any new plans, and have simply provided for the natural growth of their Lusiness and the supply of finished products in the ter- ritory in which they have a geographical advantage. No negotiations for consolidation with other companies are pending or have ever been considered. The banking in- terests which have underwritten the debenture bonds will be given a representation on the Board of Directors, and other interests which have recently acquired large holdings in the stock of the company will also be repre- sented. The company will derive great advantage from the H / - l = Seti anatnmpet” ) : n | y Tu N AGE | 4 "4 Fig. 4.—Section through Spindle. Fig. 5.—Section through One Cutting Tool, « Fig. 3.—Side Elevation. THE FIRST LARGE 1, 1902, and until and including August 1, 1906, and re- deemable at the option of the company at a premium of 5 per cent. on any interest day after August 1, 1906, and will mature August 1, 1911, and will be a part of a total authorized issue of $15,000,000 of debentures. The $10,000,000 of debentures will be offered at par, with an adjustment of interest, to the preferred and common shareholders of the company pro rata, according to their holdings, the offer to be open to the shareholders until August 1, 1901. The purpose of the issue of the initial $10,000,000 of debenture bonds is for the construction and operation of auxiliary planis to manufacture wire rods and plain, an- nealed and galvanized wire of all kinds and sizes, and also barb wire, field fencing, poultry netting, wire nails, tin plate, cotton ties, hoops, sheets, &c. The estimate for these plants, with a capacity of 300,000 tons per an- num, is $3,500,000, and it is assumed that $1,500,000 ad- ditional working capital will be required. The remaining proceeds of the bonds will be available for future enlargements of the plant, and will place the company in a very strong financial position. The pro- ceeds of the remaining $5,000,000 of debentures shall be used only for the acquisition of additional property. TURRET LATHE. knowledge and experience of the wire, nail and tin plate business which the gentlemen who have recently ac- quired stock undoubiedly possess. The issue of $10,000,- 000 of debenture bonds will entail an additional fixed charge on the company of $500,000 per annum. A con- servative estimate of the additional profits to be derived cn the finished products of steel referred to will un- doubtedly result in a large increase of net earnings avail- able for common stuck dividends. >_> Among the recently licensed corporations of Illinois are the Benedict & Burnham Brass & Copper Company, with a capital of $50,000, to deal in all kinds of brass and copper goods, comprising sheets, rods, wire, tubing and brass specialties. The company will maintain a warehouse and offices at 167-169 Lake street, Chicago, and these will be in charge of A. C. Dallas, formerly Western sales agent for the Benedict & Burnham Mfg. Company, Waterbury, Conn. A school of technology is to ve added to the other de- partments of the Northwestern University, Evarston, Ill. The school will comprise courses in electrical and mechanical engineering. Saees a The Passing of the Belgian Rod Mill. The most conspicuous development in modern rod mill practice is the displacement of the Belgian or loop- ing system of rolling by the continuous system. With- out exception the new rod mills and those which have recently been most successfully remodeled, without re- gard to the size of billet used, are either mills of the pure continuous type or approach that type as closely as the experience of their designers will justify. The purpose of this paper is not to disparage the im- portant place the Belgian or looping type of rod mill has held, nor the great service rendered by those who have been instrumental in its successful development, but rather to record the fact and state the reasons for its giving way to a type of greater merit: A few years ago comparatively few people knew of or appreciated the continuous mill, but to-day 25, or about 70 per cent., of the rod mills in the United States are either continuous or semi-continuous mills. Minimum cost of conversion is naturally the first de- mand of the rod mill owner. The principal items of cost, constituting from 50 to 70 per cent. of the total conver- sion cost, in which a reduction may be looked for are fuel, waste and labor—and in each of these the contin- uous mill has met and passed its veteran competitor with signal success. Fuel, The use of fuel is confined to heating metal prepara- tory to rolling, and in generating steam for the requisite power. In heating billets no marked advantage can be claimed by either mill, since continuous furnaces are now used in both. First introduced and used in continuous mills, the later adoption of them has effected the most important reduction in Belgian rod rolling costs in the last decade. Recent continuous rod mills use billets 30 feet long of about 1% inches square section, which are heated with less fuel per ton than billets of a larger sec- tion. Besides, the placing of the first stand of rolls of the continuous train close to the door of the furnace, and the rapid, successive reductions, without opportunity for cooling, do not require so high a degree of heat as in the case of the Belgian mill, where long loops of metal in process are continually giving up their heat on iron floors. “ Strike while the iron is hot” is an old maxim, whose mandate was never more advantageously ob- served than in the rolling of metal continuously, and in this feature may be found the reason for a great saving in fuel for power purposes. In striking contrast to the low temperature at which rods are finished in the old Belgian or looping trains, the metal issues from the fin- ishing pass of the continuous mill as hot as when it left the furnace, many indeed contending that it is actually hotter owing to the great amount of mechanical work done upon it and the very small interval of exposure to cooling. The metal is, therefore, as soft and mellowin the last pass as in the first, and the power required is con- sequently very much less than in the Belgian system. To speak more definitely, the power required to roll rods by the Belgian system is at the very least 50 per cent. more than that necessary to roll an equal tonnage in a continuous mill. Labor. Repeating the hot metal from pass to pass in the old Belgian mill was very expensive. The partial use of me- chanical repeaters in the modern looping mills has re- duced this item one-half, but there is still required a large force of men, substantially all of whom must com- bine a high degree of skill with exceptional physical en- durance. In the modern continuous mills no position is 80 severe as to require the “spelling” of employees. The accompanying illustration shows a continuous rod mill of the very iatest type designed by the Morgan Construction Company of Worcester, Mass. This en- graving is made from a photograph of the mill while it was in actual operation, several billets having been rolled while the plate was exposed. It faithfully repre- sents the kind of physical labor required of the opera- tives. The roller, seen in the background, has practical- ly nothing to do excepting to make occasional adjust- 4 THE IRON AGE. May 23, 1901 ments for wear. The boy, standing between the rough- ing and finishing mills, operates a flying shear, which crops the first end of the advancing metal to insure against split ends. The labor proposition in a contin- uous mill has been resolved to one of mere supervision, and on this account all the positions are filled by 12-hour men, none of whom require a man to spell them. In this connection it is interesting to note the recent start- ing of a new continuous mill in which there was but one man with previous experience in rod rolling, and but three men with experience in any kind of rolling. This mill reached the output guaranteed by the con- tracting engineers within a month of the time of start- ing, and marketable rods have been turned out from the beginning. Waste. Under wastage of metal the two items to be consid- ered are loss from oxidation and scrap. In the Belgian or looping system of rolling there is long exposure of the hot metal to the air between each pass, which results in the continual formation of scale or oxide, while in the continuous system this period of exposure is very much less. While as before shown in the continuous mill the rod is finished at a very much higher heat, it passes im- mediately into a bath of cooling liquid which floods the conducting pipe to the reels, and in its passage the tem- perature of the metal is reduced below the scaling point, but it is coiled hot enough that there is not the least hardening effect even in high carbon steel rods. Fin- ished rods from the two types of mill under discussion will not differ materially in the amount of scale which appears on their surfaces, but the amount actually formed between the passes and cracked off or rolled in as the piece enters a new pass is very much greater in the Belgian than in the continuous mill. Serap losses are minimized in the continuous rod mill on account of the comparatively few number of pieces in the mill at one time, and in the ability, in case of ac- cident or cobble, to cut off that portion of the billet (usually a large portion) which has not entered the mill, to return it to the furnace and to roll to a good rod after the cause of trouble has been removed. In the latest continuous mill but 40 per cent. of the piece is ever be- tween the furnace and reels, and of this amount one- half is between the first set of rolls and the furnace, and can be cut off and pushed back into the furnace when desirable. It is, therefore, seen that no more than 20 per cent. of a billet can be lost at any one time. A peculiarity of rods rolled in a continuous mill is the for- mation of fins on both ends due to the unequal pull at these points. These finned ends must be cut off, and are a source of loss, but improvements in the mill and the rolling of larger weights have cut this item down to less than one-half of 1 per cent. of the weight of the billet, and made it possible to reduce the total loss from serap and oxidation below the best Belgian mill prac- tice. In a Belgian mill, where a man is obliged to handle a number of different pieces of metal at frequent intervals, a single interruption, as the failure of a bar to enter properly, will often cause not only the loss of that piece, but of several others which are oncoming. The Quality of Rods from a Continuous Train. A wire rod is seldom used as a finished product, it be- ing but an intermediary article in the manufacture of wire. It is therefore desirable in the manufacture of rods to give full consideration to the requirements of the wire drawing department, since low cost for rods alone does not necessarily give ultimate minimum cost of fin- ished wire. From the standpoint of the wire drawer the rods should be uniform in temper, soft, uniform in gauge and in long lengths, to produce the best quality of wire at the lowest cost. In each of these qualities continu- ous rolled rods are superior to the Belgian. Uniformity of temper is of great importance in high carbon steel wire, such as is used in the best grades of fencing, steel springs, card and music wire. In the pure Belgian mills or in those having continuous roughing and Belgian fin- ishing trains the difference in temperature at which the first and last ends of the rod are rolled is great, and re- ae a tm a a May 23, 1901 THE IRON AGE. 5 sults in serious variation in the physical properties of each coil of rods. As is well known, the metal is so dis- posed in the loops of a Belgian mill that the last end is cooled for a period equal to the length of time required to pass the entire length of rod through the finishing pass. The pure continuous mills are so constructed that there are no loops whatever between the different passes, and practically all of the metal not being worked on by the rolls is either within the furnace or lies finished on the reels. Since the last end of the bar passes from the furnace to the finishing rolls in the same length of time as the first end, perfectly uniform heat conditions pre- vail, and rods of uniform temper necessarily result. Since the softness or ductility of steel rods is affected by the temperatures at which they are finished it fol- lows that rods having one end rolled hot and the other N 5 1h FE | yay PEERY ~~) RH The hia ut , Milita Hii iii . tt t - ing 300-pound bundles, and these bundles are not sub- divided until after they have passed the first hole in the wire drawing room. The metal is not hand lifted from the time the billets are received until the first draft has been made in the wire drawing department. For ship- ment, if to be lifted by hand, the 300-pound bundles are cut into two or more parts, as desired. While the limit of weights which can be finished in a Belgian mill has long since been recognized as fixed, the weights finished in continuous mills have been gradually increasing and the end is not in sight. a eae a ae Delaware Manufactures.—The Census Office at Washington has issued a bulletin showing the extent of manufacturing in the State of Delaware as ascertained by the census of 1900. The statement places the total THE MORGAN CONTINUOUS MILL. cold do not draw out into wire as easily as rods finished at a uniform heat from end to end. The comparatively small amount of power required to draw continuous rolled rods is well known to those who have used both kinds. While it is most important for successful wire draw- ing that rods be soft and of uniform temper, it is equal- ly desirable that they be rolled smooth and nearly round. No difficulty is experienced in meeting these require- ments in a continuous mill where proper arrangements are made to deliver the metal to the rolls at a uniform temperature. Rods in long lengths contribute to higher efficiency in the wire drawing room, because less pointing and drawing in is required than with shorter lengths. It has been found by experience that larger weights than 150 pounds cannot be successfully finished to No. 5 rod in a looping mill, while in a continuous mill the only limit of weight is what is deemed the best size of billet and bundle to handle. Several continuous mills are now roll- value of manufactured products in the State for the year at $45,387,630, as against $37,571,843 for 1890, the gain being 20.8 per cent. The number of establishments is placed at 1417, the capital employed at $41,022,717, the average number of wage earners at 22,577, total wages at $9,263,661, the miscellaneous expenses at $2,338,872, and the cost of materials at $21,161,752. There was a gain of 41 per cent. in the number of establishments, and, while there was an increase of 10.2 per cent. in the wage earners, the increase in wages paid was only 7.3 per cent. Of the total products $34,053,324 worth were manufactured at Wilmington. ea ae An order of the court fixes June 12 as the date for the sale of the Columbian Iron Works, at Baltimore, Md., and names William F. Frick and H. R. Preston as commissioners to conduct the sale. The Baltimore Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company are being organ- ized, with a capital of $1,150,000, to buy in the property and enlarge its operations. weer ete OP ee -_ee anes . i . - ae si Cte. ate. x a) ° 2S gee ea) ee Ee a i ee a a tN — ee ae ef ST Nemes SET Lake Iron Ore Matters. DULUTH, MINN., May 19, 1901.—Ore cargoes are just now commencing to move. Other than United States Steel ships have been on the go for some time, and are now on their second trips; they are taking out grain with great rapidity, Duluth alone having shipped more than 2,000,000 bushels this week, but ore is scarcely started. The United States Steel ships are now arriving rapidly at docks, however, and by this time a week hence, nearly all will be carrying cargoes. The season has been cut just about a month by the various delays, and it will now be necessary for even greater hustling for the remainder than was indicated in my letter of two weeks ago, when it was figured that at least 65,000 tons a day must be the work of the Steel fleet all season through. The Outside Reserves. There is considerable comment in the lake ore region on the statement of President Schwab to the effect that his company controlled practically 75 to 80 per cent. of the ores known to exist in the United States, and that they had ore for some 60 years. It is not believed that Mr. Schwab was correctly understood when he said “ of the United States,” but that he meant, it is thought, of the lake region. He is doubtless not very far wrong for the latter, though new discoveries are occasionally be- ing made that may have a tendency to change the pro- portionate shares. Still there is more than 20 per cent. of outside ore in the lake region, and if it is estimated that there exist 1,000,000,000 tons of merchantable ore in the lake district on the American side the line as a whole—which estimate is certainly liberal enough—it will be comparatively easy to figure out more than 200,000,000 tons outside the holdings of the United States Steel Corporation. Nobody denies, of course, the vast preponderance of the holdings of the company and their magnificent value as a basis for their capitalization. The Ashiand Sale. Several weeks ago I referred to the price put upon the Ashland mine, foreshadowing a sale thereof. That sale has now taken place, as expected. It is for a price of about $2,500,000, a compromise between Hayes Bros. and the buyers, who are said to be the Cleveland-Cliffs Company: The mine is an excellent property, better now than at any time in its history, and its ore is of a _ high and accepted quality. The Atlantic mine is suffer- ing from a fire that started a day or two ago in No. 2 shaft. It is feared that a serious fire is in progress in the mine. Newport mine will sink a shaft in the quartz- ite foot, an important undertaking. The mine is looking well and the new shaft is needed to care for its product. The Mesaba Range, A lot of work is being done in the western Mesaba. There 12,000 acres of land have been taken from the Walker holdings and are to be explored; the vicinity of the Mesaba Chief mine is being examined; the Marble lands in 18, 19 and 20, 56-23 have been taken by Oscar Rohl, representing the Union Steel Company of Pitts- burgh, and an exploration has already commenced; the work at Buckeye, Diamond and Arcturus, in 56-25, is progressing well, and other lands are being taken for early work. So far not very much of value has been found in the general neighborhood, but perhaps it is too early to expect any valuable finds. There are now some 65 diamond drills working on the Mesaba range, more than at any prior time in its his- tory. Of these, two contracting firms have 44, the Oliver Company five, all east of the Duluth & Iron Range road’s main line; the Minnesota Iron Company four, two east and two at Hobart; Sweeney two, near Hib- bing, and the Eastern Minnesota road six on lands of their own or under option. At one new find near Hibbing they have run into very hard ore at a depth of about 200 feet from surface, and under 135 feet of soft Bessemer. This sort of find near Hibbing is unprecedented, and is unusual for any part of the Mesaba. At this property they have found excel- lent ore under taconite. In one hole they drilled five THE IRON AGE. May 23, 1901 layers of taconite, the thickest of which was 23 feet. In this connection it is well to point out, in order to avoid misunderstandings on the part of those that might be otherwise misled, that in a recent interview at Pitts- burgh with one of the officials of Jones & Laughlins, he was made to state that they were now finding ore on the Mesaba under the greenstone, where they had not looked for it, and that this increased the possibilities of the range tremendously. He doubtless meant taconite, for nowhere on the Mesaba has ore been found under the greenstone. The finding of ore under taconite has been frequently noted in this correspondence for the past two years and the overwhelming importance of the new knowledge has been frequently pointed out. The Commodore mine at Virginia has been closed and threats have been made that the pumps would be pulled. The mine drains the Virginia basin, and will continue to do so until the new Columbia (Jones & Laughlins) has gained depth. Its flooding would re- sult disastrously to Union and the Franklin group. The Commodore will probably not be started up till conces- sions have been made by those interested in the fee and the water. The Union Steel Company of Pittsburgh have taken an option on the Pennsylvania lands, being the N.E. of the S.W. of 20, 58-19, where it is supposed by the lessees that there may be ore. The location is just south of the Sharon mine and the new Itasca of Jones & Laughlins. A find of 2,000,000 tons has been made about half way between Stevenson mine and Hib- bing village, under but a few feet of surface. Several holes have been sunk and the ore is of good grade. A shaft is being sunk on a State lease adjoining Alpena mine in 6, 58-17, where ore was shown a year or two ago. The deposit is a continuance of the Sauntry-Alpena ore. The Menominee Range. There are many promising small explorations now under way on the Menominee range, chiefly in the Crys- tal Falls district, but so much disappointment was ex- perienced there two years ago that it is unsafe to make any predictions of what may result. Ore has been found at several points, with indications of permanence and value, and the explorers are in most cases much en- couraged. The old Platt exploration, south of Negaunee, has been taken by Braasted & Sporley, and they have al- ready quite a force at work. The Platt is one of the un- fortunate experiments in mining of the Eddys of Bay City. It is stated that they paid $200,000 for the prop- erty. It was practically valueless and they bought the Penobscot at Hibbing and moved the Platt machinery there. There is much activity in the Cascade district, and several of the old properties are being reopened. Lands near the old Magnetic and Klomen mines at Re- public have been taken for exploration and will be en- tered at once. Shipments are going forward rapidly to Marquetie and the vessels are now arriving with great rapidity. Both the roads have their full summer sched- ules in force, and from now on there will be the greatest activity. Track laying has been completed on the Eastern Min- nesota road’s short line to the central Mesaba, and ore will be hauled that way soon. The Marquette & Southeastern road (Cleveland Cliffs) are employing 350 men in the construction of their line trom Marquette to the Munising railway, which are also owned by the mining company. The new line will open hard wood lands, valuable for charcoal and timber pur- poses. Track is being laid on the Algoma Central northeast from the Helen (Clergue) mine to the Josephine, which will be delivering ore at Michipicoton harbor in two or three months. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway have made contracts with a number of mines in the Crystal Falls and other Menominee districts to handle a part of their ore to the new docks at Escanaba. They have less of the United States Steel Corporation’s Menominee ore than might be expected. In fact their total tonnage for the year will probably be comparatively small. Oglebay, Norton & Co. have issued their pocket book + ae i se me tot k= May 23, 1901 THE of ore information for the year. It is a neat leather bound book, containing full analyses of the ores of the lake region, together with shipments for a series of years, and is most convenient to carry in the vest pocket. D. E. W. te Notes from Great Britain. Offices of The Iron Age, Hastines Hovse, NORFOLK STREET. STRAND, W. C. | Krupp and [Indian Railways An authoritative statement is made that a member of the firm of Krupp, with an expert locomotive engineer, is shortly leaving Essen for India, with the purpose of studying the Indian railway system. The directors of Krupp’s Works seem to think that they might do a great deal in the way of competing for the supply of rails and locomotives to the Indian lines, particularly in view of the fact that many orders have recently gone to the United States. I am not surprised at this development, because I am convinced that in the engineering world India is bound to be a most valuable customer, not only to Great Britain, but also to Germany and the United States. At the first blush it would seem unwise at the present time to spend much money in India; but the economic condition of India is not so bad as appears upon the surface. The purchasing capacity of the pov- erty stricken native is, of course, contemptibly small, but in Government and official circles money is cheap, and will undoubtedly be utilized in the near future upon engineering works, bridges, electrical enterprises, and other ventures requiring mechanical skill and metal work. American Locomotives on Indian Railways. Apropos of the visit of Krupp’s representative to India, it is interesting to take note of the answer given by the Secretary of State for India in the House of Com- mons this week. The Secretary stated that the Govern- ment inspector of Burmah railways, in his report dated August 5, 1900, has noticed certain defects in the Amer- ican locomotives supplied to the Burmah Railways Com- pany. The report said to have been made by Mr. John- son of the locomotive department of the company is not in possession of the India Office, but information which the Secretary of State for India has received does not lead him to think that the American locomotives on In- dian railways have been found generally unsatisfactory, but in view of certain statements made by the Board of Trade Journal on the Burmah railway locomotives, he is asking the editor of that journal for the special informa- tion alleged to be in his possession. Traction Engines and Self Propelled Lorries, There would seem to be a growing demand on the part of British officials for traction engines and self pro- pelled lorries. The Financial Secretary to the War Of- fice is chairman of a committee which is at the present time sitting to consider various reports received from South Africa on the utility or the reverse of mechanical transport. Various experiments are being made, and it is hoped that some satisfactory method of employing this kind of transport more extensively in the future will be discovered. I do not know if any American engineers have been consulted in the matter, but there is nothing to prevent them communicating with the Financial Sec- retary of the War Office, Pall Mall, London, 8S. W. With regard to self propelled lorries for military purposes, the Secretary of State for War offers three prizes of £500, £250 and £100 for the three self propelled lorries which shall be adjudged, after a series of trials carried out by the War Office Committee on Mechanical Transport, to be best suited to military requirements. The trials will begin on Wednesday, December 4, 1901, and will extend over a considerable period, so that the vehicles may be thoroughly tested. The exact nature of the trials will be determined upon by the above mentioned committee. A general scheme will be drawn up and issued as soon as possible to all intending competitors, but the committee reserve to themselves full powers to carry out any addi- tional tests they may deem necessary, whether included in the general programme or not. The committee reserve IRON AGE. 7 to themselves the power of rejecting any vehicle which (loes not comply with the published requirements, or of suspending at any stage the trials of any vehicle which in their opinion has proved itself unsuitable. The deci- sion of the committee as to the comparative merits of competing vehicles will be final. Firms or individuals who intend to enter for this competition must send in their names to the Secretary, Mechanical Transport Com- mittee, War Office, Horse Guards, Whitehall, London, S. W., on or before September 1, 1901. No vehicle will be admitted to the trials unless a fully dimensioned set of drawings and a specification, giving complete details of the lorry and trailer exactly as submitted for trial, to- gether with a statement of the purchase price of the lorry and trailer, have been lodged with the Secretary, Me- chanical Transport Committee, before December 4, 1901, the date of the commencement of the trials. All designs and specifications lodged will be considered confidential. Those of the vehicles that may be purchased will be re- tained for the purposes of the Government, but without prejudice to patent rights. Those of vehicles not pur- chased will be returned to the competitors after the trials. Certain firms have already been asked to send in designs for a lorry for the consideration of the commit- tee, and some have already communicated with the com- mittee. It has, however, now been decided to institute an open competition. I may add that the War Office has issued a detailed statement of the requirements which the lorry is required to fulfil. A Dangerous Experiment, The Government of New South Wales are inviting tenders for 100,000 tons of steel rails, manufactured in New South Wales, and to be delivered within four years. This involves the establishment of iron works in the col- ony. A deposit of $50,000 is required as a guarantee that the works will be carried out, and it is stipulated that the price shall not exceed the cost in Great Britain or America, plus the freight. I have always understood that the great difficulty in the Australasian colonies is the effective assembling of the raw materials, and the latest information is that this is still regarded as an al- most insuperable difficulty. Doubtless, however, the Government of New South Wales know their own busi- ness best. It may be that they bona fide believe that these works can be established, or it may be that they have some political object in view. Perhaps some Amer- ican engineer might know how to do it. Back from the States, Colonel Hughes of Sheffield has returned from the United States. Your readers are doubtless aware that he went there primarily in the interests of William Jessop & Sons, who are establishing works at Little Washing- ton, Pa. It appears that the firm of William Jessop & Sons are entirely satisfied with the site they have ob- tained. The representatives of this firm appear to have been much surprised at the number of applications of- fering them sites. Colonel Hughes says that they had sometimes as many as 50 applications a day. Colonel Hughes is well known to be a level headed observer of business, and his comments upon the steel trust are not without interest. He says: “ Business in the United States is booming in every direction, and especially in the iron and steel trades. Factories and works of the largest dimensions are springing up rapidly, outside of the great steel trust, and in competition with it. My impression is that the people of the United States are very impatient of the steel trust, and are by no means so much inclined as are some people at home to think it is going to sweep the decks, and take the trade of the world. From what I could hear, at no time has there been so much individual enterprise as there is at pres- ent. For instance, while we were at Little Washing- ton another steel works in a different class of business was projected, and a site was purchased adjoining Jes- sop’s, showing that individual manufacturers in the States think the establishment of the steel trust gives them an opportunity of developing on their own ac- count. There is no doubt American manufacturers are very much alive to the necessity of moving with the SRO Re ee er ta eee COR mE ne oe STE ere eT as mews sete 2 Wt a aot ie A aca er eee ow ~ Seg PE Re > ee ees 8 THE IRON AGE. times. Both masters and men displa