The Iron Age 1902-05-08: Vol 69 Iss 19

2 ¢ ops; TH E R rie e «80 Jy Ueto gs Sf A Review of the Hardware, Iron, Machinery and Metal Trades. Published every Thursday Morning by David Williams Co., 232-238 William St.. New York, Vol. 69: No. Z9. New York, Thursday, May &, 7902. $5.00 a Year, including Postage, Single Copies, Ten Cents. Reading Matter Contents ........ page 56 Alphabetical Index to Advertisers “‘ {61 Classified List of Advertisers .... ** 154 Advertising and Subscription Rates “* 71 It needs * Only a Trial” to convince you that The New Model Remington No. 6 Take-down Single Shot Rifle is by far the best rifle you can buy for the money. Bristol’s Patent Steel Belt Lacing, LIST PRIGE, $5.00. Apply to your dealer for catalog and discount. saves || REMINGTON ARMS CO., Time, Belts, Money. ILION, N. ¥. Sener tO ata Pe nee Croteetiume \ 425 Market St., San Francisco, Gal. 313-317 Broadway, New York Gity Send for Circulars and Free Samples. THE BRISTOL THE BRISTOL CO., Waterbury, Conn. Waterbury, Conn. Alse Maseache and Phenix Brands of Sash Cord. sunsov connsce works,eoua ee. CAPEWELL HORSE NAILS. TURNBUCKLES. NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA, CHICAGO, Bite hae. 11 Broadway, New York. ST. LOUIS, Forge and fronCo., - Cleveland, 0. BOSTON, ey . e« DETROIT J 33 5 BRANCHES: cinciNNATI, 5 ue => SAN FRANCISCO; s"* & BUFFALO, ee ee BALTIMORE, NEW ORLEANS. DENVER. Girard pallens Phila. THE CAPEWELL HORSE NAIL COMPANY, HARTFORD, CONN. Excelsior Straight-Way Back Pressure Valve. This valve has no dash pots, springs, guides or complicated levers to get out of order. It is simple. reliable and well made. Never sticks, and can be relied upon at all times when using exhaust steam for heating ; or when used as a relief, or free exhaust on a condensing plant, it has no equal. Itis noise- less and free from any complicated attachments. JENKINS BROTHERS, New York, Baston, Philadelphia, Chicago iron agree that Apollo is THE AMERICAN TUBE & STAMPING C0., APOLLO BEST BLOOM GALVANIZED IRON . All workers in galvanized HOT AND COLD ROLLED Successor to SE best. STRIP STEEL. The WILMOT & HOBBS MFG, CO. ge | MAGNOLIA METAL. Best Anti-Friction Metal for all Machinery Bearings. Pac-Simile of Bar. Ai sA et be) It is cheapest too. American Sheet Stee! Company, New York = anion | MAGNOLIA METAL CO. 113-115 Bank St., London, | Montreal, Pittaburgh, Bostom, Owners.and Sole Manufacturers, © NEW YORK. We wanatnevureallgrades of Babbitt Mota wie Bri » ae yc # al, 5 ; t , se : ss ee i De re i ie aaa eS a ta a ‘ a wo . me Pai a : “oo x eure Siti ac. sa 4 eae ee ee a ee ee eee ME io tidal. ene alt hatte By OIA eK es > THE IRON AGE. Ansonia Brass (WATERBURY BRAGS GO), Tue Pome & Arwooo Mrs. Co, MANUPACTURERS OF . Corr 7 ° Ce Main Office ae ais Conn. Sheet and Roll Brass BRASS AND COPPER NEW YORK STORE, a Seamless Tubes, Sheets, Rods and Wire. Nos. 122 to 130 Centre St. V V he Ft 5 ie SS PRINTERS’ BRASS, JEWELERS’ METAL, GERMAN Ingot Copper. OVER ONE MILLION LBS. SILVER AND GILDING METAL, COPPER RIVETS GOLE MANUFACTURERS s of Brass, German Silver, Bronze and Pins, Brass Butt Hinges, Jack Chain, Kere- obin Bronze sene Burners, Lamps, Lamp Copper in Sheet, Wire, Rod, Brazed Trimmings, &c (TRaDE-MarkK REGISTERED.) Condenser Piates,Pump Linings, Round, |and Seamless Tubing regularly car-|99 wMORRAY ST.. NEW YORK. Square and Hexagon Bars, for Pump 144 HIGH ST., BOSTON. Piston Rods and Bolt Forgings. ried in stock. oss caith a8, cancene Boiler and Condenser Tubes, 99 John Streets TPP Ly vor, | OOMplete Lines Specially Carried |, zccze xx: * yacroure THOMASTON, CONN. WATERBURY, CONN. for the Hardware Trade, | [eames Randolph-Clowes Co., Coppersmiths’ Supplies, Metallic SCOVILL MFG. CO., Manufacturers of Main Office and Mill, Eyelets, Shells, Ferrules and small BRASS, WATERBURY, CONN. GERMAN SILVER MANUFACTURERS OF Sheets, Rolis, Wire ~~ brass wares of every description. Rods, Bolts and Tubes, Brass Shells, Cups, Hinges, Buttons, Lamp Coods. SPECIAL BRASS GOODS TO ORDER Factories, WATERBURY, CONN. DEPOTS : NEW YORK, CHICAGO, BOSTON. SHEET BRASS & COPPER. BRAZED BR. er ne Deoxidized Babbitt. sseemge eo NEVER HAS BEEN BEATEN, & COPPER TUBES TO 36 IN. DIAM. New York Office, 253 Broadway, Postal Tel- egraph Bidg.. Room & Bridgeport Deoxidized Bronze & Metal Co. JOHN DAVOL & SONS, Chicago Office, 602 Fisher Bad Boston Office, Cor. Oliver and Purchase Sts. BRIDGEPORT, CONN. : arn Brooklyn Brass & Seance Co.. DEALERS IN COPPER, TIN, SPELTER, LEAD, ANTIMONY. 100 John Street, - New York. Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Co., LA SALLE, ILLINOIS. SMELTERS OF SPELTER Arthur T: Rutter AND MANUFACTURERS OF SUCCESSOR TO SHEET ZINC AND SULPHURIC ACID. Special Sizes of Zinc cut to order. Rolled Battery Plates. WILLIAM S. FEARING Selected Plates for Etchers’ and Lithographers’ use. 256 Broadway, NEW YORK. Selected Sheets for Paper and Card Makers’ use. Sboge and Westberg Seats, Small tubing in Brass, Copper, ZINCS FOR LECLANCHE BATTERY. Steel, Aluminum, German Silver, &c. Sheet Brass, Copper and Ger- man Silver. Copper, Brass and UE eT wN a eee ae _— — and Sie ee Sst S 8:74 West Monroe St., Chicago. ? 99 Best Bronze, Babbitt Metals, Brass and Alaminum ea “PHONO-ELECTRIC WIRE. «rs Tova.” TROLLEY, NoPsnade. " | BRASS, BRONZE and ALUMINUM CASTINGS, “4 Wheel, $3.00 5 Wheel, $3.25 Founders, Finishers. R. em HART, : BATTLE ouman. ta0m. W. G ROWELL & CO., BRIDGEPORT, CONN. TELEPHONE and HENDRICKS BROTHERS TELEGRAPH Belleville Copper Rolling . Mills, LINES. Braziers’ Bolt and Sheathing Bridgevert, BRIDGEPORT BRASS § C0,, COPPER, ie COPPER WIRE AND RIVET i RACTS “Son ase ae Dy Importers and Dealers in Ss C ONTRA eNDIN YOUR oe PRICES Ingot Copper, Block Tin, Spelter, Lead, Antimony, etc. fp onocns ©¥> oo mo 49 CLIFF ST., NEW YORK. ER WW THURSDAY, Steel Chimney Erection. Win. Stanton, writing to the London Engineer, We are erecting five steel chimneys 125 feet high by 5 says feet 3 inches in diameter. for the British Westinghouse Company at Trafford Park. We have just about fin ished the fourth stack, and as the method of erection is on somewhat new lines for this class of work I venture to send you a brief account of the operations. On the top of the cast iron bed plate prepared to receive the chimney we put up a square frame of scaffold poles and braced them horizontally and diagonally. The two main poles would average about 9 inches in diameter, and were 55 feet high; at the top of each of these poles we THB IRON AGE May 8. L902 quired on the Which an t framing, swered the double put pose of bracing and scaffolding that steel chim been put up in this As far as I know this is the first time 125 feet We were told many # time heys high have manner risk of having the finished: but while admitting the risk, Ll am inclined to think suecess justi about the stack down when we were almost fies the means ——————_—______ A Novel Concrete Mixing Plant on the New York Subway. On the New York Transit 146th street and the Boulevard is a novel arrangement for rap Rapid Subway at A NOVEL CONCRETE MIXING -P hung a set of tackle leading into two crabs. Then we put the top ring of plates over the flue under the frame: after riveting the vertical seam we put a sling round the ring and hooked the tackle on and hoisted the ring up 5 feet; then we put No. 2 ring into its place and riveted the horizontal seam, and so on until the top of the stack reached the top tackle blocks on the framing. We then had to lower the slings and attach temporary guy to the top of the stack to keep’it vertical while we were lifting for each ring: at the last lift for the bottom ring we had 70 feet of the chimney above the sling and only 5O feet below. The advantages of the sembling end riveting are done on the ground, rope s that the as and you method are can see that the work is done properly; it also does away with the need for seaffolding. except such as was r sANk ON THE NEW YORK SLEBEWAY idiy and economically mixing the conerete required o1 At this section the ex¢avation is carried as an through The floor and built of conerette, as shown in the first engraving. the work. walls ar The roof will be composed of steel benms supported upon the rock, side open cut side walls and a center row of steel columns, the spaces between the beams being of arched concrete. rhe first work is the finishing of the concrete floor Upon this is then laid a loose wooden platform where the concrete, having been mixed in proper proportion iubove, is wetted. Just above this is a movable deck bridge which spans the excavation. The ends rest upon the cut moved forward as the wor wooden beams placed near the edge of so that the entire structure can be advances. Upon this bridge are dumped the sand, ston: and cement. The carts are driven upon the bridge, in a THE IRON AGE. direction away from the observer, Fig. 2; they then turn to the left and pass along the side of the excavation to the temporary street bridge, also shown in the same en- graving. The concrete, mixed dry, is then shoveled into the chute shown in the center of the first engraving. The bottom of this chute is provided with a gate or slide so that the dry concrete can be dumped on the lower platform as required. Water is here added from bar- rels placed on the bridge above. As indicated in the first half-tone, a braced sheath- ing of plank is arranged along the side of the excavation in line with the face of the wall to be built. The space between this and the rock is then filled with concrete. It will be noted that the concrete is moved but a few feet from the place where the materia] is first dumped to the wall. —_—_—a_—— Oil Fuel and Oil Burners. BY EGBERT P WATSON, With the discovery of new oil fields in various parts of the world interest in the use of liquid fuel has been revived. Many large steamship lines have adopted it May 8, 1902 formidable rival. Notwithstanding the views of “ well- known scientists,” whose names are not given, there is no positive knowledge of the extent of the new oil fields, and as soon as the supply is restricted the price will go up until coal will be the cheaper. In any event, the oil reserve underlying this country will have to be of incredible extent in order to compete with coal for a long term of years. The consumption of the latter is enormous, so great that it would take a very large number of even 300-barrel daily spouters to appreciably lessen its consumption. The spouters afore- said come into action at once upon striking the oil veins, and cease flowing as suddenly as they commenced, while coal mines continue prolific through decades. It would seem better to make haste slowly in deciding between coal and oil fuel, for although the supply of the latter is adequate to the present demand, it is more than doubt- ful if it would continue if there was a general call for it. Many, if not most, of the difficulties and dissatisfac- tion with the results obtained by using oil as fuel arise from defective burners or from neglecting them. The popular idea of a burner is one that acts as promptly as a household lamp; but even this gives io light unless it is properly managed. If the wick is turned too high Pig. 2.—View of Concrete Mixing Platform and Bridge. extensively and are establishing depots of supply in various ports. Texas oil can be had so cheaply at pres- ent that experimental trials have been made with it in lieu of coal by the United Fruit Company, running a line of vessels from New Orleans to the. Belize. It was a first test, but proved entirely satisfactory from every point of view. Not only was the round trip the fastest ever made by the company’s steamers, but it was also the cheapest. Six firemen were dispensed with and the actual consumption of oil was 850 barrels, as against 218 tons of coal for a similar service. The company are, it is reported, about to adopt oil fuel upon all of their vessels and set up tanks at both ends of the run to sup- ply them. The saving annually is estimated at $9250 for each ship. It is somewhat anomalous, in view of all the circum- stances and previous experience with oil as fuel, that it has not been more generally adopted in years gone by. One reason has been the uncertain supply. Another is the high price of oil as compared with coal in certain places remote from mines. Still another is the unsatis- factory results obtained from oil fuel at different times, on one day giving no trouble and on others nothing could be done with it. This last is by no means un- usual, but it is nearly always caused by water in the oil, either as it came from the well or getting into it subsequently. However this may be, oil fuel at present prices is likely to be extensively used, but in compari- son with the quantity of coal in sight and known to exist it is still very doubtful whether it will become a there is much smoke and no light, owing to an excess of oil. It is ‘the same with oil burners designed to fur- nish heat instead of light, for the majority of them, or a large number, are run with a red-yellow flame. If the furnace is, filled with this the burner is supposed to be doing its best, but there may be a sea of flame and com. paratively little heat. A properly designed and man- aged burner affords a blue-purple flame and no smoke whatever, the oil vapor only being burned, as with the so-called wickless blue flame oil stoves in domestic use. There are a great many burners for fuel oil in the mar- ket, and those who are interested should take pains to see that they get a practicable one before condemning the fuel itself. hiisnesensdliaianaiiiaiaiti Drawback on Carpet Sweepers.—Under date of April 25, 1902, the United States Treasury Department issued the following decision: ‘‘On the exportation of Bissell carpet sweepers manufactured by the Bissell Carpet Sweeper Company of Grand Rapids, Mich., from im- ported tin plate of IX quality, 138 x 19 in size, a draw- back will be allowed equal in amount to the duty paid on the tin plate used in the manufacture, less the legal retention of 1 per cent. The quantity of the material so used shall be determined by allowing 123% square inches of tin plate for each exported sweeper.” — At English newspapers report a sale of 5000 tons of Seaton-Carew Bessemer pig of guaranteed analysis for shipment to this country. May 8, 1902 Strengthening the Bankruptcy Law. ea The Ray Bill Expected to Pass. WASHINGTON, D. C., May 6, 1902.—The House Judi- ciary Committee, which, as stated in The Iron Age last week, has favorably reported the so-called Ray bill in- tended to strengthen the Federal bankruptcy law, called up the measure on the 2d inst., and after brief consid- eration secured for it an advantageous position in the legislative programme, which will doubtless result in its passage by the House within the next fortnight. That this bill will not be permitted to pass the House with- out a hard fight is evidenced by the fact that no less than four members of the committee have joined in a minority report not only protesting against the passage of the amendatory bill, but urging as a substitute a measure absolutely repealing the Federal statute. The four minority members of the committee who have united in the adverse report referred to are Messrs. Clayton of Alabama, Fleming of Georgia, De Armond of Missouri and Smith of Kentucky. The geographical distribution of this minority is significant in view of the fact that the sections of the country which these mem- bers represent were loudest in the demand for a Federal statute. No one would contend, however, that what was desired in these districts was a purely voluntary Fed- eral law which would permit debtors to slough off their financial obligations as often as desired, leaving their creditors without recourse, and helpless even to protect their interests when their debtors’ insolvency had be- come a matter of public notoriety. The Minority Report Assails the Bill, At the outset of the minority report the Federal statute is assailed on the ground that it was drawn sole- ly in the interest of the creditor class, although it is a well-known fact that the sharpest critics of the present law have unanimously contended that it made the path of the debtor far too easy, and encouraged reckless busi- ness methods by holding out the prospect of an unlim- ited number of discharges whenever a debtor might be overwhelmed by carelessly incurred financial ogliga- tions. The minority makes a point of the fact that during the 114 years since the adoption of the Constitution Fed- eral bankruptcy laws have been in force but 25 years, and it is argued from this point that “ the American peo- ple have not heretofore favored a permanent bankruptey system, and we do not believe that they now favor it.” The minority report assails the integrity of Chairman Ray’s digest of the replies received to his circular let- ter described in The Iron Age a week ago, which was sent broadeast throughout the country to thousands of busi- nes men of both debtor and creditor classes. “It may be,” ingeniously suggests the minority re- port, ‘that nearly all the circular letters were sent to wholesale merchants and jobbers, bankruptcy lawyers, referees in bankruptcy, and other court officials inter- ested in the cost features of the bankruptcy law. In his report the chairman does not tell how few replies he re- ceived to his circular letter. He assures us that only 10 per cent. of the replies received opposed the retention of the law. In coming to his conclusion as to the popu- larity of the measure, it may be that the chairman was largely convinced by the silence of the people addressed, as we are led to believe by his statement in the circular letter that ‘In case you [the recipient ef the letter] do not return the paper as requested, it will be assumed that you are satisfied with the existing conditions under the present national bankruptcy law.’ “ We have not been told that the unfortunate debtor’s side was presented. The man who has gone voluntarily into bankruptcy and made an honest showing has been, in some degree, considered in this legislation; but it does seem to make the unfortunate debtor who has been put into involuntary bankruptcy when he was conducting a going business, and who thereby has had his business, credit and character ruined, subject to every inquisitorial method and harsh measure that commercial lawyers and hard hearted creditors can suggest. The drastic pro- visions of this bill show that in the minds of at least THE IRON AGE. 3 some of its promoters every involuntary bankrupt is deemed to be a thief and a scoundrel from the very in- ception of the proceedings against him. The resort to this unusual remedy is tantamount to an indictment against the unfortunate debtor. It is no answer to say that he may have a jury trial, under certain conditions, and thereby have his innocence established. He has al- ready been ruined and branded, and there is no ade- quate remedy, no reparation. But what cares the rapa- cious creditor for the ruin of a hundred innocent men, so that he may at some time catch one dishonest man and force him to disgorge assets that should be applied to his just debts?” A Prejudiced Point of View. The prejudiced point of view of the minority is fully disclosed by the charge made in the report that the pres- ent law has operated solely in the interest of the creditor class. “ We can very well understand,” says the report, ‘why some wholesale dealers and jobbers, bankruptcy lawyers, referees, trustees, marshals and clerks of courts might desire the retention of the present bankruptcy law, and favor certain amendments. We think it fair to say that some wholesale dealers and jobbers favor such re- tention and some of the amendments proposed, because they would like to use the law more and more as a col- lection machine, and we can understand why referees and others who are interested in the fees from the bank- rupt estates desire the enactment of these amendments increasing their compensation. “ But we admit that these should not be our control- ling reasons, however just may be some of those demands or suggestions, when we are called upon to legislate for the whole people. Even the improvement of a system essentially bad is not as good as its abolishment. If we ought to be slow about relieving unfortunate debtors, we ought to be equally slow about conferring new and harsh remedies upon exacting creditors through the me- dium of extraordinary powers given to the Federal courts and court officials whereby any of the debtor class may be unjustly oppressed or harassed. We ought to legislate with the idea uppermost in our minds that the creditor class in our country is not, as a rule, more hon- est and just and more to be trusted with power and au- thority than the debtor class, and that the interests of the one are no more worthy of legislative consideration than those of the other.” It is probable that the arguments employed by the minority in favor of repealing the present statute will appeal to a certain class of members of the House. The sympathetic appeal in the interest of the “ poor debtor ” will doubtless be utilized to the utmost, and no effort should be spared by those who desire the retention of the present law to convince members and Senators from all parts of the country of the real sentiments of the business community, which have been clearly shown to be not only in favor of continuing the bankruptcy law, but also of amending it as provided by the Ray bill. W. L. C. SEE cE William Swindell & Brothers.—The statement has been printed in another journal that the American Fur- nace & Machine Company of Pittsburgh had been in- corporated under the laws of New Jersey, with a capital stock of $100,000, and would take over the successful business of William Swindell & Brothers, engineers and contractors, with offices in the German National Bank Building, Pittsburgh. William Swindell & Brothers deny that they have any connection with the American Furnace & Machine Company, or with James H. and James D. Swindell, who are the incorporators of the American Furance & Machine Company. William Swindell & Brothers are still in business in Pittsburgh, and are a distinct corporation, with William Swindell as president, John D. Swindell treasurer and Edward H. Swindell secretary.. This firm have no connection whatever with the new company and wish this to be distinctly understood by the trade. William Swindell & Brothers have a great deal of work on hand and are building quite a large number of their Swindell con- tinuous water seal gas producers in different parts of the country. a Aman ns At SS we see 6 A a eS! cee ome 2S See — I SES PTE OTE ER aT 4 THE Lake Iron Ore Matters. DuLutH, MINN., May 3, 1902.—The iron ore shipmenis of April did not reach expectations, amounting to not more than 1,650,000 tons from upper lake ports. This is excellent, however, and gives a long start for the season. The month of May opens with the situation in fine shape for a large business, except for the feared congestion at lower lake docks. It is strange that with the warh- ings these docks gave last year of their incapacity to care for the business that might be looked for this sea- son more facilities were not provided. The addition of a few unloading machines and extra tracks, even of a few hundred feet additional length of frontage, cuts little figure when there are several million tons more to be handled and docks were congested last year. There is trouble with the rolling stock of lower lake roads, and the ore will not get away to furnaces as fast as it should to make matters easy. If anything was needed to emphasize what this cor- respondence has pointed out for months—that there were too many ships this year for the business of the lakes—it is the result of turning tonnage into channels aside from ore by independent shippers who are en- deavoring to maintain the rates. They have put vessels into wheat and have brought grain rates to a parity with ore at 55 cents a ton; they have put them into coal and demoralized the trade, and they have now nothing to show for their activity. In the meantime the United States Steel Corporation are steadily taking what vessels they require at the rate they decided to make and adhere to at the commencement of negotiations this season. Nothing independent owners could do would be so dis- astrous to their own rates as turning ships from ore into grain. In ore the tonnage is so great that the addition or taking off of a few ships makes no difference, while the gross grain tonnage is, comparatively speaking, of such minor consequence that a few vessels added to :: market already overstocked bear down rates seriously. There is very little being said now of new shipping for the lakes, but what the coming season may bring out cannot, of course, be foretold. The Mesaba Range. The Eastern Minnesota road is building, or will build this season, spurs and branches to no less than nine new mines. Among these are the Kinney property, re- cently sold to the Deering Harvester Company. This will be a branch 10 miles long, running off the branch now leading to the Stevenson mine. It is reported that this new mine will be quite a shipper late this year, but this is not probable. Even though Joseph Sellwood is to have management of the property, it will be a long time before shipment can commence. Spurs are also to be made to the North and South Day mines, at Hibbing, called now by the Fay Exploration Company the Laura and Winnifred. The former shows some very nice Bes- semer ore; the latter is a small deposit of good non- 3essemer. The Webb, adjoining and south of the Win- nifred, will be reached by tracks of the Eastern a little later. The Columbia, adjoining the Webb and being opened by the Sellwood interest, will be reached by this road shortly. The same interest is opening the Morrow mine, which is a corner of the Pillsbury ore body, and the Pearce, which is a corner of the Cnisholm deposit. Both are small and both will be shippers to some extent this season. The Grant, near Buhl, will also be reached by the Eastern road. So will the Wacouta, just east of Mountain Iron, and also in all probability the Croxton, another new property. The Elizabeth, just south of Hib- bing, is being further explored, but will not become a shipper for another year. Other roads are building lines to the Pitt, the Minorca, the Stevens and the She- nango. The Eastern will get the Republic Iron & Steel Company’s ore from their new Kinney, in 14-58-19. The Vermillion Range. Considerable work is promised for the Vermillion range. This follows the taking of new lands by the Oliver Iron Mining Company, and is quite largely owing to the settlement of legal difficulties at the Eaton-Merritt [IRON AGE. May %, 1902 tract and the old McComber mine. This latter has al- ready been entered by D. E. Woodbridge of Duluth. He is rapidly getting the water out of the old workings and will have the property thoroughly examined by compe- tent engineers. The Oliver Iron Mining Company will ex- plore in the vicinity of the McComber during the year, and some exploration is promised east from Ely, in a region distant from the railways. The Gogebic Range. A good deal of work is being done on the Penokee range, west of the hitherto productive part of the Goge- bic. This work extends from town 45-1 east to town 44-3 west. At Upson the Schlesinger syndicate are work- ing steadily and with encouraging signs, it is said. It is quite probable that a mine will be encountered there. Near Mellen, at the west end of the belt, work is going on with some encouraging symptoms. At the eastern end of the Gogebic some exploration is also under way, but work that looked satisfactory some months ago is now not so favorable. The Marquette Range. As depth is reached at the new Maas shaft of the Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company in the Negaunee district the work becomes very slow. Now they are sinking but a few inches a day; in fact, since the middle of Febru- ary the shaft has gone down but about 12 feet. Sand boils up occasionally, but not so much as a short time ago. The workmen are able to stay at the bottom of the shaft and are not greatly troubled by water or sand. That the immense weight of shaft and timbers, loaded as they are with iron, does not sink faster is a remark- able thing. A bed of clay will soon be reached. The old Negaunee mine is now shipping as fast as possible and will make a record breaking output this year, consider- ing the obstacles encountered lately. The volume of ore shipments from Negaunee and Ishpeming is very large, heavier than at the corresponding date after the opening of navigation last year. Considerable ore is going through to Escanaba. At the Volunteer mine, Cascade range, which was taken not long ago by the Donora Mining Company (Union Steel Company), they are now raising about 150 tons of ore daily, and will increase this gradually. The same company are also doing work at other points nearby. On the western Marquette, in the vicinity of the American and Dexter mines, much work is in progress and contemplation, and several of the old mines will be pumped out, examined carefully and probably reopened and developed exten- sively. The Menominee Range. In the Iron River district of the Menominee range Duluth parties are working near the Hiawatha mine and are making considerable progress, with some ex- cellent indications. The Hiawatha mine itself is mak- ing a fairly iarge output and will be developed consid- erably this year, it is reported. At the Mansfield they are sinking the new shaft in diorite and having a very slow, ‘hard job of it. The twelfth level is being opened, and when the new shaft is ready for business the mine can be a large producer. The old shaft will be sunk an- other level at once. At the James property the shaft is down 375 feet. It will be carried to more than 500 feet and drifting will be undertaken. The shaft has been sunk at the rate of 3 feet a day for some weeks. The Fogarty land, near Iron River, has been examined this week by agents of the Cleveland interest and may be taken for exploration. Shafts are being put down on the Caspian and Kinney properties and machinery plants are being installed at both places. Tt: Michipicoton Range. Orders Lave been given to push the Algoma Central & Hudson Bay road as fast as possible to the Helen and Josephine mines of the Michipicoton range, and about 4000 men will be worked along the lines this year, with the expectation of making connection with the mines by autumn. Construction gangs are working about 70 miles north from the Sault and the road will be finished to Agawa, 72 miles out, by midsummer. The Clergue interests are said to have great hopes of the Josephine mine, which they are now commencing to develop. May 3, 1902 THE IRON AGE. 5 Engineers are starting the work of preliminary sur- veys for the Nipigon Railway, a Canadian line heavily assisted by the Government, and designed to run up the east side of Nipigon River from Lake Superior to Lake Nipigon, about 80 miles, and thence northeasterly to Albany River. It will cut across the region where most of the large steel making interests of the continent that carry on explorations have had agents and experts for the past year or two. The Oliver lron Mining Company had confidential men in this region three years ago. The road is being built under a concession to a paper and pulp concern, but will be available, of course, in ease iron is found there. Much in the way of float indi eations has been found, but little else so far. D. E. W. $$$ ga -—__—— Prospects of the Reciprocity Treaties. All Treaties But Two Favorably Reported. WASHINGTON, D. C., May 6, 1902.—Contrary to general expectations, the Senate Committee of Foreign Rela- tions, by a majority of a single vote, has reported to the Senate with a favorable recommendation the reciprocity treaties with France, with Great Britain, covering the Turk’s and Caicos islands, Bermuda, British Guiana and Barbados, and with Nicaragua and Ecuador. The treaties with the Argentine Republic and Jamaica have been adversely reported. The French Treaty and Its Powerfal Enemies. While the French treaty has thus been saved from defeat at the hands of the Senate Committee it cannot be said that its parliamentary position has been materi- ally improved, especially when it is understood to what devices its friends were obliged to resort in committee to prevent an adverse report, and when it js known that Senator Aldrich, the tariff leader of the majority, stands ready whenever the convention is called up to move its reference to the Finance Committee for the purpose of encompassing its defeat. When the vote was taken in committee but 9 of the 13 members were present, and of these but 3 Republicans, Senators Cullom, Foraker, ‘Spooner, and one Democrat, Senator Bacon, voted for the treaty, while 4 Republicans, Senators Lodge, Frye, Clark and Kean, and one Democrat, Senator Morgan, voted against it. This adverse vote of 5 to 4 wouid have beaten the treaty but for the fact that an agree- ment was reached under which those absent members who had expressed a definite preference shotild be counted, and on this understanding Senators Money and Rawlins, Democrats, were counted for the treaty, giving it a majority of one. Senators Fairbanks, Republican, and Bailey, Democrat, were also absent, but having been noncommittal were not recorded. Special Reasons for Reporting the French Treaty. That but three Republican Senators were induced to support the French treaty is especially significant in view of the fact that a number of arguments appealing with much weight to members of the majority at this time were skillfully used by the advocates of ratification. The suggestion was made, in the first place, that the French treaty presented a question of great interna- tional importance in view of the generally unfriendly attitude of Europe with regard to American commercial expansion, and, therefore, that responsibility concern- ing it should not rest with a single committee of the Senate, but with the entire body. Should the treaty be reported adversely there would be no occasion for call- ing it up, whereas a favorable report would still leave the fate of the convention subject to the direct action of the Senate. It was further suggested that a favorable report upon the treaty would result in deferring any re- taliatory action on the part of France, while an adverse report might precipitate reprisals on very short notice, and would have an unfortunate effect upon our com- mercial relations with all the leading countries of Eu- rope, and especially with Russia, which has already promulgated decrees imposing retaliatory duties on American products in return for the imposition by the Tnited States of countervailing duties on Russian sugar. The friends of the treaty placed their chief reliance upon the argument that it would be a serious tactical blunder for the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations io reject a reciprocity treaty with France at a time when the Senate Committee on Relations with Cuba Was endeavoring to frame a bill providing for reciproc- ity with that island. It is generally conceded that the ucdininistration’s plan for making a reciprocal trade ar rangement with Cuba, involving reduction in the tariff on Cuban products when imported into the United States, can only be carried out by the employment of every parliamentary device, and it was therefore argued that the wholesale rejection of a series of important reciprocity treaties at this time would greatly embarrass the administration leaders in the Senate, who hope to pass a Cuban reciprocity bill in the face of the strenu- ous opposition of the House. The Rejection of the French Treaty Merely Postponed, No attempt was made to conceal the fact that the French treaty lacked a majority in the Senate and re- quired a two-thirds vote for ratification, ard this con- sideration was undoubtedly very potent in inducing certain Senators to vote for a favorable report, which would relieve the committee of further responsibility without materially improving the prospect of favorable action by the Senate. In the face of these circum- stances, it will be seen that too much weight should not be given to the action of the committee, and it is the best opinion here that the rejection of the French con vention has simply been postponed thereby. The argument upon which Senator Aldrich will de mand reference of the French treaty to the Committee on Finance is that as it makes important charges in the rates of the Dingley Tariff act it will seriously af fect the revenues and should, therefore, be considered by the committee responsible for the Government’s in- come. <At present the members of the Finance Com- mittee are strongly opposed to the treaty and are dis- posed to defer to Senator Aldrich’s opinion with regard to all details affecting tariff questions. The vote taken on the motion to refer the treaty to this committee will be regarded as a test of strength in the Senate, as all advocates of ratification will be expected to resist such reference as fatal to the convention. WwW. L. C. <niithiceiiiaialaliataehiiaiei Drinking Water for Workmen, Bb. F. Avery & Sons of Louisville, Ky., describe as follows their experience in furnishing prepared drink- ing water to their workmen during hot weather, espe- cially those employed in their forging, foundry and other departments where there is intense heat. They take stone jars or kegs holding about 10 gallons of water, filled with water and a small quantity of ice, pack the jar in a barrel with sawdust between the in- ner and outer vessels. Thus the water is kept cool with 1 minimum of ice. Each morning they place about % pint of oatmeal, rolled oats or any other form of crushed oats in the water. This crushed oats thus used makes the water a remarkable thirst quencher. During the several years that they have thus provided drinking water they cannot recall a case of heat prostration or illness due to excessive drinking of water by men em ployed in their shops where the heat is great. They also find that this water reduces the appetite for intoxicating drinks, and in general the effects are so excellent that their men are telling it to workmen in other shops and cities. The jar should be emptied and thoroughly cleansed every morning, as the oatmeal sours over night, and, of course, the drinking cup also ought to be scald- ed and scoured for obvious reasons each day. They be- lieve that the water should be drawn from a spigot, as, of course, from a sanitary view the use of a dipper in the top of the jar is not as it should be, but the oatmeal clogs the spigot or strainer leading to a spigot. It has contributed not only to the comfort of the men, but has permitted them to continue at work when the heat might otherwise have prevented and has greatly re- duced the temptation of the men to seek intoxicating cooling drinks. For a few days the oatmeal flavor may not be relished by all of the men, but very soon they find it palatable and are delighted by the relief afforded. ee ee aw posme Cg PE LAT TR RTE ETD Or AA ee THE Scientific and Technical Notes. P. B. Delaney, whose synchronous multiplex tele- graph has been extensively used abroad for many years, has now perfected a remarkably rapid automatic sys- tem of telegraphy. It is claimed that 8000 words per minute have been transmitted over a single short ex- perimental line, while 600 to 800 words per minute can be regularly sent over a line several hundred miles long. The sending operators (who need not be located in the central office) use a common Morse key transmitter. The lines which they operate may be run to a central office at one end of the long distance line, where, in place of the ordinary receivers, there may be machines which perforate a narrow tape with small holes corre- sponding to the usual Morse code. These perforated tapes are fed through the long distance transmitter at very high velocity, one of these latter machines having a capacity equal to the capacity of many operators. At the receiving end of the long distance line there is a re- ceiving instrument which records the Morse signals on a rapidly moving sensitized tape. The messages are transcribed from these records by the necessary number of readers, or the various messages may be forwarded to outlying branch offices by the ordinary method. A great advantage of the system is that the limit to the business conducted over the long distance line is in no way affected by the speed of the operators at either end. If these operators are “slow” a larger number can be employed in occupying the line, and they may be worked on the “piece work” plan. If an attempt were made to send the messages over the long line at very high speed by the ordinary method of transmitting “ dots and dashes,” the electrical capacity of the line and the necessity of charging and discharging the line between impulses would effectually defeat such rapid transmis- sion. To overcome this difficulty very ingenious features are introduced in the perforating, the transmitting and the recording apparatus. The perforating machine con- tains two punches. One of these makes a hole near one edge of the moving tape when the sending key is de- pressed, while the other punch makes a hole near the opposite edge of the tape when the key is released. The distance between these two perforations—measured along the line of the tape—corresponds to a dot, dash or long dash, as the case may be, of the Morse code. In the passage of the tape through the transmitter the per- forations pass under contact brushes. Positive current is sent to the line when a perforation corresponding to the depression of the key passes under the positive brush, and the line discharge maintains the flow at the receiving end until the hole at the other edge of the perforated tape passes under the negative brush and thus establishes a reverse current in the line. The elec- trolytic action at the receiver (due to the flow of a posi- tive current from a point of suitable material through the special sensitized paper) produces a clear blue color on the yellow tape, but the flow of the reverse current breaks the record. There are no reciprocating parts to the receiving instrument, hence no inertia actions to retard the recording operation. The records produced at ex- tremely high speeds are wonderfully distinct. A. J. Wurts, who was commissioned by George West- inghouse, Jr., to develop a commercial form of the Nernst electric lamp, has recently given some interesting particulars as to this new form of electric light. The illumination is due to the incandescence of what are called the “ glowers.”’ These glowers are made of cer- tain of the rare earths and suitable binding materials. They are in the form of small rods, about 1 inch long and 1-40 inch in diameter, one or more parallel glowers being used according to the candle-power desired. A lamp rated at 50 candle-power has one glower; the 400 candle-power lamp has six glowers, &c. The glowers are nonconductors when cold, hence they must be heated by external means when the lamp is to be lighted. Small electric heaters are placed near the glowers to heat the latter when the current is turned on, automatic “cut outs ” throwing the heaters off when the tempera- ture of the glowers has become sufficiently high to con- duct the required current. This temperature is about IRON AGE. May 8, 1902 950 degrees C., or 1600 degrees F., and it requires about 30 seconds to attain it. Other ingenious features are in- cluded in the construction of the “ ballast,” a steadying resistance which is necessitated by the peculiar proper- ties of the glowers. The average life of the glowers is about 800 hours with alternating current. When one or more of the glowers has become exhausted the nest of glowers may be removed and a new set put in place without removal of the lamp from its usual position. The old glowers may be replaced and the set can be used for future renewals. The life of the electric heater is about 200 hours, but as it is only in action for a half minute at a time it will outlast many sets of glowers. There is no combustible material in the lamp, porcelain being largely used in its construction. The Nernst lamp gives an extremely steady light of a very desirable char- acter. Colors are seen in their true shades, the light being much superior to the incandescent light in this re- spect. It is claimed that the energy required for the Nernst lamp is only about one-half that of an incan- descent electric light for the same illumination, and it is estimated that the renewals will cost less than for are lamps. According to the report in London Engineering, R. 8. Hutton of Owens College has succeeded in fusing quartz in the electric furnace, thus making apparatus which will withstand much higher temperatures than glass. It is stated that the fused quartz has a very low tem- perature coefficient, and that when hot it can be quenched in cold water without cracking. This seems to be a very promising material for high temperature apparatus. As yet the material has not been produced entirely free from bubbles. The power plant of the Canadian Niagara Power Company will consist of 10,000 horse-power units, gen- erating 18,000 volts directly at the dynamos. This is the highest voltage ever delivered by electric generators in commermial operation. The liquefaction of hydrogen presents a peculiar diffi- culty not experienced in the production of liquid air. Air is cooled by free expansion, hence if a mass of air is compressed, cooled and then allowed to suddenly ex- pand its temperature is further reduced, and this reduc- tion of temperature is sufficient (under suitable condi- tions) to liquefy a portion of the air. Hydrogen, how- ever, if expanded freely from normal temperature, un- dergoes an increase rather than a decrease of tempera. ture. This increase of temperature of hydrogen with free expansion becomes less as the initial temperature is lowered and it is zero at 80.5 degrees C. With an in- itial temperature of compressed hydrogen lower than 80.5 degrees C. hydrogen is cooled by free expansion, as air is cooled from higher temperatures. Hence, to liq- uefy hydrogen, liquid air is used to cool the compressed hydrogen below this temperature, when free expansion liquefies a portion of the hydrogen. It is of interest to note that computations made in advance of the ex- perimental determination placed this temperature at 79.3 degrees C., or within 1.2 degrees of the observed result. innnialnmibiiegNdattaincasiaithee Serious Charge Against a Steel Car Builder. At Pittsburgh last week the Pressed Steel Car Com- pany filed a bill in equity against John M. Hansen, pres- ident of the Standard Steel Car Company, recently or- ganized in Pittsburgh to build a large plant at Butler, Pa., for the manufacture of steel cars. A preliminary injunction is asked against Mr. Hansen, requiring him to deliver up certain blue prints, die drawings and bills of materials, 1100 of which are specified in two schedules appended to the bill, and to which a value of more than $1,000,000 is affixed. The bill sets forth that Mr. Hansen, for several years prior to 1899, was chief engineer of the Schoen Pressed Steel Company, taking a similar position with the Pressed Steel Car Company when they took over the Schoen Company. On October 1, 1900, it is added, the duties of assistant to the president were added to those “he had before. May 8, 1902 The bill, after detailing the organization of the Standard Steel Car Company, of which Mr. Hansen, H. J. Gearhart, formerly auditor and acting general man- ager, and Peter F. McCool, formerly superintendent of the McKees Rocks plant of the Pressed Steel Car Com- pany, are the incorporators, proceeds to charge Mr. Hansen with having caused the employees of the Pressed Steel Car Company to make a complete set of the blue prints, die drawings and bills of material of the company, which he carried away with him for the use of the Standard Steel Car Company. en The Franklin Four-Cylinder Gasoline Engine. The four-cylinder automobile gasoline engine built by the Franklin Mfg. Company of Syracuse, N. Y., is of the four-cycle, air-cooled type. The four-cylinder pattern has been adopted as it permits of close balancing of the parts, and as the impulses are less violent and more frequent than in motors having fewer cylinders. From this it follows that a much lighter transmission gear may be employed in the multiple cylinder machine. The cylinders are air cooled, as plainly shown in the en- THE IRON AGE. 7 land, before sailing for England last week, made the following statement in regard to the progress made on the plant: ‘ The pattern and carpenter shops, employ- ing some 300 men, are already in operation, and by July the entire plant will be in full swing. We will not, however, be in a position for some little time to turn out the heavy engines, &c., at present built at the West- inghouse plants at East Pittsburgh, but inside of 12 months we shall be able to manufacture the largest pieces of machinery from our own castings, so that we will then be entirely independent of the Pittsburgh shops. It has been our especial aim to secure for re- sponsible positions in the Manchester works English engineers, ‘ Americanized,’ or I might say * Pittsburgh- ized,’ and with this in view 35 young Britishers, mostly collegians and who have served a five years’ apprentice- ship in first class English shops, have gone through the various departments of the Westinghouse shops at East Pittsburgh, so as to gain experience in the manufacture of modern electrical machinery. These men have just returned to England to take up important duties at our works. Twenty-five American