The Iron Age 1918-07-25: Vol 102 Iss 4

New York, July 25, 1918 . ee) 5 7 ACMER Bae Fo see of Salad > alg Ville 2 ge? ES $ ‘ r es ed Ei 3 PL eee ge Se ES ee Te Sa Se Sal ce elma Ee es) é s ” a x DS tte 2 ont Entire Blast Furnace Plant Salvaged ) War Time Economics Applied in Removal of a Midland Stack and Its Re-erection at Sault Ste. Marie—The Fluctuating Labor Supply ' \RTICULAR interest attaches to the recent ough investigation, it decid lismantling of a blast furnace at Midland, cost of necessary equipment it the {el Ont It S$ Marie, nt., and its removal to Sault Ste. pe required to secure it practica pro! juse practically the entire plant from the founda indertaking. TI led to the an tion was salvaged so that very litthke new material some existing furnace not the ‘ was required except that necessitated by the mod Early in April the Algoma Steel Cory ernization of the plant and the increasing of its purchased from the Canada Iron Corporatio capacity. Various difficulties were encountered in more modern of the two blast furnaces located carrying out the work on schedule, which included Midland, Ont., about 400 miles f: the Si a scarcity of labor, severe weather and congested and gave to Arthur G. McKee & Co., Cleveland, th: railroad facilities. contract to dismantle, ship and re-erect the plant In order to meet the increased demand for its the Soo. The contract included supplying the add steel products, the Algoma Steel Corporation, Sault tional material necessary to increase Ste. Marie, Ont., found it necessary to add to its the furnace and make it modern in every respect, pig iron production and to supply sufficient hot and also stipulated that all the old material that metal to keep its duplexing plant in operation at could be salvaged, consistent with the plan, should maximum output. Early in 1917 it decided to erect be worked into the re-erected plant at the Soo, with an additional blast furnace. However, after thor- out in any way interfering with the operation of the t s |. | 4 7 5 —) Dat ieee Het i Bie tT AP Tt vs rs . . acted fi ce (ele * Stack at Midland, Ont., Before Dismantling, Shown at the Left With View of Gas Mains. The re-erected furna jo cist, stoves and other appurtenances at Soo, about 400 miles from its former site, are shown in the right-hand view ready to begin blowing 197 if HP THE existing furnaces. In order that dismantling op- erations at Midland, the shipment of old material from there and new materials from elsewhere, and the operations at the new site should be car ried on in a logical way, a progress schedule was prepared and followed. The work of dismantling and re-erecting the furnaces presented some interesting problems. As it was impossible to secure the required labor in the vicinity of Midland and the Soo, this labor was procured at various points, a large part of it being shipped to the site from New York. The severe weather conditions at the Soo made it difficult to main tain a full quota IRON AGE July 25, 1912 large portion of the sub-structure for some larger units was completed and the units partially installed. However, the w the Soo was completed in 330 days after grou: broken. The re-erected furnace was blown days after the work of dismantling started at \ land. It will be that a greater land during months Sault selves Ne ca ae noted from the curve in the ‘i number of men were used | the month of March, before the foundation was compl. Marie. This was obviously necessa; for the reason that the parts which were dismantle last at Midland were the first to be the Soo. abou Ste. re-erec! The congested condition of the railway portation existing at the time this work wa was further augmented by the necessity of s ing Federal licenses, figuring of duties, and othe details of international transportation, due to the r number of individual shipments having the border. The handling of incoming terials at the Soo was extremely difficult beca the furnace was to be erected between two sets o! } main service railroad tracks, leading to the exist . ing furnaces. The traffic on these tracks was pra . tically continuous and the handling and storage of eons tructio materials neces sarily had to be carried on with out any ruption to the ; plant operations and schedules of the tracks adja- cent to the new furnace site The re- erected furnace was modernized large cross - a inter- of labor and by inatalling th added materi- McKee electri ally to the diffi- control on_ the culty in main- stock distribu taining efficien- tor, new gas cy in the force. seal, new dow! Some idea of \ Full Working Force Was Maintained Spite of the Extremely Cold comers, copper the variation in Weather and the Abnormally Large Labor Turnover Incident to War Times cooling plates, temperature can be gathered from the chart above, which shows a variation from 94 deg. Fahr. above to 31 deg. below zero. A large part of the steel construc- tion work was done during the cold months of December, January, February and March. The other chart indicates that in spite of the extreme weather conditions, a full working force was main- tained. The work of dismantling and shipping the Midland plant was completed in 141 days, or con- siderably sooner than the time allotted in the schedule. The entire power house, including blowing units, generating equipment, pumps, steam and water piping, wiring, etc., all the steel work for the fur- naces and stoves, including hot and cold blast mains, 75 per cent of the stove brick and approximately 10 per cent of furnace brick were salvaged and worked into the re-erected furnaces. Some idea of the amount of material transported can be gained from the records of car shipments which show a total of 732 carloads of material shipped from Midland to the Soo. The re-erection of the plant at Sault Ste. Marie was delayed because of changes in location decided upon by the Algoma Steel Corporation after a new bosh bands and bosh jacket, and new iron and cinder runners A modern gas washer was also added, together with a very considerable amount of cold blast main for making available all existing blowing engines for operation on the rebuilt stack. While all the old stove materials were used, the type of stove lining was entirely changed. The old stoves had 9-in square checkers but the old brick were relaid so as The Work of Tearing Down Completed and 732 Carl Materials Removed to Soo for Re-erection |!.-in. square checkers, thus very ma- reasing the heating surface. Experience | operating conditions has demonstrated efficiency anticipated for the re-erected he stoves were also fitted with new Gees- f if gas burners. ‘ tock bins were improved by applying Mec- ous gate bottoms to the old stock bins new coke bins fitted with McKee cas- ns. The old Midland cast house structure than sufficient to provide the necessary BD oact e at the Soo and the remaining bays from TRAINING WOMEN BEGINS SCourse at Case School Is Started and Will : Continue for Two Months 7 t course in the United States to train women for war work as employment managers in munition pla nd other factories doing war essential work was opened in the Case School of Applied Science, Cleve- land. last week. The Government is encouraging the nent of women in various industries to take the places of men called to the colors and the purpose of Mhis course is to fit women to take charge of the em-, Sployment of female labor. Training courses to fit men ¥or this work have been conducted in the University f Rochester and Harvard University, but this is the irst course of training provided exclusively for women. rhe course is under the direction of the United States irdnance Department through the Committee on Labor telations of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce and liss Mildred Chadsey of Western Reserve University s directing the work. Cleveland was selected as a suitable place for carrying on this training work be- ause of the large number of plants engaged in various nds of munition work in that city. \pplications for enrollment in the course were re- eived from 200 women from all sections of the country, rom whom 50 were selected. Many of these are col- ge graduates, some have been teachers, and their ages i from 25 years up. course will differ materially in some respects that given under the Government’s direction for n Eastern schools for the reason that few, if any, f the women taking the course have had any practical perience around a manufacturing plant. The men ive taken similar courses in the Eastern schools r the most part been selected by companies with they were connected in various capacities and selected by their employers who believed that they jualifications that would fit them for employment ement. e Cleveland course will continue for about two s and will consist of day-time factory work and ng class work. The students have been assigned ous manufacturing plants as regular factory es where they will put in regular hours and re- $12 per week for this work. It is not expected, irse, that they will acquire a great deal of prac- ‘nowledge in machine shop work other than learn- to operate one machine during that period. The object in employing them in factories is to make ‘miliar with the surroundings and the class of who are employed and to get some insight in f an employee of some of the problems that the employment manager. conclusion of the course in Cleveland, stu- pledge themselves to definitely plan to be- yment managers are to be given a six weeks’ urse in employment managership at the of Rochester, provided they have satisfac- leted their preliminary course. Those who take an intensive course in New York, Bos- ‘tsburgh. eland manufacturers are heartily co-operat- ork and have willingly taken the students ps in which they will gain the practical ex- 918 THE IRON AGE 199 the old structure were used to provide a good sized general machine shop and repair shop. The rede signed plant, modernized for efficient operation, has a daily capacity of 400 tons, or 50 tons in excess of the old plant. The work of dismantling and rebuilding the fur- nace was under the supervision of the following Algoma Steel Corporation officials: J. Frater Tay- lor, chairman of the board; W. C. Frantz, presi- dent; E. J. Best, consulting engineer; Charles A. sarr, former general manager, and David Kyle present general manager. perience desired. The plants in which they ar ployed during the daytime include the American M graph Co., Cleveland Hardware Co., Cleveland Metal Products Co., Hydraulic Pressed Steel Co., Osborn Mf; Co., Standard Parts Co., Standard Tool Co., Warner & Swasey Co., Kirk-Latty Mfg. Co., and the Steel Prod ucts Co. Fabricated Ship Corporation Organized at Mil waukee The Fabricated Ship Corporation, Milwaukee, has been organized with a capital stock of $600,000 by a combination of interests identified with the Newton and Coddington Engineering companies of Milwaukee, to establish a shipyard and engage in the construction of fabricated steel ships for the Emergency Fleet Cor poration. It will be the first steel ship building plant at the port of Milwaukee. The organization was pe fected following the award of a contract to the Newton and Coddington interests for the construction of nine steel mine-planters and four steel river transports, a total of 13 boats. The Coddington interests control the Lakeside Bridge & Steel Co.,. North Milwaukee, one of seven large fabricating and erecting shops located in Milwaukee. The new shipbuilding company has been able to make an advantageous lease of the dock prop erty of the Petit Salt Co., lying between the north and south branches of the Menominee Canal at the foot of Twelfth Street, Milwaukee, and will begin work at once on the erection of seven berths and the necessary ma- chine shops and assembling buildings. Much of the machinery and equipment has already been purchased, among the items being a locomotive crane to be fur nished by the Bucyrus Co., South Milwaukee. It is ex- pected that the first keel will be laid before Oct. 1. Delivery of the 13 boats will begin May 1, 1919, and one will be completed every 30 days thereafter. The new corporation has completed its organization as follows: Managing directors, Ralph E. Newton, gen- eral executive and engineering supervision; Samuel C. Coddington, treasurer and supervision of fabrication; George C. Newton, in charge of mechanical plant and equipment of yards and ship construction; Thomas J. Baker, in charge of shipyard construction and outfitting. Alfred L. Newton is chief purchasing officer. Julius Thielacker is superintendent of steel erection. Conversion of Machinery to War Purposes A movement contemplating the conversion of much of the steel and copper plate engraving machinery in the country to war purposes was launched at the eighth annual convention of the National Association of Steel and Copper Plate Engravers held at St. Louis last week. It was estimated by speakers at the convention that at least a fourth of the machinery of the engraving industry and the man power to operate it could be used for stamping, punching and cutting metals for war supplies. A war service committee headed by Theodore Isert of Louisville, Ky., secretary of the association, was ap- pointed with instructions to confer with the regional war industries board and with the war industries com- mittee of the National Chamber of Commerce to deter- mine how this conversion of the engravers’ machinery could best be accomplished. erm - . aw : ¥, & F, > % ea Le. ayer ther 7 vn je > Me ee ——— - a eee ee ene 4 =a nical Commissions on Government Contracts §& New Order at Washington Brings Many Protests Some Selling Arrangements May Be Disturbed—New Contract Forms from Manufacturers WASHINGTON, July 23.—No action taken by the Gov ernment with respect to the contracts has occasioned more perturbation among man- ufacturers than the recently promulgated letter of the Attorney General, published in THE IRON AGE of June 27, suggesting to the executive departments that there be incorporated in all contracts a provision under which contractors must certify that they have paid no com- mission to any one to procure the contract. The literal enforcement of this provision, which all the depart- ments letting contracts for war material prompt to adopt, would be so subversive to the entire system now prevailing in the sales departments of the leading manufacturing concerns of the country that hundreds of protests are reaching Washington, many of them suggesting that the Government officials either do not understand the prevailing methods of doing busi intend to enforce the letter of the re striction suggested by the Department of Justice general subject of war have been ness or do not Commissions Figure Largely in Selling As is well known, the great bulk of the business so- licited by large manufacturers through their agents is handled on a commission sometimes coupled with a salary or retainer, or a guarantee that the commissions shall reach a certain minimum. The impracticability of handling sales on a straight salary basis has long been demonstrated, and the almost un versal adoption of the commission method is the best sales basis, evidence of the necessity for its use. To force to salary basis concerns doing a large amount of busines with the Government—and manufacturers are now devoting 25 to 100 per cent of their facilities to have an exceedingly demoralizing effect, and in many cases would deprive the Government competition but of the helpful co who are frequently) supplying the Go war work—would not only of operation of able to aid inexperienced officials in very expert sales agents ernment’s needs. For the the real interpretation to be put upon the the correspondent of THE IRON AGE ha ‘onferred wit! advising manufacturers purpose of purposes of the Government and as to the provision i I the officials of the chief purchasing bureaus, and el abled to present a statement, which, while unofficia represents the present conse! op It should be understood, of course, that the whole questior s under advisement in view of the large number of pro tests received and the numerous angles which the sul ject presents, and it is altogether probable that in the near future an authoritative announcement will be made, either by the Attorney General or the head the leading purchasing bureaus, more accurately defin ing the Government’s aim and the exact scope of the new restriction. The contract provision which has aroused so n interest among manufacturers doing business with the Government is as follows: » third pe s ! ! or to cause or procure the } per ition 12! \ ge \ h procuremé rn I I r greed to pay, to any t per procurement, n ¢ pe it ‘ herewith, any brokerage, commissio1 rmount receivable by him hereunder in estimating the contract price demanded by |} any sum by reason of such brokerage, commis p centage: and that all moneys pavable to him hereunder other person for this contract He free from obligation to any services rend further procurement of ered in the igree 2 00 | ! h of th warranty shall constitu or the annulment of this contract by the U that the United States may retain to its ow sums due or to become due thereunder ar brokerage, commission, or percentage so | Methods of Getting Government Business A rough classification of the methods heret employed in the negotiation of contracts for war ma F rial brings them into five groups substantia lows: 1. The responsible executives of the manuf companies negotiate the contracts by persona to Washington and conferences with the purct bureaus, or through correspondence. 2. Members of the regular sales organizatio: manufacturing concerns procure the contracts ‘ompanies by visits to Washington, the salesme: compensated by salary or commission, or both Concerns maintaining offices in Washingto aged by salesmen more or less expert in their respect industries, negotiate contracts through such repres tives, who are paid salaries or commissions, or bot! 1. General manufacturers’ agents, who frequent control exclusive selling agencies for several different concerns, at the same time handling more or less trat ient business for many other concerns, procure for their principals, their compensat tracts almost invariably on the commission basis. More or less irresponsible individuals maint offices in Washington, and advised of the ne Government through channels available to ar person, solicit bids for manufactur more or less unfounded claims as to their ow procure contracts, and in as a result of the recognition by the reputation of the manufactur le quality of and never through prising some cases succeed 1! £ cs so, usually ernment of their goods, ation of any so-called “pull” claimed to be : ne agents in question. - rhe Government's Aim as to Commmissions In recommending the adoption of the res ES ontract provision above quoted, the Depart F Justice aimed at two things: First, the elin the unscrupulous agents grouped in the fifth « econd, the establishment of such direct relat 2 manufacturers as would cut out, as far as P the payment of all unnecessary commissio! r : vestigation which led up to the adoption on disclosed a scandalous state of affairs. H so-called agents doing business in Washingt been in the habit of soliciting business upon ons as to their influence with purchasing off have constituted very severe reflections upon th¢ of such officials, and commissions received by contracts which they have obtained because juality price of samples entrust¢ by reputable concerns have really been obtained E false pretenses. Arrests have been made, ments obtained in some of these cases, and will be asked to impose the heaviest possibl and low It is needless to say that no protests which 4! receiving serious attention have been madé of this class of agents. As to the second, third and fourth classes, ! t is frankly admitted by the officials that the res sryiss contract provision as to the payment of « appears on its face as a positive prohibitior ing as to make it necessary for contractors & “™ the existing methods of compensating their repre =) swe 5, 1918 lose analysis of the provision, however, has le by certain of the more important purchasing ke Supplies and Accounts of the Navy De- the semi-officially made rents included in classes two and three, being in the the ire not, in point of fact, “third parties” within if that term as here used, and that the ifies all the remaining clauses of the section of this sugges and suggestion is permanent organizations of con no ¢« The practical applicatior essarily left, the egotiating their at the present stage of the mat If they consider the with the t. to ‘ontractors contracts Govern regular permanent members of their organi the re thus certifying that they have paid they will probably be willing to accept prov ision, issions to “third parties.” Owing to the varia F practice in selling departments, it is obviou ird-and-fast rule can be laid down that would General Agents Affected by Prohibition egard to the agents included in the fourtl the officials of the purchasing bureaus here rt that however reputable they may be, er useful their services have been in times manufacturing concerns they represent, arred from participating in Government cor commission basis. It has been pointed out officials that in certain cases these parties ar elling agent some of them engineers of high \ bility ong experience, and unquestioned but the answer is that they are “middleme: hat the Government intends to cut out all such ts, not only because of the commissions involved, o because it desires to establish direct relations a manufacturers for the purpose of arousing their t in Government work and securing their co on, with a view, in some cases, to inducing then er ce the production of goods not previously ne sugge Lo! ha in many ses inulat etter afford to do b ness with the ent througn expert agent VOrKing on a n han to come to Washington persona som ises, at least, manufacturers have vith their selling agents which would pro- ym making better prices to the Gover ! n\ ye else than the igents wou make, the officials tl manufacturers must hemselv« 1 that the new p prove ump table to the Goverr ntimated I ynnection that ew yf its powers mignt é ( de exclusive S€ ¢ ontract na rice epresenting only easonable pr illy recognized tl! he new partur e At orney Genera suggestio \ resu eneral agents o It Dusines I ‘ t which the Government ibsorbing tire output of many producers The or fficial I connectior tha ‘ ‘ the genet Cavernment The New System of Buying peration of tl lepartment tice pal ent has pract completed a sy \ lesigne¢ protect the Government ( if a var materials, and is putting ! yperation under the direction of the Stafi The new method provides for a review ; ract | oards tr tne entra ng ses, the standardization of contract clauses survey, and provisions for lic inforn ~ W Department needs livision of the general staff has been esta! supervise the policy and practice of War ent purchases. Through the new organizatior een arranged to centralize the purchase of es falling within the same classification in THE IRON AGE 201 ‘7 the hands of one | ireau, so tha wv, 3 é pureau, nstead I nve as heretotore | rcenases leather goods for the whole army, ar nilarly f cotton, hardware, and all the usual! trade iss it of materials. This single step is mina ! pe tion among the bureaus, centered tec! among expert purchasers the personne engaged fied the contro of a) irch 1 y the saving I reat age ment In estigat were ma ‘ I . ire \ est il f i Department purchasing age sion has been made in nearly a } e een cet iT rh ¢ h burs iré ne 1iTiT Té autt rit nt mtract Thes oard th nar I é vyno ha ati rom each of tl bure 1Y i pass 1 preser t le oO stions er nstruc tne Secre \ me thi es unito Nas t th, ‘“ Settling on the Best (¢ Ove! \ S$ age n / . a. ‘ ens ind + eval i tens tudy me \ evel ' f hg ende I | I $ ence i i or ‘ 1uses na yvouid t eg Lovernment ‘ } Is¢ é I lered ! ible circur ince pout 1 Lady make ; 0) Jur ene} i ) mmedia é \ I ‘ ac , ’ mer } Y re | ’ my I} litic ( l Y t? y h ty War ley ‘ Y , f W y . ’ ne port : ‘ y - ’ \ ad ‘ s W y ‘ ’ The has bes 4 y ty is na . tne { Lili if pert ! ae il War De t Age! I been fully organized and ha rout accomplishmer ontract Form é ' ‘¥ r ti W é Wa ‘ im , : 7 ) l ‘ i W i I ‘ W VW aA l ; ‘ ‘5 ‘ ‘ i fF ’ Th eT r¢ ; ' ry 4) ¥ i ‘e ‘ +¥ e? a m pe f 1 re ] oned th r these r nave Mechanical Condition of Blast Furnace Coke Machine for Testing Hardness—Effect on Coke Consumption Action of “Gases on BY G. D. HE onus of the manufacture of the coke is with the coke-oven manager, and it is to him the blast- furnace manager has to look for the regularity and quality of his supplies. It is no uncommon occurrence to find that the chief concern of the coke-oven manager is to get as large a percentage of coke and by-products from his ovens as possible and, so long as those percentages are satisfactory, to pay little attention to the mechan- ical condition of the coke made, with the result that the blast furnace suffers. There is an axiom supported by a few facts that have come to my notice in the past few years, which is as follows: The practical success of the working of a blast furnace chiefly dependent on the mechanical condition of the coke used This may appear to be a sweeping assertion, but | will endeavor to warrant it, subject to the reservation that the mechanical portion of the plant is in good aver- age working condition. There is no doubt that the ques- tion of the mechanical condition of the coke is a con- troversial subject, but it has not received the attention and investigation that its importance in blast-furnace practice calls for. I have ignored the mechanical and chemical condi- tions of the ores and fluxes, as, when making Cleveland iron, it will be agreed that there is practically no vari- ation therein from one year’s end to another. The per- centage of ash in the coke and the analysis of the ash are factors that are more variable, which affect the coke consumption per ton of pig iron and the quality of iron directly, but are capable of anticipation and cal- culation. The coke hardness is a thing apart, and in my experience can be treated as such, although I fully recognize that it has its chemical actions and reactions to perform in the furnace, apart from its purely mechanical functions. Meaning of Coke Hardness In 1909 we installed a machine which was called the coke tester, and which was originated, I believe, by Greville Jones of the Clarence Ironworks, Middles- brough. As a practical experiment it was a success, inasmuch as we were enabled to say whether a coke was good, bad or indifferent, from the hardness point of view, for utilization in the blast furnace. It is of very simple design. It consists of a drum which is made to revolve at 18 revolutions per minute, with two angle-bars fixed inside to turn the coke over; there is also a hand-hole for insertion and extraction of the coke sample, and an indicator to note the revolu- tions. To make a test for hardness a sample of coke is taken of about 56 lb. weight, consisting of lumps up to the size of one’s fist, and dried on hot plates for 24 hr. Of this 28 lb. are weighed out and placed in the drum, and the cover plate screwed down. The drum is then revolved for 1000 revolutions at 18 revolutions per minute. The coke is next taken out and riddled over a %-in. mesh, and that which remains on the riddle is weighed and the percentage of the original 28 lb. noted. That per- centage we call the hardness of the coke. By this means, after a few months I had a good com parative record, and by closely watching and comparing the furnace drivings with the coke hardness, I found that there was a very close connection between the two. I need not relate the detail which was gone t rough to eliminate every possible cause that might have misled us into believing the variations in the drivings were caused by the coke when the source of trouble lay else- *From a paper presented at the spring meeting of the Jron and Steel Institute in London, England, May 2, 1918 in Blast Hard and Soft Coke COCHRANE Furnaces— where; every care and precaution were taken, were eventually convinced that the coke alone \ sponsible for the variations in the drivings. The next item to determine was at what point on the coke hardness scale the drivings commenced to fal] of. this was found to lie between 74 and 74% per cent a hardness, and in the past eight years this has been proved correct on so many occasions that I do not hesj. tate to say that in our own plant we know there wil] be slow driving and consequent trouble when the hard. ness falls below that percentage. I have not been able to trace any additional advan. tage with coke of a higher percentage of hardness than 76 per cent, but on plants where a blast pressure cess of 7 lb. per sq. in. is used or available, it may be found that the benefits derived from a hard coke may accrue to a higher percentage than I have mentioned. When the hardness falls below 74 per cent a very marked falling off in the drivings takes place, and | find that the lower the percentage the worse are the driy- ings. I have had the experience in the last 12 months of using a considerable quantity of coke which has on'y averaged 70.5 per cent of hardness, and I estimate that the drivings of the blast furnaces have fallen 20 per cent. I do not, however, care to state definitely that percentage as due to mechaniacl troubles with the blow- ing plant, the blast has been very variable, and it is ex- tremely difficult to apportion the blame correctly, but from past experience I do not think I am far out in my estimate. With a 76 per cent hardness coke, and an average ash contents of 12.5 per cent, the daily drivings of the furnace is 48 rounds per 24 hr., with no allowance made for blast off, but with a pressure of 6% lb. per sq. in. Immediately that the critical degree of hardness of 74 per cent is passed, a marked improvement in the driv- ings was immediately indicated, in spite of outside ad- verse factors appearing here and there. Effect on Coke Consumption The advantages of hard coke in its effect on coke consumption are many. When coke is charged into a blast furnace it immediately comes into contact with the ascending gases, which act upon it in a greater or lesser degree, dependent upon its mechanical condition and the temperature of the gases. Many experiments have been carried out in the laboratory to illustrate this re- action, and it has always been found that the gases have far less effect on hard coke. Bell, in his book on the “Manufacture of Iron and Steel,” gives the following experiments, which indicate a serious loss of carbon when using soft coke: Trials of coke from two different collieries—the one being of known inferiority to the other—for decomposition of CO: The specimens were exposed side by side for different period of time at a temperature of about 815 deg. C. The trials indicated that while a ton of coke in the cas¢ of the better coke would in two hours lose 0.778 cwts., the waste on the poorer coke would be equal to 1.560 cwts. A second series gave similar results Both indicate that the better quality coke continue@ at the end of eight hours less susceptible to the action of hot carbonic acid than the other th which it was compared. In another part of the same work he says: Specimens of coke were exposed at a bright red heat 60 to 1580 deg. Fahr.) for the same time to the action a current of carbonic acid In the case of the soft coke 187 per cent of the carbon in the carbonic acid was reduced t the state of carbonic oxide, while in that’of the hard coké the proportion of carbon so altered was only 7% per cent of the total quantity. 202 "haw. wen Binns. a - 1 1918 on the lines indicated above, I had an ex- made in the Ormesby Laboratory with the result. hard and soft coke were rucibles containing carbonate of lime which Pieces of he CO, and covered with lids and placed side the muffle for 45 min. icid on Hard and Soft Coke Test Made He { Deg. C. (1382 Deg. Fahr.) Hard Coke, Soft Coke 7rams (Grams ght of coke 13.834 1.61¢ 24 - 08 16 erefore seems to be conclusively proved that if a 74 per cent hardness is used very little loss the top of the furnace, but if a coke of below hardness is used the loss may be very con hree photomicrographs were taken of picked of coke and subjected to the tests attached They analyzed: ( (1382 deg. Fahr.) / 74 a soft coke is usually very friable, and unless ens are situated close to the blast furnace, so that th a Hardness of 75.67: Soft a Hardness of Coke im of ‘handling is thereby assured, it usually » furnaces in a much smaller form than is the hard coke, consequently a greater area is ex- the action of the gases as soon as it is charged f I am referring to furnaces with com- y small makes, as when a furnace is making a day, as many are in the United States, a necessary, but it must still be hard. therefore commenced its passage through the n a small state, it is allowable to imagine it very finely divided before reaching the melt- In support of this theory I cite the following e at the Ormesby furnaces: 4 e had been had at one of the coke-oven plants h our coke supplies came, and the coke that charged into the furnace was soft and friable, irnace, OKe 18 x gether very bad. The furnaces struggled along : v days, gradually driving slower and slower, ‘ke commenced to improve; but, owing to the : the drivings of one of the furnaces had be- A w that we feared she was commencing to c could not get the slag to run, so, taking out tuyeres, we blew forward for a while to try r the forepart. This solved our troubles, for ing to blow forward great clouds of fine vere blown out, and when this ceased the res were replaced, and the furnace com- lrive again quite freely and, with the better THE IRON (Center AGE 203 coke coming down, we had no further trouble with drawing off of the slag. This has occurred once. the than i when more A low coke consumption cannot be expecte the coke loses some 10 or 15 per cent of its weight within two or three hours of being charged into the furnace, and on arriving near the tuyeres t form of dust so finely divided that it actually obstructs the passage of the blast and the tapping of the slag On the other hand, when a hard ke is being charged, there is only a very small loss at the furnace top; the lumps of coke are larger and less friable, with the result that the burden is kept open and the blast passes through the furnace with a minimum of resist- ance, so, when the coke reaches the tuyeres, there is a considerable body of carbon left to be reduced by the blast, and the gases evolved therefrom are consequently operative on all the materials in the furnace from the tuyeres to the throat. It is noticeable that when a soft coke is being used the waste gases are very rich in CO, and the ratio of CO to CO, by weight is consequently low, whereas when 1 good hard coke is being used the CO is less and the ratio consequently considerably higher. This is, of course, explained by the greater ease with which the CO, in the ascending gases attacks the carbon of the coke when it is soft, and which action the harder coke able to resist in a much iter deg As to the crushing of the coke in a blast f irnace, it is obvious that hard coke will offer to a crushing stress than a pyre: preater resistance oft one, but Charles Coc} rane always said, when his huge furnaces were ¢1 cized and the possibility of crushing of materials was mentioned, that “The crushing effect in a blas nace can never be very great, owing t the i f thrust is equally theory of the angle of blast Since furnace as it is to a grain elevator.” the blast-furnace manager in most more or less in the hands of the manager of the coke ovens, it behooves him to try and make the managers of coke ovens produce and send him a hard coke. Doubt- less it can be done by “stamping,” but there not many plants in this country fitted with that device. I do not think it is necessary to produce a coke of greater hardness than, 76% per such as I have taken as normal, although greater hardness means a larger margin of safety. cases 18 are cent for conditions Shortage of Tin Plate in Australia The question of obtaining a sufficient quantity of tin plate to meet the requirements of Australian meat can- ners and jam manufacturers and others has become so serious that the question of manufacturing tin plate in Australia is being considered, according to U. §S., Consul General J. I. of Sydney. In stances dry foodstuffs have been packed in containers made from cardboard, but at present there is a shortage of cardboard, owing to the inability to obtain sufficient raw material. One jam manufacturer, who has pleted contracts for 7,000,000 lb. of jam, 100 hands srittain, some in- com- , was obliged to suspend owing to ; plate. Minimum Turnover in Machine-Shop Labor The Principles Which Have Guided the Bullard Machine Tool Co. in Its Labor Policy and Wage Classification Plan—Results in Output and Esprit BY STANLEY [The maxi-pay system of the Bullard Machine Tool Co. was described in THE IRON AGE of June 28, 1917. So much interest has been shown in the good results secured by the plan that Mr. Bullard was asked to describe the labor policy of the company, which has resulted in reducing the turnover of the skilled and semi-skilled workers (95 per cent of the organization) to less than 2 per cent a year in a city noted for its intense competition for such labor and for the un- usually high wage rates paid for skilled toolmakers and machinists.—EDITOR. ] To convey a comprehensive idea of the changes which have been brought about in our plant, we will go back and outline the situation which we faced in 1914, and the plans which we developed to meet the conditions which began at that time and which in the meantime have undergore a revolution. Industrial and commercial America suffered a severe shock at the outbreak of the Luropean war. Business which had been normally fair for a period of years was staggered by the biow, and until the financial world caught its breath and opntained new bearings it was inevitable that the industrial world should stand still, as demand for manufactured ar- ticles and in turn the demand for the means of manufacture stood still. Suddenly it dawned upon the Allied and neutral world that the great war could not be carried on without mechanical means and the demand for mechanical equipment rapidly grew to proportions far in excess of the normal de- mand which had been enjoyed prior to the outbreak of hostilities. Competitive Bidding for Workers Plants for the production of munitions, involv- ing the expenditure of fabulous sums of money, sprang up here, there and everywhere. The muni- tions plants required enormous quantities of ma- chinery and the equipment plants were suddenly deluged with orders; the demand for mechanical skill for the production of this large volume of ma- terial became intense. With the starting up of the munitions plants came an increasing cry for me- chanical skill, for equipment without operatives was useless, and during this period, which developed in the spring of 1915, the natural unrest of labor was greatly intensified by the competitive bidding for men on the part of munitions plants. Many of these concerns had contracts at apparently fabu- lous prices, which appeared to offer an opportunity for the payment of unheard-of-wages. Men employed by munitions contractors were sent broadcast to the machine equipment making plants to recruit munitions making forces from the mechanims there employed. The equipment manu- facturers having contracts with specified delivery dates were sorely vexed, as they knew that the process employed by the munitions makers was on a par with the old plan of robbing Peter to pay Paul, and that in the end neither equipment nor munitions could be produced. During this period the demand for Bullard prod- uct required a large increase in productive ca- pacity; in fact, from a nucleus of 200 on Jan. 1, H. BULLARD 1915 (about one-third our normal force), we had increased our force during the year 1915 to ap- proximately 1500. The turnover was great, but perhaps not greater than in other plants similarly situated; in fact, we have reason to believe that it was to a certain extent less, for we were fortu- nate in having an initial organization which was intensely loyal and made up of men of long stand- ing connection with us. That this turnover could not continue if deliver- ies were to be met and Bullard quality maintained, was a foregone conclusion, and at about the middle of the year 1915 we addressed ourselves to a solu- tion of the problem, reaching, after much thought, the following basic conclusions: 1. Rapid production and maintained quality are de pendent upon skill and acquaintance with the work to be performed. 2. The manufacture of repetition work, to be in fact repetitive, must be repeatedly performed by the Same man. Therefore, to increase productive capacity was not merely a problem of increasing the number of operatives, but rather one involving the retention of operatives and increasing their skill and ability through a constantly growing familiarity with the work in hand and the upbuilding of team work and co-operation. Effort Centered on Retaining Labor Under the conditions outlined above, to attain this objective seemed extremely difficult and our entire energies were bent to a solution of the prob- lem of retaining labor. Analyzing the situation, w: concluded that there were certain definite, fixed principles on which alone satisfactory relations be- tween employer and employee might be based and which would assure stability of labor and true et- ficiency of production. The principles evolved are: 1. That respect and confidence between employer and employee shall be established and maintained. 2. That a proper and equitable incentive must be provided for both. 3. That there must be established a measure for determining a rate of wage. 4. That the rate of wage must be definitely related to the energy, skill, experience and knowledge required to perform the work. Having established our basis, which we believe the reader will agree is in every sense equitable, the steps taken to apply each principle and obtain a definite return from its application are in them- selves quite interesting, and instructive as well, an¢ will be elaborated upon in their order. Mutual Respect and Confidence Primarily, and as the result of years of ass0- ciation and co-working, we had the advantage 0! mutual respect and confidence in the nucleus around which our new organization has been built. And as a little yeast will leaven a large loaf, so in time we developed a proper spirit throughout the entire organization, hastening the ultimate end by special effort in demonstrating the working out of our policies. ) 4 1918 ent feature of this propaganda was the ent of well-intentioned and eminently ed out welfare work, in connection with a conservation measure, was established of first-aid care of accidents, which was nded to include the entire rebuilding and rocess in logical sequence. As a corollary work, and to further conserve the energy nembers of our organization, we installed n of medical supervision and direction, em- for this work one of Bridgeport’s foremost al men, and we now have under consideration iestion of still further extending this work ide dental, aural and optical hygiene. relieve a member’s mind of worry regarding al difficulty for his dependents should he die, further cement the bond of connection with vanization, we have insured each and every r, the benefits increasing year by year until vears the respectable sum of $1,500 is occupational accidents covered by compensa- isurance are by no means the greatest cause nterruption in earning capacity, we have en our insurance plan and now have provided and accident insurance providing benefits nst accident and ill health not pertaining to oc- tion. \ll of the above sociological work is without ex- pense to the worker, and we are well satisfied that the cost involved is proving to be a wonderfully : vise investment. s Our long established policy of promotion from the ranks has aided largely in obtaining the confi- dence of our co-workers. It is a well-known fact that chief executives have all “been through the ll,” having each served his apprenticeship and earned his trade, and the various chiefs of de- partments and foremen are likewise a product of Bullard school who through merit have earned the reward of promotion and advancement. In her words, the door of opportunity is open, and advancement is to be made the reward will fall on a meriting member of the organiza- Tne Proper and Equitable Incentives —_ tor the corporation the incentive lies in the demand for its product and the profit to be erived therefrom, provided manufacturing costs kept within the bounds of reason and efficiency. r the worker, whose labor is directly applied to duction, the incentive is high and is comprised separate and distinct units. tnre¢ \n hourly rate of wage bearing equitable rela- to the energy, skill and knowledge of the indi- as well as the unusual cost of living. (his is provided in the rates established by the ird maxi-pay system. ; \n incentive to prompt, regular and continued lance; for only by promptness, regularity and ied application can the full benefit of employ- or equipment be obtained. ne Bullard attendance bonus plan provides a ns for reaping the reward of these cardinal ties, adding 10 per cent to the regular weekly ings if the simple requirements are abided by. Closer application, with its accompanying in- e of skill and the will to produce, merits reward nensurate with the resulting increased output. Che Bullard maxi-pay production bonus plan, ed upon the allotment of an established standard THE IRON AGE 205 time for unit production, provides for the payment of an increasing bonus without limit, for increased efficiency and reduction of time required for the actual performance of the work in hand. The in- efficient worker loses nothing except the opportunity for increased earnings and advancement and reten- tion, as his established hourly rate is paid regard less of his calculated efficiency. The Bullard maxi-pay production bonus plan is without question highly equitable to both the worker and the corporation, as the worker is finan cially rewarded for the extra effort and skill re quired in increasing production, and the corpora tion in its turn obtains an increased productive ca pacity from its plant and equipment and therefore an increased return on its investment. Determining Wage Rates by Established Measures The rate of wage is dependent upon individual productive capacity, the cost of living, and the ques tion of supply and demand, individual productive capacity bearing a paramount relation to the others as it directly affects the cost of manufacture and therefore the saleability of the product in question. Statistics bearing on the cost of living are na- tionally available. Data regarding supply and de- mand are a matter of plant record, as is informa tion regarding the cost of the various classifications of labor applied to production and, in turn, the di rect relation of labor cost to the sales price of the finished product. To arrive at an intelligent conclusion by bining the factors evolved by the above analyses re- quires experience, judgment and above all an equit able mind. It is highly essential, however, that the hourly rate established shall be such will produce in the worker a contented frame of mind. com as The Relation of Wage Rate to Skill, Energy and Knowledge Individual judgment is not infallible, and, as in the nature of things earning capacity must bear a direct relation to productive capacity, means must be provided for recording the individual’s capacity for production and comparing by periods the im provement or decrease therein. The Bullard maxi-pay wage plan is based on a classification of the various degrees of energy, skill, experience and knowledge, and in combination with the records of the maxi-pay bonus plan provides a means for determining the status of each member of the organization. A comprehensive study of the problem has re- sulted in the establishment of standard rates of ef ficiency (a direct reflection of energy, skill, experi- ence and knowledge) which will warrant promo- tion from one class to the next, with its attendant rease in hourly rate. The of Results Test The above statement of facts regarding our work must in itself be interesting; but without the capstone of proof of value it is not conclusive. As the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and as the measure of earning capacity lies in productive ca- pacity. so the value of this work lies in its record of definite improvement. In this connection the following facts will prove interesting. Labor turnover has been reduced practically to narticularly in the skilled and semi-skilled branches of the organization. Of the period inter Zero vening since the outbreak of the European war it can he stated without reservation or oualification nt there has been no agi*ta- that in the Petlerd ‘in , a v EL et A, ie Lae SIRF - © i apse , we ee ~~ ag af ~ ~ 7 r ah °.-.~\ =. apap aieg eee eee ee Pe ve 4 me) . > he 2 a - ! 206 tion, no unrest and apparently no dissatisfaction, besides which in the two years ending with the first quarter of the year 1918, measured by identical ma- chine units produced with identical equipment, the productive capacity of each plant hour has been in- creased 142 per cent, which fact, expressed in other words, means that to obtain present production under former conditions would require a pl