The Iron Age 1924-10-30: Vol 114 Iss 18

THE IRON AGE New York, October 30, 1924 ESTABLISHED 1855 VOL. 114, No. 18 Members Applaud Optimistic Views American Iron and Steel Institute Pleased by President Gary’s Address—Pittsburgh Plus, Business and Political Conditions Receive Attention Are you discouraged or down-hearted? Look ahead. Our lands, our climate, our wealth, our productive and transportation facili- ties, our increasing consuming desire and ca- pacity, our educational advantages, our churches, our protective national constitution, our floating flag, our spirit of loyalty, all remain. Dema- gogues or anarchists or fakers cannot deprive us of these blessings. Where else on earth can be found another such nation? Let us be thank- ful, hopeful, confident and determined. Let us be loyal to our country, to all others who are in- terested in what we do or say, and to each other.” With the above ringing words, President Gary of the American Iron and Steel Institute closed his address at the opening session of the twenty- sixth general meeting, held at the Hotel Commo- dore last Friday. “That is the best speech you ever made,” said Charles M. Schwab, vice-president of the institute, as he was called to the chair, and the enthusiastic applause of the audience indicated that all were of one opinion. Judge Gary had devoted a con- siderable part of his address to giving the history of Pittsburgh plus and had concluded with a re- view of business conditions. He carefully avoided discussing partisan politics, but his description of the ideal President seemed to many of the 1200 present to be a rather accurate portrayal of the characteristics of the present occupant of the White House. In reviewing business conditions, Judge Gary said: “(yoke 300 are any of you pessimists? Business Conditions “According to the newspaper reports, based on information gathered from usual sources, con- firmed by much additional testimony, there has been a persistent, though somewhat irregular, growth in the volume of business generally throughout the United States since May, 1924. It has been considerably larger each succeeding month. There are no public reports showing the total production and shipment in this country of all classes of steel and iron for this period. The subsidiary companies of the corporation, which possess something less than one-half the capacity of all manufacturers in the United States, sold about 2000 tons per day more of steel in June than in May, about 6000 more tons per day in July than in June, about 10,000 more tons per day in August than in July, about 6000 tons per day more in September than in August, and about 5000 tons per day more for the first 17 days of October than for the first 17 days of September. The shipments for the same period, on the aver- age, exceeded sales because of the accumulated unfilled orders on the books which were placed prior to May. “Partly due to spirited competition in selling and partly to other causes, including increased costs of production while various works were in less than full operation, and also including the disturbance and confusion created by the aban- donment of the Pittsburgh plus system, so called, the net cash results during the last quarter have been somewhat less in proportion than would be indicated by the increase in tonnage alone. This undoubtedly will be shown by the accounts of the Steel Corporation when they are made up; and unfortunately it is more pronounced as to some of the independent manufacturers. As to the cor- poration, it is believed the profits for the last quarter were substantial notwithstanding the ad- verse influences adverted to. “The future success of the iron and steel indus- try in this country is assured if the managers will keep their heads, and further if the approaching election results shall be satisfactory. As to the first proviso, we have the opportunity and the re- sponsibility. As to the second, it is for the ma- jority of the national electors to determine whether or not they desire continued prosperity. All of us, all the people of the United States, must together enjoy prosperity or suffer from ad- versity. “It goes without saying that business condi- tions in this country during the next year and during the next four years depend largely upon the result of the election on Nov. 4 proximo. Every well-informed business man or woman knows that if the best men are elected there prob- ably will be continued and increasing prosperity, and that if others less capable and less worthy are selected we may expect depression and dis- turbances in business, less production, more idle- ness, less comfort, more distress; a decided inter- ruption to legitimate progress that will not be easily nor soon overcome. “In this greatest of all nations, with largest opportunities for worthy achievement and human 1119 ee Py $4 ae -F . atu: RM vip 2 ai ae a A Boas bs tae Meee Me et ee ee ee ae ha nad Gin - tg eA? Pas ress aiaaa nee oF BA i ey i sei teasers t Be pec eae et = obec iy tan» Be wera . ny onal woah i evil wll ie are ree « > ae p- SE ER neta ARI or muerte in tala iesteed neiibnare a * _ a —— . naa ye —eetitl 2 etary 2. aghast garaaet es x - , ¢ rf 1120 happiness, there is possibility of suicidal action or neglect that will cause immeasurable loss and suffering to multitudes. “But sentiments of self-protection will influence the large majority of voters to give careful thought to the best interests of the country and to themselves, and they will therefore wisely dis- criminate and decide. In this most important, if not critical, period in our history, they can be de- pended upon to act along the lines of prudence and safety. They will not take unnecessary chances of danger by adopting untried and uncer- tain theories or selecting officials whose compe- SOTUASIUNUUUUUEELNUANAAUU LG AMALHUALAL LANL wise. VAULUAQADEDALIEDCTTOUAESENSUALUAAALLAET SUTOANN UA SATESAATNGNOLAD AED CAL ASOUT ETT LASAGNA AT attitude. TTT TT false economy. ALLAAH ing the interests of his own country.” MTNASAATNLL NIA @ y tency is assured largely, if not alone, by their own professions and promises. “Notwithstanding, as usual, every fourth year we are passing through a mud-slinging campaign, with its unfavorable effects, except there is an extraordinary quantity of mud this year, we shall find that an intelligent and fair-minded majority will be wise and courageous in their action. An overruling Providence, up to the limit of what this country deserves, will guide and direct the people. We will succeed in all laudable under- takings in spite of the unworthy efforts and words of unprincipled or incompetent individuals. “Our Ship of State is too great, too fine, too solid, substantial and strong to be pronounced unseaworthy on the words of unscrupulous, unin- telligent or inexperienced men, and then turned over to a board of underwriters. I am convinced the public has been right during the last few months in believing the election returns will be satisfactory, as shown by the steady and per- sistent increases in the volume of business. With such a result we may look forward through the autumn and succeeding months with hope and con- fidence. We shall not make ourselves a laughing stock to the onlookers of foreign countries, some ef whom possibly watch and comment upon our THE IRON AGE The Ideal President as Described by Judge Gary 66 O name for President is mentioned in these remarks; no political creed will IN be discussed; but some of the qualifications for the official leader of our great and beloved country may properly be referred to. possessed of the highest moral principles. He should be absolutely impartial, dis- posed to favor no person or aggregation or interest to the undue prejudice of an- other. He should be modest, plain and simple, and still courageous, dignified and He should ascertain the facts and patiently consider before he decides any question presented. He should truthfully and frankly inform the country concern- ing all public matters whenever it can be done without prejudice to governmental interests, relying upon an honest people for approval concerning the merit of his He should not hesitate to speak the truth, when it is necessary, nor to remain silent when no one could be injured thereby. He should be willing to lend his influence and devote his talents to legitimate business progress and general pros- perity, and likewise to prevent and penalize corruption and wrong. He should en- deavor to assist and to protect the poor, the weak and the suffering, and at the same time should be willing to help the rich, the strong and the happy when it is indisputably right to do so. He should practice and enforce strictest economy and husband all resources in governmental administration, but should not indulge in He should be willing properly to cooperate with and to assist foreign nations, entertaining always an intention of first considering and protect- UU AAP ENORANNENEUUGONOOOEOGNAEUUASUUAELUUQONELUUOONEEDHUHSECUPANGGUUUOOOgEEUOAOEE UC ONOEeEUOOGNgSAOCAGAgEUAHAGUETAONONSY vee 44NOREUUNGEEEE TAL AGeAOAAENCUAAENEUONNNMUONENEEUHANEUUAAAEEUeN Ne eTetENea UNNNGEUTUN LA EEOOONENERUUOAANEGTUONONNADOUONNNAUUENAADEYUL COCOA PONOONUONGNEUUAHOGEPOUUYO OEE LUTOSAUEOONENEDE ULAR October 30, 1924 attitude. We shall be friendly to them and, so far as proper and practicable, will be helpful, but we shall keep ourselves in the moral, financial, commercial! and industrial condition necessary for the best service and most active assistance when- ever justly called upon. The Banquet At the banquet Friday evening, President Gary presided and announced that the guests of honor were three men prominently identified with the newspaper business, Frank A. Munsey, owner of lv lJd44U04UUU4ULU44UUL44Q 44040040 LLSSUQSRURENEAUNE LEN UAE LARUE UASUUASUUAE AAAS OENEO GANNON TELUGU AOUG NEOUS OSU EAA First of all, he should be guEnttuynogn ttt neritic rg urns ganna the New York Sun and other newspapers, Col. John B. McLean, Toronto, publisher of numerous newspapers in the Dominion, and Arthur Bris- bane, writer for many newspapers in the United States. Mr. Munsey, in opening his brief address, said he was glad to be the guest of “the aristocracy of industry,” because he was always happy to mingle with men who work, and the work of the iron and steel industry tends to make men of stronger fiber than is possessed by many who are engaged in other lines of activity, such as the textile industry and the millinery business. He paid a tribute to the village blacksmith whom he knew as a boy, and said that the blacksmith is likely to be a pretty wise man. Referring to the present political campaign, he said that it meant more than any campaign in his day because a new political alinement is taking place. He estimated that the radical forces of the United States compose about 40 per cent of the voting strength and he believed that, if the radi- cals should get possession of the Democratic party with all of its strong voting force, the result would be disastrous to the country. He paid his respects to the “hard-boiled conservatives,” who, he said, are more dangerous than the radicals. He de- scribed President Coolidge as the ablest adminis- October 30, 1924 trator of the great office of. President that the nation had ever had. “It is,” he said, “the greatest piece of good luck that we have him. An accident of death gave us this extraordinary man for this extraordinary occasion.” — Col. John B. McLean spoke very earnestly in commendation of the policy pursued by the United States Steel Corporation and other great companies in this country. He said that the wise policies which had been dictated by Judge Gary had caused the people of the country to feel kindly not only toward the Steel Corporation but also toward all steel com- panies and to business in general. He was sorry to say that in Canada the leadership of industry had not been so wise as in the United States and the result was that the tendency toward govern- mental control and ownership had extended to an alarming degree. He said that, although other countries were increasing their tariffs, Canada had reduced its tariff five times in five years and that - -THE IRON AGE 1121 another reduction in rates soon would be made. Arthur Brisbane captivated the large audience by his sallies of wit and words of wisdom. Speak- ing seriously at the close of his address, he said that there is only one problem in this country today and that is the problem of how to provide the proper kind of fighting air defense. He said that airplanes will be made of steel and that there will be hundreds of thousands of them in the world. France already has 4000, Japan has a very large number, and other nations are building them. He described the frightful destruction which might be caused by airplanes in future wars, and made an eloquent plea for upbuilding of its air defense by the United States. President Gary, as usual, called upon Mr. Schwab to pronounce the “benediction,” which he did in his inimitable humor and earnestness, tell- ing one or two new stories and paying a tribute to Judge Gary. History of Pittsburgh Plus Given in Detail President Gary Tells of the Beginning of the Agitation and Traces Subsequent Events Up to the Decision of the Steel Corporation to Accept the Order i= giving the history of Pittsburgh plus, Judge Gary referred to the “cease and desist order” of the Fed- eral Trade Commission issued July 21, 1924, and said that after giving the whole subject careful considera- tion, the respondents concluded cheerfully to accept the decision and many of the leading independents, perhaps all of them, followed suit. Continuing Judge Gary said: “Many of you were startled by the action of the commission and temporarily, at least, entertained feel- ings of disappointment and dissatisfaction. More than that, your business activities and progress have been interrupted, impeded and.in places almost demoralized. As yet, you have not been able to restore the natural trend of affairs. Sellers and purchasers alike have been groping for a course that would permit a basis for transactions which would furnish the stability and uni- formity which every department of business effort de- sires and seeks. For the best success in industrial enterprise of any kind it is as necessary to have some standard to reckon from as it is to have a gold dol- lar basis to make comparison and computation. You are encounter- ing and will continue to encounter difficulties. You may decide to appeal to the courts for remedy; sonable yf we are patient and rea we though with perhaps some work and cost, the industry, taken as a whole and includ- ing both producers and con- sumers, will not suffer mate- rially by reason of the elim- ination of the Pittsburgh plus certain extent, been disregarded by steel producers. Judge Gary spoke in some detail of the correspond- ence which he had with John S. Miller, attorney of the Western Association of Rolled Steel Consumers and of the meeting in Washington, July 9, 1919, with Mr. M‘ller and members of the Federal Trade Commission. For the convenience of the members of the institute, Judge Gary had had printed for distribution the essen- tial parts of the record of the meeting. This record entitled Exhibit “A” was published in THe [Ron AGE of July 17, 1919. In conclusion Judge Gary said: “It is perhaps sufficient to say that your president acted in behalf of the industry, as requested by the counsel of the larger interests. He said what seemed to him desirable in assisting to secure a decision by the Federal Trade Commission of all the questions pertain- ing to the Pittsburgh plus system, on the merits and as affecting every one and any one connected with the business. “It was supposed by your president that the Federal Trade Commission would include as parties to the proceedings the whole iron and steel industry, and also all others, including various cities and towns, who might be affected by the result. The com- shall find, ANTAL ad th TH but you are beseeched to give the system.— President Gary's : mission did not adhere to this matter most patient and pains- Address. - supposed plan and perhaps might taking thought before doing so. - be justly criticized for this fail- “You have heard that much Hf NGUSTENSUMAIULEATAQUAEL of LGAUESNG BADEN OUCAGDRENSEEUSE 101 1(1STeYERRSUOMRSROLENE EG ES BAU2 TER SA TER ELG EEL NGEY oomend nre. However, in view of all that energy and considerable money have been expended in creating a sentiment that Pitts- burgh plus is wrong in principle; and you have indulged a feeling that the proceedings before the commission were influenced by personal and selfish motives; but concerning this all of us should endeavor to consider both sides of the case before reaching a final decision.” Judge Gary then proceeded to a full account of the facts relating to the Pittsburgh plus agitation, refer- ring first to the days when Philadelphia was the nat- ural basing point followed in later years by Pittsburgh; to the new elements which from time to time appeared in the competitive conditions pertaining to the iron and steel industry; to complaints, increasing in volume, that purchasers in certain Middle Western localities were being discriminated against; and to the fact that in practice for several years Pittsburgh basing had, to a had taken place, the Steel Corpo- ration concluded it would not be justified in refusing to acquiesce in the findings and decree which were finally made. “There would have been one of the biggest legal and official inquiries that has ever occupied the courts or governmental bodies if there had been included every interest affected, as was tentatively agreed to, and the whole subject had been referred to and finally adjudi- cated by the courts. As before suggested, any member desiring to appeal to the courts may still do so. “It is believed the entire iron and steel industry will, within a reasonable time, voluntarily be operating on a basis conformable to the opinion rendered by the Federal Trade Commission, notwithstanding the United fervent (£80 AnOR AREER RRERUNERY CORRE CEN EREES NIE leven NERNEY RORY (Continued on page 1183) Overheard at the Institute Meeting: — Pittsburgh + — H —— 7 1 | | mae A Suomen = aa epoca Daaty _ seston 1122 THE IRON AGE October 30, 1924 F. L. ESTEP WATE HUN ee [Mr. Estep’s paper deals fully and admirably with all the problems that were met in introducing the manu- facture of tin plate into India. Owing to the length of the paper it is published in two instalments and each of these abridges somewhat the original text. In his introductory paragraphs the author tells of the condi- tions which brought the project into being. A market was needed for additional products of the Tata Iron & Steel Co. which had made large extensions to its plant at Jamshedpur (originally named Sakchi) on the main line of the Bengal-Nagpur Railroad between Calcutta and Bombay. Tin plate was being imported into India before the world war at the rate of about 50,000 tons a year. A large part of this was used by the Burma Oil Co. for containers for petrol and kerosene. The company had a plant at Budge-Budge, south of Calcutta and brought refined oil in tankers from Burma, putting it into cans for distribution over India. The Burma Oil Co. and the Tata company entered into an agreement in 1920 to finance the Tin Plate Co. of India, Ltd., which was to build a tin plate plant adjoining the Tata steel works and take sheet bars from the latter. The plan contemplated an initial plant producing 28,800 tons of black plate per year. This would take care of a large percentage of the Burma Oil Co.’s requirements.— EDITOR. } Climatic Conditions Required Special Design It was early foreseen that, in order to operate suc- cessfully under the climatic conditions in India, the con- templated plant would have to be of special design and original in many respects. Perin & Marshall were en- trusted with the design and construction of the plant as consulting engineers. Generally speaking, the climate in this part of India is divided into three seasons; namely, the cold, the hot and the wet. The cold season extends from about Oct. 1, or Oct. 15, to about March 1, or March 15, approxi- mately 4% to 5% months; the hot season, from about March 1, or March 15, to about June 15 to July 1, a period of three to four months; the wet season, from about June 15, or July 1, to about Oct. 1, or Oct. 15, approximately three to four months. The Manufacture of Tin Plate in India BY FRANK L. ESTEP F RANK LESLIE ESTEP had his training in mechanical engineering at Ohio State University, graduating in 1898 as electrical engineer. After working as draftsman with Morgan Engineering Co., American Steel & Wire Co., Jones & Laughlin Steel Co. and Lorain Steel Co., he was made superintendent of Union branch, Bridgeport Brass Co., and later, succes- sively, was assistant general superintendent Detroit Copper & Brass Roll- ing Mills and engineer of Rome Brass & Copper Co. He was chief drafts- man of Cambria Steel Co., 1908-10; assistant chief engineer, Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad Co., 1910-12; became chief engineer, 1912-17; chief engineer Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Co., 1917-18; chief engineer and partner, Perin & Marshall, consulting engineers, New York, since 1918. HAUIACI MALLU ANAASDSAIAALNA RAGA EA The rains stop early in October, the ground soon becomes dried of excess moisture, and the temperature gradually approaches an average minimum tempera- ture of about 51 deg. Fahr. in the early part of Janu- ary, and the working conditions during the cold months are ideal. The hot season comes on uniformly but rap- idly and reaches its maximum, as a rule, late in April or early in May. At this time the atmosphere has be- come very dry, occasionally under 10 per cent moisture, and the maximum temperature will run from 105 deg. to 120 deg. Fahr. in the shade at about 3 o’clock in the afternoon. The wet, or monsoon, period follows immediately after the hot season, and during the early stages the humidity becomes very high and has been continuously from 70 per cent to 95 per cent for two or three weeks. During the wet season it may rain almost every day, and in some seasons several times in a given day, the total rainfall over about 100 days being 30 to 40 in. After three or four weeks of these rains, the tempera- ture drops and continues fairly even until into Septem- ber, when it gradually decreases again with the slack- ening off of the rains. The variations in temperature and humidity are shown on an accompanying chart. The highest temperature ever recorded at the Tata Iron & Steel Co.’s plant was in April, 1920, when for twelve consecutive days the maximum temperature in the shade recorded on their instruments, ranged from 120 deg. to 127 deg. Fahr. The open-hearth depart- ment operated during this period. On account of the isolation of the tin plate plant, and the fact that it is near some low ridges thickly covered with jungle growth, the temperatures are about 4 deg. to 6 deg. lower, day or night, than at the Tata plant. The accompanying general plan of the works shows in full lines the plant as finally built, and in dotted lines the extension to twice the present. Special Construction to Secure Operation in Hot Months It was known by the engineers, from experience with the Tata plant, that to keep the inside of the build- ings as cool as possible in the hot months, they must View of Buildings of Tin Plate Plant, Looking East October 30, 1924 be extremely high and of large volume, with huge moni- tors, roofs with wide overhanging eaves, and the sides made with long louvre construction and left wide open where possible for 10 to 12 ft. from the ground level. It was also necessary that the buildings be spread apart so that they could be exposed on four sides for air. The main buildings occupy a rectangular plot 801 ft. by 1143 ft., and the same area exactly will accommodate a plant of twice the present capacity. All main build- ings are 35 ft. to the roof truss, except the furnace building, hot mill building proper, shear building, and annealing furnace building, all of which are 45 ft. to the roof. These buildings, therefore, are larger in volume than buildings in tin plate plants in the United States, and the furnace, hot mill and shear buildings, in addi- tion to their extreme height, were stretched in length to give a wide spacing of mills. The hot mill building proper, covering two double mills per drive and six mills total, gives an average floor area per double mill of 90 ft. by 69 ft. 6 in., or 6255 sq. ft. per mill. In section the hot mill building proper has 3127.5 sq. ft. to the bottom chord of roof truss, 505.5 sq. ft. under the main roof, and 117.2 sq. ft. under the monitor, a total cross sectional area of 3750 sq. ft. This is, therefore, a total volume of 337,500 cu. ft. per double mill. These floor areas and volumes are to be compared with ap- proximately 4400 sq. ft. and 150,000 cu. ft. per double mill in the United States. In other words, the floor area of the Indian hot mill is 42 per cent, and the vol- ume is 125 per cent in excess of the American. This also means that, assuming the tonnage heated and rolled in India to be only 75 per cent of that for the same type of double mill in the United States, the floor area is about 90 per cent, and the volume about 200 per cent in excess of the American, per unit of heat turned loose in the atmosphere at and about the mills. Other Features That Minimize Heat Effects It may be well to describe at this point the other special provisions in the hot mill proper, to insure oper- atien regardless of temperature. With the furnace building on the one side and the shear building on the other side of the hot mill building proper, both being 45 ft. to the roof chord, with the fur- nace building wide open 12 ft. from the ground, with large louvres above, and with the shear building in- closed with large louvres to within 12 ft. of the ground and inclosed from this point to the ground with small louvres, there is always a chance for external air to get into the hot mills. In addition to this, there is a large space between and above each furnace, allowing outside air to enter from the south through the furnace building, between and over the furnaces into the hot mill building proper, and carry the heat into the upper part of the building and eject it through the wide open monitor. If the wind is from the north, the heat is carried up into the furnace building, and out through its monitor. Each pair and each double sheet furnace was com- pletely hooded over, and each hood attached to a sepa- rate stack, larger in diameter and surrounding the draft stack, and extended several feet through the roof. Prac- tically all the radiated heat from the furnaces, and smoke, flame and heat coming out from the doors when open, and much of the smoke and heat that arises from the stokers at the back of the furnaces, are immediately carried by these hoods and stacks out of the building through the roof and discharged into the outside atmos- phere. All furnaces have water-cooled fronts. Between the units of two double mills there is in- stalled a fan of 36,000 cu. ft. per min. capacity deliv- ering 18,000 cu. ft. to the men on each mill through underground ducts and 11 elbows. There is delivered approximately three cubic feet of air per min. per sq. ft. of total floor area, or over 9 cu. ft. of air per minute per sq. ft. of operating area. This means further over 400 cu. ft. of air per min. per man. Not being sure whether the men on the hot mills could stand up to their work better with a given quan- tity of hot dry air, or with the same quantity of air at a lower temperature and higher humidity, each of the fans was installed with an air washer on its suc- THE IRON AGE 1123 tion. By this means any proportion of the total amount of air going to the men, from zero to 100 per cent, can be put through a spray and its temperature reduced. This was a very wise provision, and it may be positively said that this feature was practically the salvation of the hot mill, so far as its continuous operation was con- cerned during the first summer period of 1923. Temperature and Humidity Conditions The air washer was started March 1, 1923, and com- parative readings taken and recorded daily of the tem- perature and humidity of the outside air in the shade at about 3 o’clock each afternoon, and the temperature and humidity of the air discharged at the various el- bows in the hot mill. In March the average maximum temperature was reduced from 91.9 deg..te 77.3 deg., and the corresponding humidity raised from 28.6 per cent to 41.2 per cent. In April the average maximum temperature was reduced from 104 deg. to 87.1 deg., and humidity raised from 30 per cent to 50.2 per cent. One afternooon in late April, when the outside tempera- ture in the shade was 109 deg., and the humidity less than 20 per cent, the readings showed 80 deg. at the elbows, a reduction of 29 deg. In May, the average maximum temperature was reduced from 103.3 deg. to 87.8 deg., and the humidity raised from 32.3 per cent to 52.8 per cent. In June, the first 23 days of which were hot and dry, and the last seven wet and cooler, the average maxi- mum temperature was reduced from 100 deg. to 86.2 deg., and the humidity raised from 46 per cent to 67 per cent. It is worth while to note here that during July and August, the two worst of the monsoon months, the hot mill men preferred to keep the air washer on, and did not shut it down. This is illustrated by the fol- lowing figures. In July the average maximum tem- perature was reduced from 90 ‘deg. to 86.1 deg., and the corresponding humidity raised from 60.9 per cent to 72.3 per cent. In August the average maximum temperature was reduced from 87.8 deg. to 86 deg., and the humidity raised from 79.3 per cent to 83.7 per cent. Water Cooled Floor Plates Special provision was also made by installing an exceptionally large area of water-cooled floor plates per mill. There are 1220 sq. ft. per double mill, 270 on the back side, and 950 on the front side of each mill. These floor plates are cast iron, and although not as efficient in cooling as the welded water box plates, they have answered the purpose admirably. During the hot- test periods in 1923, although the incoming water reached a temperature as high as 100 deg. the dis- charge temperature of the water at the discharge weirs never exceeded 105 deg. Attention is called to the fact that this very large area of water-cooled plates was not only beneficial to the men, so far as their being able to work on them was concerned, but the large area outside of the par- ticular spots with which the metal came in contact, and upon which the men worked, held down the tempera- ture at all times and forced the heat from about the men up into the building. That this statement is true and that the principle involved is applicable anywhere, is borne out by the fact that all grease fumes arising from the necks or steam from the body of the rolls of these mills in operation on these exceedingly hot days, rose straight up and quickly from about the mill. There was no cloud or haze or smudge hanging about the mills or in the building. The above described features combined—volume of building, hooded and water-cooled furnaces, cool air in great quantities, and the excessive area of water-cooled floors—made it possible to maintain operations at a very decent efficiency during the first summer, irrespec- tive of temperature or humidity, both of which are far more severe than at any other tin plate plant in the world today. Electrically Driven Mills Electrical power, three phase 50 cycles, is supplied from the Tata company’s station, about 3% miles away, over a loop line, at approximately 3200 volts, generator switchboard, which drops to 2800 to 3000 Rai ay ecient. ocak See x ge oS EOE OR 8 4 tS Tm The - 1124 volts at the tin plate plant. The incoming lines pass through an outside meter house, owned and controlled by Tata, containing cut-out switches, lightning arrest- ers and recording integrating watt meter, and pass into the power house. The power house contains a 1000 kva., 750 kw. 250- volt d.c. motor generator and the motor driving the cold Sear Building rolls, together with the gear reducing set and gear train. There is also a motor driven compressor and a direct connected oil engine driven 12 kw. d.c. generator unit for emergency use to generate direct current enough to throw the main oil switches, when and if the power goes off the main line and shuts the plant down. All a.c. auxiliary power apparatus is 440 volt, all cranes are d.c. and many of the individual machine tools, stoker drives, blowers and all tinning machines are driven with variable speed d.c. motors. Transform- ers are located at various points for low tension volt- THE IRON October 30, 1924 AGE age for lighting, while a circuit at 3000 volts leaving the tin plate power house switchboard carries current to Golmuri town for lights and fans. All electrical equipment, except some miscellaneous material and small motors, are General Electric Co. make, shipped from the United States, and were on the ground quite some time before needed. Nearly every HuveneeuenenenaneneeneD Thomas & Davies Automatic Feeding, Pickling, Tinning and Finishing Machines Hot Mill Furnace Building motor and transformer, when ready to install, showed by test a very low insulation resistance, but by very careful and long continued drying out, every piece was saved except the stator of one 10 hp. motor. Rolling Mill Equipment The hot mill department consists of three units of two double mills each, one double mill on either side of the motor. The mills were furnished by the Mackin- tosh-Hemphill Co. and each unit is driven by 1000 hp. American or about 850 hp. Indian rating, 3000 volt, October 30, 1924 300 r.p.m. motor through a reducing gear set with very heavy flywheels, furnished by the Woodard Machine Co. The rolls are 28 in. diameter and run at 33.2 r.p.m. Each motor has its own control room which is located directly opposite the motor itself, in a brick house in the furnace building. Each motor and control room is pro- vided with underground air ducts for cooling from the same air system which supplies the men. The cold roll department consists of four sets of rolls, three in tandem, also furnished by Mackintosh- Hemphill Co., the roughing train driven at 48 r.p.m., the intermediate at 50 r.p.m. and the finishing train at 52.6 r.p.m. from a 750-hp., 3000-volt, 500-r.p.m. wound rotor induction motor through a gear reducing set and a train of five cut gears manufactured by the Woodard Machine Co. Foundations and bed plates have already been installed and the motor is of sufficient capacity to drive a total of seven sets of cold rolls in the future. ' aie CrYt*r : etl) Lpek WATER FILTERS BOILER HOUSE L_ Typical Transverse Section AIR WASHER WAREHOUSE S°TIN HOUSE SUPPLIES PUMP HOUSE SSS See , FUTURE EXTENSION PICKLING MACHINE TT] ACID TANK-7—) ; “SHEAR BUILDING 43 THE IRON AGE 1125 the hot months, and the output would have dragged materially. Besides, it would have entailed the impor- tation of at least twice the total number of Europeans for the hot mill proper, and the operating cost would have become prohibitive. The black pickling machine is of the Grey type, built by Taylor & Sons, Ltd., of Briton Ferry, England, and is the latest design of this machine. Cast iron annealing bottoms and cast iron false bottoms were made locally in India to save freight, while the hammer welded annealing box covers were manufactured by the Blaw-Knox Co. The white pickling and tinning is done on six Thomas-Davies combination white pickling, tinning and cleaning machines, manufactured in South Wales. These are installed in a building designed especially for them and erected rights and lefts with coal firing pits common to two machines, and so arranged that each eee ee ae aa ae ae eee eC eee ae |) WHITE ANNEALING BUILDING -FUTURE WHITE ANNEALING FURNACE } wt ft ag - FOTORE HOT MILL BUNDING ~~ sul Rdineae ht emati ‘ iin ; - a aad ——— YOTOR F. oon OPEN SPACE y SHEAR BAP € ULTIMATE PLANT: | ! ' ; ' ' ' 1 GREASE HOUSE I | G50’ _100' 150200! 250’ 300° _350' 400 | STORAGE | en Z ——- = —— = 7 ‘ PR I SS OF Roe er } Tin Plate Co. of India; Tin Plate Mill, General Arrangement All rolls, hot and cold, were furnished by the Pittsburgh Roll Corporation. All shears and roll lathes were furnished by the United Engineering & Foundry Co.; the pair furnaces, sheet furnaces, continuous annealing furnace and fur- nace cars by the George J. Hagan Co. The pair fur- nace pushers are operated hydraulically, as is also the Logeman scrap bundler. Nine cranes total cover all operating departments, with the exception of the black pickling, and range in capacity from 5 to 15 tons. They were furnished by the Alliance Machine Co. All ratings are in gross tons. Mechanical Doublers Necessary The hot mills were equipped with six Steele mechan- ical doublers for the roughers, and also six with shears for the finishers. These were furnished by the Ameri- can Sheet & Tin Plate Co. Experience has proved that, without the mechanical means of doubling, it would have been impossible to operate successfully during the hot months on the two-roll, three-part system in India. The physical effort of hand doubling would undoubtedly have proved too great for any Indian, Europeans would have been unable to stand up under this work during cent ory es rome en em sepevereyen Soe pnanenene renin ream: ee machine discharges its tinned product directly into the warehouse for inspection. Each machine is completely hooded and connected to a separate stack which sur- rounds the tin pot stack. The draft was insufficient to pull out the heavy fumes and vapors, and suction fans were later on installed with each hood. The hoods ean be quickly removed by crane, to permit stripping the pots during repairs. On account of the scarcity of water during certain months, all uncontaminated water from the plant is conserved and collected in a large reservoir, from which it can be picked up by pumps and returned into the system, and the water piping is so arranged that this returned water can be used in places where it does not need filtering. For drinking purposes about the plant, for the Europeans in Golmuri town, and also for water for the manufacture of ice and bottled soda, it was necessary to install, in connection with the sand filter, a chlorine system for purifying the water. For the equalization of water pressure and as a short period supply in case of emergency, a water tower was erected on the space adjacent to the furnace building. On top of this there is another tank for the storage of filtered and chlor- a ase ay ; . ee en a ee 1126 ined water as a supply to Golmuri town, it being at suffi- cient elevation to send water by gravity to individual storage tanks located on the top of éach house in Gol- muri. All the main buildings, forming the plant proper, are inclosed with a brick wall, inside of which are also located a timekeeping office and a general works office, « ‘ Pree Oe Left to Right Samson, Leyshon, Estep, Bell Ui ihn 8... atelier UT HeEANNNE ENON NeHNEDOUDONELAaNnECERAenonenenvenneeaneGENCsrendeadoNGnONEnAsonneennanDoencanensenencnsneneoneeucganntitesiuascenente the latter being located between the shear building and tin house supply building. Outside of the wall at the southwest corner there is an ice making plant of two tons per day capacity and a soda water manufacturing and filling plant. South of and opposite the southeast corner of the wall, on the entrance side of the plant, it THE IRON AGE October 30, 1924 was found necessary to erect a fair sized emergency hospital, medical supply room and attending doctor’s living quarters. Also, in the same general direction from the plant but farther away, there was erected a very fine general office, where all accounting, etc., is done. Since the entire section of the territory where the depnsnecannennersnsanenenoneriesens suvnenonsneeenannt CUUUEUDADEOEDUDEOLONHO DED CaNELHONDAnODOMUREOEAREREEEEE Ever onneErioenna ree teneier ’ Hot Mill Building, Showing the Three Double Mill Units, Sheet and Pair Furnaces and Mo- tor Control House Starting of Sixth and Last Hot Mill, Dee. 12, 1923 Cold Roll Depart- ment Aocneasenenenneny HTREDNADAND NEN CUE LABONEEDUONCLONORONDSUOLANNOBESRIUECDEOLOTERONAEDODEDONL DONA seaRDORDHNBERAEAD ORONO FHV OHEDCeHAEE LINE scieneRD plant was built was originally nothing but a jungle, and since it was known that about 100 Europeans would have to be imported into India for the operation of this plant, it was found necessary to put up a com- plete European industrial city, and three or four new and modern Indian villages, for the housing of the October 30, 1924 higher class and better paid Indian and Eurasian labor. The European town is on a hill higher than the works, located about one mile due south, and embraces a plot of ground of about 50 acres. There were built one agent’s bungalow, one works manager’s bungalow, 49 workmen’s bungalows, and a hotel. Some of the workmen’s bungalows have two bedrooms and two liv- ing rooms, some have two bedrooms and one living room, and a few have one bedroom and one living room. Every room has one or two ceiling fans, also each 1G 7 | o Bers 5 a a ae 120 | | Temperature Ranges at Chaibasa, 150 Miles West I} | | || 1 | | | Boxes per Shift | | j $+ $- +++ ++ tt Tr — | 7 | | } | | | j | Rollers Elbow, | th ar un AAD r | Per tures taken at 38 | | | | i; | TT wed endneedl ' TT i er = Mean THE IRON AGE 1127 ing. Here the bar carriers are placed by a five-ton crane back of the six continuous pair furnaces. Coal is emptied into a large coal pocket from the track outside of the furnace building, and a grab bucket on the furnace building crane delivers coal into hoppers which will hold about one and a half tons each and feed the individual stokers by gravity. Ashes are collected in cars on an industrial track, which passes out across the yard through the inclosure wall, and are dumped in the neighborhood of the return water pond. er ve iy a Se | | | TAs | PTT TdT (44.3 \ | 439, | Avge Boxes per Shift /38/ 0K374 + + art tot tt oman pe nite | | | J | | | 1 | : | Beeeeee | | } | | e- Avge Mar Temp 103.3" | Hot Mill Log: Pro- duction, Tempera-~ | + o| Avge Ternp Rollers Elbow 87.8 tures, Humidity A » Adi Tom 18° Note : Humidity and Auge M e. p.8 delivered tempera- Pp. m, daily; maxi- | | | ’ mum and minimum + duge Hur dty Rs Elbow $28 % temperatures taken in shade by Gov- ernment standard method +—+--4 Avge Humidity Outside 32.3% i Aen | ; “Mean Duet lon Minimum Tepe) Ge | “2 ol of Calcutta and 733 Ft. 80) rz Above Sea Level; Barom- 4 a eter, 29.1 In. Note: This s' A is the nearest station to 0\— an Lf € a ’ Jamshedpur for weather Low A reports. Weather data a b during 1889 to 1906 60| i Sf ra ake DUT + — a vY' JAN. FEB MAR APR veranda. These fans will average about seven per bun- galow and are 52 in. in diameter, with variable speed control. They are absolutely necessary for the com- fort of men living in bungalows in the hot dry months, and all current for lighting and fans is individually metered to each bungalow, and the men pay for current used at cost to the company. Arrangement for Handling Materials The movement of materials through the plant dur- ing the process of manufacture, from bars to finished tin plate, is as follows: Bars brought in from the Tata company’s plant are unloaded by a spreader beam crane in the bar storage building, placed when wanted at the bar shear, where they are cut to the desired lengths. Cut bars are loaded on bar carriers, picked up with the crane, stacked on a truck and weigheu as they pass into the furnace build- 10 PonanepnaenARBTts Fo9F vere. yo 5 LOSk LP LUPTD HERNAN TONRRE EELS URROTTER OO EREIER ENEERE EN rate seeum Scrap from the mechanical doubler shears, as well as all of the scrap from the squaring shears, is collected in large steel buckets, carried with the mill crane or the shear building crane to a point opposite the scrap baling press, which is located in an extension to the shear building. A three-ton monorail Shepard hoist covers the baling press pocket, and extends out of the building far enough to cover three railroad cars. Black plate is opened adjacent to the shears, placed on special carriers and conveyed by overhead crane to a point opposite the black pickling building, and here placed upon small] hand trueks. These trucks pass over a scale, and all plate leaving the opening floor is weighed as it enters the black pickling department. In operation of the black pickling machine the crates make an elliptical movement into one acid and two water tubs, and at the discharge end of the circuit the crates are unloaded and the plates passed over the in- = a 7U el Ga ° ~ Oe ee ee + : Sees tte chee <a etree eh te * aw "1 a ik it ie el 9 Ber ~ ~ et see Ra eae cael i RS itl AE i ce ti Me a rt 1 2% - eee * 7 oe i — ee rn a a My ‘eh 1128 spection benches, which are located directly underneath the crane runway, and then stacked without further handling onto the annealing bottoms in the black an- nealing building. The plates are placed on false bot- toms which set on the annealing bottom proper, and their use has proved of very great benefit. After the plates are flushed with a hose and the bottoms covered and sealed, they are picked up with a 15-ton crane and placed’ on a furnace car, which in turn sits on.a ‘transfer car, at the entering end of the black annealing furnace. After passing through the furnace for black annealing, the furnace cars are dis- charged on another transfer car at the other end of the furnace, which brings them back into the black annealing building. When cooled, the annealing bot- toms are unloaded opposite and in front of the cold rolls, and as the plates are cold rolled they pass across the furnace building and are again stacked on anneal- ing boxes back of the last train of cold rolls in the white annealing building. After Cold Rolling At this time and for the present capacity of the plant, the boxes when loaded with cold rolled plate are transferred back into the black annealing building, and are passed through the same continuous furnace for white annealing, but the transfer car discharges them this time into the white annealing building. Later on, when a white annealing furnace is installed, these boxes will pass through for white annealing in just the same manner as is done in the furnace for black annealing, except that the movement will be in the opposite direc- tion, thus bringing the plates after white annealing out at the end of the white annealing building opposite the cross building leading to the tin house. When properly cooled the white annealed bottoms are picked up with a 15-ton crane, put on a car, and after passing over a scale and being weighed, are de- THE IRON October 30, 1924 AGE livered underneath a 10-ton crane in the tin house. This crane picks up each false bottom with its load of white plate, or the bottom with the entire load, and sets it down in front of either of the tinning machines. Here the plates are removed from the piles, are sanded and placed in the feeding pickets of the tinning ma- chines. From this point until they are picked up in the warehouse and placed on the inspection benches, the plates are not touched or handled, and, as compared with best practice in the United States, approximately five handlings total have been eliminated between white annealing and inspection. The plates go through the Thomas and Davies ma- chines in four steams for wide plates and eight streams for narrow plates, and are pickled, swilled, tinned, cleaned, collected on a cross conveyor at the discharge end of the machine, and brushed with rotary brushes. They are then changed in direction of movement 90 deg., again brushed with rotary brushes (this time at right angles to the previous brushing), discharged from this brushing machine on a belt conveyor and g% through a slot in the wall into the warehouse, where they are picked up in piles and placed on benches for inspection. In the warehouse the plates are inspected, slit, counted, boxed and sealed in “wasters,” and are held on the floor ready for shipment to Calcutta. It was originally thought it might be possible to do away with this sealed container and ship in wooden »oxes, but on account of the severe rains and moisture over several months of the year, it was finally decided to seal all shipments and not attempt to use boxes. The scaled containers are not incased in any wooden box an: there- fore the box factory building has, up to date, not been used, except for store room purposes. [The remainder of the paper, nearly in full, will ap- pear in next week’s issue.] Blast Furnace Practice in Birmingham District BY R. H. LEDBETTER* HE Birmingham District, as usually defined, in- cludes the territory furnishing raw materials to the iron and steel industries of Birmingham and vicin- ity, an area about 60 miles long and 30 miles wide. The striking economic feature of this district is the location of the iron ore deposits and coking coals on opposite sides of the valley, approximately six miles apart, with outcroppings of a very good dolomite, which fulfills all requirements for a fluxing stone. The iron ores used in the furnaces consist largely of hard red hematites, with a small percentage of soft red hematites and brown hematites or limonites. The “red ore,” as it is commonly called, is a bedded deposit of fossiliferous red hematite which occurs in the Clinton formation. The Clinton formation of the Red Mountain district includes about 200 ft. of s