DOI: 10.25549/examiner-m11103
title: Kaiser Steel Mill in Fontana, 1952.

description: 20 images. Kaiser Steel Mill in Fontana, 01 May 1952. F.M. Garcia; A.C. Caldron; J.L. Leyva; L.M. Clubb; Joe Luksich; George B. McMeans; Barney Dagan; E.F. Donatic; Tom G. Simison; Clarence R. Lahrey; Pat Le Roy, 19 (female); R.P. Frank; Lou Garcia; Lee Bowell; Ken Fisher; Ted Thomas; K.W. Nance.; Caption slips read: "Photographer: Mercurio. Reporter: Ostler. Assignment: Fontana Steel Mill. Fontana. 107: Workman seen blowing out tap hole of open hearth furnace with air hose and tremendous pressure. Job is to remove pocketed steel from hidden areas of open hearth. 29: Workman shovels burnt dolomite into open hearth furnace to re-surface bottom of furnace after steel heating process. Hearths are lined with brick and must periodically be replaced. 30: Steelman L.M. Clubb is seen checking condition of slagg and steel and of the hearth's interior during the steel making process. 21: Workman shoveling flour-spar into open hearth to cut down the slag content in the steel making process. 22-13: Hot metal addition process -- Pouring of hot metal pig iron from blast furnace by means of a mammoth ladle suspended from an overhead crane. 7: Workman Joe Luksich is seen checking heat temperature in open hearth furnace which reaches during the steel making process 3000 degrees F. 8: Scene showing giant overhead crane loading scrap ingots into rail cars to be melted in the open hearth furnaces. 116-117: View of two 75-ton ladles pouring molten pig iron into open hearth furnace".; Caption slip continues: "1-2: Behind-the-scenes production executives are seen discussing a map problem and works progress. They are L-R: George B. McMeans, Work manager of Kaiser Steel; Barney Dagan, Asst. Gen. Supt.; E.F. Donatic, Division Supt. of services; Tom G. Simison, Div. Supt. of the RollingMills and Clarence R. Lahrey, Div. Supt. of Iron and Steel. 62-63: Kaiser Secretary Pat Le Roy of Fontana is seen in flower garden with [sic] adorns the exterior of the Administration building at the Kaiser Steel plant. 159: Shipment clerk R. P. Frank can be seen in shipping room for structural steel checking tickets. 158: Lou Garcia seen straitening pipe on hot rock in pipe mill at Kaiser's Fontana steel mill. 200: Utility man Lee Bowell observes 1 1/2" pipe hot mill. Enough steel pipe is manufactured at this mill in 40 seconds to service a five room house. 40: Chemists Ken Fisher; Ted Thomas and K. W. Nance of the steel mill's chemical and physical research lab. are seen running tests of sample ores for cobalt, copper and other alloys of iron ore".; Caption slip continues: "201-41: View of open hearth's eight stacks through which smoke pours around the clock. They are never stopped escept for minor repairs. 19-20: View of coke being pushed into rail car from ovens. The car load of red hot coals are then taken to the Quenching House where the coke is cooled and later stored. 5-6: Picture of Blast Furnace. 28: Skip Car which carries iron ore and other minerals to the top of the blast furnace. In left foreground can be seen giant stoves to warm the blast furnace air. 27: Typical example of one of the two blast furnaces at Kaiser Steel. A third furnace is presently under construction. The mill is presently undergoing a 67,000,000 expansion. 120-121: View of the Blast Furnace casting process. Note how molten pig iron runs down brick-lined trough into another carrier, a clay lined torpedo-type rail carrier. 201-120: Overhear 10-ton bucket and crane magnet seen loading scrap iron and steel into rail cars".; Caption slip continues: "106-107: General view of mill's blast furnaces towers in center background are smoke stacks from the plants coke ovens. 62-63: Gen. view of open hearth stacks. 200: View of blast furnaces with five of 10 engines in foreground. Engines are en route to scrap yard where they will be dismantled. 19-20: Gen. view of South side of Kaiser Steel's open hearths. Note smoke pouring from eight stacks leading from open hearths furnaces. 1-2: View of workman in Mill scrap steel yard seen cutting up steel to be later used in open hearth furnaces. 119: Steel workmen F.M. Garcia, A.C. Caldron and J.L. Leyva on way home from work. Note blast furnace in background. 116-117: Secretary Pat Le Roy, 19, of Fontana seen picking flowers in front of the Administration building of the Kaiser Steel plant. 8: Pat Le Roy sitting on grass in front of Administration building. 7: General view of Ad. Bldg. as seen through trees on plant's grounds".