Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1841-11-06
Ero,, N, limited .S,o,,, Ga.e,,e.

From me tiMeu cfutS UuEetCs
Mr.. Editor I'll notice in the United States Ga.
zelte Of the 2cd inst. a communication signed "A
Subscriber requesting information on the subject
of Anthracite Pig iron, and whether its conversion
into Maleabe Iron has been effected without extra
expense sufficient to render the manufacture un-
profitable.
| After having worked nearly 500 tons Of the va
rious sorts Anthracite Pig Iron smelicd in Penn
syIvania aud New Jersey, feel myself fully com.
pctent to give opinion the subject, and would
state tha, have converted the above amour, of
iron into good sheet iron, rods, &c. &c. with bu,
trining extra expense, if any, when compared with
the ordinary brands Of charcoal Pig Iron.
would not be understood to say, that Anthra
cite Pig Iron is fully equal in quality to the very
best brands Of charcoal Pig Iron for conversion into
Melleabe Iron, but, much of the Anthracite Iron
which | have tried, has proved greatly superior in
quality to the ordinary sorts of charcoal Pig Iron,
and converted into the malleable state at abou,
the same cost. | find too that its conversion is
generally more rapid aud consequently attended
with rather less consumption Of fuel than charcoal
iron.
have reference now TO its conversion by the
ordinary process of pudding with Anthracite Coal
as fuel, but by the boiling process Gas it is termed
| have with the same kind OF fuel in properly con-
strucled furnace, converted the poorest No. 3 An.
thrac te Pig Iron into the most superior quality OF
Chain Iron, at an extra expense of SIS SC per ton
when compared with the very best charcoal Pig
Iron. With reference to the was e, fad it in the
best sots of Anthracite Iron 10 differ but little from
charcoal Pig.
have had no experience in its conversion by
the process ordinarily used in Pennsylvania ty
means Of charcoal as furi, but have been inform.
ed by an intelligent Iron master, who has tried the
experiment, that the Anthracite Pig produced by
the LeAigh Crane Iron Go. yielded first rate
quality of Bar Iron hy that process.
There is no doubt grca, pujudcc existing a,
mong Iron Masters with reg rd to the employmen
of Anthracite Pig iron in their forscs, this think
time will overcome and would suggest to tn
smel,ers of Anthracite in Pennsylvania, whether as
a matter of policy it would not be advisable for
them to convert their more inferior sorts Of Pig
ron into Plate or refined metal, and sell it to the
Forgcs in that State this, although it has not yc,
been done entirely with Anthracite as fuel can
believe I've effected certainly by mixture Of char
coal and anthracite. BY pursuing this course
much better article will be produced at great
ira expense, their Furnaces may be more heavily
burdened SO as to produce the u'mo,t quantity OF
Pig Iron possible for refining, and probably at
profit than running with lighter burdens for grey
iron-and its advantages to all pudding establish.
meuts would be great, the labor of pudding pig
iron, particularly in hot weather, is excessive, the
Plate Iron can more easily he converted in greater
quantities, and with less fuel, and the wages for
conversion would ho reduced in proportion.
One of the most intelligent Anthracite Furnace
proprictors in Pennsylvania has assured me he
shall pursue this curse, and have no doubt will
be productive OF much benefit and profit both to
himsc'fand the forge owners purchasing the refined
metal.
\ NEW JERSEY IRON MASTER.