The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-11-04
From ths New YORK Journal Of Commerce.
manufscfure Of steel.

Manufacture
AprRoxDAc STEEL WoREs-Steel is an article that
enters into the composition OF the implements, of the
msterials or both, OF almost every useful occupation
Its fundamentally 10 everywhere conspicuous. Yet
there il scarcely essential OF national supply in which
the American people are more deficient 10 supply our
wants. we must needs resort TO the markets OF the
English, and they to the ore beds OF Sweden or Russia
rom native iron, they manufacture comparatively little
steel With the exception OF Ulvestone charcoal-iron,
bars manufactured in Great Britain capable OF
version into STEEL at all approaching in quality that from
the Madras, Swedish, and Russian irons, largely i'm
ported for the purpose Ydwe with great variety OF
magnetic ores embosomed within own cliffs, OF
them fully equal to the best Swedish, have, until very
recently failed TO compete successfully market
with the imported article. Various attempts had been
made but without success until the establishment OF the
xdondss steel wos, u Sssy s hnnoss ssse
operation only snca last January. the article produced
preferred. s the same price, for many purposes to the
e osr, %Bs eaamnna some specimens from ese works.
exhibiting at the present fair oil the American Institute
we have recently visited them, and consequently
The ore used il procured from Essex county, in this
State, the sources OF the Hudson, at an altitude OF
5000 feet among the Adrondac mountains, and about
fifty miles west from Lake Champlan. Large expendi-
lures have been made BY the PIopetors, Archibald Nc
lnre OF Albany Archibald Robertson OF Philadelphia,
and the late David Henderson, Of Jersey city, for the pur
region The quantity exposed is greater than can be
consumed for centuries and is worked like an ordinary
granite quarry. A valuable water-power was obtained
small lakes with which that section OF country abounds,
and blast and pudding furnaces erected and heavy trip
hammers. new furnace is at this time in process OF
erection 10 meet the increasing demand for accommoda-
ton The is here converted into bar iron. and trans
ported 10 the companys works in Jersey city, TO be man
actured into steel Its adapfcdness TO this purpose
was ascertaned by Joseph Dixon, esq, OF Jersey city,
after proaced series OF experiments made with refer
ence to that object He also succeeded IN the use Of
anthracite supposed by experienced English manufac
turers mpossble-and then applied himself to the manu-
acure of black lead crucbles possessing sufficiently pow
erful refractory qualities 10 Withstand the heat OF an
hrace furnaces In this too, he was successful and
bis pots are now in use England and elsewhere BY The
FIRST artisans As the result OF all this the Adirondac
Company set about building furnaces, &c. in Jersey city,
under his direction outlay OF not far from
In these the steel is broken into small pieces and put into
sixteen crucbes Of capacity Of forty 70 sixty pounds
winch are placed IN many small furnaces whose tops
are even with the surface oil the floor After the lapse
OF two hours their molten contents are poured into
ng0 m0uds OF various sizes The steel 10 then readily
drawn ont, upon being reheaied under heavy hammers
into bars Of any desired shape size Ordinarily four
heats are obtained from these furnaces daily The Eng
Iish procure three per day with difficulty The steel thus
manufactured is largely in demand and its superior
qualities are abundanty testified to by the propreo OF
the Novelty Works BY T. F. Secor 4 Co, and many
others