The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1855-11-17
nlctI)anital.
Pla0aniXvillc IRON works.

| This was in 1915 The Peter Cooper mil at
Trenton, \. j., commenced shortly after. In
1916, the Phoenix lion Works, Chen in the
principal ownership of David Reeves, Esq. J
commenced rolling rails also. The extent and
reputation of these works warrants, therefore,
some general sketch Of them,
The ore used at the Phmnyvil'e Works is
gathered in from 3 TO 35 miles from the works.
furnishing six different varieties. Among the
ores used is the Warwick from the old War;
wic}; mines, which are said to be the Oldest in
the United States, having been opened as early
as 1909. These ores have been worked over
sixteen acres Of surface, and to a depth Of one
hundred and fifty feet. They furnisla plimi-
tive orc. yielding GO per cent of iron. Another
ore is a hcna;itc, yielding 40 per cent. Ano-
ther is primitive magnetic ore. yielding IS
per cent, and containing small! quantity of
lime, which is an advantage in smelling. An
other is the Oakley ore from Reading: a prim-
tive, not magnetic and free from sulphur.
This ore gives SO to 40 per cent. From Is 600
TO 10000 tons Of ore arc used yearly, making
over 10000 tons Of pig iron, besides which
10000 tons Of pig are purchased yearly from
other manufacturers. From 1900 to 1900
tons Of anthracite coal are used weekly, or So,
900 tons yearly.
There are three hot blast furnaces, 70, Is,
and II feet diameter respectively at he boshcS
and So feet hiah ofstack. These turn out to-
gcther from 300 to 335 tons week. The
blast is supplied by two steam engines and 4
blowing cylinders. The blast is kept at from
to 4 pounds pressure. per inch as required.
There arc 10 steam boilers suspended over
th. Has, r,,rnoccs and heated L,. ,bn bnrn;ng
ras thcrprrom. There arc also ihrca 40.inrh
boilers below. which arc u;o,ty f3rt in lc1njb
hcing probably the longest in this country
These boilers are also heated by cas- led thro'
n huc from the furnaces. There are also six
boilers % inches in damitcr and 90 feet long
which are heated with coal whenever the 9TH
or boilers were not in nsc, Thus, then, the
entire steam power of tie concern is s1lpplicd
with waste heat. except at times when the
gas does not work WELL or the gas burning
boilers arc under repair. The steam is car
rCd from the boilers, many hundred feet
to several of the steam engines about the
works
Tho rail mil, and E,s 81 and 1yo,t rul,;r,c
mills occunv n snocc ali Inv 100 foot
There is also the North pudding and mcr-
chant mill. 100 bv $50 feet. In all the mills
are equal to G5 single nndding furnaces.
many being double, and Il heating furnaces.
Over these furnaces are. in all, 10 boilers to
supply the engines which work the rols.--
These boilers all feed into one main steam
pipe. which makes the circuit Of the mills.
All the pnrddling furnaces hove a heating
oven IN TINS oven the pig ron IS heated
with waste heat. preparatory to pudding
Inns saves over 10 per cen OF HE time which
would be required IN pudding from cold iron.
as III the old manner the pnddicr took but five
| hen n IuV. while he take
In each Of the three pudding mills is ro-
tary Squcczcr in which the Stag and cindcrs of
the rnddIcd balls are worked ont. The balls
are a1trrWarn' taken TO me puddle rolls and
WORKED INTO bars. OF II feet m length and 60
or 10 pounds weight each. All aronnd the
! pUddIihg mi!lS Is an overhead raj or track
from when Is suspended a travelling platform
On winch Is ltd the pig IRON for S'ocE'ng the
,lilicent furnaces ana for carrying the puddle
bars to the shears and thence to the rc-hcat-
cuariv, the overhead track with two men,
does the fo,mcrwor of men with Il horse
and cart
The puddle bars coming from each fur
mace are kept separate. and the product Of
each days work of furnace is weighed at
one Eft, and moved on the travelling truck.
The pudding furnaces produce $50 tons Of
puddlcd bars per week, using 500 tons of pig
the loss Of weight being from 10 to u
per ct.
Most Of tbe iron worked at PheaniyyiIIc is
Of lbc .ar,d short on,lity-that is Lr;itIr
wh;is hot and touph While cold. ribs is
hcftnr onI st,o,rcr for most nurrcxcs Than
rnlI slo,t iron which has onoosi,c cuo,t;cs
In FORMING n nile for y rail, bars are laid mn
10 form nile 6 inches wide and inches
high. On the top and bottom of this pile
arc laid bar, G. by | inch.
The whole nile is finally heated and nut
l,ronob the roun]inn and then through he
Gn;.L;n. rlIls there being s grooves in the
former Aid onlv four in Tie latter. The rail
is ,hcn carried ia thc saws and cut ofrat fine
nnI,, Ernn ,hcncc If Is dawn cnlwis, to
Lot straiohrcninc Mate whore il undc,ooos
th,, onnraiion AMI is thcn nnsheJ on TO tho
hot he'd 70 cool. after which il is TRANSPORTED
Inv an overhead railway to the cold straioh-
tcning machine. This has powerful NOV
inc die worked by an eccentric. The rail is
laid upon the machine, and man sights the
rail. and brings any discovered bend under
the die. \ swcdSe. Of wedge shape form,
is held between the rail and the end OF the
Que. and the latter coming down slowly anu
with great power, brings the cnuS INTO