Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1857-09-05

we have received the subjoined circular, issued
bv Sir. Cobb, of the Treasury Department, and
which he has addressed to the Iron Inanutac-
turers all over tile country, for the purpose Of
arriving at some very useful Information i
has Lsen supposed tlat the United States pro
duces iron in certain localities, upon which oxl-
dization takes place less rapidly than upon the
iron ST other parts Of the world To test this
is the object Of Mr. Cobb's circular.
ssTsgasURY DEPARfNEST, Aug. 81, 1891.
itSfr This department has been furnished
with undonbted evidence that there Is great
,l;fTerenee between iron from different mines in
the United States in the degree and Tapldity
with which they become oLydiZed. Congress
during the last session, appropriated The sum O.
81 500 to test the different irons in this country
In that particular Ii these experiments shall
establish the important fact that we have irons
entirely or nearly proof against the corrosion
Of oxygen, it viii multiply the iise OF such iron
10 a very considerable extent Tor purposes 10
which il is now applied and give 1t the prefer
ence over other irons for many purposes IoE
which iron is noT used
1.-THE very large extent to which this mate
rial is superseding the use OF wood and stone IN
the pu bile buildings, erecting at a cost OF many
millions Of dollars annually, under this depart.
ment, renders it Of the greatest importance 70
know what irons resist, for the longest period,
the action Of oxygen. It's hoped that the great
interest the iron masters have in the result Of
this experiment will be considered sufficient
apology for requesting samples Of their iron and
the ores from which they arc made.
{" have therefore, to request that you VIII
forward to this department, by mail or express,
two or three small samples OF iron and sample
| of ore from each Of the mines worked by you ;
the samples of iron not to exceed quarter OF 2
pound each, and the orc not to exceed hall
pound in weight,e.. IEnp55 alS9 e:Steft
of the ore deposit facilities Of mining Ore-its
distance from furnace, and distance Of furnace
from market, and mode Of transpOr alton thence
the fuel used-the relative cost Of charcoal,
coke, crude, bituminous and anthracite iron
-the kind of flux and its cost, &c.-the caPa-
city of the establishment and the amount OF iron
produced during the last year, and what It would
be capable of productnr under ready sale and
remunerating prices--any peculiarly OF the
iron produced-whether there are rolling mills
in the vicinity. and WHIST description OF iron
they roll-to what purposes most OF the pro
duct Of your furnaces are applied, and what
description of iron the establishment mostly
prOduces-when did your works first go into
opcratiOn-That has been the annual produc-
ton, and what the ruling prices each year since
your works were first started. You will please
give the state and county in which your iron
mine is situated, and the distance your fuel Is
transported As it is the intention of the De-
partment to furnish You with the result of the
experiments, You viii please name the post-of'
ice through which to address you. II you know
of any ono in your neigbborhood interested in
the iron business, who does not receive a copy
Of this letter, If you will forward his address
one will be sent 10 him. Tou viii realize the
value Of the information when you reflect upon
tho growing importance Sf ths irpTn NO s416Hsi de-
gee, to the introduction Of iron as substitute
for other materials in our public buildings.
"The policy of afTording encouragement to
this great Interest, by promoting its production
and Increasing its consumption, has been COM
menced by the government, and am DESTROYS
of obtaining all the information which can be
had on the subject, with view to its further
development.
s'This circular win be addressed to persons
not Immediately connected with iron establish
nents, as it is believed that there will be not
only a willingness, but an anxiety on the part of
every one to advance the object which the de
parttncnt has in view
II am DESTROYS Of obtaining the information.
asked for ut the earliest practical moment
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
"HowELL Conn,
S Secretary of the Treasury"