The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1859-08-12
THE STOLE.T SECRET.

AHA~ pIOLEIf OECREI.
ne main distinction between iron and steel
is that one holds carbon, or the matter OF char
coaIs whereas the other does not The amount
Of carbon is trivial, and is impaired by heating
bars Tor long period together, surrounded by
powdered broken charcoal in bog. Having
regard then, to this operation, il seems natural
enough that the outer portion ofeach bar should
become more completely "steeI6ed" (if may
oe allowed TO coin an expressive word,) than
the internal portions. Now steel Of this sort,
though perfectly good for many purposes, is OBJ
JectIonable for others. To give an example it
| is by no means good for the manufacturer of
watch springs f; nevertheless before the inven-
ton of cast steel TO which the readers attention
Is to be directed, watch springs had to oe made
of it.
There lived at Aterclift, near Sheffield,
about The year 1850, matchmaker named
Huntsman. He was very much dissatisfied with
the quality OF steel OF which watch springs were
made IN his day, and he set himself the task of
thinking out the cause of inferiority. MIR.
Huntsman correctly deferred that the imper-
lection OF such watch springs as came in his
wayI was refeable to The fact of the Irregular
''steellfcatIon" of The metal OF their manufac-
ture. 81 thought he. 4 can melt piece of
steel and cast it into Ingots, the composition of
the latter should be regular and homogeneous
He trlpd. be succeeded The fame of Hunts
dfssover nan Dscanne widely gfRgsas h6yy 6yy lie
name oi cast steel, under which 1t is Familiarity
known. That was his secret.
About the year ITO, large manufactory Of
this peculiar steel was established at AttercI,fe.
The process was wrapt in secrecy by every
ments which the inventor could command
None but workmen OF credit and charact er were
engaged, and they were forbidden TO disclose
the secrets OF the mandatory by stringent
formal cath. At last Huntsman's secret was
stolen in the following manner One night
IN midwihter, as the tall chimney Of Alter
cllfe steel works belched forth its smoke
giving promise OF roaring fire, which might
indicate good lodging a man knocked at the
000' ~ ]A'' AioHh'Hou IL ~ds
bitter night the snow fell fast, the wind
ho~led across the moor nothing then could
have been more natural than The tired wayfayer
should seek warm corner where he might
lay his head. He knocked, and The door was
opened. A workman presented himself, whom
the waytarer addressing, hunbly begged
admission.
"No admission here, except on business"
The reader may we'll fancy how this intima-
ton Tell upon thr travellers ear on such an in
clement night. But the workman, scanning
The traveller over, aud discovering nothing
suspicious about him, granted the request and
let him in.
Feigning TO be completely worn out with
cold and fatigue, tha wayfarer sank upon tho
floor the comfortable factory, and soon APP
peared to have gone 10 sleep. To 60 10 sleep
however, was far from the intention the trav-
eler closed bis eyes all but two little ehinks
Through these two htlle chinks be saw all that
he ca,ed to see. He saw workmen cut bars of
steel into little bits. then place into crucibles,
and enormous longs pour their liquid contents
inio mould. Mr.. Huntsman's factory had
nothing more TO disclose. This was the secret
OF cast sieel.-London Leisure Hours.