The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1861-06-20
FROM WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, d. c., June 10.

very quiet here; the death Of Senator
Douglas seemed TO hush the fever Of ex
citement hitherto running SO high, aud
there has been nothing of Importance to
renew feverish pulsations.
TO be sure. some few of the "regulars'
left this week. but as no onc could end
out where they had gone, it only oeca-
soned little speculative excitement.
The death Of Stephen. A Douglas was
the theme Of melancholy converse most
of the week. Senator Douglas had a
multitude Of warm personal friends, and
he was man that generally was willing
to serve his friends when opportunity Of
fered. This cannot be said Of all politi-
clans they too often forget old friends,
and bestow favors so as to make ncr'
friends that will contribute, as they
think, to another advance in position.
Friday being the appointed day for
the funeral of Senator Douglas, the De-
partment Offices were all closed aud drap-
ed iu mourning, by Executive orders
Flags were hoisted at half mast, and the
colors Of the regiment draped with black.
IL fact, every respect shown to the mem-
ory of a Y. S. Senator, who, although
differing in politics with the Admins
tratioo, gave his hearty support to sup
press the rebellion.
There being 30 business allowed at the
Departments / took the opportunity to
visit the navy yard, where l found
strong force at work, the exisencies of
the service requiring it. | went first to
the forging shops. Here the monster
steam hammers were beating great mass
es Of lrun into anchors, each hammer at
tended by six Or eight sturdy ''Vulcans," }"
who, Will, the help Of proper appliances,
turned over, and moved backward and
forward the mass Of red hot iron, direct
ed by the foreman, as fast as the monster
hammer did its work. To many of your
readers description of these steam ham,
mers NAV be Interesting. The fuunda-
tions being well laid, two uprights Of
iron or wood, sufficiently strong, are set
up vertically parallel to each other, and
far enough apart for til , hammer to play
pclpcndieularly between them On top
Of these is strong platform on which
is placed a sufficient steam cylinder, on
end, the piston playing downward be
tween the upri-hts, the crosshead play
in. in guiIes on the inner sides of the
uprights. The lower end Of the piston
rod is fastened Immediately to the ham
mcr. Steam pipes connect the boiler
with the cylinder, and the usual escape
pipe is attached. The engineer lets the
steam into the lower end of the cylinder
which, lifting the piston, raises the ham,
mer. An anvil of like proportions is
placed directly under, on which is laid
the iron to be forged. The engineer,
working the escape valve by hand, lets
the steam out and down comes the ham.
mer, making everything tremb,e within
a circ.it Of five rods, aud yet skillful
engineer will raise the hammer any re-
quircd distance, ana strike very slight
blows, if necessary. One of the hammers
in this yard is said to weigh ten thousand
pounds, and when striking full blow,
seven or eight feet, the earth trembles a
distance of ten rods. It is with these
steam hammers that the shafts of our
steam frigates are forged-some oi them
eighteen inches in diameter and fifty feet
long. Wrought iron anchors Of ton, fif-
teen, and twenty tons weight ARE made
in these shops.
Opposite the forging shops are the roll.
ing mills, driven by splendid and pow
erful steam engine. The heated mass of
iron or copper is passed between metal
rollers, and made into round bars, or
sheets as required, corrugated rollers be.
ing used in one case, and plain in the
other. Every time the metal is passed
through, the rollers are brought little
nearer together by set screws operating
on the upper roller.
On the opposite side Of the forging
shops are boiler shops, finishing shops
monster turning la,hes, for turning grea,
shafts, cranks, &C., planning mills 70,
planning cylinder heads six feet across
and all kinds of iron planning. To the
west of these is the saw mill, wheelwrigh'
shops, and lumber yard. At the docks
were three or four Potomac steamers, US
cd by the Government to transport troop:
as occasion calls Next below, was the
Monticello; your readers will recognize
her as one of the vessels in the SewaI.
Point affair, near Fortress Monroe. Sht
was not built for war purposes, but wa
taken from the merchant service and arm
ed. She has a ten-ineh pivot gun on he
bow, aud four thirty-two Founders on he
quarters and with the usual breastwork
would be formidable war vessel. Sh