The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1861-12-19
Cambria County.
CHAPTER X&XvI-
NgillyilEe Observation-Disclosures
CAMBRIA IRON WORKS.

FROM the peflOd ab WHICH Inc O"niDii 4"
Iron Works passed into the hands of
Messrs Wood, Morrell & Co, the present
lessees, down to the present moment, they
have been eminently successful. The
members of this firm reside in Philadelph
Ia, with the exception Of Daniel }. Nor
rell, Esq, the active member OF the firm,
who superintends the establishment in
person. Under his direction the works
have been conducted prosqerously, or at
least successfully, for number Of years,
and have withstood the monetary panics
which have proved so disastrous to kin
dred establishments.
Upon the subject of the capacity of
these works, and the neodus operdRdt OF
manufacturing rail road and other iron,
from the raw material, 1 select the sub
joined description, written by an intelli-
gent eyewitness
eThe process of manufacturing commen-
ces with the Blast Furnaces, where the
ore is reduced TO pig metal. -Four Of these
| large Smelling Furnaces are situated at
Johnstown, each 48 feet high, l3 feet
bosh, and requiring 1 steam engines, COT
200 horse power, each,) TO produce the
requisite blast, and one engine, of 60 horse
power, to supply the water for the Boiler
and Furnaces. When all is IN blast, these
! Furnaces produce on an average, 100 tons
Of Pig Metal per week. TO feed them
requires a corresponding amount Of ore
and coke to the iron produced. The
mountains Of ore which we saw acculuma-
ting in one point and melting away IN
another, explained the mode Of feeding
! these Furnaces. The ore is mined upon
a level, about 20 feet above the coke yard,
! (Which is on a level with the Funnel Head
Of the Furuacc,) and dumped from the
cars in which II is taken from the mines,
in large piles or clamps, containing from
! 20 to 10000 tons each. Coal being dis
tributed amongst 1t as 1t accUmulates, 1t Is
roasted or caicined IN these clamps, from
which 1t is taken, when properly prepared.
directly to the Furnaces. -Four or i've Of
these clamps are kept constantly going
while one is forming, one or two Will be
burning, another cooling, and another
being used in the Furnaces. About ) GOO
tons of ore is thus mined and disposed Of
weekly.
''1he coke is mostly made in the open
air, in what is called Pits, being long piles
or winnows Of coal from 10 to IZ0 feet
long, s feet wide, and 4 feet high, of
which there are generally from 30 to 50
of these Pits IN the process of coking.
"The Rolling Mill, which is in the shape
of a Maltese cross, with one additional
wing, Il feet square, is 400 feet long,
the main building leo feet wide, and 3 20
feet across the cross wings, covering an
area Of 83, ,3T5 square feet, containing 80
Double, equal to 90 Single Pudding Fur
naces, IA Heating Furnaces, ii pains of
Rolls, with all the requisite machinery,
such as Fans, Shears, Saws, Punches,
Presses, &c, all driven by II steam en-
gines, equal to 900 horse power. Work
ing capacity 600 tons per week, or 3d.
600 tons finished rails per annum.
''Near the mill is large Foundry, which
is driven by small upright direct acting
blowing engine, of 80 horse power, and
near it machine and blacksmith shop,
having two steam engines. These shops
manufacture the machinery, and do all
the repairs Of the works. In addition to
the 1 large Blast Furnaces at Johnstown,
they have four others of smaller capac.
ity, situated at from three to twelve miles
distant, the metal from which Is taken to
the mill by canal aud wagons. Two of
these working on charcoal, and one on
coke, are now in blast. One out of blast
The Wagon-makers shop, Harness. maker
shop, Stables, Butchering establishments,
Stores, and other auxiliary departments,
each in themselvesa respectable enterprise,
all 90 to swell the magnitude of this mann
moth concern. The tact that over 2,000
men find constant employment in and
about these works, gives a better idea of
their magnitude than any statistics could
suggest. In addition to the ore bank at
,Johnstown, the company has one near
Hoilidaysburg, from which they obtain
the quantity Of Fossiliterous ore wanted
to work with the Johnstown Carbon
ates, to produce the desired quality of
Iron.
''The Pig Metal is taken by Railroad
from the Furnaces to the mill a distance
OF less than mile, broken up and taken
to the Pudding furnaces, aud there by
the process known as boiling or Pudding,
converted into wrought iron, and formed
into balls of about 100 lbs weight, which
are taken to the large Rotary Squeezer,
Gan Improvement upon the Tilt-hammer,) }
which throws off the cinder or 6ross, and
forms them into Blooms, which are taken
| IN tbo oil ,,l - I