Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-07-02
B. OsNlss 8 @, Publishers
VOL. KY
4 ,,IIIadeIphla Bomb Foundry.

We visited recently he large iron feun-
dry Of Messrs. North, Chase 3 North, at
the corner Of secoad and Miflin streets,
and. through the pcliteness OF Edgar L.
Thoinae. Fso. 4 member Of the arm, were
shown over the premises This ioundry
can work up in ten hours, four hundred
tons Of iron, giving over thousand bombs
az average siGe. OF the ten inch bombs,
lhe same weight Of iron will yield voc,
The best machinery iron ls the only kind
used. and by request Of the War Depart
mept. is 10 be obtsined fIom Pennsyivania.
The bombs vary In thickness Of shell. The
thickness OF shell ten inches In diameter
Is two inches, leaving hollow core Of six
inches. Two indentations are made IN the
bomb 10 admit the grip Of tcngs, similar 70
ice-toaRs, BY means Of which It Is lifted.
There is also hole by which fuse COM
munioates with the powder inside.
The bomb is delivered empty, and charg-
"a by the Government A ten.ineh bomb
contains four and = half pounds Of rifle
powder, and the hole Is plugged BY stop
mar Of beech wood, through which is drawn
q fuse which communicates with the com
bustible material. When plssed in the
cannon, the side opposite the fuse is always
placed next 10 the charge, the nsme oi
which Is burning while on It's mission, and
on arrival exploies the bomb. the frag-
ments, from their roUghness Of surface and
irregular shape, create fearful wounds
Formerly, shells we're fred from mortars
A. an angle. in the air, with calculation
that they should drop and burst where
needed. The new columbiad gun alters
this mode, and fires them straight like
cannon ball. They will either explode
while ploughing their way through the
masses of troops, causing terrible havoc,
or plunRing into bresstWorks, burst Great
ing large breaches. When fred at forts
aim is always taken at the portfolios, to
effect devastation inside. Fuses are OF
four grades according to the distance re-
ouired. The longest range requires three
fourtbs of minute to reach the charge.
The first process in the creation of a
bomb Is 10 make the core, which is, Of
course, sand, baked with -four, 10 give It
consisience. This is placed in mould OF
very fne sand, and the melted iron is
poured around It. Passing through this
core is an iron tube, which preserves Il pre-
cisely in The middle Of the mould, and also
shapes the outlet through which the fuse IS
inserted. This outlet or fuse hole, must
not Tary, in shells ofequal size, as much ss
l lOOOth of an inch in their diameter.
The bombs themselves must not vary IN
diameter SO much as 1-600th Of an inch,
and must be perfectly round. The sand
used for mOulds Is procured at Waterford,
N. Y, is perfectly pure, and each grain
seen through q microscope, exhibits an en-
tirely round surface. The body is good,
and being free from salt or flint will not
either explode in the flask, or burn with
the heat Of the melted iron. Salt would
cause the first objection, and flint the lat
ter. See shore sand has both ingredients,
Jersey river sand the flint only. This can
be used for cores. A 10 inch bomb costs
about 81 25 before 1t leaves the foundry
and without its charge. Il weighs trife
over 100 pounds. :
Small sTxsindh shells are filed with
leaden musket balls through hole In the
side. They are consolidated into mass
By pouring in melted sulphur, after which,
being put in lathe, hole is drilled down
through lead and sulphur, perforating the
whole mass. The diameter Of this hole Is
! the same IS that in the wall Of the shell
Twill contain about half pound Of pow
/ der. IS being poured in even with tht
I outer surface Of t6e slieii, st-inse IS .attet
1 into the orifoe, making the shell water
proof Messrs. North, Chase & North ar
under contract to supply any requisitior
the Government may make upon them TO
these various missiles.- PhilG. Inquirer.