Daily national Republican., 1863-04-09
ORDNANCE OFFICE,

" WAR DEPARTMENT,
Washington, March g. 1863.
PROPOSALS will beEeceived at this office until
O'Clock, p. M the 30th of April, 1861 for furnish
ing elk hundred Wrought-lron Beams ior Rails OF
Chassis OF Sc --cOast Carriages.
These beams are to be made after the following
specifications:
iron beam, similar in appearance to the "T'shRped
beams used in the construction of hre-proof build
ings. 1t is required to be straight and smooth on
its surface, and free from flaws, imperfect YIELDS,
blisters and cndeT streaks. The outer surfaces Of
the two hangcs are planes parallel to each other,
aud at right angles to the web. The web joins the
two flanges along their middle line, leaving them
to project equally on each side, and must be with
out bends or corrugations.
DIMENSIONS OF BEAMS.
Length Of rail il.............. II inches
Depth between outer surfaces OF
nanges ',.........,. ..... 10
ThieEnsss q ispgo at outer edge. .1s inch.
These beams viii be inspected after the following
rules:
They are to be made of good, tough, well-workcd
clear iron; the absence Of which qualities (geneT-
ally indicated by roughness of surface, and by
checks, and more marked Toughness along the
edges Of the anges) also flaws bad YIELDS blis-
teTs, and stresks of cindeT, will cause their reec
tion.
Ist They are to be of the required dimensions,
and square at the ends.
3D. they are to be straight and free from short
bonds in the hanges and webs.
3D. The outer plane surfaces Of the hanges are to
be parallel to each other, and in planes peTpendlc-
Ith. The webs are not to be bent or trOughed, as
would result from resting the rails along their
whole lengths on the edges of the Anges while the
webs are too hot to bear their weight.
9th. The fangeS are to be perfectly equalon each
ide of the web
VARIATIONS ALLOWED IN INSPECTING.
In length Of rail.......... ............ so inoh
In depth Of rail 10 inch
In thickness OF web b.......,. ........ .o5 inch
In warp or wind, in depth Of hAnge at ex-
treme end OF rail ......,...... :....... 10 inch
Difference in distance between outer edges
ofplane surfaces Of flanges on different
sides OF web at any cross section of rail 10 inch
A straight edge of equal length with therail
placed on the outer edge of the hange
should not depart from 1t at any point
more than encouragement. 49,. rs inch
plane surface placed on the web should
notdepart from 1t at any point more than 10 inch
A plane surface placed on the plane surface
Of either hange should not depart from it
Departure % from % square in depth Of rail. 10 inch
Specimens Of the beams, or drawings OF them,
can be seen at the United States Arsenals at Fort
Monroe, Virginia, Bridesburg and Pittsburg, Penn
sylvanla, and WatertOwn, Massachusetts.
BiddeTS will state the number of beams they
propose to furRishr the time when they will icom-
menee the delivery, which should be as carly as
possible, and the number they can deliver weekly
after commencing the delivery, place where they
will make them, and the price per pound for which
railroad shipment nearest to their works.
No bids will be entertained except from persons
hctually engaged IN the manufacture OF iron, evil
dence of which must accompany the bid.
Each party obtaining contract will be required
to enter into bonds, with proper sureties for its
faithful fulhllmentj and transfer of the contract
to another party will cause its entire forfeiture.
The right is reserved to reject all proposals. II
the prices are deemed too high, or II for any cause
Il is not deemed for the public interest to accept
them
Proposals will be sealed and addressed to "GEN-
ERAL J. W. RIPLEY, Chief of Ordnance, Wash
ington, d. c." and will be endorsed " Proposals
for Wrought Iron Beams"
JAS. W. RIPLEY,
Brigadier General, Chief Ordnance,
mar 3l-TThStd