The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-11-10
Casting OF the Largest PIy.WheeI I'm
the World.

Casting OF Ihe largest FIy.WheeI I'm
the World
(IFogn Gse EitIS1sroh Commercial ofyesterday.l
The reputation of the Fort Pitt Works
for the manufacture of large guns has
become world wide. There the heaviest
castings have been made. The twenty
inch gun, east within the precincts OF
the works, was regarded MS wonder
I enough for one eru-one of the grand
est, one ofthe weightiest Developments
of the war. We have heard of trades
men who would do job on their own
( premises, or on those OF the person Civ
ing the order. In olden times when a
family wanted to be clothed, it was not
I unusual to have the tailor come to the
/ house and be one of its inmates until
he had cut and sewed clothes for the
whole family; It IS customary TO give
out washing or to have it done at home.
and SO on in Thousand walks OF life,
but until yesterday, il had not been
known that animmense fly-wheel, con-
tanning about forty-two tons of iron.
could be cast right in the spot, almost,
where II was to be set up and used. A
job such ms this, seems to be going ont
to work to some purpose.
Ihls Is the arrangement by which the
Sable Iron Works of ATeSsrs. Zug & Co.,
was, yesterday, provided with the fly
wheel which Is to be used in future for
the driving OF their rolling machines.
The Fort Pitt Works, with that com
mendable spirit OF accommodation and
courage which has always been their
characteristics, undertook to furnish |
Messrs. Zng & Co., with the fly wheel |
of which they stood in need, and to cast |
u right on their own premises. To I'M
derstand the nature OF this neighborly /
transaction, il may be to the readers |
advantage TO know that between the
Fort Pitt Works, where the iron was
melted, and the Sable Iron Works,
where the wheel was east, there Is an
intersection, that of Walnut street
which runs from Liberty street to the
Allegheny river. It was necessary, |
therefore, to conduct the metal from 1
the furnaces in which IL was melted by !
means OF long conduit which crossed |
walnut street and entered the building |
IN which the moulding OF the wheel |
was ready to receive Il, a distance OF
one hundred and sixty-three feet, and |
decline Of i've feet between the ends of
the conduit The iron was melted in
TWO furnaces, one containing thirty
elght TONS, and the other ten tons. The
hre OF the large furnace was lighted
yesterday morning about seven O'Clock,
and TINT of the smaller one at half past
eight O'Clock. The mixture of the
metal contained One-quarter No. An
thfacite, and three-quarters Hanging
Rock. The metal has been selected BIZ
MI. Joseph Stevenson, u pupil, in this
line OF business, OF Mr.. Joseph Mar
shall, the we'll known connois-
seur of iron in this region.
/ The process OF making the moulding
was begun and completed in four days,
the work being superintendent through
4 out by Col. Joseph Kaye, the accom-
/ Pltshed iron founder. The fact having
become Known to many that the casting
process was to take place yesterday nj
teFnoon, "a pretty large assemblage of
! persons was on the ground to witness
the ponderous ceremony. A bell cord
was run from the moulding to the fur
naces, and by certain signals previous
~ agreed upon, the workman Mt the
furnaces were under the direction of
| Col. kaye, who appeared to have every
thing just us he wanted it-right.
] Al precisely twenty-three minutes
past one o'clock, the Colonel pulled the
cord, and in two minutes more the
liquid iron wns coursing its way down
the conduit, across Walnut street, into
Jugs works, and into the pit which
awaited its reception. As the ponder
Gus fiery stream rolled on 10 its destin-
alton the Impractical spectators ex-
pressed their qualification at the success
OF the Undertaking. Large openings in
7 the top Of the moulding, at intervals
ventilated the casting. Through these
: for time could be seen the metal, in
Z It's yet nuid state, cOurBing along the
circle of the rim OF the wheel in search
OF a resting place. Subsequently the
decomposed gases generated in the
damp loan by the fervent heat of the
metal, became disengaged and burst
forth from the Oritices referred to, as II
in a blaze of triumph over grand
7 success.
In ten minutes from the time the
metal first began to run into the mould
ing, u WAS filled, and the bell Was FIinR.
I directing the flow AT the furnace 10 iIe
stopped. Thus in ten minutes q wheel
Of the following proportions was clSt
Diameter ofWheei----.-.. Z. = -
Number ofoynl nTLla. - 70
Diameter Of the huh.--....--.-.....-l q frlrlsl1
ThieLnezB OF hub. - irlsI1-55
Bore A. centre (diameteE1-- -. - fFlrllaI
Ihtcknez8 mum bore GutWnrd--- Z inal1ea.
Mean section Of the aEn1A, lO3< inches Vtds
and ~ inches Thick.
The wheel viii soon be completed and
put IN place, when Il win Be another
testimony OF what can be done by me-
chanical genius and viii.
some people place their ideas OF haU9
llneSs upon one thing, and some upon
1notneE. A lady made a call up6n 4
friend who had lately been married.
When her husband came home - dir
hef she said, ~ have been to see Mr..
-. Well ;" replied the husband al
suppose she Is very happy" 1Happyas
should think she ought to be: she ms
camePs-hRir shawl, two thirds bor-
der"
+ i