New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-09-18
OUR HOME INDUSTRY.
An Old Foundry ReconJtruc,ed.

| "e sAlo CoIner OI MaSnOlla anu
Erato streets, near the jackson railroad
depot, known. until recently. as f. Lurges
| foundry, but which. since the death of that
! gentleman, has passed into the hands of
George Cronan, Esq, by whom the business
Will In future be conducted.
! Cronan's foundry is no affair of yesterday,
! tor 1t was established more than genera
tion ago, and, as it now exists, is the result
OF the practical knowledge and experience
| OF several SUGGESTIONS of able mechanics
1t originated, if we reccollect rightly, in
the establishment of Homes 81 Bennett. who
commenced business some where about he
year 1910, and continued many years; the
business OF the firm, and their means of
operating constantly increasing. Luther
Homes, Esq, the much respected secretary
Of the Mechanics Agriculture. III Fair Asso-
citation, was the senior of the firm.
The establishment of Homes g. Bennett
was the first in New Orle hns that ever
turned attention to House work" that is,
the manufacture of cast iron railings for
galleries, etc, and in this branch of their
art they acquired a widespread and We'll
deserved reputation for excellent and taste
full work, and that reputation has not de-
creased under the management of their
Successors.
After the dissolution of the firm of Homes
& Bennet, the latter gentleman associated
himself with Mr.. +. Lurges, and subse-
quently Mr. Lurges bought cut his partner,
and continued the business up to the period
of his decease, which occurred but short
time ago, when, as before stated, Mr.
George Cronau became the purchaser of the
foundry.
The foundry fronts on Magnolia street,
but extends one square to Clara street in
the rear. 1t ia a very large but rather &c
centric looking building. particularly when
viewed from the interior var q. The eccen-
tric appearance is accounted for by the
fact that additions have been made TO the
establishment from time to time as the in
crease Of the business required, and that
these additions were made with the sole
view Of facility in working iron, and with
out the least reference to architectural con-
sistency. In addition to the main building
extensive yard,
Entering the premises through a large
gate, on the right is the counting house and
select store room. while on the left, little
further beyond, is the entrance to the moul-
ding and casting department. AT the time
of orr visit, it happened to be "casting
day which gave a much better opportuni-
ty to become acquainted with foundry
operations than any other time would have
done.
Entering the immense casting room, en-
veloped in semi-darkness- somewhat re-
leyed by the lurid light that enanated from
the kissing hot motion metal, as it was con-
veyed from the roaring furnace to the va
rious molds. We beheld number of fig
ures fitting to and fro. engaged in what,
to our confused senses, Appeared to be a
species of diable'te. Some ran along in
couples. carrying between them awful look
ing vessels. Drumming with bubbling motion
iron that emitted a kissing noise, sugges
tive of eagcrness to begin the work OF
tormenting the condemned All along the
spacious floor were curious shaped resem-
dances, many of which Ii tile imagination
might coniure into various sized cotfins.
suppressed and kept in place by heavy
weights piled over them Among them
hurried the figures, each two carrying be-
tween them the horrible kissing pot. and
pouring its contents into the cotfin-sug-
gestive boxes on the floor, which responded
by bursting out into gassy flame at top
and sides, Kissing III emulation. Then look
ing around We dimly esped gigantic cranes,
stretching their powerful arms and reach
ing all over the immense department, ready
to do their share of the work, CARRYING
around what was too ponderous to be con
veyed by unassisted bone and muscle.
Ever and anon these cranes swung around
with immense vessels, filed with melted
iron. fast in their clutches. while attendant
appearances turned cranks and ratified
chains, as others guided the vessels and
poured their contents into destined moulds.
Sometimes a large pot was placed beneath
the spout of the agOnizing furnace, aad the
buhbiing LIQUID iron suffered to pour into it,
while some, standing by, added scraps of
cold . iron TO make the mixture slab and
good that is. to bring tho melted mass to
a proper temperament for pouring.
The whole wierd scene appeared to
stranger suggestive Of Macbeth, or Der !
Freischutz. But no demonology or witch !
craft was there: the lifting figures, carry |
ing and pulling, and dealing with melted |
iron as if it were something TO play with, |
were the wOrl1inen inteu5ly engaged III
business that admits not OF dallylng or |
DELAY, every one thoroughly wide awake, as
men are compelled to be whose occupation |
it is to handle large quantities of metal in a
state of intense fusion.
However dramatic the ssene may appear
in the eve of an UnaccuStomed visitor. to |
the stalwart men who t1iled away midst |
heat and smoke. prompt and careful. with |
the liyeliest consciousness Of Incompatible
tx between seethiug metal and human flesh.
the whole thing ia the reverse OF romantic;
for their full attention must be given to the
conditions required to tnaAge Uncouth look
inc pig iron into beautiful castings of utility !
or ornament.
And to do this requires ain amount OF prac-
teal skill and varied experience inc0nceiva-
bic to most persons. even while admlrng
the result in the tracery OF a garden fence.
the tastefully embelIshed gallery OF q cot
tage or the massive looking columns OF
public building.
In casting metals Of every kind, the first
operation is to make i'll weed III exact pat
tern of the object to be dast To do this
requires peculiar skill, not merely in giving
the object its proper shape, but to avoid III
terstices or any under tUttinS" by which
the pattern would be una'iapted tor mouii-
ing. Hence, thorough and skillful pat
tern maker ranks ao an httist of no mean
degree.
The pattern being inisl ed by giving it a
roat of vsrnish, the next ktep is the process
IF moulding. The material used for this
purpose is river sand, and the apparatus
consists of species of frame or shallow
box, having two handief at each end, two
If which boxes form pair, and fit together
10 make o complete mould. The sand Ised
FOR ,ooulding Is dampenhd to q certain re-
,r;red extent, to make it hdhere, and then,
he pattern being placed IN position IN orc
ii the boxes, the sand is rammed tightly
around the lower half LEAVING one-haf or
-ba Dot-ern aboye the sand thus rammed
Tbe natteTn is then carefully taken ont
&c ~, no r,,nuII thuS made DIV TaI0MlUg !