New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-09-18

must be damp enough to make it adhesive.
in order to mould it. But if, when the mol
ten metal is poured in it, it should be the
least damp beyond certain point, an ex-
| plosion would ensue destructive as the
| bursting of bomb. What the havoc
would be in an enclosed space containing
seventy or eighty men, may be conjectured.
There is no rule by which the proper state
of the mould can be ascertained, the sole
guide being the experience acquired by
long practice. The foreman of the foundry
is always an 9 old hand" familiar of course,
| with all the phenomena of the business. AS
| a rule too, his knowledge is not confined to
the results of his own experience but he
omits no opportunity of attaining scientific
information, which, when combined with
his prac teal knowledge, would do credit to
a savant. There are always other workmen
besides the foreHen, who have ample cx-
perience. Hence. although it is a fact that
a slight accession of damp to the mould
| would result in a frig ghtul explosion the acci-
dent never happens. Time after time on
every casting day, the workmen throng
among the mOulds and pour into them the
seething, bubbling, liquid metal with as
much nOnchalance as the landlady of a cheap
| boarding house pours out attenuated coffee
| to wash down meagre breakfasts. One of
| the wisest of the precautions taken in the
| moulding and casting department Is the
total illumination of ardent spirits from the
| proceeding.
Among other means taken to keep off
! undue damp from the moulds, the floor Of
the moulding and casting department has a
depth of fourteen feet of dry sand. so that
nothing can be apprehended from the damp
ness of the erig ginal soil.
| The foreman of the moulding and casting
! department in Cronan's foundry is Mr.
Thomas II. Duffey. This gentleman learned
| his business in this city, and it is no slight
| evidence of his knowledge and ability that
formerly he was engaged from New Orleans
TO be foreman in the foundry of J. B. & w.
| w. Cornell, in New York
Those who have read Schllcr's Song of
| the Bell, or any of the old legends of ira vail
attending the production of ponderous cast
| ings in the olden time when day after day
| the wrathful fire was fed and goaded on.
| under and around the immense furnace.
| while the heaving waves of molten ore
| surged within; withal. the mad excitement
! of the master and the workmen, increasing
| every hour as the crisis approached Those
| who have read these legends would be as
| tonished at the unpretensive size of the
| efficient furnace in Cronan's foundry, which
| will melt for casting twenty-five tons of
| iron in five hours. It is the result of mo-
| dern science, wi ich now makes the blast do
in few hours what in former times re-
| quired days. A fan, about five feet in
diameter. enclosed in metal box and
turned by machinery. peurs the wind into
the furnace with great velocity and effect.
The principle is exactly the same as the bel
lows blowing the fire to make the pot boil
faster
The vessels used to convey the melted
iron to the moulds, some of them being So
big that it requires the powerful cranes to
carry them, are called 'ladles." The
smallest OF these ladies is good lift for
t1,a Ill
tons of melted iron. They are made Of the
heaviest sheet iron. but they would not
stand the liquid they are made TO carry.
Were they not lined. the lining consisting Of
clay, with which they are we'll plastered in
side. They are then thoroughly dried over
a slow fire. for the least damp in the ''ladle"
when used would be death to those who
carried it. The lining is renewed every
time the ladies are used.
The iron to be melted is put into the fur
mace with a proportional quantity of coal.
proportion being one ton of coal to four
tons OF iron quantity of oyster shells
are added for the purpose. we believe, OF
preventing any naughty amalgamation be-
tween the coal and iron when their systems
become excited by the heat of the furnace.
During our inspection of the casting pro-
cess We were much indebted for information
to the politeness of the clerk and book
keeper of the establishment Mr. Dennis
Cronan, Jr. That gentleman now con-
Quoted lis TO the finishing shop. up stairs.
and here were various workmen engaged in
various emplOyments. some making ponder
Gus iron doors and windows. some cutting
screws, while others were drilling holes in
heavy iron. using instruments that cut
through the hard metal as if it were butter.
Mr. Peter Nelter, the foreman of the finish
ing shop. who has occupied that position
for the last sixteen years. kindly gave Il
great amount of desirable information
The blacksmith shop in another part of
the establishment contains ten forges, III
eight of whick. instead of the Old-i;lshioned
bellows, the blast is supplied by steam
fan, in the same way as the casting furnace
Is supplied. A contrivance to supply cool |
air to allay the heat arising from the forges |
in this shop is worthy ofnotice, end is cred |
liable to the ingenuity Of the contriver, Mr.. |
Stephen Terrell, one OF the worllIncn.
Leaving the 1orges, we visited the 'pat- |!
tern room. This is a large apart
Will every imaginallee variety Of
patterns III every ina ginahle shape, of every ,
si1@, from the most minute to the most ii
gantic. This stock OF patterns, the accu-
mutations resulting from business of many
wears duration. is considered to be worth |
thirty thousand dollars, and shows that the
foundry is prepared, at the shortest notice.
The business of the foundry is not, however,
confined to iron work, as brass castings are
also done to any extent required.
Although the Larger number of the patterns
stored away are OF the utilitarian sort only,
there is also large number devoted to the
ornamental, or the useful and ornamental
combined. We noticed III particular two OF
large size, one representing Il fountain sur
rounded with plants and flowers, the other
la Sjrr.l it;1H Of la
on a pair of sea horses. These two castings !
would be noticeable anywhere as superior
specimens of art. We noticed. also. the
large railroad turn to bic which was on eXhibi-
ION at the A Agricultural State Fair Among
other indications of the pondrous landings
in the foundry is II scale OF the capacity TO
weigh twenty thousand pounds
Another object OF interest in the foundry
is the breaking tower. which breaks the
largest pieces OF iron into sizes convenient
for putting them into the casting oven.
This consists OF Il strong frame about forty
five feet high. An iron hammer, nearly |
two tons in weight is raised to the top by
machinery, and the iron to he |
broken being properly placed, the hammer
is l0oScned from above, and down it comes
with asehock that makes eyerYthin" around |
snake, but it's work is always etectually
done.
We understand that Mr.. Cronan. the
present proprietor. is about TO make exton-
Sive additions 10 the foundry buildings in
order to meet the requirements Of the III
creasng business. There is no quarter OF
the city that does not show some specimen
Of iron work from this foundry. We may
instance the iron work OF the Biaffer build
ngs on Canal street, and the splendid Dw
store at the corner of Old LeVee ami Bien-
vile streets built by Pile and Murray.
Tho ainf frnTo1 Diamond {,-inIirp mill. |