The New York herald., 1870-01-28


ana the average rate Of wArss. worksx - sxas
hours per day. tne reoeauy ro5acef o. n of sifas-
ohe superintendent car repairs, ~ per das: one
ment foreman. " IL; fourscen gang foremsa. sl ss
nitesn macninlsls. 81 W; nins Siseksmitos "a;
ss,sa 3 ,s a:ps . u s.0 as@9
q %; ose Waterman. 81 %: fourssen painssrs.
sares apnois,.ssrs o.. s,e ~ passsassr % car ~ r.
palers. 81 -; twenty-five freight car repalrers,
ten car inspectors. si sa: thrss car sweepers and
cicsners III 81. fhe quantity Of mcrE which thw
nspa,ment y capable q EARNING eut csnnos De esn
capacity than IA now needed ~ TIE road.
enArrKR oy rnK iRoS A0x
Il. Ane roNlnx mill lew hundred yaruk awnv fr0m
tue car shop, Is structure of Immense slxe. ami a.
centre ot vast industry n wei worth yiaiL
Tue nrss thing o stranger entering Elmlra one of
these winter nights observes ~ the name- capped
CHIMNEY which towers above the rolling mil aud
,nrows .i. lurld glare across the widening VALLEY
VITA tue iignt OF dawn the n.ty eruption from the
CHIMNEY paes its Intellectual nanc and aarkens into
dense cloud OF smoke which. bornc by the sportye
Drecze 10 the distant niis Mia the morning with
al sorts OF vapory forms Under the guidance OF
Mr Henry Ratnbone, VINO oiicates as hign priest In
an inspection OF tins basy hive Of mecaan,cai laDor
The uninltiated need u little nerve amid the nery
fragments tina! come ever ana anon thick rs hail
storm from the rolling machines Dodging the
dazzng dangerous lengths OF led hot rails aud bars
which seemed 10 be running about NJ random made
the time pass ia quite lively and excitng way. And
then sauntering through showers OF glowing sparks
with all the sang JfOid or stoicsn vi a salamander
escaping with three noles IN his nat and severely
sinR0d Oyercoat the smart OF red hot metallic
pellet down MIS- neck, winch lodged near the lumber
region, ana other casualties 700 numerous 70 men
ton, we came from the scene with q vivid remem-
brance OF Its primary features Or course IN passing
Through tins 1ery ordeal, the eyes had to DO douDe
duty, since the ears were completely deafened by
the ceaseless whirrng OF the mighty wheels turning
tne pOnderOuS rollers, tue wierd hummng of the fI
teraclng bands overhead aud the fierce roar OF tho
numerous furnaces. Nor could the eyes be trusted
altogether, for noticing pile OF iron which seemed
10 have turned blue with very coid we approached
to take seat and take notes. but were quickly made
TO understand the mistake.
THE TEMPLE OF VULCAN ILLUMINATED.
Flrst Ia the line OF observation the 'puddiersu ~
who to the number OF dozen or SO are pudding
away their more or Tess precious time over huge
cauldrons OF molten metal, purging 1t irom dross
aha preparing She residuum for manufacturing pur-
poses. LOOK out" cries the watcnlul guide and
wnite clearing the track for the passage OF number
brought up sharp by the scorchlng heat from the
gaping furnaces. Into the midst or the white heat
1na pcs U iron go IA aucn succession ana
comes the mass glowing like y summer sun.
j. then placed on another car and az
OF the shop ike bright meteor In iull
combustion, 1t sends broad, rich light along the
dlngy walls and gives the sooty, tnicky tangled
beams above glow OF golden glory. Tue strong black
teeth set IN tine jaws OF the resistess rollers
upon the bright, yellow metal and roll 1t backwards
and forwards az though IL were sav0ry morse.
Now disappears a. II II had been swallowed
black depths behind but instantly returns trckling
seems struggling to drag itself away from the
power that holds It, but until 1t is sufficiently aten
uAted there Is no escape On either side stand Hihe
and staworth Vulcans, armed with peculiar tongs
who seize the blazing bar and deXterOusly toss 10 10
and fro until 1t has been tortured into the proper
shape. II Is then allowed to escape on to long
slide, which conducts 1t within reach or
the sharply serratea edges or two rapidly revolving
saws when whiz, CRASH, and q binding shower OF
sparks spring across the Wide width OF the building.
The rail has been cut to the regulation length both
ends then passes into the open air by easy stages
inspected, and II found faultless IL showed out OF
doors into the open air to form part OF the great
Erie highway. The rapidity with which this Is
c0mpllshed IS something marvellous being at the
rate OF over q rail per minute. the rails are all
steel headed and are turned out for the OF tue
Erie Railroad on an average or 1000 tons year.
Although not In full blast the Elmira mill gives en-
poymenr to $50 men, ut wages averaging three dol
lars aud fifty cents. The men paid by the ton,
not by the day, and expert hands make as much as
eight and ten dollars per day.
A POSTSCRIPT OF CONTRADICTIONS.
MT Rathbone desired to contradict the statement
given out by the Paterson iron workers that Messrs
Fisk and Gould owned and controlled the rolling mill.
He says they nave an interest IN the works, but not
controlling one. In reply to the accusation that
Fisk ana Gould bought share In order to charge Erie
cxorbita nt prices for rails, Mr. Kathbone shows by
his books that the mills are now supplying rails to
the Erie line ut much lower rate than ever before,
and this was the object the parties accused had IN
taxing an interest In the concern. Furthermore he
c0nslders that the road never IN such superior
order, that Its rails Will soon be all OF steel and III
bridges and culverts OF iron, and that these state
ments are but justice TO men who really take live
and active interest in rendering the road better thar
| II before.