Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-04-20
Iron Paper---How a Yankee Inventor
Sets England Agog.

| that letter mad been written upon a
thin sheet of rolled iron and transmit
ed from the Sligo Iron Works, Pitts
burg, Pa, to Manchester, Eng. In an
! exchange. we have since found the fol-
lowing very interesting rehearsal of
| facts III connection with that circum-
! stance:
The maker challenged all England to
surpass it for strength and tenacity.
! This is no novelty for at the Exhibit
ion in 1851, book of this iron paper
was shown. A lively competition in
iron rolling ensued among British iron
manufacturers, excited by the above
challenge from America, as to the
thinness to which steel could be rolled
cold. Mr. elliott rolled sheets the
average thickness of which the 1S0Oth
part of an inch. In other words, 1900
sheets piled upon each other would col
lectively measure an inch in thickness,
whilst the thinnest tissue paper to be
purch lsed ii the stationers shops
measures the 1200th part of an inch.
These very thin iron sheets are perfect
ly smooth and easy to write on, al
though porous when held up to good
light. 1t may not be out of place, con-
sidering the great interest that is taken
by those connected with that great
branch of industry, the iron trade, to
give a few curious particulars relative
to the extent that iron can be welded,
and the thin sheets that can be rolled
out. Brother Jonathan little thought
what hubbub would be created in the
old country when from Pittsburg he
sent that wonderful letter, written on
sheet made from iron, which took no
less than 1000 sheets to make inch IN
thickness the dimensions being in
ches by 81 inches, or a surface of "a
inches, and weighing SO grains The
fact had no sooner made its appear
ance in print but that Britain's sons
began to work, and soon we heard of
sheet containing the same number of
surface inches, but weighing only 46
grains, had been made at the Marsh
field Iron Works, Llanelly, Carmarthen
shire, being exactly one-tblrd less in
weight. But soon the Welsh leek had
to the rose of England, for Stafford
shire was anxious to take it's wonted
lead. The Hope Iron Works succeed
ed in making a sheet of us surface in
ches, weighing but 80 grains which,
reduced to the American and Welsh
standard of Az inches, gives about 33
grains Messrs. r. Williams & Co.,
SO inches, 40 grains. reduced to the
same standard, about 81 grains. For
time Staffordshire wears the belt but
Wales becomes very restless, and is
anxious for the honor of st. David, 50
further attempts must be made.
Marshfield comes again into the field.
They succeeded in making one sheet,
8 inches by 81 inches, or surface of "A
inches, of the astounding weight of 81
grains only, which required no less than
1858 sheets to make inch in thickness;
another sheet, inches by 6, or As sur
face inches, weighed % grains but,
brought to the standard Of A inches,
gives but % grains, and requires $3.50
sheets to make one inch in thickness.
! The Pontardawe tin. works next come
into the field with Il sheet of IA inches
by 16ths, or a surface of 115.17 in
ches weighing sixty grains; but being
reduced to IA inches, is "a! grains--a
trife heavier than the Marshfield but
Pontardawe claims 1899 sheets to make
l inch in thickness. We now come to
the climax. The mill manager of
Messrs W. Hallam & Co., of the Up
per Forest Tin-works, near Swansea,
has succeeded in making sheet of the
finest appearance and thinnest that has
ever vet been seen by mortal eye. The
iron from which the sheet was rolled
was made on the premises. 1t was
worked in q finery with charcoal and
the usual blast; afterwards taken to
the hammer to be formed into regular
fiat bottom; from thense conveyed to
the balling- furnace, and when sufficient
ly heated taken to the rolls, heightened,
and cut by shears into proper lengths,
piled up, and transferred to the balling''
furnace again; when heated it was
passed through the rolls, backing again
into the balling- furnace, and when duly
brought to the proper pitch was taken
to the rolls and made into a thorough
good bar. Such is its history in con-
nection with the forge department.
! 1t was then taken to the tin mills and
rolled till it was supposed to be thinner
/ than 23grains, afterward passed through
! the cold rolls to give it the necessary
/ polish, and now it stands on record as
! the thinnest sheet of iron ever rolled.
! The sheet in question is 10 inches by
81 inches, or So inches in surface, and
weighs but 90 grains, which, being
brought to the standard of 8 inches by
! 81 inches, or A surface inches, is but
16 grains, or 80 per cent less than any
previous effort, and requires at least
1 1900 sheets to make one inch in thick
ness.
THERE is news from Contra! America
! to the 10TH of March. A battalion of
! 200 r,no,, ,rnn I;r,,o toh od nu tho nnNnrn.