The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-06-10
How Steel Rails are Made.

Our visit to the Baldwin Steel
Works, " on the Susquehanna, is foril,
nately timed, for preparations are already
making for charging the huge convert
er. With but passing glance at the
preliminary storm OF fire that roars from
the mouth Of the converter, we follow
the superintendent past the hot piles Of
ingots lately drawn from the moulds
past the great receivers wherein Kolus
is imprisoned and forced to do fiery SER
vice; past the engines which generate
the power used in the Cyclopean opera.
tions going on all around, and stop to
watch the gigantic steam hammers un-
der which the glowing masses Of steel
are forged by blows that may be twenty
tons or twenty grains US the forger wills
Just beyond the forger is the rolling
mill where the white hot bars Of steel
are seized and drawn into rails with a
rapidity that bewilders. But II is time
for tapping the furnaces, and we hasten
bnck, with scarcely look at the various
piles Of rails awaiting shipment.
This is no place for the philosophy Of
the Bessemer process; no place for des-
cribing all the step by which crude iron
is now so quickly converted into steel.
Our attention is absorbed by the scenic
effort, and that is beyond the power Of
words to describe. Even the pencil Of
a Weir would fail to do 1t justice.
"What are those circular Artists driv-
ing at over there ~ queries the subscri-
ber, pointing to number Of men on n
raised platform, each with his hand oil q
wheel ike that Of a car-brake.
The OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES how their
movements control the almost restless
force Of the hydraulic presses, and We
stand amazed at the magic by which a
turn Of the wrist is made to manipulate
the ponderous converter, with its charge
Of melted metal, as easily Us man might
handle glass OF water.
A whirlwind OF sparks pours from the
converter's mouth and rolls along the
yaulted roof, sending sudden gusts Of
FIRE almost into our faces. The convert
er comes to rest and the fiery blast is
turned of. In moment streams Of
molten iron creep along the conluits
from the row OF furnaces, and pour n
flood of scintillating metal into the con.
verter. The charge complete, the blast
is turned on again with augmented force,
and through hundred openings air is
forced into the liquid metal burning ont
tho carbon nnd sulphur and other liquid
impurities, and sending the dross up the
chimney-a coruscating metallic foun-
tain. Our eyes are blinded by the
brightness, yet fascinated by the play Of
colors that mark the progress Of the
publication. The prevailing hue is n
rose-tint Of exquisite loyelincss, lost in
the dazzling wliteness when we look
steadily, but reappearing as often MS the
eye is rested by looking away for mo-
ment
"We have pure iron now," remarks
the superintendent, rs the flame sud-
denly ceases. ain o moment will he
added the compound, which is to change
the iron into steel"
The converting mixture pours fiery
cascadeinto the converter, and mag.
nifcent eruption Of many.colored scin.
tillations shows the intensity Of the
chemical action going on. 1t ends
abruptly, and rs the huge retort is canted
over to pour It's contents into the moulds
below, we follow the superintendent's
suggestion, and look in at its shining
mouth.
"You know what whitehead looks
like now" he says : and we confess that
thus far we have had no adequate con.
ception OF its perfect whiteness.
on our way back to our car we stopped
to look ut the crushing.mnchino for pull
verising the refractory lining of the
converter. ....
"If you only had jaws like that, sub.
scriber," remarks tho little mnn, "you
wouldn't have had to send back the
chops they offered you at the hotel the
other morning."
The subscriber watches the machine a
moment, working his mouth with uncon-
scious envy, rs the blocks Of quartzite
criinbled TO sand in the resistlcss bite
then keeping time with the machine, he
calculates =" With a-masticating -
Apparatus s-like-that-a-mau-might-
fre-yes, sir ~ might live-in sec.
ond rate clearinghouse !"
..