Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-02-21
New Process of Manufacturing steel.

| those If low bacs audrd-blaekguaid in eX-
preston, blackguard in tone.
a New Process of Manufacturing steel.
[From the Cleveland Leader, Feb. 13th.l
For several days past no little interest has
| been awakened IN the minds of several of our
| citizens, to whom the subject has been submit
ted, by the consideration Of recently discovered
| process of manufacturing steel by the union OF
what is called the "Silicon ore with a certain
proportion of common pig iron. The results Of
this process are SO wonderful and the operation
| SO simple and easily performed, that nothing
short Of the most positive proofs are sufficient
| TO remove suspicion of deceit, or positive unbe.
lief from the minds of those IN any degree la-
miliar with the expensive and del cate processes
by which steel has been produced in the past.
II is a fact of which few iron men are ignorant,
that over three thousand patents have been Sc
cured for different processes of manufacturing
STEEL many of which have proven entirely
worthless, or too expensive to warrant their
adoption by capitalists, and the world is
scarcely prepared to credit the new sensation.
1t must be confessed, however, that longer
Skeptcism in regard to this discovery is scarcely
pardOnable, in view of the testimony of those
who have demonstrated its practical value, and
the repeated tests by which it has been proved
10 be, in the words of one Of our most
experienced iron manufacturers, simply "maT-
velons." The mines. from which the ''Silicon
ore" is taken are l1ca cd IN York county, Penn
svlvania on the line of the North Central rail-
road, about half way between Harrisburg and
Baltimore, and the following romantic account
is given of their discovery By thC Rome Sentinel,
OF New York
Or Chas. NJ. Mes, prominent practising
physician OF York, Penn, being called to see
lady who had been struck 0v lightning, was
led TO investigate the cause Of the attraction of
electricity to that particular spot and found by
examination that the electricity had passed
down the chimney, thence to Il corner in the
room where stood a doub,e-barrcled shotgun,
which it had melted down, thence out into the
yard to the dOg-kennel striking and melting the
iron chains with which the doa was secured,
and killing him. On examining the melted
metal the doctor was astoushed 70 see the per-
feet publication and crystallizaliou which had
taken place, and conceived the idea of making
steel by suhiecting the iron while in a molten
state to currents of electricity, While thus eX
perimenting, with good results, was one dav
hunting on a range of rounded in hills on
the Codorus creek. He shot leasant and
STOPPING to pick it up, discovered small piece
OF ore resembling in appearance the mel ed run
barrel and chain, having the same cTystaliza-
ton and publication The similarity was so
marked that he was led to examine and test its
| qualities, which he found highly magnetic. He
| melted some OF tue ore in a crucibe, and run
| out a button of very fine steel, which. on beng
| analysed, was found to be silicon steel; an en-
liANl1 uNW plOhuNl III lut Slett Hue, from which
the ore derived its name of Silicon Steel Ore
| This led 10 other and more important expert
| ments, among which was the pudding of Is or
20 per cent OF this ore with common PIC iron in
an ordinary pudding furnace 1t was sur
priSing to find as the result an excellent quality
Of silicon steel. From that time to the present,
| he, together with several other scientific and
| practical men, have thoroughly investigated the
| whole subject, until it has become clearly and
Enthusiastically established thar the mixture Of
this silicon ore with common ore will produce a
! quality oil steel superior to any in Ihe known
world,and all expenses only triAe above ordina-
| ry iron."
The fact that steel is produced by the union of
this ore with an inferior qualify of pig hon, in
stead Of with the finest grade OF charcoal re-
tined, as required by the old process is even less
| surprising than the fact that this result is ST.
cured with unyarying certainty in common
| IRON pudding furnace, producing steel by the
ton in an hour, as easily and as cheaply as com.
mon bar iron, instead OF few pounds in six
hours, as by the old process which employ crnci-
bes or "BesSemer plants" by the use OF ma.
chinery costing hundreds of thousands of dol
| lars.
We should not feel justified in thus lending
| our endorsement to this modern parodoX which
| seems to contradict all previous principles and
theories which have governed the production OF
one of the most important articles in the com
merce Of the world, were we not confirmed in
| our impressions by the experiments which have
been made in this city within the past week, and
the assurances OF several iron manufacturers
who have already produced tons of this remark
able steel in our own mills.
Some time since, the Cleveland iron company
ordered several tons Of the "Sicon orc, :" hay
inc resolved TO test its proessed qualities and
learn through their own investigations the truth
or alsity OF the incredible statements which had
been made them. The ore arrived, accompanied
OY written directions for its use. An expert
ment was Immediately made by placing in the
| pudding furnace, quantity Of common PR
| iron OF their own manufacture, to which, when
| healed, was added only about twelve per cent Of
| the "Silicon ore" finely pulverized. The mass
was worked in the same manner, by common
| puddleTs, as if bar iron were to be produced
| The metal was "Dalled,' placed beneath the
| hammer and beaten into "hlooms," reheated
| and passed through the rollers, the time con
sumed being about one hour. rhe bars thus
| produced were giVen to various WOrlxmcn TO fest
with result which bad never been aulicipated
| by those who had been the most confident OF
| success. The best judges pronounce il a suDc-
| nor quality of steel; tools were made from it; a
| BAR sent 10 one oil the spring works with a re-
quest to test its value was returned with the
statement that although not of sufficiently fine
quality TO make springs, it was the most tena-
cious and malleable Of any steel that had ever
been tried at their works. Thus far the Cleve-
| land iron company has manufactured about
| fifty tons of this steel and has accented n CON
|
| rails TO one of the railroads which center here,
| The company will commence the manufacture
| of these rails this week, and any who desire to
| witness the operation will find M opportunity
| by calling at the works. On Thursday of last
week an experiment was also made at the Oils
iron company's works. About twenty per cent
Of the Silicon ore" was used, and the product
was pronounced fully equal to the best English
steel.
1t is claimed that the "Silicon STEEP is supe.
rior to oil other kinds for any purpose; that it
is tougher that It's tensil strength Is many fines
greater that it will harden and temper at a
lower heat, that it is more malleabe than the
best qualities of English manufacture that it
never changes MS character 10 an inferior quail
ty by heating, that it is equally adapted TO maxi
ing rails, saws bies, springs, tools and cutlery,
the different degrees of 1neneSs depending
upon The proportion Of "Sicon" ore 10 pig IRON
and, what is even more remarkable that it
never rusts, but will shine like silver uiit,er all
circumstances, when polished, celebrated
manufacturer OF Gu ery says: although
drawn down from the ing0t to the small sizes
we use for blades, under very unlavorable cir
cumstances, it comes out when worked down
and hardened as fine almost as silver finer even
than the best English steel we ever used 1t
seems to work we all the way through, it
works kindly under the hammer. scales well
when hardened, polishcs black when finished
edges right on the oil stone, and cuts well and
holds an edge. Could get this steel in the
right shape and size, should ike to use it for
pocket knives All the while"
A specimen OF this steel was put to a most
thorough test By the Remington company, with
Il view TO using it in the manufacture OF their
celebrated rifles. gun barrel made from a
common quality Of this steel, passed safely
through all the ordinary tests, and was only
busted by being entirely filled with powder. 1t
is recorded by certain writers that steel has been
made in India from ore for centuries, aud one Of
our American watch companies has imported
this steel from which TO make their springs, as
IL is never known TO rust. II is asserted that the
Silicon STEEP is capable Of forming the best
| watch springs in existence, and that il is equal
| y proof against rust, aud is never affected by
changes OF temperature.
Inc silicon orc" is of greenish gray color,
alu exists in ineXhaustible quantities in the
nlnes, An analysis shows that odly about &c.
teen pei cent. OF iron is found in the ore, while
W., ~ lorly-,hfee per cent, Is Silica the balance
oelug COMPOSED OF various elements OF no value
OF influence 10 the chemical effect which Is pro-
| uueeu oy lts use 10 tue furnace Over 100 miles
ol the Erie road are laid with those raiis ana IL
Is asserted that there has nOt vel bcen a smell
instance Of 1reakage or laminaton ms tbev sre
thoroughly proof against the effects of frosf 1,
Is claimed that by the use of froln three 10 eiobt
per cent Of this ore, which has a strong aflnity
tor sulphur and phosphorus, al impurities are
| removed from IRON, m1knr ii email In tho Lo.t