The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1872-03-13
I'm, and steel.

01A1 INV 80 RN
ly in the laboratory of the chemist is the
pure article existent, and soin-
lee Is the afioity of oxygen for it in that
tie that it must be kept out in b open
to prevent spontaneous combustion Xix
psphorus. In its adaptation to t g wants
and to the manner OF its oc-
erence in nature, are to be found the reas-
i for engaging in its manufacture. Iron
! necessity of civilization. The depriva-
Ia of the precious metals could easily be
kne, but without iron progress would be
|arded, ard human life itself would be-
Zoe extinct. There Is no substance in ma
le to which human labor imparts so much
Inc as this. Gold and silver may be work
Into various valuable ornaments, but the
gerence between the worth of the article
the worth of its weight of the original
Ital is not great. The value of any spe-
b weight Of the material of which the hair
|ings of watches are made, when compar-
with its value before the interpOsition OF
han skill, is immense 1t Is increased
az thousands Of times.
ron is very abundant and very universal
distributed. 1t Is found, however, to be
racticable and Improbable to work
Se than four of the different ores. The
snetic oxide of iron, the peroxide, by
ed peroxide, and the prOtocarbOnate,
the names given these ores by the chem
The first object of the manufacturer is
ct rid Of the impurities other than car
which the ore contains. He thus pro-
la IRoN.-To produce this article the
ICES is very simple. What is known as
blast furnace is employed. This is a
cal cavity enclosed by fire brick. The
ore, coal and lime are placed in alter
layers. Upon the application of sufi-
heat the ore melts, and the lime and
|bnic oxide of the coal seize upon its i'm
ies and the molten iron, containing a
lon of tile carbon, escapes at the bottom
Is run into bars. This is the familiar
Ron of commerce.. 1t is from this ma
that all the articles, of which iron is
principal ingredient, used in the arts,
e, and domestic purposes, are made ;
least they pass through this process.
he articles made OF cast iron are produ-
,y the simple melting of the pig iron,
pouring tn. fluid into appropriate
Ids. In the conversion of the ore al
described, pig iron takes a portion of
,n from the coal. This causes the met
melt more readily and thoroughly, but
Ikee it singularly hard and brittle when
1t is desirable in many of the uses to
iron Is put, that it should be maliea-
nd ductile. In order to produce this
!, q portion of the carbon must be BAN
The result is
FOUGHT IRoN.-This is, a slready in
ed, the pig or cast iron with the car
Eemoved. To effect this recourse is had
pudding furnace. This is more con-
and irregular IN its shape than the blast
hce. The iron Is re-melted and kept in
IN in the furnace, while a current of air
,sed over it with whose oxygen the car
mites. The residue is wrought iron.
bsesses the property of dursbility-can
he'd very thin. welded. and has a multi
Ppf uses so well known that their emu
ion need not be given. Heretofore
Ills on the railways were almost uni
Nv made of this material. As cast iron
hard and porous for many uses,
yht iron is too sett and yielding. Hence
Iity called for some other form and
ZION supplied steel.
II is composed of iron aad carbon. If
Ealf the carbon of cast iron be removed.
|hst half enough carbon be added to
int iron to convert it into cast iron
sOduct is steel. The ste l is made
asst iron by melting aud agitating it in
kddling furnace, passing, meantime, q
& of air over and through it, whose
n unites with the carbon of the iron.
molten metal is run Off Just at the
lime, q good article is produced. L. is
from wrought iron by burying it in
with charcoal, which is only another
br carbon, for several days, and heat
[teusely, so that the iron assumes a
mt amount Of car bon. This was the
method ,of making steel previous to
Pcovery Of
BEssEMER PRocEss.-It will be seen
both of the methods already given
cumbrous, awkward, and uncertain.
2much or too little carbon was added,
81 was faulty. Especially were they
hted to the manufacture of the article
Re quantities. The uncertainty and
e Of production forbade It's employ
d many cases where otherwise its pc
Qualities made its use very desirable.
any means steel could be constant
cheaply produced, the increased de-
Tor the product would amply repay
kpenditure of brains and capita, that
be made in its production. If the
in iron, who "had a rag on every
WlbA tlC oCoi AhCohobouG S1ht AlAC1
without the interference Of that no.
intermeddler, oxygen, or other Off.
gents, could be accomplished, the
Esirable results would follow. To make
Itch the Englishman, Bessemer bent
fxies some years ago. Space will
taken to detail the time spent in the
articles rcserted to to bring the
pair together. Il is only necessary
hat he succeeded, and thereby rem
amsclf immortal. Il was found that
psing the molten cast iron to a pow
Ast OF air every particle of impurity
3 removed. Then another quantity
containing q definite portion of car
melted, snd exactly enough Of this
E1uid poured into the first to make
contain the required percentage of
and the problem was solved.
b. general terms, was the Bessemer
The process was kept for some
bcret, but four or five years ago ar
knts were made by which the manu-
of steel by this process was intro
10 this country.
hyUYAcrURE IN THIS CoUNTRY.-At
mt time there are factories ut Troy,
brk: Harrisburg and JOhnst0wn,
ganL, Cleveland, Ohio, and Chica-
products Of those factories are thus
for rails on the railroads. The
Is better than the old iron rail in
barticulars. 1t lasts three times as
bile costing only one and a third
much. 1t Is stronger, and very
Is liable to break. With the old rail
3cessary for the section men to pass
track previous to the passage of
D, to provide sgainst accidents re-
rom broken rails only one Of the
--1- H. L.
ken. The hardness, durability and
ess Of the steel track operate to pro-
longevity ofthe rolling stock. Fhe
nd Earring, SO disagreeabiy appar-
bSelers In the past will, In a great
be obviated In the future on the
roads. Thus science promotes at
comfOrt of the public and profit of