The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1872-08-16
How Steel Rails are Made.

WORKS, on the susqilehahi a, Is
fortunately timed, for preparations
are already making for charging the
huge converter. With but a pass
ing g'arce at the preliminary storm
Of fire that roarS from the mouth
Of the converter, we follow the su-
perintenlent past the hot piles Of
ingots latelydrawn from the moulds;
past the great receivers wherein
Eolus is imprisoned and forced to
do fiery service; past the engines
which generate tie power used in
in the Cyclopean operations going
on all aronnd, and stop to watch
the gigantic steam hammers under
which the glowing masses of steel
are forged by blows that may be
twenty tons or twe'lty grains, as
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 q
rapidity that bewilders. But it is
time for tapping the furnaces, and
we hasten back, with scarcely a
look at the various piles Of rails
awaiting shipment.
This is 10 place for the philoso-
ply of the Eesscmcr process; no
place for describing all the steps I.y
which crude iron is now so quickly
converted into steel. Our attention
is absorbed bythe scenic effort, and
that is beyond the power of words
to describe. Even the pencil of
Weir would fail to do it Justice.
What are those circular artists
driving at over there 2" queries the
subscriber, pointing to a number Of
men on a raised platform, each with
his hand on a wheel like that OF a
car-brake.
The superintendent explains how
their movements control the almost
restless force Of the hydraulic pres
ses, and we stand amazed at the
magic by which a turn Of the wrist
is made to manipulate the ponder
ous converter, with its charge OF
melted metal, as easily as a man
might handle a glass of water.
A whirlwind Of sparks pours
from the converter's mouth and
rolls, along the vaulted roof, send
ing sudden gusts Of fire almost into
our faces. The converter comes to
rest and the fiery blast is turned off.
In a moment, streams of molten
iron creep along the conduits from
row of furnaces, and pour a flood
Of scintillating metal into the con-
verter. The charge complete, the
blast is turned on again with aug
mented force, and through a hun
dred opening, air is forced into the
liquid metal, burning out the car
bon and sulphur and other liquid
impurities, and sending the dross
up IN the chimney coruscating
metallic fountain. Our eyes are
blinded by the brightness, yet fas-
cinated by the play Of colors that
mark the progress of the purifica-
tion. The prevailing hue is q rose
tint of exquisite loyeliness, lost in
the dazzling wlitencss when we
look steadily, but reappearing as
often as the eye is rested by looking
away for a moment.
awe have pure iron now," re-
marks the superintendent, as the
flame suddenly ceases. SIN mo-
ment will be added the compound,
which is to change the iron into
steel"
The converting mixture pours a
fiery cascade into the converter, and
a magnificent eruption Of many
colored scintillations show the in
tensity of the chemical action going
on. 1t ends abruptly, and as the
huge retort is canted over to pour
its contents into the moulds below,
we follow the superintendent's sug-
gestion, and look in at its shining
mouS;l.
"You know what whitehead
looks like now" he says; and we
confess that thus far we have had
no adequate conception of its per.
feet whiteness.
Onour way back to our car we
to look at the crushing ma
chine for pulyerising the refractory
lining Of the converter.
IF you only had jaws like that,
subscriber" remarks the little man,
" you wouldn't have had to send
back the chops they offered you at
the hotel the other morning.
The subscriber watches the ma
chine o moment, working his mouth
with unconscious envy, as the blocks
of quartzite crambled to sand in
the resistless bite then keeping
time with the machine, he ejacu-
lated" With IA masticating-
appaatus-l -that--a-man-
might-liCe-yes, sir!--I might live
i'm a second rate boarding house"
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