The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-03-05
M.nnfsoturs Of Iron in Rock Island.

Several years ago IHE ARGUS pupASnO"
a number of articles, calling the attention
of capitalists to Rock Island as desirable
point for the manufacture of glass, zlnc'
iron, &c. How much these articles may
have been instrumental in the establish
ment Of present glass works we cannot
say, but it is sufficient to know we now
have one of the largest window glass man
ufactories in this country, and II mas
proved a success, both mechanically ana
financially We have other large ana
prosperous industries, but are not Sat'S
fed. and shall not be until we have ZINC
and iron works.
The design of the present article Is
merely to call the attention Of our eitlzens
and capitalists to the peculiar advantages
our city possesses as a point for the manu-
facture of iron, without going into the par
ticulars of cost and profits, as those can be
readily computed by any one who takes
sufficient interest III the subject
In all manufactures it is desirable TO
bring of the materials used, the less to the
greater quantity, and as Rock Island Is
the great coal point of the Upper Mlssis-
sippi-the Northern outcrop Of the Illinois
. Coal Fields, it is necessarily the North
point ON the Mississippi river where the
manufacture of iron can be successfully
prosecuted. Heretofore the great objec-
ton to this location for the manufacture
of iron has been the large omount of for
eign matter contained in oar coal, making
its use impracticable in the cupola tor the
reduction Of any of the ores OF iron to a
metallic state. Within the past few years
Mr.. c. W. Siemens, of England, has sue
ceeded in constructing furnace Tor the
reduction of iron ores, either wrought lrof
or steel, direct from the ore without the
aid of the cupola We are in receipt OF {
letter from Mr. Siemens, dated london
Feb. Sth, 1878, in answer 10 inquiries ad
dressed him in regard t. the use of hi
new furnace for the manufacture Of ir0I
direct from the ore, with our Illinois coal
Mr.. Siemens says he has succeeded mos
wonderfully in the use of the poorest Goals
and is now taking out patents for the pre-
cess above mentioned Mr. Siemen fur
mace has been, and is in use all over Flu
rope, and in many part Of this country
for re-heating in rolling mills, glass works
&c, saving about fifty per cent in fue
over any other furnace in use, beside bein.
able to use the poorest Of fuel, such a
; could not be used in any other furnace 70
> these purposes He ha, lust succeeded il
adapting the principles q. his Gas Regen
A.. eratiyc Furnace to the reduction Of irn,
o ore, and promises in a short time to civ
I Us a full and complete statement of it
workings, which we shal be most happ
/ to impart t. all interested in making Roe
Island an iron manufacturing point Gu
space viii not permit Us at this time t
give description Of this wonderful fun
II mace Suffice it To say, there is no doubt d
IS it, being able to reduce iron ore to a ne
IT talic state with our poor coal, at less ex
5 pense than has hithert5 been done by an
= process i'll use. We stated in the con
IT mencement of this article that in all mar
s ufactures the less should always, whe
practicable, be brought to the greater
II We have the coal here ana next we wal
: the ore That we finl If the best qualit
II and in unlimited quantities on Black rye'
Wisconsin, and 50 cuveniently situate
to that river that it can he mineC
and i1ated on fat boat 70 this point at
r nominal expense. w here extract fr1l
= Prof Daniels report State GeoIogjst
y, Wisconsin: He says ron ore, both re
oxide. specular and magnetic ores Al
found in large beds near Black Rive
! Falls, are accessible, and can be cheap
" mined, and are within four miles of fl;
boat navigation to the Mississippi rive
He estimates that at this locality there Al
:. $4,000, 600 tons Of available ore and 81.
=" other deposits exist in the vicinity II
" following is the ANALYSIS made by D
- Jackson Of Boston. l,t Red oxide of iroI