The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1873-03-15


gy, smoky, aud not altogether clearly por-
ton of ST. Louis which lies near the river. I
encountered lofty stack of brick and NOR.
tn. which, on enquiry, I ascertained to he
the tower of the st. Louis Shot Works. I
had often had occasion to use shot of vari.
Gus denominations, in the prosecution Of
small game. but knew nothing of the process
of manufacture beyond vague idea that
the molten lead was dropped from = height
and in obedience to the law of cohesive at.
traction, assumed q spherical form in the
descent It occurred to mo that this was
probably the best opportunity I would ever
have to acquire knowledge of the shot
business and accordingly presented myself
at the Office and asked permission to look
through the establishment. The Superin-
tcndent, muscular looking gentleman with
iron gray side whiskers and Butlcriau eye,
took my card and oourteously accorded per.
mission provided I would keep out of the
way Of the workmen. ''You had better 90
TO the top first" said he. So I started for
the top, climbing dark spiral stair case,
and hesitstings 1t eacI, turn for fear of pitch
Ing off into space, Or walking into the jaws
of the machinery, There WAS rush and .
roar like that of Niagara, the noise being
produced, . Iaftcrward discovered so soon
- my eyes accommodated themselves to the
dim light BY The descent Of two streams of
shot into grsas tsnk of3 sssesas tho bottom
Of the towsr. The assjst ~ tiresome, the
distance beisg l90 fest, hut tae top was
anally reached, aad the flrst stage Of shot
making was an open book. There Was .
furnace, three kettles Of molten lead, and
two grimy workmen ladling out Of the ket.
ties and pouring 1t out into tin cups Get In
frying pans, . portion Of the metal being
allowed to run over frous the cups into the
pans. Az each vessel was filled the metal
was seen to sink away, 10 that by the time
the workmcn got another ladleful u pour
in, the cup and pan were nearly empty, the
bottom of cups and pans being perforated
like sieves The globules formed in passing
through the sieve ore uniform In sire. In
the two streams which are seen descending
are pellets Of oil sizes, and the asserting 10
done after the shot are taken out of the tank
After falling into the tank tho shot are taken
up BY contrivanoe similar othose In grain
elevators, and ore passed into circular re.
volving tube or hopper, heated BY steam, for
the purpose Of drying. After being dried
they are placed In revolving iron barrel, .
little emery being put in with each basrelful
for the purpose Of imparting polish. The
next business on hand 10 the asserting of
sizes. The shot ars conveyed to series of
machines, looking something like . job
printers cabinet Of cases, each rack con-
tanning series Of sievcs representing tho
different sizes of shot. These racks are
showed violently forward and back by the
steam, thus forcing the finer shot through
the various sleeves. The larger are stopped
by the 6rst sieve, while the fine bird shot
used by sportsmen 10 quail and snipe shoot.
ing. pass on to the last. After sufficient
amount Of shaking the workmeu in charge
stops the machine, take out the draws. two
at time, and empties them into bins pre-.
pared for them. The next operation IL that
of weighing and bagsing the shot. The
scale IL Get ut twenty-five pounds, and the
workman, expert by long practice, scoops
out what he thinks will be enough and pours
into the scale. 6crupulous honesty seems
to bc the rule In bagging. There must he
jost twenty-five pounds--not the weight Of
. hair more or less. The workman who
scoops The shot usually gueases within few
pellets of the weight, and these are added
aod subtracted until the beam 10 on On even
poise. After . sufficient number of bags
are filled. along comes another workman
via sIsail.mata's needle, Who ssvs sp the
loose ends with astonishing dexterity, and
the shot b ready Tor market. f''Fs~