Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-12-31

ITS MANUFACTURE IN wILMIsaroN-THE IRON
SHIPS BUILT HERE WHOLLY OUR OWN PRODUCTION
OUR APPLIANCES. FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF
THE WORK.
1t is fact which is probably not very well
known that the principal part of the iron ships
built in this city are wholly of our production.
They are not simply put together here, but the
iron is rolled from the blooms, cut to the re-
quirsd length and size, and shaped and fitted by
our own workmen. So OF the boilers, machinery,
and edge tools which are sent away in euch
large quantities. We have in our midst the roll.
ing mills necessary for the performance of all
this work, but their product is not wholly con-
sumed here. the conscentousness with which
tie iron is prepared and the superior quality Of
| the material itself having brought to our manu-
| facturers a large de from other cities.
| Iii this article it is our purpose to speak only
OF Plate and Boiler Iron manufacture-to bring
into more public notice All interest the extent
aud Importance Of which is not sufficiently
known and appreciated, Until within aafew
months past there was but one rolling mill in
this city for, the manufacture OF this class OF
| iron, or rather two mills owned and operated by
one firm-Seidel & Hastings. Recently the
Christiana Iron Co. have erected similar enter
prise on the South-sde. but although completed
1t is yet without orders sufficient to justify it in
starting up, and 1t therefore remains idle. Sci
del Hastings, however, have only recently be-
gun to feel the effects Of the dull times, they
having been able to secure orders sufficient to
keep them busy up to October 1st Since that
time their trade has been quite dull. During
October and November they ran, ON an average,
four days in the week, but during the present
month they have been making only three days.
They run exclusively on orders, and when these
are finished the works necessarily stop
The MILLS of blessrs. Seldel * Hastings are
known as the Wilmington Plate Iron Rolling
Mills, are located on Church street above OH.
They make plate iron OF all descriptions from 14
to u inches i'll thickness for boilers, iron ships,
iron bridges, oil and water tanks and all the
ious purposes for which iron plates are used
The works were established in 1845 and con-
sisted for many years OF portion OF what is now
: known as the - old mill" having capacity fol
making about 700 tons Of plates Of the smallest
i sizes such as were in demand in those days
The present firm was organized i'll 1867, and the
business gradually extended to more than foul
d times what it originally was. The old mill wa,
enlarged and improved, aud, in 1860, their large
new mill, fronting on Church street and about
half square distant from the old mill, WAS erected
aud put in operation. They have also erected
charcoal forge OF five fires for the manufacture
Of blooms from which plates are made.
Perhaps we should explain that the blooms
thus manufactured do not constitute the wholt
of the raw material consumed by this firm
They obtain the remainder direct from the fur
naces in tue Pennsylvania iron region and from
Virginia, the weight OF each being from $50 t
$50 pounds. The capacity Of the works. at pres
ent operated, is 5000 tons OF plate iron an
70 about 2, 900 tons of blooms annually, working il
day time alone The works are not run at nigh
as many rolling mills are. Working day an
night the capacity would be nearly doubled
Tie mills employ from 100 to ITO men, and whe
in operation the whole force is engaged
The machinery is Of the most improved kin
and ample for the easy and rapid factaiion
the work. There are two large engines fC
driving the oll-tralns, and three smaller ont
for driving the shears, of which there are Q pai
capable OF shearing plates from 16 to / q incht
cold. Another engine drives the forge. III
steam which moves the engines is generated
four large boilers. There are also two stea
hammers for making hre-box iron, and one tr
hammer for hammering blooms. The roll
(between which the blooms after beiI
heated in the furnaces are pressed out to ii
required thckness) in the old mill are sc inch
long by 10 inches i'll diameter, and in the ne
mill n by % inches. Steam lifters are provide
for lifting the iron over tho rolls, one in ca,
mill, and there also five cranes for llfti
heavy piles and plates OF iron, and patent
bor-sa'ing machine which will lift from 1000
1900 pounds OF iron from the scales and place
upon the wagons.
Such is the character and such are the app
ances OF one OF the weighty industries of W
mington. 1t has gradually grown with the CT
receiving large trade and conducting We
profitable business. The product Of the millt
largely consumed at home, the iron ship bui
ers Of this city using to great extent their pla
in the construction OF iron ships. The Harl
& Hongsworth Co. have used their boiler il
exclusively for the past ten years. In &c
ut, times they have large trade in the East,
and States, two large locomotive builders there a
,rn using their iron for locomotive boilers e1clusi
ly. At present the business is extremely
and the outlook not encouraging.