New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-09-09
CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION.
TIE IRON EXHIBIT.

| 2
SLOW OF IRON AND srEEL-DMENSIoNs on
KRUPPs GUNS NEw-YoEK's IRON PENNsYL,
vANIps HEAVY wErGRTs--BRirlsnm oS-aAsIEm
! COMING TO THIS COUNTRY. 49,
| lFRog a STAFF coRREsPosDESr on TIE rRIBrHR.l
| PHiLspEtPHIA. Sept z. Perhaps the phrases
"Rconomis nietals,n " Economic minerals " Eco
noic woods which appear in the literature of tie
Exhibition with remarkable frequency, are not the
bess Of English, but they convey a fairly definite
idea. To tho first OF these suppose pasinnm be-
Longs. 1t is more valuable than silver, bat as the
| Russian coinage of platinum never amounted 10 much
moro than an experiment. it Is not ordinarily
ranked with the "precious metals The large
masses Of platinum in the Fair all In the Russian
| department. The metal was found only in small
grains for nearly century after Che discovery IN
south America and this was its condition also when
discovered in Santo Domingo, and more atterly in
washings at Port Oxford and Rogue River. on the
coast of Oregon. In these instances it has usually
been found with grains Of the native alloy Of
iridium and osmium used for pointing gold pens.
There are certain remarkable similarities
about the three metals, and they form a
group by themselves There is another
allied eroup-rhodium. indium, and rubidium. If
rocollect arght--whose specific gravitIes have d.
rect numerical ratio to the platinum series; but
chemists are not agreed to the significance OF tho
relation. OF all these, platinum is by far the most
abundant The discoveries OF this metal in Spain
and Bavaria are not of any commercial Importance;
ouly in the Ural Mountains is it mined IN masses,
and Russia owns the great source OF the WORLDS sup
ply There is a noteworthy exhibit in Agricultural
Hall by the proprietors Of some large platinum
works in France; of coursc they must
be dependent on Russia for raw material.
some Of the best work in shaping platinum for
practical use is shown In the specimens sent to the
Exhibition BY one of own countryIncn. from an
obseure hamlet in Pennsylvania IL the metals had
been created solely 10 provide for the wants OF
civilized man. an abundance Of platinum might well
have been stored somewhere neaT the surface IL
would take the place to great extent Of irop cop
per- tin and zinc in the arts If it were cheap enough
since it does not corrode, and hence IL creamy,
BRIGHT and permanent. Perhaps there Is some great
deposit of this metal now buried beneath the sea,
which may De revealed for the use of or successors
Meanwhile iron is the metal of the world, and tho
one most abundantly illustrated in all its varied
forms at this Fair Indeed, plentiful is the dis
play of this metal, and go generally does u FORM
part of each National and State exhibit that have
no hope of doing even-hauded Justice to the subject
and scarcely know where to begin. The European
displays are principally of the finished products in
iron and steel; our own exhibits OF THESE
manufactures are confined TO a few states,
but are very noteworthy. Iron ores are
exhibited almost universally. Great Brnains
show Of ironworlx is not the whole proportion
ate 10 tire greatness of her iron manufactures Among
its more noteworthy features are the models OF the
Sienens gas furnaces in the Main Building; the
great arnor plates torn through By shot, which arc
displayed by John Brown q Sons in Machinery hali
the work shown by the West Cumberland IRON ana
steel Company and by John Biggs of Liverpool
and ltan rr1cT
iron work in the Main Building not far from tho
pllington exhibit which can scarcely fail to catch
the eve of even a transient visitor Ii ia currently
reported that some Of the large steel manufacturers
az Sheffield viii shortly transfer their abofs to this
country and that preparatory investment OF 9loV
600 has already been made near Syracuse, n. l.,
with view Of establishing steel works there. Can
ada has an admirable exhibit If iron ores 1nd some
iron work rom so different localities. Of these
q are magnetic iron orc. Is are h@matte' end
10 are linonite: q fist-rate catalogue furnishes
every detail respecting thesc specimens which VIII
well repay study: the successes and failures OF
Canadian iron industry are alike Illustrated ana tae
impression ia conveyed that the smaller ronworks.
conducted with careful economy, have been more
fortpnate than Ito ambitions undertakings. Swe-
den makes the finest exhibit Of iron aud steel Attn
Fair and from ali can learn, the finest that has
hiqh authority Of MIR. /. Lovthan Bell
for saving that it is not only tie most
showy exhibit but also the most complete
and scientific TIE system of displaying the geology
Of Sweden Is especially deserving OF praise: all the
beds arc represented by specimens IN cabihets ar
ranged in the order Of the rocks-primary, sec
ondary, tertiary, quaternary and modern forIna-
tons being each by themselves, and the localities
being shown by large Geographical and topographi'
ell maps. few of the specimen boxes are empty
owing les IN, to an unfortunate loss in transpora'
ton: it is Hoped that they win be FLIED again before
the close of the Exhibition. I car imagine
no quicker way for even NOVICE 10
ooouire "A fair knowledge Of the science
Of geology than by Che study of these cabinets Bnt
while il is quite possible hasty visitor TO lose
sight OF these cases Of minerals nobody eau 90
through the Main Bail6ing with his eyes opcn and
miss the magnificent displays of the Swedish iron
masters Tall columns and pyramids, constructed
wholly Of the various products of'the forge, form
some Of tho most striking objects in the Fair The
collective exhibit of the Jernkonteret Isl per-
haps the finest of these displays. This asso-
clation embraces q very largo majority or me
iropIaasters OF Sweden. and by combining
the fine specimens of their workmanship which each
has contributed, they mako q very effective show.
Tho Jernkonteret also sends complete series OF
iron ores and minerals illustrations Of processes
and maps Of localities and mines. The FageEsta
Works make very fine display both OF producs
and ores Equally effective is the exhibit OF the
Sandvik Iron Company, including castings, shafts.
car wheels, aud the Ike besides the heavier display
which includes Bessemer STEEL there are the lighter
products of the art such as knives razors SCISSORS
20. This exhibit is also accompanied by
series of ores The Motala Works present an
immense show, their steel products Doing