New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-24
icon IN PAJLWAY STRUCTURES.

During the first few days after the disaster
to the Ashtabula bridge, there appeared frequent
and very positive statements in many news
papers to the effect that extreme cold always
made iron brittle. On the other hand a few
equally positive statements were made, based
upon certain European experiments, afilrming
that the strength of wrought IRON was not IN
the least reduced by cold. TIE TRIBUNE men
toned at the time the results of certain expert
ments in this country. From these 1t seems
evident that bad iron may become brittle IN
cold weather, while there is little Ii any
danger Of the kind with the best of iron. The
testimony thus far obtained at the inquest,
and before the legislative committee, furnishes
already a variety of explanations respecting
the disaster. There is some evidence that
part of the wrecked train was of the tack
some evidence that the plan OF the bridge was
of doubtful merit, it being an attempt to sub
stitute iron for wood in method of cOnstruc
ton for which. wood was better suited; some
evidence that the bridge, after the metal was
furnished was put in place or "erccted by an
ignorant and incompetent man; and some EVIL
donce that after the bridge was built and tested,
it was allowed to fall TO pieces through the
culpable neglect of the railroad company. Any
one or all of these circum stances, if proved,
may afford reason enough FOR the ruin of the
bridge, without any question as To the iron
which it was made Of 4; but the fact will re-
main that large proportion OF the public puts
only dOubting faith in iron bridges, and
really thinks them dangerous when they have
stood many years, and especially during frosty
weather.
1t rarely happens that a deerrooted popular
belief is wholly mistaken. 1t is more than
likely to be founded in half truth. When
farmers hang their new scythcs outside the
barn in order that the steel may rust and
thereby improve its temper; when for SINH
lar reason some wOrkmen bury their tools III
the earth while not in use when a blacksmith
picks the oldest iron in his shop for the
choicest work, there is certainly evidence, so
far AS popular belief can be alleged as testi-
mony, that age and exposure improve the
metal. Men who have studied the subject give
a reason for the improvement OF iron or steel
in such instances they say that the impur-
ties of the metal are brought TO tho suriace
and thrown off by slow rusting. Prof. Thurs
ton has cited the instance OF the rails on the
Camden and Amboy road laid down in 1882.
They were then brittle and of poor quality.
Taken up in recent years they were found 10
be excellent stun, and when sent To the rolling
mills furnished bar iron Of unusual excellence.
This and similar instances seem to set at
naught the theory that the vibration OF
passing trains causes iron after while to
crystalline. Robert Stephenson and John A.
Roebng distinctly recorded their disbelief in the
capitalization theory. William FairbaiIn, on
the other hand, yielded q modified assent to it
after opposing il. But the report of the Hoo
sac Tunnel Commissioners presented fact
that could not be set aside. The rock -drill-
ing engines used in that work gradually began
to fail in strength. After the metals used In
those machines had given millions upon nall
lions of blows, they began to granulate, and
lost cohesiy.ness In certain French expert
ments which combined torson with shock, 1t
was found that 10000 blows had no per-
ceptible effect upon new axle; $4,000 blows
caused change in texture that was seen by
the naked eye after 100000 shocks the
metal when broken, was found to be scaly
within, like pewter. A testing machine long
used in the Navy-Yard ut Washington, and