The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-05-30
HOME VS.. FOREIGN MANUFACTURES.
A Plain Statement OF Facts which
should Receive Attention.
To the Editor of the sentineI:

To the Editor of the Sentinel:
SIR have been a reader of your valuable
paper for the last five or six years and have
been closely watching the improvements in
and around our city. and have always been
favorable to all such enterprises We think
the Belt railroad a valuable improvement
and great benefit to the city, especially at
this time, as it gives work to the vast num-
Der of laborers who have been out of en-
ployment in our midst. Yet there is one
thing that we think is wrong, or an oversight
on the part of the officials of the road. and
that Is this: 1t has been rumored that they
have sent off, and are about negotiating
with parties at distance for their
iron or steel to lay their track
to home industry. 1t is we'll known fact
that we have an old established rolling mill
In our own city, whose reputation for max
ing iron rails is without blemish; there
fore we think it would be the duty of the
officials of the road and one that thew owe
to the manufacturing interests of Indian
apolis, to first come and examine the many
patterns and styles of rails that the l. R NJ
Co. have, and then thoroughly examine their
process of making rails before purchasing
iron or steel elsewhere. We do earnestly
think that home industry should first be pat
ronized, provided that satisfaction could be
given, and as to that we have not the least
doubt. As for myself. am often at the In
dianapolis rolling mill, and being somewhat
familiar with the manufacture of iron and
being close observer, | have been enabled
to thoroughly understand their process of
working, which L will now give in detail as
near as possible. First, the old rails are
taken from the cars to a huge pair of shears
and there cut in pieces of the required
length; after which it is taken to the fur
naces, which are of the latest improved style
and newly built; there the old rails are made
into piles or fagots of six old rails with
heads inverted, and a sufficient amount of
new iron added to give the old rails the
welding properties. If needed; the pile is
then firmly bound with wire and
charged into what is called the
first furnace. and there brought to a
white or welding heat by men who are
called heaters. These men are competent
and first class workmen, as the company
will tolerate none but the best of mechanics
in all its branches. The pile is then drawn
from the furnace and taken to a large pair of
rolls. and there passed through six passes,
which properly wraps IN and thoroughly
YIELDS it. 1t is then called a bloom / have
seen this bloom taken to the saws and cut in .
sheet sections of three or four inches and
then the bloom was allowed to cool off, and
broken, after which it was examined by ex-
perts or professional men in the iron bust
ness and pronounced perfect in every
respect The bloom is then IA
ken from rolls while hot to
what is called the reheating furnaces, built
expressly for relocating, and are large and of
the latest improved style The bloom in
them is reheated to a white or Welding heat.
after which they are drawn and taken to the
finishing rolls, and there passed through
nine passes in the finishing rolls from there
to the saws and cut into the required length.
1t is then allowed to remain in the cooling
bed until cold, then taken to the Strengthening
machine, from there to the punching and
slotting machine, then to the inspector,
whose duty it is to closely examine or see
that there are no inperfe tons of any kind
about il. Then it is piled up on benches
in the yard and ready for shipping.
This process OF blooming and relocating was
adopted by this company about IL or IA
years ago, and by long and costly expert
ments the company finally succeeded in
bringing this process to perfection, and now
able to put into market the best iron
rails manufactured in this or any other
country. have been present number of
times at the mill when their iron was under
going the severest tests by practical railroad
officials and iron men, and in every instance
entire satisfaction has been given and have
also heard the leading men of the rolling
mill say that they were willing for any par
ties interested in railroad iron TO come and
select or take any bar promiscuously from
the benches and they would assist in
giving it any test that they may see fit.
Is this not sufficient proof that their rails
are uniform in every particular, and in
strength and tenacity? We are satisfied
that they have no equals. My attention has
been recently called to few of their rails
now on trial in the hardest place on the
Union railway tracks in this city. These
rails, am informed, were put down some
time in March, 1877, and at present they are
about as good as when they left the mill.
We do think the attention of railroad men
and particularly the officials OF the Belt road
should be called to these iron rails