Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-10-11
The Interesting Processes Whereby
Shot are Made.

A correspondent has been to the top Of the
shotrtowe (219 feet In Chicago, and describes
The process Of making shot:
had a dim idea that lead was melted below;
that this molten stuff was hauled TO the top OF
the tower. then dumped down into the water
below, and that this made shot. The real pro-
cess is this: AS pure lead will not make perfect
globules, it Is necessarily tempered" This
temper" is prepared By the addition of ingre-
dients, of which arsenic Is the m Ain property,
with the pig-leas, hoisted to the very top Of the
tower, where both are melted ia proper proper
ton together.
much bumped, entered the small, though pow
erful elevator, not over three and one half feet
by twenty inches In size, and went up, up, up,
with horrible din roaring all about us. At
the very top are two little circular rooms, not
over eight or ten feet In diameter, one about
twelve feet below the other, and each contain.
ing two huge kettles In which the pig lead and
the temper" are melted. In the busy season
these are run at night, and the flame, away up
there in the darkness, reminds one of signal
torches upon towers in the feudal days.
both rooms-as each room has separate
shaft-streams Of shot are constantly flowing.
AT the bottom OF each Kettle the molten stuff
pours into square pans perforated at one side.
These perforattons are large or small, accord
ing to the size Of shot desired, and separate the
mass into distinct, delicate, cleaning streams
which, In turn, as they come In contact with
or shot, Which are cooled in their sO5-feet
journey and the water into which they fan be-
low.
But now come what, to me- were still more
interesting processes. Out of the shot-piJ, up
through the water, an endless belt, with cups
attached, carries the wet shot, depoSiting IL In
huge revolving heated cylinder, where the
globules are thoroughly dried. From this they
pass out upon descending series OF slightly
inclined tables, the lower edge Of each one be-
ing few inches above, and distant from, the
succeeding table. The perfect globules, from
their specific gravity. go b1undtng over these
spaces; but the imperfect shot are gradually
forced along until they reach them, when they
fall into receptacles, and being remolten, 60
over the same journey again.
From these sorting tables the shot are car
ried to series OF sizing sleeves, with perforated
sheet-brasS bottoms. Moved back aud forth
by machinery, the shot Of a smaller size pass
through these perforat1ons, larger shot of dtf-
ferent sizes, from the motion Of the sleeves, and
from their weight, gradually sorting them
selves with absolute perfection. From the
sorting sleeves the shot pass into polishing bar
relS, containing preparation the main con-
stitdent OF which Is plumbago, aud emerging
from these, FURNISHED like silver, find their way
into repositories in the story below, to the
mouth Of each Of which is attached adeltcately
adjusted automatic scale, which will discharge
precisely twenty five pounds Of shot into the
bags beneath. Each bag, however, Is tested,
and. after being sewed up these shot, which
have arrived at their absolute perfection OF
form and finish, seemingly, through much OF
their own act and vOlitlOn, are ready TO be
rent forth to the hunter and SportSm IN on their
death dealing mission.