The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1885-08-22
ALUMfNUM.
The Metal of the Future-Prouhesjed as
the Successor of Iron and Steel


Trenton Cor. Pittsburg Dispatch.l
"The metal OF the future" said a
prominent mechanical engineer to me,
lis aluminium. In few years it will
dlsplace iron and steel, and simply
revolutionize industrial arts everv-
where. The millennium will be the age
OF aluminium"
"But," said |, ''iron is the common
est OF all metals, and aluminium is COM
paratlvely rare. Is there enough
aluminium in the world to take the
place of iron?"
Eyes" said he; "and your former
assumption is an error. Aluminium is
the most plentiful of all metals. The
world contains ten times as much Of
1T as OF IRON. 1t is everywhere. Every
clay-bed Is an aluminium mine"
'What is the reason" | asked,
chat it has not already come into
general use?"
'oIhe great cost of producing it," he
replied. "The metal called sodium is
used IN the production of aluminium,
and 1T IS very expensive, Numberless
methods have been tried, and hun
dreds OF chemists all over the world
are devoting their lives to the task OF
finding a cheap way ofproducing alum
mum. The man who succeeds will be
more fortunate than though he had
found the philosophers stone. Who
ever can produce aluminium at 81 a
pound will make a fortune, while a
man who can make it for 25 cents a
pound can buy out the Rothschilds in a
day"
"What is the cost of aluminium
now ?"
'"The raw materials for making it
are not worth 500 ton, that is, $50
for enough to produce ton of the
metal. But q ton of aluminium, per-
fectly manufactured, is worth at least
$4,000"
"What are the valuable properties
OF aluminium ?' | asked, land to what
use can it be applied?"
sit can take the place of almost
every other metal in the world" said
be, land very largely that of wood
also. In the first place it is very
strong. It's tensile strength is more
than three tons to the square inch
greater than those Of the best Besse-
mer steel. In fact, it is by far the
strongest metal known. A cannon
made OF it would be three times as
strong as one made of steel or gun
metal. 1t is very stiff or rigid, too;
three times as rigid as the best of
bronze. Another important thing is
that it will not tarnish. Neither air.
nor water, nor salt, nor acids, nor
corrosive gases have the slightest
effect upon it. Neither does intense
heat change it's color. 1t is the best
conductor of heat known in the world,
also OF electricity. 1t would make
the best telegraph wires in the world,
having twice the conducting power of
copper, with only a third of its weight,
and lasting practically forever. 1t is
very ductile, and can be drawn into
wire more easily than almost any
other metal. Moreover, it is easily
worked, either cold or hot. 1t is suit
able for anything that iron or steel or
copper or brass or bronze or gold or
silver Is used for, from the wheels of a
watch to a monster steam engine"
Chow does it compare in weight
with other metals? 2"
at is by far the hghtest; lighter, in
deed, than many hard woods. 1t is
little more than one-third the weight
of cast iron. To be exact, acubicfO foot
of aluminium weighs only 1876 pounds
The same sized block of cast iron
weighs about 451 pounds; of wrought
iron, 487 pounds; OF copper, 554l2
pounds; of lead, 09pounds; of brass,
528 pounds, and of gold about 1900
pounds. In brief, it is the lightest,
easiest worked, strongest, most dura-
BILE, anu generally most valuable OF all
metals, and the man who invents and
patents method of making it cheaply
will revolutionize industry, and be
come the richest man in the world"