The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-19
PREPARING FOR BIG ENTERPRISES.
Ponderous Machinery that is Being
Constructed for Government work.

Ponderous Machinery that is Being
Constructed for Government Work.
NEW YORK, Nov 17.--Every year the
machinery in the iron mills of Pittsburg,
Pa is being made more ponderous. The
necessity for this lies IN the demand Tor
immense castings. Everything is growing
larger than in former times. Ships are
bigger, locomotives are more powerful,
iron-front buildings are higher. ana agrl-
cultural implements are vastly larger. Inc
development of mill app Aratus to meet TINS
increase has been gradual but WITHIN the
last two years a wonderful impetus has been
given the forward movement by the bulld.
ing Of the new war vessels for the United
States navy.
Andrew Carnegie has Just completed the
building OF mill at Braddock, one OF tbe
suburbs of Pittsburg, expressly intended
for tho manufacture of this government
work. There is not siugle bit OF apparatus
in 1t but what is the largest OF It's KIND In
the world The shears which snap a bar OF
iron in two as though it were tissue paper,
exceed anything in size that has ever been
known by the sons of Vulcan. The lathes
are greater, the rolls are longer aud heavier
than anything the balance of the country
can show, and even the steam boilers are
the largest ever made by the hand OF man.
In the Black Diamond Steel Works.
Thirtieth street, Pttsburg, there Is the
largest steam hammer in the United
States. The blow of so tous which 1t
strikes every second of time that it Is in
operation shakes the earth for two squares
around the mill Yet il is SO easily con-
troled, and so nicely adjusted, that the
Zimmerman has placed on the anvil block
beneath il delicate wine glass containing
an egg, and turning on the steam full force
would .et the ponderous weight above fall
at
tho steam Off In this way the hammer has
been kept for several minutes gently tap
ping the glass and egg without breaking
hem.
But now the government itself Is going
to throw all these marvellous achievements
in the background by the improvements nt
the navy yard In Washington city. They
will transform that quiet place III to the most
powerful workshop in the universe For
instance, there was not found in the mills
and foundriss OF the whole United States
"traveling cranes" big enough TO move
about the immense castings and wrought
iron parts OF large cannon which the war
and navy departments have projected.
These cranes are very familiar objects in
the yards OF iron mills everywhere. They
are simply q block -aHd-tackle arrangement
20 fixed upon a steam car that they viii
pick UP a heavy piece of metal and rush off
speedily to any part of the buildings with
it, The largest OF these 'travelers' in
Pittsburg will carry burden of thirty
tons with safety TO the ropes and rigging.
In the Midwife Steel Works, Pennsylvania,
n travelling crane Of twenty-six tons Gu
pacity has been erected to facilitate the
handling of castings for the new war ships.
These are now the two largest apparatus Of
of the kind in the country. But work
will soon be commenced on a travelling
crane for the Washington navy yard
which will have carrying capacity of ITO
tons This is intended for use in the manu-
facture OF a 10 ton gun, which when fin
ished will be tho largest in the coast defense
of the United States. To turn" this won
derful cannon lathe is now being made
which will surpass all other lathes in size.
The machine will have to be 120 fest lohg,
and will have ''sread" of o feet. The gun
itself will be 80 feet long, and to turn and
bore IL the lathe will, of course, be required
to be double that length.
All the tools and machinery to make this
big cannon are being made purposely for
the Job so large apd strong must they be-
The contract for delivery Of tho necessary
steel forgings has been concluded with the
Bethlehem Steel Works Of Eastern Penn
sylvania. But before that company could
make the forgings they too had TO erect a
new plant large enough for the big sizes.
The f10-ton gun will be of 10 inch caliber,
will require charge of 1000 pounds OF
powder, and will throw a projectile weigh
ing 1000 pounds. To even make these pro-
iectiles will necessitate larger machinery
in that line than Is now in existence Then,
TO transport tho gun finally over the differ
ent lines OF railroad df the ocean route is
not taken), would require stronger iron
bridges than are now In use. SO the work
Of enlargement goes on almost indefinitely.
L. Il. SToFIEL.