Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-02-15
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poNDEROuS MACHINERY.
Preparations Made for Work On Uncle
Sans Army and Navy.

Preparations Made for Work on Uncle
Sans Army and Navy.
Every year the machinery In the
iron mills at Pittsburgh, Pa, Is being
made more ponderous. The necessity
for this lies ia the demand for immense
castings Every thing is growing larger
than in former times. Ships are big
ger, locomotives are more powerful,
iron-front buildings are higher, anc
agricultural implements are vastly
larger. The development OF mill ap-
paratus to meet this increase has been
gradual, but within the last two years
wonderful impetus has been given
the forward movement by the building
OF the new war vessels for the United
States navy.
Andrew Carnegie has just completed
the building OF n mill ut Braddock, one
OF the suburbs OF Pittsburgh, expressly
Intended for the manufacture OF THE
government work. There is not a
single bit Of apparatus in it but what is
the largest Of its kind in the world
The shears. which snap bar OF iron
In two rs though it were tissue paper,
exceeds any thing in size that has ever
been known by the sons Of Vulcan. The
lathes are greater. the rolls are longer
and heavier than any thing the remain
der 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
Pittsburgh there is the largest steam
hammer in the United States. The
blow Of fifty tons, which it strikes
every second of time that it Is in opera
ton, shakes the earth for two squares
around the mill. Yet it is so easily
controlled. and so nicely adjusted. that
the Zimmerman has placed on the
| anvil block beneath it delicate wine
glass containing an egg and, turning
on the steam full force, would let the
ponderous weight above fall until at t
certain distance, and then shut the
steam Off. In this way the hammer
has been kept for several minutes
gently tapping the glass and egg with
| ont breaking them.
| But now the Government itself |.
| going to throw all these marvellous
| achievements In the background by the
| improvements at the navy yard il
Washington City. They will transform
that quiet place into the most power
| full workshop in the universe. For in
| stance, there was not found in the mill
and foundries OF the whole United
| States "traveling cranes big enough
| tomovc about the immense castings ant
| wrought iron parts OF large cannon
| which the war and navy department
have projected. These cranes are yer,
familiar objects in the yards of irol
mills everywhere. They are simply
block and tackle arrangement so 6xe'
upon steam-car that they will picl
up a heavy piece of metal and rush OF
speedily to any part OF the buildin
with it. The largest OF these ''travel
crs' in Pittsburgh will carry a burden
OF thirty tons with safety to the rope
and rigging. In the Midvale stee
works, Pennsylvania, travelling
crane of twenty-six tons capacit
has been erected to facilitate tn
handling OF castings for the ne'
war ships. These are NOW the tw'
largest apparatus of the kind in tn
country. But work will soon be com
menced on a travelling crane for tn
Washington navy yard which will hav
a carrying capacity Of 10 tons. Thi
is intended for use in the manufactur
of n lotion gun, which, when finished
will be the largs st in the coast defens
OF the United States. To 'turn" thi
wonderful cannon lathe is now bein
made which will surpass all othe
lathes in size. The machine will hav
to be l20 feet long and will have
tread" Of nine feet. The gun itse
will be fifty feet long and to turn an
bore ii the lathe will of course be RI
CURED to be double that length.
All the tools and machinery to max
this big cannon are being made pun
posely for the 700, so large and stron
must they h.. The contract for d.
|
has been concluded with the Bethlehei
steel works of eastern Pennsylvania
But before that company could max
, the forgiugs they had to erect a me-
plant large enough for the big sizes
The ll0-ton gun will be OF 13-inc
caliber, will require a charge of Loo
pounds of powder, and will throw
projectile weighing 1900 pounds. I
even make these projectiles will nece'
state larger machinery in that lin
than is now in existence. Then, I
transport the gun finally over the di
ferent lines OF railroad (if the ocea
route is not taken), would requir
stronger iron bridges than are now /
use. So the work of enlargement gos
: on almost indefinitely. Pittsburgh Coz
GeeeiaAld Plain Dealer.
Origin of Electrical Terms.