Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-03
A MEDAL FOR HEWITT
In Recognition of His Services to the
Iron and Steel Trade.
BENEFITS WROUGHT BY BESSEMER
Set Forth in Speech by the President of
the Institute.
HOLLEY MEMORIAL BUST UNVEILED
ESPECIAL rELHeRAx TO THE DIsrArcH.i

NEW YORK, October 2-Prior to the
morning session of the Iron and Steel Insti-
tute to-day the engineers visited the Con-
solidated Gas Company's works. At 10
o'clock Sir James Kitson called the meet
ing to order at Chickering Hall. Some 25O
engineers were present. The proceedings
began with a discussion of the paper on
"The Development of American Blast
Furnaces, with Special Reference to Large
Yields" which had been read the day be-
fore. Alex Thielen, German visitor,
Windsor Richards, E. C. Potter, G. j.
Snellus, f. r. S., Julian Kennedy, Will
lam Whltwell, William Kurt, j. D.
Weeks, Sir Lowthian Bell and Edward
Martin participated in the discussion. Sir
James Kitson arose after the discussion had
closed and said that all the members would
| be glad to hear that Mr.. Hewitt had recov-
| cred from the illness which had prevented
his appearance the day before.
PRAISE FOR MR.. HEWITT.
A few minutes later Mr.. Hewitt came in.
The gentlemen on the platform and a num-
ber in the hall arose to meet him, and there
was generous applause. Sir James Kitson then
presented TO Mr.. Hewitt the Bessemer gold
medal for his distinguished services to the iron
! and steel trade. The Chairman told how Mr.
Hewitt refused the medal when it was first
| offered to him; but when the American Insti-
| tute made him its President for a second time
| the Englishmen felt that he must be induced
| to accept it. Mr.. Hewitt said the speaker
| was generally recognized as one of the first
men of country that was prominent in many
| things.
Mr. Hewitt's voice trembled when he rose to
aIa hn nnAa al ht1f 2 or har
his reply. He spoke at length of the greatness
of Sir Henry Bessemer's invention. "SteeI can
now be produced at a cost less than that of
common irou," he said 1.-THE cost of con-
structing railways has been so greatly reduced
as to permit of their extension into sparsely
inhabited regions. The cost Of transportation
into the markets of the world crude products
which formerly would not bear removal and
were thus excluded from the exchanges of
commerce. The practical result has been to re-
duce the value of food products throughout the
civilized world; and. inasmuch as cheap food is
the basis of all industrial development and the
necessary condition for the amelioration of hu-
manity, the present generation has witnessed a
general rise in the wages of labor, accompanied
by fall in the price of the food which it oon-
sumes.
BENEFITS OF BESSEMER'S INVENTION.
1.-THE first striking result was felt in Great
Britain, which Is now compelled to import at
least two-thirds of its consumption. The COM
petition of our Western wheat regions with the
products of India in the English market,
altered the whole condition of agriculture in
tire British Isles. The profitable raising of
wheat practically became impossible and the
farmers, who had depended upon it, could no
longer pay the rents stipulated in their leases.
A general reduction of rent, therefore. be-
came necessary, which of course, reduced the
income of the landlords Hence, serious, if
not fatal, blow at the domination of what may
be termed the privileged class of Great Britain
w ntQnt Annh hu tha
invention of BesSemer.
1--WE can trace directly to the Bessemer in
venton the ability to reduce our national debt
and finally to pay of the outstanding bonds at
maturity. This proposition can easily be verl-
fed by examining the results of the operation
of our railroads, by which it will appear that
since 1870. when Bessemer rails began to be
largely used, the rate of transportation has
been reducedabout two-thirds; and an eminent
authority has recently stated that the difference
in single year would now amount to ST. OO0-
0000 900, very large portion of which is directly
traceable TO the greater durability of the track.
due to steel rails and the capacity to haul in
creased loads, not only in the cars, but in the
train"
Mr.. Hewitt,s paper was received with great
applause. He was followed by Henry M.
facture of Bessemer Steel in the United
States" This completed the work Of the
morning session.
THE HOLLEY MEMORIAL STATUE.
In the afternoon the hall was more nearly
filed tnan it had yet been with members and
ladies, who listened to the reading of a eulogy
on Alexander Lyman Holley, to whose great
ness the engineers of America and Europe
had testified by subscribing for bust, which
was unveiled to-day in Washington Square.
The eulogy was delivered by Mr.. James
Dredge. He recited the story of Holley's
career. and told how the Connecticut youth
became a great man. His most conspicuous
successes resulted from his association with
Sir Henry Bessemer, of whom he purchased
the American rights for his invention of the
new process for making steel. The Holley
The bust, which was made by Mr.. j. @. A
Ward, was draped in the American flag when
the party arrived. 1t is of bronze and per-
feet likeness of Mr.. HoIey. The pedestal, of
sand-fnished limestone, is particularly hand
some. The rectangular die, rising from two
steps. is surmounted by handsome ornate
by two wings, jutting out near the back and
terminating in rectangular posts five feet high.
Suitable Inscriptions on the face are in raised
gothic. Ex-President Boyles, of the Health
Board presented the statue to the Park Com
missioners. The bust was unveiled by Alexan-
der Holley Olmstead, a grandson of Mr.. Hol-
ley. President Gallup received it in the name
of the city.
and steel institute entertained their Amer
lean friends at Delmonico's. 1t was the
date of the annual banquet of the
institute also. AS many persons as couli
be crowded into the banqueting hall were
there. Sir James Kitson, the retiring Presi-
dent, occupied the chair. At his right sat Gen
eral Sherman and at his left Mr.. Hewitt
General Sherman spoke on 1.-THE Welfare of
the United Slates." Mr.. Hewitt responded IN
place of MIR. Carnegie to the American Re-
ception Committed" Friday the last session
of the iron and steel institute will be held in
ChIckering Hall.
EVERYBODY has a good word for DR..
Bulls Cough Syrup. Its fame is world