The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-09-19
\ PERFECT SUCCESS.
Millions for Big Stone Gap and
Many More Millions for the
South II Reports From
Chattanooga Can
be Relied on.
The Large Basic Steel Plant Makes Its
First Run and the Result Proves
Highly satisfactory to
the Company.
THE PROBLEM SOLVED.

CHATTANOOGA. Tenn, Sept iS.-Grcat
interest has been aroused here by the
completion Of the Great Southern Steel
Companv's Works, constructed for the
purpose Of making steel by the Basic pro-
cess. The company purchased the Roane
Works and have had u large number OF
expert mechanics engaged for months
putting in gas rctorts. new furnaces,
hcarths, and otherwise rcmodeling the
old plant and adapting it for making stool
by tho new process.
Experiments ut the Henderson Works
at Birmingham have proved satisfactory
and there was no longer doubt that supc-
rior steel could be made with southern
ores hy the Basic process which has proved
70 successful in England and Germany.
Naturally. the men who invested millions
upon the chances Of success felt degree
Of anxiety to see the first run successfully
made, and IL number of them were in the
CITY to witness the interesting and to
them momcntous process ut its very start
ING point Among these arc Mr.. John H..
Inman of New York, Mr. Nat Baxter of
Nashville. Col a NJ Shook Of Tracy
CITY. Ii WAS hoped that Col II. 5. Cham
bcrlain would be here in time 20 witness
the first effort to make steel By the now
process, but he did not sail from England,
where he was with his family, until Fri
dny evening. and will not reach here until
about the 18th instant. \ number Of
pcoplc visited tho works OF the Southern
Steel Company to witness this interesting
event
This experiment is the most important
that has boon made in the South.
Tie result highly satisfactory and
the problem whether southern ores can
i,c made into steel by the Basic process is
considered solved This will, of course,
greatly increase the value of these ores
and will give new stimulus to southern
Industries.
The charge in the furnace consisted of
twenty tons, ono-third Of which was steel
uni wrought iron scraps mixed, and the
other two-,hirds Of charcca, pig iron
made ut tho Lagrange, Tenn, furnace.
The pix is graded rs No. 4 iron; it is de-
scribed as containing cighty-ninc one
hundrcdths of OH" per cent of silicon; two
-hundrcdths OF one per cent sulphur
and thrcc-tcnths OF one per cent phospho-
rous. The iron from which the pig WAS
81 ri
hematitc ore having 40 per cent of metal
lie iron, II per cent Of silica, and ono
fourth of ono per cent PHOSPHORUS.
A little later on. coke irons, made i'll
the Chattanooga ison district will be used
The furnace men agree to furnish iron low
enough in sulphur and silicon to adapt ii
to the process.
The experiment was made under the
direction OF Superintendent Benz
Talbot The services Of Mr.. Talbot
were secured last fall bv Col. a. VI. Shook
and Capt H. : Chamberlain, they having
gone to Eagand to thoroughly study the
latest appliances in the manufacture OF
steel and also to engage ono Of the steel
making experts Of England TO conduct
tho operations al the great Southern Steel
Mill. Mr. Talbot was manager of the
great steel WORKS Of the Earl OF Dudley
i'll Stancrdshifc; this plant is one OF the
greatest steel making establishments i'll
the world. Mr Talbot was the assistant
of Thos. Gilchrst, the patcntec of the
Basic process and ono of the most adj
vanccd thinkers and profoundcst students
Of motalurgy on the globe.
The steel cast Was Il superior soft low
carbon steel finely adapted for boiler
plates. structural work, etc. For the
present the blooms will be made and as
soon As the new engine can be put in
motion tho mill will be started up rolling
billcts.
The Times saws cditoriallv:
The ties, n perfect success, both Ia the working
Of the furnace aid IN the quality Of the product
The charge WAS charcoal pig iron with q small per-
cenisgc q scrsp. The VI this initial
sion nsures the continued success OF the plant In
inaking The highest grade Of mild steel, using the
ordinary southern metal material.
And ,his millions for the southern Iron trade
nothing has occurred In the history OF the business In
thls section that IS o. anything like equal Importance.
Thi. plAu ~il be not alone the pioneer Of like plants
al various point. IL the Sonth, but lts will In
time greatly stimulate and Diversity the entire iron
Industry. IL Few years the South will not merely
make ell the steel required fer its peoples consump-
uon, hat were comparatively small matter; but
owing 20 cheapnoss q material and manipula-
on. our furnaces will more thsn hold their own In
competition with those OF the North In their own
markets, II IL not putting 1t too strong 10 say that
the suocessfu working Of this concrrn-nnd its sue
cess IL asIured-Wi add 10 the valne Of southern
Iron products many millions yearly, and retain many
c;hc. millions nj home that sent abroad 10
purchase steel aid manufactures o. steel. The
etlsl 10: all foruA ot merchant rieel, for tin plate,
cutlery, fpTinS,, bcilers-cvcrything made OF mild
steel, 10 superior the ordinary Ecssencr. II fol-
lows il.i IL production Will At attract TO this
city and 10 other points Sonth where Basic steel will
DC made. great variety OF industries that employ
capital, the higher grades Of skilled and much COM
mon labor.
Mcssrs. lnman. Baxter and Shook left
for Nashvillcin the evening and expressed
I themselves highly delighted with the ex
pertinent They regard it as adding mil
lions TO the value OF southern iron
4 EXTRA SESSION OF CONGRESS-