The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-07-09
STEEL WITHOUT PIG.
A Process Expected to RevO-
IutiOnize Iron Making
To be Put in Operation at Johnson
City, Tennessee,
special Cincinnati Commercial Gazette

special Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.
WASHINGTON, July 5,-Passengers
by the Queen and Crescent through
line from Cincinnati to Charleston
will see to the left of the train at John
son City, Tenn, u new furnace of
large proportions, 1t was erected us n
Bessemer iron works, and is planned to
he the most extensive OF the kind in
the country. II is soon to become the
pioneer establishment in the United
states for the production of steel di-
rectly from the ore. The process is
one heretofore known to and used only
by the Russian Government.
An inventor and artisan in iron, res
ident near Washington, has perfected
the plans for plant which is an inn
provement on the Russian method,
and which experts in iron manufac-
ture, after due examination, have de-
clared will undoubtedly produce steel
OF the first quality directly from the
ore, without the necessity OF the usual
preliminary reduction to the pig.
In a word, the ore from the mine is
fed into the furnace, and in the course
of the reduction it becomes carbonzed
and the product, as obtained by the
single operation, is steel in the state in
which it is delivered by the various
other methods which begin with the
pig, after an independent reduction to
this latter form.
A strong company has been formed
to develop this method, 1t is easily
seen that if successful it must revolu-
tionize the steel industry OF the coun-
try and bring the cost to very much
lower figures.
The new steel en- terprises of the
South are of vast Importance not only
70 that section and the regions imme-
diately tributary to it, but to the
WHOLE country. One plant has been in
operation in Chattanooga some
months, and others are in process of
construction. There is another which
expects to compete for the new steel
guns near Cumberland Gap. The
steel sheets for the new American tin
plates are likely to be nearly all pro-
duced in the Chattanooga region on
account of the low figures at which
they can be manufactured.
The ores used at Johnson City are
from the famous Cranberry mines on
the border OF North Carolina. The
quantity of ore in sight is beyond
computation. 1t is mined and de
livered at the furnaces at a cost of fifty
cents ton. Besides the advantages
Of these low figures it has also beer
proved to be the best ore for the man
u.tSture OF steel yet found in sucl
quantities.
When these new steel producing in
dustries are fully established, anC
added to the already wonderful irol
development in the region to the south
ward and still ut the doors of Cincin
natl, its influence upon the manufac
turing and commercial interests of tina
city must be of great moment.
The figures of the new census hay
shown that hereafter the great irol
centers of the Eastern United State
are to be the East Tennessee an
Northern Alabama regions. To tn
former those mountain sections {
Virginia, Kentucky and North Cart
lima properly belong. These are all .
the Southern door Of Cincinnati Fc
her own interest that city shoul
make early and close study OF thes
changing elements Of industrial deve
opment, FL. v. B.
[Thecorrespondent is mistaken in tx
route mentioned, as we'll as TO the vi
Of the furnace already erected her
The furnaces for the Russian proce
here are to be erected forthwith. +
might also have added that Johnsc
City is the point where steel produ
ton will be cheaper than elsewhere
INr