The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-03
CHAIN MAKING.
Rennrk able FlexibnIty or tho Wrist Re.
quircd In Forging Links.

fOEBsh0
A bronzcd workman. whose barred arm
swung hammer with rhythmic bent upon
anvil stood in the glnre Of forge Are in a
building near the Pennsylvania Railroad Sta
ton In jersey City forging an iron chain.
Precipitation poured down his face and barred
chest. but he kept steadily at his work. He
turned out link after link with remarkable
rapidity and dextcrity. Half dozen forge
fires wero nblaze about him. and other work.
men. as big -chcstcd and strong armed rs he,
were forging also with their shirts thrown
wide open at the throat their slooves rolled
up at their elbows. and leather aprons bound
around their waist. Tho boss OF the forge.
rotund Jolly faced man. who was in his shirt
sleeves also. Gazcd at the workmen with pride.
They're toilers." he said. whose work
boats the work done by machines. and that
sort OF thing don't often happen nowadays.
you know. In chain making the human hand
Is moro trustworthy than any machinery yet
invented to do It's work. An odd thing about
chain making hereabouts is that you will
hardly ever find q native American engag cd
In 1t. In seventeen years OF business nevor
had n native chain maker at work. Most OF
them are English. although onco had n Cor
man and twice an Irishman who could make
tho heut tho laborer has to endure while at
WORK. Americans prefer trn'lcs whclo they
strength less. and they arc right about it,"
Onc Of the workmen in showing the method
most difficult TART 81 tne work. 1t was the it.
tinf ana Welding Of big INK around ho"k
who bent t n sa the sape
Nth With three blows Of his hammer. and sliI it
Rct aea ta t Whom fire he again 1t Whit
thrust it into. the ego OF the hook and cat
IT, fpen ends together Int" tns form nk
The link was heated a third time aud sippcI
over = shank OF iron besi % the,nnyil, Then
iron. called a swedgc with nhoiiowsl end thnt
exactly iitted over tn" round surface Of the
perfectly smooth and coomrI"te link .,,
nexbiiity q that worknan's wrist. Without
q chain. You would discover that fact at once
you were to watch h3rsssh"nr; who has .li
d nrS "t'n. AID
Weld lipk III .florif would b" cnmoy ana n,
erally before they arc years old. In stan ord
shire. whore most Of the eGainmaHk"r,!!
como from, boys and girls arc So, To- learn
tho trade when they are seven ycnrs old Wo-
In Stafford shire. They make light iron chnins
With small y, e Cha'nTnkcrs, INK mak" good
%nis s"nh Il y w" ssaa
ny Int the work ia. as have said. 81 cx-
hnustinE that few chRinmRkers work si"ndil5.
Their working hours NV rHgc Rnout SIX hours
a day. and considerin. tho character o. tn"
work that is n long, and mighty hard day.
work 1t represented an abundant cunt Of
sweat Of the brow for the PAL
What are the best chninst"
| chains" he, replied. and many cope, arc
| surprised when they arc told the tact. Most
folk. looking at tho cable ciiains made Tor war
ships md navy yards Imagine that they are
examples Of the hest and most dlinrGlt work.
| coinmonc,st and ennest work. The chm n
maker, who shapes md Yields the Zig links,
| llas two or three hclpers Ia nil him. ana tho
links. becnuse of their size, retain hra 40 long
| In the smaller chains tho makcr has 10 work
with increased spred and jextority because
tho links cool rapidly; The links, have to 30
moro perfectly welded In the smaller
s ssniHIi Of "er'ect Welding Hut Int hand
in thoroughness. Imperfect links pro
| turned nut 10y machines very frequently. but
hand OF work man that knew. his Nusinoss,
The hest chains in the world are known as
Lord Ward chains. and are made on tina other
side OF the water from mHterinl taken from
the Ear OF Derby's mines. HRnd-nade chains
cost twice as much ns the machine made. but,
ON tho other hand. hey are twice as good. and
they last twice as long. Chain making isn't
much ~ an Industry in this country. despite
tn tn, good wages earned ly and ,workmrn.
tensions IN this vicinity. There are other
lorgrs IN Trenton. Philadelphia Boston. and
Tc"y. aud that about finishes the list. In I roy
colony OF chpinmakrrs makes fair wages.
and many of the work men avn their own
chain used Wy Uncle Sam."