The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-08-31
THIN SHEETS OF IRON.
Some Recently Rolled Run $500 to an Inc
Amopr tho pova1fiaS introduced c

Some Recently Rolled Run $500 to an Inchs
Among the novelties introduced on
the Continent lately are visiting cards
made of thin sheets of iron, a revival
of the exhibits made at the first Uni
versal exhibition, held in London in
1851. The French and Spanish journals
have been lately treating this matter
of fine rolling of sheets of iron as
novelty, but, in truth, the affair re-
suited in competition between Amer
lea and English metallurgists arising
out of the exhibit of a specimen of iron
paper, ii it may be SO termed, made in
1851 by an American firm. lively
competition in iron-rolling then en-
sued among British manufacturers as
to the thinness to which steel could be
rolled cold. Mr.. elliott rolled sheets
the average thickness of which was the
1.S00th part of an inch. In other words,
I, 500 sheets piled upon each other
would collectively measure an inch in
thickness, while the thinnest tissue
paper to be purchased in the stationers
shops, or cigarette paper, measured
the 1,20oth part of an inch.
These very thin iron sheets are per-
fectly smooth and easy to write on, al
though porous when held up to good
light. 1t may not be out of place, con-
sidering the great interest that is
taken by those connected with that
great branch of industry, the iron
trade, to give few curious particulars
as to the extent iron can be welded,
and the thin sheets that can be rolled
out. Brother Jonathan little thought
what hubbub you'd be created in
the old country forty-two years ago,
when from Pittsburgh he sent that
wonderful letter, written on sheet of
thousand sheets to make one inch in
thickness, the dimensions being eight
inches by five and one-half inches. or a
surface of forty-four inches and weigh
ing sixty-nine grains. The fact had no
sooner made its appearance in print
than Britain's sons began to work, and
soon we heard that a sheet containing
the same number Of surface inches, but
weighing only forty-six grains, had
been made at the Marshfield iron
works, Llanelly, Carmarthenshire, be-
ing exactly one-third less in weight.
But soon the Welsh leek had to give
way to the rose of England, for Stat
fordshire was anxious to take its wonted
lead. The Hope Iron Works succeeded
in making sheet of II surface inches,
weighing but SO grains. which. reduced
to the American and Welsh standard of
a. inches gives about 3S grains; Messrs.
r. Williams & Co.. SO inches 40 grains:
reduced to the same standard, about 81
grains. For time Staffordshire wore
the belt, but Wales became very rest
less and anxious for the honor of st.
David, SO further attempts were made.
Marshfield came again into the field.
They succeeded in making one sheet
Sx5}a inches, or a surface of A inches,
of the astounding weight of % h grains
only, which required no less than 2,5s3
sheets to make l inch in thickness: an
other sheet sx6 inches, or 4S surface
inches, weighed 25 grains but brought
to the standard of Al inches. gives but
% grains, and requires 1850 sheets to
make l inch in thickness. The Pom
tardawe Tin Works next came into the
field with a sheet 14slx7 GIG. or a sur
face OF 115x17 inches, weighing 60
grains; but being reduced to A inches
is 241s grains, a trifie heavier than the
Marshfeld, but Pontardawe claims 799
sheets to make inch in thickness.
We now come to the climax. The
mill manager of Messrs. w. Hallam &
Co., of the Upper Forest Tin works,
near Swansea, succeeded in making
sheet of the finest appearance and
thinness that has ever yet been seen by
mortal eye. The iron from which the
sheet was rolled was made on the
premises. 1t was worked in fnery
with charcoal and the usual blast;
afterward taken to the hammer, to be
formed into a regular fat bottom;
from thence conveyed to the balling
furnace. and when sufficiently heated
taken up to the rolls, heightened and
cut by shears into proper lengths
piled up, and transferred to the balling
furnace again; when heated it was
passed through the rolls, back again
into the balling furnace, and when
duly brought to the proper pitch was
taken to the rolls and made into a
good bar.
Such Is the history IN connection
with the forge department It was
then taken to the mills and rolled till
it was supposed to be thinner than %
grains, afterward passed through the
cold mills to give it the necessary
polish, and it stands on record as the
sheet of iron ever rolled. The
sheet in question was 10x519 inches, or
IS inches in surface, and weighed but
20 grains, which, being brought to the
standard of sx519 inches, or a. surface
inches, is but l6 grains, or 30 per cent.
less than any previous effort. and re-
buried at least 1880 to make one inch
n thickness.-Paper Makers Journal
American and Oriental Architecture.
Travellers in our southwest. and espe-
,ially in Mexico, find a striking re-
'emblance between the domestic archi-