Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1894-09-13
IN THE STEEL MILLS.
A WORkMAN'S ACCOUNT OF HIS
FIRST DAY AT HOMESTEAD.

Awed by the Deafening Noise and Roaring
Flames and I5iistered by the Terrible
Heat-The Fate of One Poor Man--Tossed
with Aching Bones at Night.
When l went to the superintendent
and asked for work, he said, "What
can you do?"
Anything. l am large, strong, ac-
tive and willing have been about
machinery all my life and want work
badly"
He touched q button, and a boy APP
peared "Show this man down to the
converting mill and ask Frod if he can
do anything for him. Good morning"
he said, and my interview was over
put on my new overalls and jumper
and followed my guide down through
the mills. We made our way through
piles of stock, raw material, rolls, etc.,
and came at last to the huge converting
mill. The superintendent was found
and the word delivered. He glanced at
me moment; then said, not unkindly.
"You look good and strong. Jump in
and help those fellows there ON those
vessels. "
l hardly knew what he meant, but
through the smoke and steam saw
some men beneath one of the vessels, or
converters, working with sledges and
bars to get the bottom off. The mill,
with its ponderous and massive cranes,
tho immense vessels all covered with
black scale and SCOT, the flying sparks,
the roaring flames, the lights coming
and going, the air filled with steam and
smoke, and, finally, the shrill and deaf
ening noise, awed, confused and even
disconnected me more than / should
have liked to acknowledge.
Iseized a sledge lying near and jump
ed in. We at last got out the ''keys, I"
as they call the wedges which hold the
converter together, and by the help Of
a hydraulic ram took the bottom off.
This left white hot opening feet in
diameter and about 6 feet from the
ground, under which we must work. It
seemed to me as though the skin on my
neck and hands would burst with the
heat. My clothes even steamed and
SIlOhclt' IlON w iSICIl L uiO DcCll any :
where under the sun-good old Sol
rather than under this tiendishly hot
sun hanging so very near us!
When we had the new bottom on, we
went up to the platform above the con-
verters and drove the keys home more
securely and stopped any small hole
there might be with ball stuff. "
A shrieking engine passed by me and
swiftly poured into the converter a
cheat of iron. Then the blast was
turned on, and cloud of yellow and
saffron flame, mixed with sparks and
small particles of metal, rushed out of
the mouth of the converter into the air.
One of the men caught me by the arm
and pulled me away just in time to save
me from being seriously burned, for I
was not expecting the flame.
By noon was so tired could hardly
stand, but l stuck to it for all was
worth. During the afternoon frequent
ly fell down because my knees were too
weak to hold me up My hands were
burned and blistered, and my new over
alls were filled with holes burned by
flying sparks. About o'clock in the
afternoon, while working under the
platform, l was startled to see a stream
of red fire run over the edge Of the plat
form and strike in the midst of some
workmen. AS it touched the wet ground
| it exploded with report like that of a
cannon. The molten metal flew in every
direction. Many workmen were burned