Birmingham age-herald., 1894-08-12
LOW GRADE OF PIG RAISED
To Foundry-What This Metal Will Do for Birmingham.
  What Col. Moody Says.

the country. Birmingham has future that is surpassed in brightness by no other southern city. She sprung up as if by magic, and it is only a short time until she will take another spring. When the iron industries began to be developed only few years ago people focked here. This will be repeated and in ten years Birming- ham will not be herself any more. There are few growlers who will not admit this assertion, but men well informed give it an affirmative applaud. They knew it, and soon all will know it.
 Some time ago, say about thirty days, there came to Birmingham upon invitation and solicitation of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company three men. These men were Col. Thomas P. Moody and two assistants, J. w. Miller and G. D. Turner of Chicago. They came here, not to sing song of what could not be done, but they came to do what they had pro posed to do, and this was to improve the low grade of pig iron that is now manu- factured in this district from coked iron, increasing its value, strength and soft ness. This was to be done by treating the iron chemically as it came from the fur mace tap-out.
 After arriving here these gentlemen spout several days looking at Birmingham and surroundings. With these they were very much pleased.
  the Little Belle furnace. Preparations for the demonstrations were made and these gentlemen began what they proposed to do. They took the iron as it ran from the tap-out of Little Belle and began treat ment of it. A certain amount was treated and certain amount was left untreated, so as to compare them. This proved suc- cessful, and day after day was kept up making an iron out of gray forge equal to in ha tlsR Of from $1.50 to g. 50 per ton.
 If the grade of iron treated is high grade it is made better in all ways. These demons trations were kept up and these gentlemen tried melted scraps and mix lures, which, when treated, turned out to be greatly enhanced in value and increased in strength and still retaining it's softness.
 To further these demonstrations they went over to the Howard Harrison pipe works, and, taking the treated iron, run out the finest pipe that has ever been turned out of these works from such iron. This was done day after day, and tests were made by experts who know thing when they see 1t.
 The method of handling the iron is very simple. As the iron comes from the tap out it is yun into cast iron moulds which have been treated by chemical process. Iu this msnner it is made denser, stronger, and still retaining it's softness, that being the desired end of all iron makers. These pipes were tested with hydraulic pressure and found to bear decidedly more pressure to the square inch than any of the other pipe.
 At the Howard Harrison Pipe works in making an entire line of thirty-one pipe, running from 30 to 36 inches, not a single pipe was lost and not one has been refused by an expert pipe tester through any fault of the iron. A report of MT. w. Y. Sniyely, an expert tester, shows that in breaking all test bars which were treated they stood greater amount of strain than those untreated. The untreated ones broke at an average of 1883 and the treated ones at an average of 1905, showing the treated ones to bear 472 pounds more strain to the square inch than the untreated. The amount of deflection of the untreated was 0.635 against 0.646 with which comparisons were made was from the same casts. Another statement which is before us from MT. ". P. Snively, pipe inspector of the Rochester the iron melted at Little Belle and run into 36-inch pipe at the Howard Harrison works, works charmingly, and with more than sufficient success. Not single de- feet was shown in this metal, the name. of which is 'Fortirolite, which word is distinct, meaning strong and safe. ~
 A statement of a test of four bars of iron 2x1x24 inches Tn length showed that No.l1 broke at 2115 with transverse strength, with 35 degrees defection; No. broke at
 
 broke at 1850, with 40 degrees defection, while No. broke at 2150, with 40 degrees defection.
 The four mates to these were bars inch in diameter. On tensile test No. broke at A 76O, No. at P, 370, No. at 23, 300, No. at 24 ,450
 This shows the strength and softness of this metal to be far superior to any un- treated metal or mixture which it is possi- ble to make from coke iron.
 This not only proves what these ge nj tle- men came here to do, but shows how the value of a low grade and in fact all grades of Birmingham pig can be increased in strength and retain its softness, which also means the enhancing of the value of the iron.
 On Thursday the last of these demonstra- tions was made and the end of what they proposed to do reached. They are now awaiting developments of some measures which are calculated to send thrill, re- iuvenated life through the industries of this olstrict, and moreover to work toward the end of establtsb!ng car wheel and jour- nal factory and also a piano plate factory.
 Yesterday afternoon an E-HERALD reporter sought these gentlemen and found Colonel Moody aud MT. Miller in room No. 7S of the Morris hotel. The reporter stated to the gentlemen the object Of his visit and was asked to fake seat. Without any preliminary discussion of the hot weather which the coloosi made pIeasant replies.
 "Coionel, How do you like 2irming- ham?' was the first question popped.
 VI am particularly pleased with your surroundings and your city has bright prospects," replied the colonel.
 l understanc that you are here in the district, aud am told that you have made demonstrations .ke pjst of which will he