Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-08-15

Processes Jh0t N0vo Come Int No
cent Uoe.3
Back In the hills of the Bald Eagle
valley OF Pennsylvania can be found
the most productive ore mines that
exist In any OF the Northern states,
says the Pittsburg Dispatch. The
manufacturing In that section SEEM
ed to commence as SOON as the first
settlement was made, and now there
can be found some of the most inter
esting and historical facts concerning
the early manufacture OF iron in its
every stage OF completion. from the
time 1t leaves the mine as ore until
1t reaches its last finish as true steel.
1t was here in this valley that the
charcoal blast furnace, once so popu
lar. but now almost unheard OF, made
its initial appearance in 1865; but
everything has undergone change
since that time, and now the only
thing left to mark the once popular
mode OF manufacture of iron Is one
small wooden structure which Is the
charcoal blazing furnace, the place
where the grandfather OF the late
Gov. Curtin made his first start in
life as an ironmaster,
In the place Of these once famous
furnaces there have been erected
chill blast furnaces OF more modern
kind, but the old mines are still as
productive as they were q hundred
years ago, and from all indications
are likely to continue so.
In ancient times it was the custom
in mining ore to dig straight down to
perhaps a depth OF SO to 100 feet,
and then strike out and take up the
vein from the base OF the pit; but
this has been done away with entire
ly, and the only plan now carried
into effect is to first remove the sur
face of useless gravel, and then to
mine the entire contents, which plan
makes mining practically as safe to
man as almost any other work. or
course, the new plan is trifle more
expensive, as the ore has to be gone
over by men and boys, so that all the
flint can be taken out. However,
this slight expense is more than
made up in the end, as mining by
the modern methods can be carried
on all winter, which formerly was
impossible under the pit, or single
vein system.
Down into the depths of the mine
nearest to the washer! of group
of mines is run an incline OF heavy
plank at about an angle of 45 de-
grees, on which double track is
laid; at the top of this incline is the
engine room and dumping house,
while the empty car goes down on one
side its own weight draws the loaded
car up on the other side, like an end
less chain, Stacking up so the loaded
car will have time to be dumped into
the washing cars, which are run
under the incline to receive the ore.
From the mine the ore is taken to
the washers" where it is thorough
ly washed and the flint picked out;
it is then ready for the market.
All along the railroads near the
mines are small loading stations
where the ore is loaded onto the cars
ready to be shipped to the furnaces.
At many OF the furnaces high
trestle work runs the cars right over
the receiving tank, but in most cases
the ore is raised to the tank by ele-
vators. which are run similar to the
cars on the incline.
1t is here in the large tank like
structure that the ore, mixed with
crushed coke is melted and made
into pure iron, the cinder and refuse
being skinned off the surface while
the iron is melting.
The foreign substances which iron
contains modify it's essential proper
ties. Carbon adds to it's hardness,
but destroys some Of its qualities,
and produces cast iron or steel ac-
cording to the proportion it contains.
Sulphur renders it fusible, difficult
to weld, and brittle when heated or
hot short" Phosphorus renders it
"cold short" but may be present in
the proportion of 81, 900 to 81, 900
without affecting injuriously it's te-
nacity. Anthony, arsenic and cop
per have the same effect as sulphur.
the last in greater degree.
The process Of making cast iron
depends much upon the description
of fuel used whether charcoal, coke,
bituminous or anthracite Goals. A
larger yield from the same furnace,
and a great economy in fuel, are
effected by the use Of hot blast.
The greater heat thus produced
causes the iron to combine with a
larger percentage Of foreign sub
stances.
These substances and also q por-
tion of foreign Ingredients from the
ore, such as earths of oxides of other
metals, and sometimes sulphur and
phosphorus, which are all injurious
30 it's quality are separated by melt
ing the iron in contact with air, and
soft iron is thus rendered harder and
stronger.
Iron is improved in quality by
judicious working, relocating it and
hammering or rolling; other things