The age-herald., 1897-08-20
THEIR PRODUCT IN DEMAND
Part of the Birmingham Rolling
 Mills to Run Night and Day
THE. STEEL AGE A REALITY
lngots From the Steel Furnace Carried Through the Plate and Bar Mills With
 Satisfactory Results.

Everybody is imbued with the belief that the first consignment of prosperity has arrived and a waybill has been re- c=ived for the other.
 The Birmingham Rolling Mill company is coming in for it's share of the article. It's products are in demand and with Monday night the bar mill and two fur naces will begin running night and day.
 The steel age is a thoroughly demon- stratsd reality. The ingots of pure steel turned out from the new basic open hearth furnace have been used In the finishing department of the rolling mills since Monday. The first tests were made yesterday and the result was satisfac tory to the most critical experts. The plate and bar mills have heretofore been fed with ingots from northern furnaces. This fact is now history. Birmingham steel will hereafter go through the mill and come out suitable for boxes boiler plate and other things for which steel is utilized.
 The product of the Birmingham roll ing mills is more in demand than 1t has been for a year and half For this period the bar mill has only bean run ming during the day, or one shift as it was designated among the workmen. Be- ginning Monday night the machinery will not be allowed to get cold. The bar mill and two furnaces will be run night and day.
 The plates rolled from the mill have stood the test admirably. Sheet steel for roofing, stove pipes and other uses was rolled from the plate mill on a S2 guaga. This is much less than the usual guage and was only done as a thorough test of the quality of the steel. Super intendent J. D. Dwyer, with other ex- perts, stood and watched the operation. aWhen the large sheets came from the mill without a flaw the delight of the experts was unbounded.
 Yesterday the steel was given a test in the bar mill One and a half inch rods sixty-five feet in length were turned out while. the experts stood and watched. To the eye it appeared perfectly satisfactory They desired to be convinced of it's perfectness by practical test and sev- eral pieces were taken to the blacksmith shop. Here it was cut and welded into its high standard of quality was thorough ly established. When put under the shears it cut just as a lump of lead. It is said by experts that this is sure indi- cation of the high quality and strength of purpose. It could be readily turned into car springs, buggy springs and other things, where a high tencil strength is required.
 instrumental in the inception of steel making in Birmingham and the success of the enterprise is pleasing to him.
 MT. Dwyer said: q could not wish Birmingham is more satisfactory than that we have bsen getting from tae north. It can stand more heat, is of stronger fibre and the tensil strength is G0,O00 pounds to the square inch"
 F Steel is made in Birmingham and yet the foundries around Pittsburg make a profit from furnishing heavy castings to the enterprises of this district This is 0 useless expenditure of mpney. The freight on sending the steel up there and back when it comes in the desired form, could be saved. if nothing more.
 In this connection MT. Dwyer said: "Yes, we have been compelled to send to Pennsylvania for our heavy castings. This will not be the custom much !ongsr, for understand there Is project on fo t to locate foundry to do this work in near Birmingham
 By September first the second steel fur mace will be ready to aid its older sister in mol3ing the steel ingots that mark an epoch in Birmingham's progress. The maximum output of both furnaces will be 140 tons and the averag 120. This is for the day run of ten hours only, md the output can be doubled by a night run.