The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-06-02
THE FUTURE OF STEEL.


From the Philadelphia Record.
The day is not far distant when "pud-
died iron" will become a rarity. Samples
will be preserved in the cabinets of teach
biological institutions, just as the speci-
mems of copper and iron implements TAX.
en- from the Egyptian tombs or from the
ruins of Pompeii are carefully preserved
today. Before the general introduction
of the cheap Bessemer process OF making
steel-by blowing air through a great
caldron full of molten pig iron-vast
sums of money were sunk in efforts to
make mechanical appliances do the work
of the human puddier, who, If highly
skilled, earned enormous wages, and
was also a constant source of labor dis
turbances. None of these efforts was
practically successful, and the brawny
puddler conslderd his trade unassailab Bile.
The success of the Bessemer process has
been so great, however, that most people
suppose its position in the metallurgical
arts ito be absolutely unassallable.--
But this is far from being true. Slow
ly but surely the Bessemer method is be-
ing undermined by newer and better sys-
TENS. The most formidable competitor
of the Bessemer process is the open
hearth process; and some farseeing metal
lurgists are now beginning to predict that
the latter method is destined to supplant
the former, Just as the Bessemer sup
planted the puddler owing to the superb
GRITTY of the product. 1t is a curious fact
| not generally known that a piece of steel
made by the open hearth process, having
the same percentage of carbon and other
constituents as q piece of steel made by
| the Bessemer process, will weigh several
pounds more per cubic foot; and this
means, of course, a denser metal of more
| uniform structure, and therefore of great
| er endurance under ordinary wear or un-
| der sudden shock.
The so-called basic process is another
| development in the art of steel making
| which is principally valuable from the
| fact that 1t enormously extends the range
| of iron ores which are applicable to the
| purpose of making steel We have seen
| within a few years past an entirely new
| field for che use of iron or steel in the
| construction of the frame work of tall
| buildings. Other uses are sure to be
| found for steel now that its cost has
| reached so low a figure. For example 1t
| Is probable that the demand for good
| roads will lead to the adoption of a broad,
fiat steel rail plate, to be laid flush with
| the surface of the road for wheel tracks
| on roads where heavy hauling Is fire.
| quently done. This would double the haul
| ing capacity of a team of horses as COM
| pared with the average Except on well
| kept macadamized roads or turnpilkes),
| and the reduction in cost of maintenance
| would in a, few years pay the entire orr
| ginal outlay. Experiments have proved
| the merits of this scheme, and the fear
| of the rusting away of the plates when
| exposed to the weather appears to have
| been greatly exaggerated.
| We do not share in the belief that the
| capacity for the production of steel has
| far outstripped the worlds demand for it !;
| but we believe that new applications will
continue to be found, and that the pro-
| duction of steel will increase in proper =
ton to the decrease in its cost.