The San Francisco call., 1897-03-14

In all these details the VlSltor Is agreedpiy
startled by toll, wonderfully sweet as OF
a deep toned bell, which he subsequently
learns is an old tire of a car wheel struck
by a sledge- hammer. One, two, three,
four peals rim out, and from every quar-
ter of the mills men and boys appear.
They scurrv hither and thither, while
their shouts are heard above the roar and
din. These seem unintelliglble, but are
apparently understood by these sons OF
Vulcan. A boy scrambles up The ladder
leading to the top of the great hammer
and turns on the steam, and one sees the
piston rod sliding up and down, as If test
ing It's strength.
The enormous crane, operated by COM
pressed air is seen TO rise two or three
inches, lifting the forty tons of metal de-
pending from it; the props are knocked
out; men pull the bricks from the mouth
of the furnace with ten-foot pincers, the
furnace door is raised and, with a rush of
flame, the end of the rudder frame, look
ing like great piece of glowing ice, is
drawn out. A shower of mixed sand and
borax is thrown upon it for fux, and
the mass of glowing metal is gradually
swung toward the hammer.
After much maneuvering the end of
the forging, which has ell the time
dripped sparks as if its hearts blood was
ebbing from it. is rested on the block, and
a dull thud and showers of sparks ind-
cate the hammers first blow. This is
followed by several others, until the iron
is crushed to the required thickness.
Then by means of levers ana the handles
clamped to the "porter- bar" the mass is
turned and the four sides shaped. When
it has gained the required dimensions the
crane swings back, small bars of iron are
heaped upon the end and the forging is
returned to the oven, where it remains
for from four to six hours, until the new
metal is in a condition to be thoroughly
welded, when the same process is re-
peated.
When the rough shape is finally forged
it will be cut off at its junction with the
porter barr ana sent to the machine
shop to be turned, planed and grooved
down to the finished shape, after which it
will be transported to the Union Iron
Works, there to become the finished rud-
der of the ship that it is hoped will be the
best in the white squadron"
The work of forging this mass of iron is
entrusted to Foreman A. w. Probert, one
of the m ost skilled workmen in his craft
in the United States. He has been con-
nected with the rolling-mills for the past
six years and has superintended all of the
large forgings that have been made there.
He it was who brought to D. rfection the
sternpost OF the battle-ship "Oregon,"
weighing some fifteen tons. AT the time
the work was considered something mar
velous. Compared TO the present forging
it becomes small and almost insignificant
The crane used to support this weight
of forty tons was constructed from the
designs and under the immediate super
vision of Mr.. Probert, and in point OF
strength, durability and mechanical skill
is one Of the most perfect of its kind ever
built.
In the construction of forging the size
OF this, an old shaft is first brought into
requisition. After its end is squared small
bars of iron of the required length, six
inches broad and an incn in thickness, are
laid on in loose layers to the weight of
from 1900 to 1000 pounds. allowing pro-
lection for the next addition. The shape
Is taken into consideration, and the
manipulation 10 get it as near perfection
as possible and save as much labor and
material IN the subsequent finishing re-
quires much care and forethought.
The furnace must be of certain heat,
the iron on being forged must not be too
hot nor too cold, the time for heating
must be carefully looked after. and many
things unthcught of by one not skilled in
the work enters into the bringing to per-
lection of such stupendous undertaking.
Yet the work is done on this coast by
American workinemen and is to be paid
for out of the United States treasury and
TO become the rudder of ship dedicated
to the protection OF American homes and
commerce. ]. M. SHAwHAN.