The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1898-03-31
BESSEnER STEEL'S INVENTOR.
The Man Whose Invention RevoIu-
tionized the Steel Taking Business
Passes Away at an Advanced Age.

o1e Oh the "oIIt > greatest btHt-
| factors has passed away in the recent
death Of Sir Henry Bessemer.
TO the genius Of this illnstrious
Briton the world is indebted for the
process Of converting pig iron into
steel; and when the impetus which
this invention has impaired to the
| worlds industrial progress is con-
sidered, it becomes apparent that
the niche of honor which both hem
ispheres have readily assigned to
him is not superior to the merit Of
his great achievement.
Most Of the inventions which have
given color to the century which is
now drawing to its close have come
from this side of the Atlantic, and
they include the achievement of such
illustrious men as Robert Fulton.
Elias Howe. Eli Whitney, Samuel F.
b. Morse, Cyrus w. Field and Thos.
A. Edison. Indeed, so rich have
been our contributions to the worlds
industrial progress that, without the
slightest tinge of jealousy in our
contemplating Of Sir Henry Besse-
mers achievement, we can heartily
unite with our brethren across the
water in placing the well-earned
wreath Of fame upon his brow.
Sir Henry Bessemer first announc-
ed his invention to the world in 1856,
and the circumstances leading up
to it are not without some interest
in this connection. He started out,
it seems. in the modest occupation
Of refining cast iron for the purpose
of manufacturing improved guns,
and while thus employed he conceiv-
ed the idea Of cxpelling the carbon
from the cast iron by means Of fore
ing air through the molten mass
Eighteen months were spent in the
laborious task Of testing the feast
bilitv of this idea. and finally the
health Of the inventor broke down
completely under the burden Of his
arduous work. But he did not give
up in despair, and when his health
returned to him at length, he APP
piled himself with increased zeal to
the perfection of his process, and
success eventually rewarded him.
After duly obtaining a patent for his
process, Sir Henry Bcssemcr sold
the right of using It to several iron
masters, but for some reason they
could not make it work successfully
in the production Of pure steel, and
they Immediately preferred charges
| of imposture and humbuggerv
| against him. In order to prove the
good faith in which he had disposed
Of the use of his patent. he bought it
back from the dissatisfied iron
masters. and after making some
| minor changes in it, embarked in
the manufacture of steel on his own
account. He set up his establish
| mcnt in the heart of Sheffield, and
soon demonstrated to his incrcdu-
| louS enemies the feasibility of his
process. The result of it was that
| the manufacture of steel throughout
| the world was almost instantly revo-
lutlonlZcd. Immense wealth poured
| into the Golfers of the ilustrious in
ventOr. and in the course of time the
| badge of knighthood was bestowed
| upon him. Under this process the
| cost of producing steel was not only
| considerably reduced. but at the
same time its quality was greatly
| improved. From that time forward
the building of railroads commenced
with renewed impetus and almost
every phase Of the worlds industrial
life manifested fresh signs of vitality.
Such. in brief. is the story of this
| invention which has been of such
surprising benefit to mankind.
But the manufacture of steel ac-
cording to this new process is not the
only achievement with which the
name of Sir Henry Bcssemcr is as
s"ciatcd. Up to 1881 he had patent
ed several useful inventions. all of
which he exhibited at the great inter
national exposition of that year.
Among these inventions were his
centrifugal pump, his sugar separ-
ator and his plate glass polisher.
Although the day of his usefulness
had passed ere the final summons
came to the aged inventor, weighted
down with the burden of more that
four score wears. the world neverthe-
less feels conscious of a great loss i'll
the death of Sir Henry BeSsemcr-
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