davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-06-28
LOST N FOUND.

KNIFE LOST-Pesrr handle knife, between
Rumford and Providence, Saturday night,
following car track. Reward l2G Mawney
street, Elmwood. ie23-6t
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-06-28

MERCHANTS SAVINGS BANK,
OPEN 8 to 2.
dividend No 4 in liquidation OF 10 per cent
- now payable. J ANGEL. Treas
Providence, June 16. 1903. je2s-6t Z
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-05

cooled by stream of water previous to
their removal.
The system OF transportation extends
into the shops and through them, and
In the foundry, the forge building and
the great machine shops are overhead
tracks. on which run great cranes. The
lump of steel as IL is being fashioned
into the gun tube or gun hoop is picked
up by these cranes and carried from one
place to another within the shops, and
as IL is necessary to move IL from one
shop To another IL Is loaded on car
and hauled by the dummy engine to its
destination.
Steam hammers are familiar imple-
ments TO any one who has lived i'm an
iron working community. Visitors to
the Worlds fair saw them in operation,
and lesser expositions have shown
them. But no such hammer as the one
at Bethlehem exists anywhere in the
world except at Essen. The Krupp
works have a larger hammer now. but
the Bethlehem hammer was the largest
I'm the world when IL was erected. II
has "A falling weight OF 125 tons. For
four years il has stood idle and useless.
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-05
copyright, 1881


A thousand men are working I'm three
shifts night and day In the great shops
at South Bethlehem. Pa, getting ready
guns for coast defense and for our ships.
More than 81 900. 900 worth of war mate
rial is under contract TO the Bethlehem
Iron works, and the furnaces are kept
roaring for the "a hours In every day.
They are not in full operation, though,
for they employ on private contracts and
government work together nearly 1000
men.
President Linderman. the head OF the
great company. is In Washington much
of the time in consultation with the au-
thorities at the capitol, at the war de-
partment and at the navy department.
while General Manager Sayre keeps his
eye on the huge hammers and presses
and the enormous lathes which are
pounding and squeezing and cutting the
great engines OF war into shape.
-Four army and navy officers are
constantly experimenting the work for
the government, testing ii and approx
ing IL before IL is accepted and paid for.
Captain j. Walker Benet is In charge
of the army inspection and Lieutenant
w. NJ. Irwin of the inspection for the
navy.
While they are on contracts for the
governments the Bethlehem works are
practically part OF the army and navy
establishment. In fact. the government
could seize them in any great emergen-
cy and operate them entirely for its own
benefit Whep>the controversy over the
price of armor plate arose in congress.
this was advocated by some radical
members, but IL was never considered
seriously. Only war emergency would
warrant the government in taking pos
session OF the plant. But precautions
are taken that IL shall not be open to
general inspection. and ii requires some
diplomacy to obtain from the office OF
the president one of the yellow slips of
paper admitting you TO the works. With
out this pass you would be stopped by
one of the watchmen and turned away.
A high board fence surrounds the works.
and at every gate sits man in box
house TO see that no strangers without
permission from the authorities enter
the grounds. Watchmen guard the
shops also, and they punch holes in your
pass to show that 1t has been used.
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-05

three miles. and the grounds around
them are more than mile long. The
works stand on a blum overlooking the
river. Beside them run the tracks OF
the Lehigh Valley railroad. and the
Bethlehem Iron works is regular sta
tion on that road. a town OF itself.
Between the buildings is a network
OF tracks connecting with the railroad
company's yards. These tracks connect
with all the great buildings. so that
coal and metal can be delivered from
the mine directly at the point where
they are needed and the product OF the
works can be taken from the finishing
shop direct to it's destination. Among
the buildings runs also a narrow gauge
road on which a dummy engine switch
es cars from one house to the other
for you must remember that a IL
inch gun weighs 1276s0 pounds, and in
handling first it's parts as they are de-
veloped and then the completed gun
enormous power must be used.
Scattered here and there about the
yards are piles of debris, pieces OF
molds and near the casting house are
great castings, whose jackets are being
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-05

the steel is melting through little holes.
but you must look through blue glass IL
you would save your eyes from a glare
more brilliant than the sun. Through
this glass you look on a sea of violet
white, dazzlingly brilliant, tossing and
squirting above the furnace fame. This
sea is being raised slowly to tempera-
ture of $50 degrees +. When IL has
reached this point and little has been
drawn off and tested chemically, the
mouth of the furnace is opened. and.
flowing like a living flame, sending
showers of sparks i'm all directions, the
metal runs down into a ''ladle." This
ladle is so named from the office IL per-
forms, but in general appearance IL is
unlike any ladle you have ever seen. 1t
is a tank about seven feet cube. with an
opening at the top and, unlike the ladle
OF household use and fame, an opening
at the bottom. This tank runs on
wheels OF steel on tracks which are laid
on each side OF the casting pit. 1t holds
30 tons OF molten metal.
When the ladle is full, IL is run down
the track TO the place where the mold
is lying ready. Men, walking at each
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-05

IL is so big that IL Jared all the ma
chinery i'm the other buildings, firm as
the foundations are. and drove the tools
OF the great gun lathesrsn inch deep
into the tough steel.
There are smaller hammers in the
building with the large one. which are
In use TO shape the massive castings,
but most OF the work on the gun cast
ings Is done by steady pressure and not
by blows The great presses-one OF
them exerts n pressure OF $4,000 tons
--are as spectacular as the hammers.
But most impressive OF all is the cast
ing room where molten metal flows in
"A shower of sparks from furnaces and
bubbles, seething and glowing, in the
molds
Ingots for the great coast defense guns
are made at Bethlehem from Whitworth
open hearth steel by the fluid compress
ed process. What Whtworth open
hearth steel Is you can learn from your
encyclopedia. 1 shall tell you only how
IL looks. first as IL becomes fluid In the
ri Nv OF the great gas furnace and then
as A passes 20 the molds I'm the pit be-
low the building floor.
The furnaces are at the top OF the
gloomy building. IL Is long building.
dimly lighted. black with coal dirt, and
showers dust and SCOT on you as
you enter IT, Working about steel
furnace Is a smutty business. and the
gases from coal and metal make II n
suffocating business too.
You can look into the furnaces where
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-05

side. pry with crowbars OF iron under
the wheels. keeping at respectful dis
tance from the superheated tank. In
this way the ladle is pushed along, and
the crowbars block the wheels when
the vent is just above the opening in
the casting box intended to receive the
metal. Then a man standing beside the
ladle turns an upright wheel. like the
pilots wheel on a ship. but made or
iron and smaller, and without sound
the thick golden stream pours from the
bottom Of the ladle into the box. Show
ers OF sparks fly from it and play about
the men who are watching the flow.
They look like an exhibition OF Chinese
fireworks, but they cannot be very dan
gerous, for the men face them without
flinching. every eye but the pilots fixed
on the top OF the box.
"Ho-o-o." cry a half dozen voices.
and the pilot puts his helm a-starboard.
and the flow OF metal stops. In the
opening at the top OF the casting box
the metal. glowing still with its tenn
perature only 100 degrees less than
when IL came from the furnace. Is toss
ing and throwing its tiny waves up
ward. as though seeking 10 escape.
The casting box is mounted on wheels.
which run on another track laid i'm the
pit. Down this track IL Is rolled until 1t
reaches n hydraulic press. The plunger
Of this press In inserted In the top OF
the box. the bed OF the press Is moved
up from below under enormous pres
sure. and the great 'ngot Is corintcsfed'
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-05
A Thousand Men Are Working Night and Day
at the Bethlehem Iron Works.

now engaged is for twenty-five inch.
fifty 10 inch. twenty-five IL inch guns
and one 16 inch gun for seacoast de-
fense, of which the 8 inch guns and
some OF the 10 inch guns have been de-
livered: for eighteen 10 inch and fiye
IL inch disappearing gun carriages, or
which IL OF the 10 inch carriages have
been delivered; for gun forgings for the
navy. OF which the large guns are TO be
completed at the Washington navy yard
and the inch guns at Bethlehem, Nnd
TO finish up the armor for the Kearsafge
and the Kentucky.
That doesn't look like a very big con-
tract. But bear in mind SecreNry
Longs estimate that each of thaI 10
inch guns on the Maine was worth I43.-
500, and the contract begins TO assHme
greater Importance. Figure thFt the
castings for a IL inchegiIn ares sNsrth
s42. 900 and that IL takes 10000 irYcGe to
assemble the parts and "macbine"
them, that the 16 inch gun now making
at Bethlehem will cost the government
at least $175,0O0 before IL is completed
and that every ton of the armor plate
made for our battleships Is worth S4O0,
and the work being done there assumes
immense Importance. What its impor-
tance TO us in time of war may be is
something beyond computation. IL was
not so many years ago that we had to
get our castings from abroad, and in
time of war without the great Pennsyl-
vania steel works which now supply
this material we should be unable 10
go on with the preparation of heavy
ordnance This Is the more serious in
view OF the fact that the great modern
gun must be rebuilt after 300 shots and
is useless after 500 or 500 have been
fired
The armor plant OF the Bethlehem
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-05

On yellow slip No. 951. signed by Rob-
ert Il. Linderman, president, went
through the great shops and watched
every step OF the operation OF making
one Of the great guns which arc TO keep
foreign battleships at respectful dis
tance from our coast in time OF war.
This pass read:
THE BETHLEHEM IRON COMPANY.
South Bethlehem, Pa.
Admit bearer TO the following depart
Machine shop No. Q Machine shop No 3
Forge Building Hammer Building.
Carbonizing Plant: Plate MIL
ROBERT p. LlNDERMAN.
President.
Good this day only.
Let me tell you briefly what war work
The Bethlehem works are doing for our
army and navy before / begin to de-
scribe the progress OF a piece OF metal
from the furnace to the finished gun.
The government of the United States
has its own gun factories. one at the
navy ward i'm Washington the other at
watervliet arsenal. New York. IL has
no means Of making castings for great
guns. however. and no armor plate fac
tory. II has 10 get Its armor plate
from private contractors. and the parts
OF its great guns come from one or
other OF the great steel works of Penn
svlvania. The greatest Of these works
e. at Bethlehem, and here are made the
castings for the guns which are turned
Ont an the Wsshluston navy yard and
an Watervliet and many finished guns
as we'll
The contract on which the works are
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-05

works alone cost s4.oOo00O. The whole
works are worth more than twice that
sum. and this enormous, costly plant ~
at the service of the government at any
time.
There is not much that is picturesque
about the exterior of great gun plant
There are groups OF buildings-the lon
gest of them 1920 feet-coal begrimed,
OF the simplest type of architecture and
surmounted by tall chimneys, from
some OF which fire and smoke are pour
ing. The buildings at Bethlehem II put
end TO end would stretch out for nearly
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-05

Melville ID. Post. who was widely GEN.
sured for pointing out the loopholes
through which criminals may escape. In
his book. strange Schemes Of Randolph
Mason" has written another book of the
same kind. lie says that no one should
be censurcd for pointing out the vices
and SHORTCOMINGS OF the law
The Saint Paul globe., 1898-08-29

1t were simply nonsensical It would not be
Objectionable altogether. Nobody expects to
add to his knowledge by sitting through a
farce-comedy. But one has o right to ex-
pect to be amused. "Finnigan's Ball. does
not amuse in the least. There is only one
bright line In it, and that is somewhat risquo.
There LIS a lot of knockabout work that
might be funny If it were well DONE which 1t
Is not and lot Of singing that could not
well De worse. The good things are borrowed,
TO put 1T mildly, and the jokes are all very
old Fred Wilson is not at all bad in his
speciality with Len Denmore, but he does ex-
actly the things that Jimmie Russell does
That he does them we'll is not particularly to
his credit, for he ought to be a bit original
He is neither fair to the Russells nor to
the public Eric Pollock is playing the part
that Billy Van is announced to play and
doing 1t badly enough not to mar the en-
semble of things wholly bad.
The Trumbull Sisters did a turn with harps
that was novelty, but they would not at
all hurt their work If they cut out the dan
cling specially to the music Of national airs
syncopated. One does not like to hear 1.-THE
Star-Spangled Banner" played in rag time as
an accompaniment to step dancing. Kittie
Hawthorne did musical specially that was
at least free from coarseness If 1t had no
particular merit. Kitty Beck did her little
Speciality with her familiar lisp not too badly.
All OF the women are handsomely gowned.
Ihe Grand last night packed to the
doors by an audience that was easily amused
and that laughed uproariously at the gro
tesque attempts at humor Of the people on
the stage. 1t is to the credit Of the house
that much of the applause came from the
galleries. The same bill through the week.
The Saint Paul globe., 1898-08-29
General Shafter,

1t seems unfortunate that at the close
Of his services in Cuba Gen. Shafter
should prove so indiscreet as to in
dulge In an extended newspaper inter-
view bearing upon the campaign of
result, apparently, of the insufferab.y
egotistical and undignifed example set
by Gen. Alger as secretary of war
In fact, as one reads Alger's effusion
to Mr.. Depew, and Gen. Shafter's in
terview with himself, the latter seems
a mere supplement to the original act
of folly. The proper time for Alger's
explanation of the conduct of the de-
partment during our war was when he
came to make up his report for sub
mission to the people through the pres
1dent, and the proper place for Gen.
Skaters explanation was the war de-
partment, either through Gen. Miles or
the secretary of war himself
The country has become very tired
Of Alger and his methods, so offensive
to ordinary decency. to say nothing
of the degree in which they shall serve
to lower the dignity of our department
of war in the eyes of the world
Gen. Shafter, by his introduction of
the personal pronoun with so much
frequency, his exhibition of Door taste.
and the manner in which he has COM
municated to the American people, has
added nothing to his reputation. MANY
doubts have existed as to his CAPACITY
for the leadership of the army in the
Santiago campaign; but, in view of the
victory achieved, much that seemed to
call both for indignation and condem-
nation has been passed over without
loss of self-control by the people whom
he failed to impress strongly with his
military ability. This ebullition of
mingled egotism and apology can only
have the effect of detracting from the
honors which the public permitted to
repOse with him.
The Saint Paul globe., 1898-08-29
Kissing Heroes.

1t is alleged that Gems Lee and Wheeler
kissed each other when they met in Washing
ton few days ago. This locks like an in
fringement upon the rights and customs Of
certain Euro2ean monarchs who carry their
whiskers wherever they go.-Cleveland
Leader.
The act recorded above appears to
have occurred since the osculatory per-
formance of Lieut. Hobson and Miss
Arnold, when they came together, In
like fashion, fortnight and more ago.
The case of Lieut.. Hobson and Miss
Arnold was Of a nature calculated to
make mans mouth water at the very
thought Of it. But one can hardly say
the same Of the case Of Wheeler and
Lee. 1t is just possible that these two
somewhat aged men happened to re-
call simultaneously the pleasing his
torical incident noted, just as they
chanced to meet. and. each recognizing
in the other hero and there being no
other heroes present and feeling their
mouths beginning to water. they i'm
pulsively went ct each other. 1t was
a touching episode, but it still lacks
reasonable explanation. 1t may have
been that, realizing their antiquity
and missing the kiss that was due them
as heroes, owing to the absence or any
pretty girls to offer them kisses, they
kissed themselves. Or. Furthermore,
there may have been pretty girls pres
ent, who were shy, and the old gal
lants simply went through the per-
formance to give the fair ones a hint
as to what they regarded as the prop
er thing to do all around. The whole
affair, however, was apparently due
to the Hobson-Arnold kiss. and dem
onstrates once again the force Of ex-
ample. But one would have thought
these venerable cavaliers could not
thus have been moved.
The record Of the incident should
have been accompanied by official ex-
PLANTATION of some sort. It Is too vex-
atious to admit of further analysis.
The Saint Paul globe., 1898-08-29
EpistHes to St. Paul.

Her name was Trilby OShaughnessy. She
was on her way to saltwater to join her
family. She did not linger long in st. Paul,
and she arrived at saltwater last Friday.
Since then John OShaughnessy, who not
only abides in Saltwater. but has most Of the
town with him on pretty near any old prop
osition, has been having a bad time. Not
that Trilby O'Staughnessy is not a very
well-conducted individual or that ever there
have been any remarks made about her per-
sonally. But they have been trying to figure
up at Saltwater why John should want to
take her to the bosom of his family. The
fact that the Saltwater Gazette and other
papers have taken the matter up and talked
about it does not help John any, but he will
presently have to get out a card and explain
where he got her and what he proposes to
do with her.
It might be remarked incidentally that Tril-
by OaShaughnessy is as we'll conducted a goat
as ever ate a tomato can, and that the way
she wears the collar upon which her name is
engraved is pattern to all goats.
The suburban papers occasionally turn a
trick as well as the rural exchanges.
One this week says:
&c. w. Nixon while riding his wheel col
lided with one of Holman's cows one day this
week. The wheel was slightly damaged and
the milk slightly scorched."
Another gem is to the effect that "The
Ducas street police station has undergone
thorough repairing in addition to a new pair
of horses"
Papa" said the little st. Anthony Park
boy, whats this fifth estate the paper tells
aIbout?"
Judging from the Republican nominations
in Minneapolis" replied papa, his irony
scarcely buried by good nature, at includes
everything from painless dentist to pen.
sion shark"
reminiscent old settler yesterday called
attention Of The G o b e to the fact that Dr.
Albert Alonzo Ames and William High Eus-
tis had both been ''fre kings at St. Paul ice
palaces
He had been talking about number of
chairs that Ames never sat In, too.
The Philistine.
The Saint Paul globe., 1898-08-29
The Cars Peace Call.

The invitation extended by the cZar
of Russia to the great powers Of Eu-
rope to join in an international con-
ference having for it's professed object
the discontinuance at least of further
increase OF armaments seems possessed
CT much significance, coming at this
particular juncture. The railway con-
cessions obtained by Russia from
China have not been regarded with
favor by the British government, and
many mutterings of dissatisfaction
have been heard during the past week
semi officially and through the British
press.
The movement Of Germany several
months ago, by which that government
secured a lodgment on Chinese terri
tory, was evidently the prelude to the
present agitation. Ever since that
event apprehension for the safety of
the imperial household of China has
been manifest, even to the extent of
proposal to transfer it bodily to some
interior point. The recent speech of
Lord Salisbury in which he made sin
lister reference to dying nations" and
eral breakup Great Britain would not
be deprived of her SHARE doubtless has
had its effect. Perhaps, too, the pecu-
harly friendly attitude between Great
Britain and the United States, as we'll
as the development of our naval prow-
ess during the war just closed, has
combined to impress Russia and Ger
many alike of possibilities which
might prove uncomfortable to both.
Moreover, the final disposition of the
Philippines has not yet been agreed
upon, and this settlement might be as
far reaching and the results as unfore-
seen as our own declaration of war
with Spain in April las,
1t is readily to be believed, in the
light of all these incidents, that the
czar is sincere in his purpose to bring
about some peaceful attitude on the
part or al his immediate neighbors
which shall insure an adjustment of
the questions vexing the occupants of
all the thrones of Europe without any
further test of modern naval machin-
cry. The picture of two boasted fleets
lying on the bottom of the worlds seas
is not an enjoyable one to any nation
but our own, perhaps.
Let us hope that Dewey's guns did
actually echo round the world" and
that. after all, the sounds may really
prove to have been the trumpet tones
proclaiming the advent of peace all the
earth over
The Saint Paul globe., 1898-08-29
Here, There, Everywhere.

Nearly $1O.oOo,ooO added to the resources Of
the banks Of Minnesota in a war year Is a.
record that that state may be proud of, and
especially so in view Of the fact that it did
nearly as we'll as Iowa.-Iowa State Register
The Canadian Pacific railroad ordinary
stock is s65,O0OO0O. 1t was sold In the first
instance for 900. Out Of this sum $2,-
O0O.O6 was devoted to paying and securing
dividends on the stock sold, leaving only
$S.500.000 to go to the road. How much even
Of this went to the road history has not vet
recorded. Yet although 80 little of this
stock went into the road, we are today forced
to contribute in freight rates sufficient to pay
dividends on the whole $65. 600. O0O Such a
system of stock watering Is nothing more
nor less than public robbery.-Winnipeg Daily
Tribune.
In the lottery system offers are made of
a consolation prize" to soothe the disap-
pointment of ticket holders who failed to
draw high prize, but were entitled to some
thing. though 1t might be little. In horse
racing there are consolation stakes" which
beaten horses may gain In contests with each
other. Whitelaw Reid has gained consola-
ton prize. He had one of the same kind
before in the dispensation Of President Mo-
Kinley's favors.-Chicago Chronicle.
President McKinley's declaration to Sem
ator Bacon that this SIS the war Of no party
and no section" will rise to plague those Re-
publican politicians who are endeavoring to