The Saint Paul globe., 1902-03-22

cd twelve years ago and then abandoned
1t as a worthless discovery, after being
rebuffed at one of the local steel plants
discouraged by the impression that his
QIScoVery was OF no value to the world
ne mad about forgotten it. On Feb. IS
ne received letter from the Pioneer
Mining company, with headquarters at
New York, inquiring about his process
-oCrfed- INTO action by the letter Mr..
Ilmmis dug up his old notebooks, discov-
cred that the secret was still his and
wrote to the government engineering de-
partment as to the commercial value of
his discovery.
The story Of how Mr. Timmis discov-
cred the secret is an interesting one He
was an engineer and had always worked
moro or less with chemicals in and abollt
steel works. During the oil boom in the
70S he had great reputation for the
dressing of tools.
Argument Set Him to Work,
At tn time of the discovery he was
standing in the Black Diamond steel
works in this city, in company with one
qL the engineers there, when he over
neard a discussion among some of the
once men as to the lost art of hardening
copper, and the question of whether tfe
metal would ever again be tempered one
er could be.
Mr.. Timmis had taken out several pat
ents and had always been an expert
menter. He there and then determined
: SCA NA4C IOSI I'll l. ana worked on
II IN the evenings for four or five
months.
He finally hit upon the right combina-
ton of chemicals, he says, and found
that piece of copper tempered in acids
refused to show any marks either unf a
the file or the metal drill He also
found that different strengths were re
quired in the proportion to the amount Of
metal to be tempered and that what
would temper a large piece would CON
sumo piece half the size
Mr. Timnis relates how he went with
a piece of the hardened metal to the
Black Diamond works and that the man.
ager there, after making exha ustive tests
IN the presence of several other enei-
neers, admitted that the copper was
harder than the finest steel TIE told Mr.
Ilmmls, however, that as copper was
expensive his invention would never
come into general commercial demand
and the Black Diamond plant could not
make use of the discovery.
Plans for New Experiment.
The manager made an offer of $500 for
coverer telling him that salt and water
were the only chemical combinations re-
qulred. Disappointed at the result of
months OF work, Mr.. Timnis discontin-
idea of taking the matter up at some
future time. Two weeks ago he received
the following letter and is now making
plans Tor an experimental plant near his
home in East Pittsburg:
New York, Feb Is. 1eO2.-M-. William
+. T1mmis, East Pittsburg, Pa.-Dear
Sir: I am in receipt of letter today
from Mr.. George Weaver of your city.
process you have for tempering copper.
should be very glad to know more
about this, as the process is doubtless
valuable # you have perfected it. A
number OF times during the past fifty
years mechanics in the United States
and Europe as We'll have succeeded in
tempering or hardening one piece of cop
per and at times two, but have failed to
do it again. Have you your process in
such shape that you can repeat the ex-
pertinent successfully at any tina7
Could you send me sample OF your
work? will probably lave represent
| ative in Pittsburg within the next two
| weeks, whom | shall be pleased to have
call on you. Yours very truly,
j. E. Chilbey
Pioneer Mining Company, No 25 Broad
Street, New York