The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-23
Aged John Fritz viii Be Hon.
ored. by Distinguished Guests.
ON HIS EIGnTIETH BIRTHDAY
Banquet al The Walduh-IsturIa Cc'ohsr 81,
at Which Central Figures Of Iron
Trade viii Be Present

Bethlehem. Pa, Oct. 23-The soth birth
day OF John Fritz, ironmaster and inven-
tor. of Bethlehem. will be celebrated by
dinner given In his honor at the Wal
dorf-Astoria. New York City. on Oct. 81.
The men who well foregather there will
make up an altogether remarkable BODY.
probably as representative of American
achievement as the men at the dinner
given to Prince Henry-captains OF inven-
ton, industry and the central figures or
finance allied with the iron trade.
The leading metnbers OF the engineering
PROFESSION In this country and Europe VIII
also be present.
This banquet will also signaiize the sue
cessful founding OF the John Fritz gold
medal for achievement In the Industrial
sciences, the medal to be awarded an
nually by committee OF the American
Society OF Civil Engineers the American
Society OF Mechanical Engineers and the
American Institute OF Electrical Engi-
neers.
The medal has been designed by the
American sculptor, Victor d. Brenner.
and II Is regarded by connoisseurs as
fne piece OF work. IL bears the head
of John Fritz which his friends say IS
an eminently vigorous and faithful por-
traiture.
At the banquet the speakers selected
Will respond not only for each branch
OF the engineering and mechanical arts
but for the army and navy and allied
interests.
trade In this country. He began life as
blacksmith In 1888. and in his long
career has been identified with almost
every important step in the process OF
making iron and steel. which has re-
suited In an increase OF the American pro-
aaf ~
In 1901.
The crowning effort OF his life was the
conception. the designing and erection of
the great forge and armor-plate plant of
the Bethlehem Steel company. OF which
he was the chief engineer and superin-
tendent from 1850 TO 1893.
MR.. FRITZ STILL ACTIVE
Mr.. Fritz. physically vigorous and ac-
tive OF mind still continues his investi-
cations In his little office In Market
street. Bethlehem, where he can be found
daily with his assistants He works early
and late, and is even as industrious as in
his early life. when he spent from eigh-
teen to twenty hours day among the
forges of the Bethlehem works.
He Is striking example OF the typical
American. born OF poor parents, who
were solid. substantial and God-fearing.
With only district school education.
gained In the middle part OF Pennsylva-
MIA. he started life with the stimulus and
opportunity that American citizenship
gives, and attained 4 position In the
steel industry that is recognized by the
whole world
He Is probably tho only man now liv-
ing OF the small group that introduced In
TO the United States the Bessemer steel
process.
A great economical revolution was
x.tAl lAkx Aos al
the tremendous development seen today
In steel manufacture In the United States.
The leading men in the industry today
are the pupils CT John Fritz.
In 1893 the British Iron and Steel insti-
tute gave Mr.. Fritz the Bessemer gold
medal. which Is about the highest dis
tinction a steemaker can receive.
Charles Hewitt, who laid his career at
the Trenton Iron works, and made vast
fortune for himself and his brother
Abram s. Hewitt is the only other Am
erican who has been 80 honored.
LIFE OF THE IRoNMAsTER
Born on Aug. q, 1922. in Londonderry
township Chester county, Mr.. Fritz, at
the age of sixteen, left the farm to work
in country machine shop, near Parks
burg with a view OF learning the trade
OF a machinist
After various experiments In steelmak-
Ing at NOrrlstOWn ana baIO TtdfDOE,
Fritz I'm 1854 went to Johnstown, where
he remodelled an old mill and built what
IL now known as the Cambria Iron
works. II was at this period that In con-
nection with his brother George. he re-
signed and erected the well known three
high boomers" with their automatic ta-
bles and the three high mill" These In
ventions started an economical revolution
in steel manufacture.
In the early days OF the Bethlehem
Iron works the newly discovered process
OF making steel by blowing air through
melted cast iron reached this country.
and outside OF the few persons engaged
In the experimental plant at Troy, N u
there was mono more interested In the
| study OF the process than Mr.. Fritz. Ex-
| periments were conducted by him there
| to a most successful Issue.
"A genius i'm business IL but rarely
worth anything. Industry. observation
| application and economy are the Things
| that have made our great men,, IL one
OF the inventors sayings. In speaking
| OF his work. he said:
| Industry and application are the key
| note of my career. i studied AT night
| spent long hours after In the mills
/ and, while the other employees were
| diverting themselves I'm the usual way,
added TO my surplus knowledge.
| learned something every day. studied
| things and conditions outside OF the iror
business. and after 15 years OF industrtou'
application I found that / had acquired
more useful knowledge than colege-bret
4 men.
| COLLEGE MEN USUALLY LACKING
college men. as a rule. lack tho power
| TO use their knowledge They are toe
| theoretical Time is wasted In foolsi
experiments.
''In these days we hear the young mot
| complaining that there are no opportu
mites. There are 20 times as many. Th'
trouble Is that the young men lack ap
| pl,cation 20 make the opportunity. Thel
| are satisfied TO make livelihood or {
auff,ciency. Their time II dissipated II
amusements and society"
| In speaking about his Inventions Mr.
Fritz said:
MY inventions came 10 me as neccs
sity demanded and I saw their need Il
my work.
L 81 .aA