New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-12

Poor Workmanship and Not Bad
QuaEty, Engineer SAYS.

steel rails and their defence by L. II. Gary, cnair
man OF the United States Steel Corporation, will. it
is believed result in long and spirited controver
sy. out OF which. however. it is likely good will
come both for the railroads and the makers of
rails. leading civil engineer of this city who
has had long experience with the railroads and
with the steel rail concerns said yesterday in dis
cussng the question of the frequent breakage of
rails on the Hartman. New York Central and
other lines in the last winter:
In looking for the cause of the large number OF
among railroad men and steel interests attention
should begin to be directed toward the quality of
upon the rail- Constitutes most Vital part Of its
rails OF the present day is a result of MANY wears
OF trial and while 1t is never wise 10 say that
without much error. that the composition Of our
rails at this time be subject to little adverse
Analyses have been made on portions of rail
TENS and the results found the Quality to fuldl
me original requirements Why, then, should the
ORDERS ARE RUSHED
These broken rails and In fact all the broken
rails found lately with only rare exceptions were
of the large section variety-in this case the 90
pound ran There is widespread belief that the
cause OF the breakage is due to lack of workman
Snlpathat is The mills striving constantly to in
passes pass OF large section rail through the rolls
KeVed that in the present condition Of the demand
Tor new material the rail is given a fair OPP
Rortunity to assume state of internal equilibrium.
me tact that only rare instances are found where
rails of light section broken and the mills do
NOT put proportionate increase OF work
heaW section rail leads directly TO the Inference
that herein may lie the OF the trouble
IN tlls mater the manufacturers are not entirely
10 blame They rarely receive instructions
@ CONSIDER with some propriety that they
have fulfilled the terms of their contract when they
position specified. 1t doubtless would cause read
)ustment IN the cost of rails require additional
work upon the heavy section product, but there is
GROWING belief that both the railroads and the
OF
SAYS GARY'S ANSWER IS ABSURD
The opinion just given is confirmed by the repre-
sentative of large Eastern railroad who says
that Mr.. Gary's answer the charge that the steel
companies turning out poor rails IS absurd. He
says that rails manufactured today are inferior to
heyes that using l1o-pound rail. as Mr.; Gary sug
be The same lack Of workmanship
~, auE5ces from fhiIadglpha yesterday stated that
orders for 14 90 of rails for 1905 delivery
with four steel companies as follows;
United States Steel Corporation ..... Il 800 tons
Pennsylvania Steel Company ...............30 800
Cambria Steel Company. .............. 10000
l-ackhwanna Company. 10000
This order Is somewhat under that Of last year;
the construction work will be completed this year.
and therefore, there win not be such a heavy de
about 0OcO tons left over from last years order
HARRIMAN's BIG ORDER.
The rails will be made by tho Bessemer process
and according to the improved specifications drawn
up BY the late A. J. Cassatt. There seems 10 be
conflict OF opinion among railroad men at present
to whether the open hearth or the Bessemer
process produces the best rail. The Hartman
lines have just voiced their opinion in favor OF the
tennessee Goal and Iron Company which makes
only the open hearth rail-, 1t Is understood that
Pacific system will be Sc ton, against SIS a ton,
be delivered at the rate OF 900 tons month for
the last ten months OF l@s
the Bessemer rails. having adopted them in 1854
Hal was SAID Yesteraay that the company realized
weight 0t rolling stock and higher speed. which are
necessary rail OF improved quality and that they
believed that rail made under the specifications
Study OF the matter. would meet the Tsquirements
1tT Rya sac yfsterGay that the New York
tons OF rails for It's 1908 requirements and that
placed in the near future whether they would be
open hearth or Bessemer process. or both, not
ments would exceed those OF the present year by
20 con 10 10000 tons
CENTRALis PLANS
Among tho projects under consideration by the
New York Central system awaiting greater ease
in the money markets. said TO be the following:
The extension OF the Pittsburg & Lake Erie south
ward into the Little Kanawha region OF West Vir-
gina and the development OF the coal fields there:
a large amount OF double tracking on the Big Four
and the Nickel Plate and continued purchases OF a
large amount OF equipment for all the lines
Among the projects already under way are the
completion OF the third and fourth tracks the
Lake Shore, the construction OF the Franklin &
Clearheld cutoff from the sc<t coal fields OF middle
Pennsylvania 10 the Lakes and the Improvement OF
the Boston & Albany
f. II. Gary. chairman OF the United States Steel
Corporation said yesterday that while inquiries for
steel rails for delivery in 1908 coming in to
some extent. he did not consider present figures
sufficiently complete 10 permit OF accurate gauge
the rail business for next year II is understood
however, that most of the Inquiries from the
Western roads and that negotiations being
Quoted with the Illinois Steel Company for 80. 900
BeaSeIneT
and about Is 900 tons for other roads.