The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-22

Rust and E1estFSlytis ASttea Practically
Ignored by American Builders.

Ignored by AmeEtcan BuildoFs.
To TEE EDIToh OF THT sUN-Str. ] have
read the article Of p. II. CoVles In THE Sun
Of June is with q great deal Of Interest, and
! am surprised that the question discussed
by him has not been taken up more Sertousiy.
So many OF US are absolutely satisfied when
we know that structures. whether bulldings'
bridges, cars OF vessels. are composed Of steel.
Their very appearance gives a feeling OF
solidity and security that Is gratifying ana
reassuring. and we point to- these eIampies
OF modern up to date construction almost
as II we we're personally concerned. Mr..
Cowles's article takes UP but q single phase
OF the question that in reality has many. and
each Of them q serious, actual menace 70
property and 10 life.
Owing to the high price. scarcity and inabl-
ity OF lumber 10 meet modern requirements
we are as rapidly as possible eliminating this
material from all forms of permanent con-
struction. Danger OF fire. inability 20 stand
shocks such as caused by collisions, DC. are
factors causing this elimination. Steel. en-
tering into our everyday Affairs in such
degree. should receive our careful attention.
There being at present no substitute for Il
we content ourselves with the marvellous
results of honest tests Of the material when
new and In perfect condition, get remarkable
tensile. torsional and other results. and being
absorbed In our own affairs we are satisfied.
Let Us examine into conditions that follow the
completion Of the beams, girders or frames
after they have been placed into actual per-
formance OF their respective duties.
When steel or iron has received It's anal
form or shape It is placed In the painting
yard, ready for the painters gang to place
the printing cost. Plates and similar forms
are not painted. There Is always q thin scale
left on these articles, which. unless the at
mosphere Is extremely dry. turns into rust.
Even the steel or iron itself becomes coated
with rust almost Immediately. The hardest
kind Of scrubbinR with wire brushes will clean
OF this Aim and rust from parts OF the sur
face. but ca do so and does not In the
crevices and corners. Cleaning OF this sort
Is not even done theoretically, let alon ne prHo-
tically, and We have the steel or iron already
attacked by rust. The only wa the action
OF rust can be arrested Is by thoroughly clean
ing the surface and Immediately covering II
10 protect 1t from the atmosphere. This is
never done. Paint is applied. and some form
of red lead is the usual medium. This Is
cheap. and at the same time we place on the
iron OF steel the very thing that will aid the
rapid deteriora ton. Architectural Art says:
Now, II is claimed that red lead 10 an excellent
material for protecting Iron from rust and cleo
trcal action. Unfortunately, however. red lead Is
more electro negative 10 iron than either copper
or lead. Hence. should moisture by any chance
get between the red lead and the Iron, The deStruc-
ton by rust Is moro rapid than when iron 10 In con-
tact with copper or lead. This electro chemical
action is at the same time strengthened by the
purely chemical action between the red Iced and
the carbonic acid always present In the air. an
action which converts the red lead into ceruse,
whereby an additional quantity OF nascent oxygen
is set free 20 rust the iron. IL 10 also highly prob
able that the caTbonic acid has an independent
action upon the iron. thereby much facilitating Its
oxidation. II must not be forgotten that every
porous place and stu more every crack In the
paint becomes sooner or later an entrance fol-
water and csrbonio acid.
This applies TO iron and steel in architecture.
Let us examine steel cars. All we have said
in regard to structural steel and iron applies
also 10 this ella 50 Of construction, and in addl-
ton we have deterioration caused by acids.
such as are produced by coal and water,
ashes from engines and water; and all Of these
e~xerting their best efforts in the direction Of
eating into the metal.
We can now take up vessels. Steel hult.
composition propellers. tail shaft sleeves. ID.
in combina ton with water cause salvanic
action which ATTACKS the hull plates and
rapidly eats into them. Lining propeller
which is attacked FIRST, may be a remedy,
but the appearances OF the pIa ties on the hull
do not SHOW it. a. e, even ~ s.I then the eorrosion Is
year order their l%ayorite anti-foulinx. solution
placed on these hulls. As these .antt-founng
uNlo SVpptld bHu Olhtl II
gradients that in connection with iron or
steel and water cause galve mic action, they
first coat the vessels hull with an anti-corro-
sive paint whose principal ingredient IL lead.
Vessels costing a million or more are treated
in this manner: ~galvanlc action and rust
from the outside assisted by paints that con-
tain elements whose tendency is to assist
such corrosion: acids from the coal In the
bunkers or from the ashes under the boilers,
assisted By lead paints in the interior, all
quietly but remorse. essly attack and eat
at the very heart and entrails OF this costly
fabric. This because we have not given this
matter the attention IL deserves,
that is caused by the radiation of electric
currents from our many electric devices flow
ing over rails and wires, as the return cur
rents passing from New York to Brooklyn and
wireless telegraph and telephones. Each day
sees additional. currents turned loose. The
moist Innate Of Ne% York Is especially IA vor-
able to such escaping currents. Bridges are
attacked and endangered. gas pipes aud gas
tanks are constantly being corroded and form
a menace that cannot be appreciated. Costly
water pipes are deterioTating with crest
rapidly. Even. the trolley slots, conduits
and supports do not hst. We, with our
boosted impro yements and modern progress,
Of the present day. a danger that the Chinese
have not only ~foreseen but conquered. They
now use a pigment or paint that is not only
a non-conductor Of galvanic or electric cur
rents, but which also prevents corrosion not
only from atmospheric conditions but by many
common acids as we'll, 1t has the appear
ance OF a black lacquer or enamel. and appar-
some time ago a somewhat similar product In
this country, but cannot recall the name or
HUTCHINSON scorr.