Connecticut western news., 1908-05-14
THE CAR WHEELS
 CAST AT LIME ROCK
COMMAND THE HIGHEST PRICE

' ohS "hASH AHS LdAC WNlldIH IIs par
 mum Attained in the Field of Na-
 tional Politics.
 The late William H. Barnum attained q national fame in the world of politics and statecraft. Born in Connecticut September IS, ISIS, and receiving only a common school education, he not only sustained and enlarged Lime Rocks in- dustrial importance, but he made it one of the most conspicuous spots on the nA- tion's political map for many years. In
 1852 he was elected to the State Legisla- ture, and in 1866 he was delegate to the Union National Convention in PhiladeI- phia. In 1867 he was elected Represen- tative to the Fortieth Congress from Connecticut, and was reelected to tho
 Forty-first and Forty-second, and also to tho Forty third and Forty fourth Con- gresses. In 1876 he was elected United States Senator from Connecticut to fiII
 the vacancy caused by the death of Orrin
 s. Ferry, serving three years. He wAs chairman of the National Democratic Committee in the victorious campaign of
 1884, when Cleveland defeated Blaine for the Presidency and Connecticut cast its electoral vote for the democratic ticket. MT. Barnum possessed remarkable ability as an organizer. His home was n centre of political activity, and some of the greatest statesment of the day enjoyed its hospitality. Samuel J. Tilden came here many times. and was in terested with MT. Barnum in Lake Superior iror mines, and former President Cleveland and many other dignitariesa attended MT, Barnum's funeral, twenty years ago.
 To-day the Barnum, Richardson Com panv has a furnace and two foundries at Lime Rock and two furnaces at East Canaan. The ore is obtained from an mine at Ore Hill and mining operations are carried on one hundred and fifty feet under ground i'm stead of through an open cut, as was tho case for many years. The annual out put in car wheels and castings is 15,O00 tons, The tensile strength and chilling of this iron command for it a higher price than for any other on tho market. A great contributing factor in it's surpassing excellence is its freedom from sulphur. Then, too, the Barnum, Company smelts all its ore with charcoal, a process in itself that produces much superior metal to that which is smelted with coal or coke.. The wheels for every freight car on the New York. New Haven and Hartford Railroads great system are cast at Limo Rock, and the Pennsylvania and the Chicago. Milwaukee and St. Paul are also large consumers. Thousands of wheels for passenger service as we'll are made. The guaranteed mileage of a passenger wheel is 00,0o0 miles, bus iron frequently runs 100000 miles, and sometimes touches the 120, 900 figure. For the freight service the all of which are made of cast ron, have guaranteed life of five years. Each wheel weighs 65o pounds. So splendid is the quality of Salisbury ron that alter the wheels are worn out hey cnn be remelted and. with certain ,er cent. of new iron added, made into. lew wheels again. The Barnum & Company, of Chicago, of which Senator Barnnm is vice president, s distinct establishment, making car r1 lao ,teel Spring Company, with works catered about the country, of which senator Barnum is director and stock older, manufactures steel-tired wheels. which are used exclusively in the service. In its mine, found ies and furnaces the Barnum, Richard on Company gives profitable employ lent to five hundred men.
 To the uninitiated the pure iron orc lat is brought here looks like cobblea lat have been treated to bath in mud. hs ore first goes to the blast furnace hose stone stack rises to height of fty feet. Here the earthly impurities the orc are separated from the metal, accomplish which limestone is mixed ith the ore to serve as Aux. Thus an 1mixturo of ore, Aux and fuel in the 'rm of charcoal is charged in at the top the furnace, the blast for which is eatsd to temperature of 400 degrees. 1T is blown in at the base to an oven 'ovo, into which the hot gases are ad. itted. The air is exposed to a very rge heated surface, and is blown down Id around the furnace Below is rmsd mixture of gases which, as oy rise, effect deXoidation of the ore. he intense heat produced below fuses 0 reduccd iron and the earthy mate. als, which accumulate in two hy,.s.
 frortiwrrd on rage S.1