Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1912-08-23
STEEL INDUSTRY
FATHER 80 YEARS OLD
John Fritz Chosen by Gov
eminent TO build Modern
Navy Yard: Now Belfast


BETHLEHEM, Pa, Aug. 22:-John
Fritz. known far and wide as the
father of the steel industry ia me
United States. attained his ninetieth
birthday anniversary today. The din
ner given at the waldorf-Astoria in
New York ten years ago III celebration
of the eightieth birthday of Mr.. Fritz
Is still remembered as one of the
most remarkable gatherings ever as
sembled in this country of captains of
invention and industry and the cen
trial figures of finance allied with the
iron trade.
1t was hoped that some similar af
fair might be held to commemorate
Mr.. Fritz's ninetieth year, but the pre-
carious condition of his health caused
the idea TO be abandoned. For the
past six months the veteran iron
master has been in very poor health
and during much of the time has
been belfast. During this time mes
.sages of inquiry and cheer have been
Received at his home almost daily
from leading men in the iron and
steel world. from Andrew Carnegie
down to the active present day plant
managers. many of whom in years
past were numbered among Mr.
Fritz's boys"
John Fritz long ago earned his title
Of father of the steel industry not by
any single invention or discovery, but
by a contribution OF new devices. new
methods and practical work in build
ing up the industry in the United
States. With only a district schoo.
education gained near his birthplace
in the middle part of Pennsylvania,
he gained a position in the steel In
dustry that has been recognized by
the whole world
At the age OF 10 Mr.. Fritz left his
fathers farm to work in a country
machine shop. with a view Of learning
the trade of machinist. After var
ious experiments IN steel making at
Norristown and Safe Harbor. he went
10 Johnstown, where he remodeied an
old mill and built what is now known
as the Cambria IRON Works. II was
at this period that, in connection with
his brother George. he designed and
erected the wen known three high
boomers, with their automatic tables
and the three high mill" These in.
ventions started an economical revo.
luton in steel manufacture.
When the United States govern.
! ment, some twenty-five years ago de-
cided TO build a modern navy OF
armor-plated vessels equipped with
guns OF great oalibre, there was no
plant in the country where the plates
guns or forgings for such ships could
| De made. Bethlehem was selected as
the site for the projected plant and
MT. Fritz was chosen as the man to
build IT, He went 10 Europe and spent
some months IN studying the plate
and gun making plants there. and
when he returned he built plant that
surpassed its European models
Among other features il contained the
greatest hammer an dthe most pow
erful press in the world. When Mr.
Fritz built this. the first armor plant
In America, such men as Schwab
Corey and others who subsequently
became famous in the steel Industry
were still boys.
Mr.. Fritz is the only man nov
living Of tho small group that intro.
duced into the United States the Bes-
semer steel process. A great eeonom.
ical revolution was thus effected
from which has flowed the tremend
Gus development seen today in stee
manufacture in the United states
In 1893 the British Iron and Steel In
stitute gave Mr.. Fritz the PessemeI
gold medal. which is the highest dis
tinctioa a steel maker can receive.