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By N. M. Langdon

ON account of its greater economy and cleanliness, and the extent to which iuferior fuels can be utilized for its generation, there has been of late a rapidly increasing tendency to substitute gaseous for solid fuel for metallurgical and other industrial purposes, which has led to various improvements both in the process and apparatus for its manufacture, notably among which may IN mentioned the Tessie Gas Producer* described by Mr. A. L. Holley. A considerable experience by the author with producers of various kinds using anthracite fuel, in connection with the Taylor ore-roast ing furnace at Chester, N. J., with more or less unsatisfactory resnlts, finally led to the erection of the experimental producer described below, which combines in its construction, simplicity, dorability, and accessibility for cleaning and removing the ash and manipulating the fuel. It is adapted to the use of various kinds of fuel, and is capa ble of generating a steady and uniform supply of gas at a minimum cost. It has been in constant use day and night for about five months, and has given very satisfactory results. The producer, as shown in the accompanying sketch, consists of a cylindrieal furnace, preferably inclosed in an iron jacket or casing, having a bosh or inverted cone-shaped base as in a blast furnace. It is provided with a bell and hopper, the bell being hung to a forked lever, and having guide flanges to prevent it from swing ing, and an opening at its apex through which to insert a bar for manipulating the fuel, which when not in use is closed with a plug or stopper. Cleaning is effected through two small doors placed opposite each other at the hearth level, which in order to facilitate the operation is elevated above the floor. The doors are removable, and when closed are by their own weight and by means of bevelled lugs held tightly against their frames, forming a practically tight joint. A blast of commingled steam and air is injected into the fuel through a series of tuyeres underneath the bosh communicating with steam jet injectors. A small flue also connects the door

Jan 1, 1884

By J. S. Harris

AS a result of the study of social problems to which so much thought has been given in this country and Europe in the last half century, many employers of labor have come to think that some provision should be made for their workingmen in case of injury. There has been a growing tendency so to administer the laws governing industrial pursuits in these countries as to add self-interest on the part of capitalists, to the plea urged by humanity, that every possible care should be taken to guard the workers from accident; but as no care can guarantee immunity, there is a necessity to supplement these precautions by some method of providing pecuniary aid that shall be available when disabling accidents do occur. It was once a favorite idea of theorists on political economy, that in the ideal state of society every man should take care of himself, and that the less care or control there was assumed by any man over others' private affairs, the better; but this gospel of selfishness has had its day, and it is now generally recognized that in the existing state of affairs the stronger and richer cannot escape the duty of being to some extent, the keepers of their less fortunate brethren ; and, on the other hand, that an assumption of care for them involving to some extent an exercise of authority, is not a thing to he necessarily and always resisted. Out of these convictions, many efforts for the amelioration of the condition of workingmen have grown—which or one result have produced various plans which combine the con-

Jan 1, 1884

By Alfred E. Hunt

The charge to be described was made in a seven-ton furnace, with a hearth twelve feet long and eight feet wide, with three gas and three air ports on each side. The stock of the entire heat was charged cold in one hour and five minutes, a part of the pig being first placed upon the bottom to protect it, then upon it the plate-scrap and blooms, and finally the remainder of the pig—some two thousand pounds. In fire hours and twenty-five minutes after beginning the charge the metal was melted down level, and two hundred pounds of hot twelve-per cent. spiegel was charged, care being taken to have it entirely immersed in the bath. In two hours more the bath was thoroughly melted and hot, and began to boil, i. e., the carbon began to be oxidized and evolved through the bath of covering slag as carbonic acid and carbonic oxide gases. Seventy-five pounds of lumps of Republic specular iron ore were added at this time, increasing the action, so that in ten minutes after the metal was in active ebullition. A test of the metal showed it to have about 0.90 per cent. carbon. One hour after the first ore was added a test was again taken, after thorough rabbling of the metal, and it was found to be 0.37 per cent. carbon. One hundred pounds more of lump Republic ore and about seventy-five pounds of limestone were then added, and fifty minutes later, after the bath was thoroughly rabbled, a -test showed the metal to have 0.23 per cent. carbon. Twenty-five pounds more of Republic iron ore were added and the metal allowed to boil for twenty minutes, when a test, after rabbling, showed the carbon to be 0.18 per cent. and the manganese to be 0.01 per cent.; the slag fracture was vitreous and of a very dark-green color. About forty pounds of limestone were added, and, the metal being hot and in a state of quiet ebullition, a hickory pole of twelve feet length and about four inches diameter, was run through the aperture in the centre door and held in a steady inclined position in the bath, with the end touching the bottom, the pole being shoved in further as it was burned away. The bath was carefully watched to see that the action that ensued was not too violent, the pole being several times

Jan 1, 1884

By C. A. Stetefeldt

IK the dry-crushing of ores, either by stamps, rolls, or other machinery, it is essential that the material should be free from moisture. Hence a contrivance which effects this with economy, and is of durable and compact construction, is a great desideratum. It is claimed for the below-described shelf dry-kiln, that it possesses these qualifications in a high degree. The construction of the shelf dry-kiln is based on the Hasenclever principle. That is to say, a number of inclined shelves are arranged zig-zag above each other in a vertical shaft, having openings or slits where they meet, on which the ore rests in a stratum, the thickness of which is governed by the width of the slits and the inclination of the shelves. If a portion of the charge is removed at the end of the bottom shelf, a sliding motion of the ore takes place on all shelves above, and the top shelf is replenished from a hopper set over it. It will be seen that the shaft is divided by the shelves into a number of triangular prismatic spaces. Through these the hot gases from a fireplace are made to circulate, each space communicating with the next one by a flue arranged in the sidewall of the shaft. These flues being located on alternate sides of the shaft, a continuous passage is formed through the whole structure. After thus stating the principle of the construction, its details will be easily understood by reference to the drawings, Fig. 1 to Fig. 5. The drawings, Fig. 1 to Fig. 4, represent two kilns united into one structure. The cast iron shelves(a) are 2 feet 4 inches wide and 5 feet long, with sides and a back 4 inches high, and are cast a full halfinch thick. How they rest on the brackets(d), and interlock each other, is shown in Fig. 5. Three such shelves, with an inclination of 38') are placed in one row in a brick shaft 7 feet 1/2 inch wide and 4 feet deep. The ore hoppers(g) rest on the iron bems(f). At the end of the bottom shelves are the discharge-doors(b), with shoots projecting beyond the front wall. A swinging apron(e) keeps the ore in place. By dropping it a car below the shoot is filled with dry ore. A number of extra-large pieces of ore may cause a stoppage in the slits ; for such an emergency the openings(e) are provided, through

Jan 1, 1884

By Magnus Troilius

The method of using the bromine process of determining sulphur in steel, described below, is in successful use at the Midvale Steel Works. Ten grams of drillings are weighed out and put into the 1/2-liter flask A, with long neck. The flask is connected with a wide glass tube C', which, in its turn, is connected with the absorption bulbs B, containing HCI, 1.12 specific gravity, and ahout 5 C.C. of bromine. The wide tnbe C causes the vapor to condense and flow back into the flask A during boiling. The bulbs B connect with a long glass tnbe, which may be made to carry off the bromine fumes through a hole in a window, or, better still, through a flue with powerful draught. The connections being made, 100 C.C. of boiling water are run in through the thistle tube T. The air is thus completely driven out of the flask. 100 C.C. of HC1 (about 1.19 specific gravity) are then run in. When the gas begins to run rattler slowly through B, heat is applied until boiling gradually ensues. The steel being completely dissolved, the apparatus is disconnected, and the contents of B rinsed out into a beaker of 100 C.C. capacity, into which a few C.C. of a concentrated solution of BaCI, have been previously introduced. Heat is then applied (best by means of the hot iron plate) until the bromine is completely driven off and the BaSO, has settled nicely to the bottom. The BaSO4, is then filtered off on a small

Jan 1, 1884

By Persifor Frazer

MR. Theodore D. Rand has made some interesting observations on the serpentines of Chester and Delaware counties, Penna., in which he suggests that the outcrops of this rock are detached from each other, and that while a comparatively narrow belt, running nearly east and west, mill include them all, the strike of each outcrop differs considerably from the direction of this narrow belt; and that it results that these isolated exposures exist on the map, as it were, in echelon, the easternmost end of each lying northwest of the western extremity of its neighbor. As he elsewhere remarks, this is important, if established, and the writer spent a day or two recently on the ground in the study of this phenomenon. One thing would seem to follow from such a state of facts, viz., that this serpentine at least must have been of secondary origin, for it is difficult to conceive of a rock which occurs intercalated in numerous horizons of a different formation, and agreeing with the latter in bedding, unless the former were an altered product of the latter. It is true that one might account for it by the supposition of an original unconformable deposit, which had been broken by a number of faults and distorted by throws to the northwest; but this hypothesis would do violence to the observed facts relating to the measures along with which the serpentine occurs, and in which no such distortion has been observed. * Thus for determining, by evaporative test, the calorific power of a coal, the ultimate constitution of which is known, it is requisite, that, besides the quantity of coal consumed and the weight of the water evaporated, the temperature and chemical composition of the escaping gases, or gaseous residue, shall be quantitatively determined, the same as solid residues of ash and unconsumed fuel. In observance of such requirements, the Heizversuchstation of Munich has been in operation since 1879. This consists of a permanent boiler plant, constructed on the principle of the calorimeter, with special provision for avoiding errors from loss of heat—snch, namely, as arise from radiation and conduction, and from the varying proportions of water in steam.—Muck. Steinkohlen-Cliemie, 1881, 146. See Proc. Min. and Geol. Sect., Acad of Nat. Sci., 1850 and 1881, pp. 9 and 28.

Jan 1, 1884

Jan 1, 1884

By W. H. Adams

Virginia, a store-house of metals, is more and more a surprise to the present generation. With her enormous available mineral wealth, worked upon steadily for over a century, exploited SUEciently to demonstrate beyond question costs and values, reported upon by our most eminent scientists, written up by thoroughly earnest correspondents, we yet find her little understood by capitalists or practical men, and until very lately overlooked by the advanceguard of pioneers in metallurgy, whose restless energy conquered the wilderness of Northern Michigan years ago, and has written a new and startling history for almost impenetrable Western territories. The world is learning through the mouths of giant furnaces lately put in blast at Lowmoor, Goshen, and Roanoke, more of this wondcrful State. It is becoming plain that nearer home, amid all the surroundings of civilization, under an equable climate and with the advantage of a minimum cost for fuel and labor, there are stores of mineral, varied in character and deposited over a wide area, which exceed all ordinary calcnlations. Principal among these minerals, iron ores have been, and will probably continue to be, the leading product and the source of greatest revenue. My attention has been called during the past year to one particular section of the iron-belt, where for forty years charcoal-furnaces were successfully operated, the ores being mined in open pits, as can so frequently be seen from the Connecticut line southward into Georgia. There is, however, a significant peculiarity in the character of these deposits of Louisa county warranting special mention, as it is thought that nowhere on the earth's surface, within so moderate a distance of tidewater, can their like be fouad. Probably half a million tons of lump and wash-material have been taken from pits

Jan 1, 1884

By H. M. Howe

It is a grave objection to the present system (or rather lack of system) of mineralogical nomenclature that, in the very great majority of cases, the name of a mineral gives no hint of its chemical composition, one might almost say no suggestion, however faint, of anything connected with it or characteristic of it, chemical, physical, historical, geographical, geological, or lithological. In becoming acquainted with a mineral, in addition to learning its composition and important characteristics, one must also learn a name wholly unconnected with any of them. It has occurred to me that a system might be devised in which the name of each mineral should express at least an approximation to its ultimate composition. It is far easier to learn the names of most minerals than their compositions. Most of us are familiar with the names and appearance of many minerals, especially among the silicates, of whose compositions we have but a rough notion. It would be the aim of such a system to enable us, in making the one slight effort of learning the name of a mineral, by that same effort and involuntarily to learn its composition, which now requires an additional and a much greater effort. I have worked out a system designed to meet this requirement, and its description occupies the remainder of this article. Doubtless there are many devices on which could be based other systems fulfilling the requirement above set forth better than that about to be described does, and at the same time furnishing names

Jan 1, 1884

By N. W. Lord

Having recently had occasion to make a series of analyses of fire-clays for the present Ohio Geological Survey, I found that the amounts of potash and soda determined indirectly by measuring the chlorides volumetrically did not " check " with those obtained directly. Investigation with the spectroscope showed the presence of lithia in what seemed very appreciable quantities. The examination was made of a considerable number of samples, and in every case this element was found, though in varying amounts, as judged by the intensity of the spectrum. To guard against error from the impurity of reagents, the whole process was repeated, using the same reagents in corresponding amounts, but leaving ont the clay. In no case did these " blanks" show lithia; hence the presence of this element in the clays seemed to be established conclusively. In the same series of analyses, titanic acid, in amounts varying from three-tenths to nearly two per cent., was found. The presence of titanium was first observed in the Ohio clays, nearly three years ago, in the examination of clays from Logan. The occurrence of this element is, of course, not unusual in clay, but I believe that none of the published analyses of Ohio clays give it; certainly none of the former Ohio geological reports speak of its presence. The following analyses show both the above ingredients. They were made during the summer of 1883.

Jan 1, 1884

Jan 1, 1884

By C. Hanford Henderson

The belt of copper-bearing rocks of the South Mountain has attracted Attention principally iii the townships of Hamilton Ban and Liberty in Adams County, Pennsylvania, and in the southeastern portion of Franklin County. As the developments, thus far, have been almost exclusively limited to that area, the examination here described extended only within those boundaries. The region, being one of considerable interest geologically, has been the subject of careful study and description, both on the part

Jan 1, 1884

By Edward Gridley

At the meeting of the Institute, held at Roanoke, Va., in June, 1883, I gave some facts in relation to charcoal pig iron of unusual strength, made from our carbonate ore taken from the mine at Amenia, N. Y. My object in again bringing the subject to the attention of the Institute, is to obtain, if possible, the solution of a prohlem in connection therewith. Our furnace is of the old type, stone stack 32 feet high by 9 feet 2 inches at top of bosh; bosh about 67O pitch; stone hearth; three tuyeres of 31/4-inch opening; fuel, a mixture of hard and soft coal; blast about & to # pound pressure, and heated to 400' to 600° Fahr. by iron pipe oven on top of stack. The analysis of the roasted carbonate ore, as before given to the Institute, is as follows:

Jan 1, 1884

By Magnus Troilius

The importance of having methods for the rapid and accurate determination of manganese in modern steel manufacture cannot be overestimated. The method adopted in the laboratory of the Midvale Steel Works is very satisfactory, and I think it will be of interest to some of the members to give a description of it. Before giving the more detailed account of the manipulations, a review of some well-known methods and chemical facts may not be out of place. The " bromine and ammonia" process, as fully described in the tenth volume of the Transactions of this Institute, was certainly an improvement on the methods in which fixed alkaline salts were used, as these gave invariably too high resnlts, as generally carried out. But the separation of all the iron before the manganese was, in both methods, a source of great inconvenience and delay.

Jan 1, 1884

By E. J. Schmitz

The following abstract of an unpublished treatise, prepared by me, on the geological formations and minerals of the State of Alabama, is deemed of interest to the Institute. This State, called after the river of the same name (which, formed by the junction of the Coosa and the Tallapoosa, waters, with its tributaries, more than half the State), is divided by its main watershed into a larger southern district, sloping south and southwest, and drained into the Gulf of Mexico, and a smaller northern district, sloping generally north and west, and drained into the Tennessee. Geologically the State may be divided (according to historical geology) according to the different formations it exhibits, among which I include the Azoic, the existence of which in Alabama has been doubted by some; or it may be divided (according to structural geology, as closely related to topography) into a north and northwestern, a middle, and a southern zone.

Jan 1, 1884

By J. P. Witherow

The blast-filmace plant of the Crozer Steel and Iron Company was built under contract by Witherow & Gordon, of Pittsburgh, Pa. The furnace is 70 feet high by 16 feet bosh, tunnel-head 12 feet 8 inches, and hearth 9 feet in diameter. The columns are 20 feet high above furnace level, below which they extend 2 feet. The shell is 23 feet diameter at bottom and 19 feet at top. The plate iron is 3/8 inch at bottom, and tapers to 1/4 inch, the top ring being 5/16 inch.

Jan 1, 1884

By C. R. Boyd

It would be a quite congenial task to attempt to describe all that extraordinary mineral wealth which is now giving such prominence to the region from the James River to the Tennessee line: adjacent to the great lines of the Shenandoah Valley and the Norfolk and Western railways; but such a task would be impossible within the limits of any ordinary paper. Hence, in advance of the fifth edition of my book and map on the Resources of Southwest Virginia, I must restrict myself to a limited but most interesting subdivision of this remarkable mineral belt.

Jan 1, 1884

By A. Springer

Chemists, physicists and others, whose occupations necessitate the use of fine scales, have heretofore regretted their inability to obtain any which would remain uniformly accurate. The difference between the theoretical and the actual results obtained in the ordinary balance (provided the pivot-distances are exact) is mainly due to the frictional resistance between the knifeedges and their bearings. This frictional resistance, although reduced to a minimum in the finest scales when new, constantly increases, thereby decreasing the sensitiveness proportionately. When examined under the microscope, neither the surface of the knife-edge nor that of' its hearings ever appears perfectly smooth. Soft kunife-edges are easily blunted, whereas hard ones are brittle and liable to crumble under the effects of over-load or shock. Prof. Frederick A. Roeder for many years attempted to discover some means by ,which the knife-edge could be replaced with some device free from the above-mentioned objections. His experiments convinced him that a torsion-joint was best suited for that purpose. After he had communicated his conclusion to me, we jointly developed the system to its present form. A torsion-wire had been used for the centre of rotation, prior to Prof. Roeder's invention, but it was found impossible to replace the terminal knife-edges with torsion-joints.

Jan 1, 1884

Jan 1, 1884

By G. C. Stone

At the conclusion of my paper on the same subject read at the Boston meeting of the Institute, I offered to send some of sample No. 2 to any chemist who wished to analyze it. Eight chemists wrote to me for samples; so far I have received results from five. I give these results in a table (on the following page), together with the results previously obtained: As to the chemists and their methods : K is an iron-works chemist whom I only know by correspondence; lie writes: "No. 27(13.64) was obtained by the method I generally use, as follows : Dissolve 0.8 grams spiegel in hydrochloric acid and a little potassium chlorate, in a half-liter flask. Boil off most of the acid, add ammonia in slight excess, redissolve in acetic acid, using rather more than is really necessary, and then add 8 or 10 grams of sodium acetate and make up to the mark with warm water. Boil hard for fifteen minutes, then allow to settle (cool?), until the liquid reaches the mark, and withdraw 300 C.C. of the nearly clear liquid. Add to this an excess of hydrochloric acid, evaporate to dryness, take up with hydrochloric acid and water, and separate the iron by two precipitations with ammonia (I have often tested the ferric hydrate for manganese, but have never found any, if the separation by ammonia was properly made). Finally, precipitate the manganese as phosphate." Nos. 28, 29 (13.35, 13.07) were by Ford's method." No. 30 (13.50) was by Troilus's method He writes, " I may add the results are quite as good as I expected, although for any element except manganese, they are not close enough for anything like accurate work." L is a firm of commercial chemists of large experience who have made a specialty of iron work. Their method is as follows : Dissolve

Jan 1, 1884