The range of Ohio stonecoal pig will be in Ohio, $10 to $15 per ton, cost. Pig iron has been made in Pennsylvania, it is said, at less than $10 per ton, but this is about the minimum in the most favored localities, and I think was estimated as in Wales and Scotland, without counting interest and taxes on the capital, and incidental expenses and repairs.

The usual cost of Welsh and Scotch stonecoal iron may be considered as about $12 to $15 per ton, and the present sale price in New York $38 to $40. In Pennsylvania and Ohio, such iron costs $12 to $15, and sells at say $40, but the expenses of sending these latter to a market are less than in the former, and to the advantage of the iron-master.

In the Eastern States, foreign pig iron cannot be bought for less than $40, neither can it be manufactured, either with stonecoal or charcoal, for much less than that price. Add to this, the expense of converting the pig into railroad bars, say $30 in the Eastern States, where coal, labor and provisions are high, makes the railroad bars cost about $70 per ton.

In the Eastern States, the railroad bars manufactured there, cost so nearly the price of Welsh bars, that if the duties be remitted, those railroad mills must close. It is not to be expected that in the Eastern States any great extension in the manufacture of railroad iron will take place in consequence of the cost of coal. In the anthracite region, and in the Frostburgh coal basin, and in the Tioga and Blossburgh districts which are intermediate between the Eastern and Western manufactories, rail mills will doubtless be established. In Pennsylvania and Ohio, where all the materials necessary for the manufacture lie together, in a rich agricultural and densely populated district, rail mills can make their bars at a less cost than any other part of our countryas cheaply and perhaps cheaper even than in Wales, as has been shown, ranging between $31,90 and $40 37 per ton.

The remission of the duties on rail bars would not affect the Western manufacturer more than diminish his profits to the extent of the duty, and this would not be so seriously felt as to destroy his business, if he owns and works his own furnace and rail mill.

If, however, the Western manufacturer buys his stonecoal iron at $40 per ton, or charcoal iron at $43 to $50 per ton, he has less advantage over the Eastern manufacturer, and in this case, he too will be unable, perhaps, during the fluctuations of the iron market, to make steady progress in wealth.

In Ohio, where the facilities for production and distribution exist in an unsurpassed, and perhaps unexampled degree, iron companies should have at least four stonecoal furnaces and one rolling mill, so as both to smelt and manufacture their own iron, and they need fear neither foreign nor domestic competition, nor remission of duties, nor the fluctuations of the market. There is no part of the world known, that can produce cheaper iron, nor more tons to the square mile over an equal area, than Ohio. Twenty-five such iron companies as above alluded to, located in the iron districts of Ohio and Pennsylvania, would, with what is now produced, supply the present and the immediately prospective demand.

At the present ruling rates of railroad bars, $78,50 to $80 per ton, our iron-masters could afford to receive $40 per ton in railroad bonds, (a part of which they could discount or sell if they wished,) and $31 to $33 in cash, which amount railroad companies now pay in cash for duties, shipping charges, agencies, commissions, etc.

Thus it is seen that we can make our own railroad iron, if we will, as

cheaply as in Wales, and with works in the Ohio and Pennsylvania coal field, our iron-masters can manufacture and sell on as good terms for railroad companies as the Welsh iron-masters, receiving bonds or credit; and besides, they can receive as profit the amount that is now paid by railroad companies før duties, freight, commissions, etc.

The advantages are greatly in favor of the American manufacturer in the Alleghany and Ohio coal field, if he will invest capital, and put his works in operation.

It has been shown before, that the duties alone paid to the government in a year and a half, $6,800,000, and buried for a time practically in the subtreasurer's vaults, would put in operation iron works sufficient to furnish for the future the present demand for railroad iron in the United States. The annual amount now paid in cash by railroad companies for duties, freight, commissions, etc., on imported railroad bars, is about $12,400,000; and this amount invested in such iron works for fixed and floating capital, would be sufficient to furnish the present and prospective demand for railroad iron in the United States, entirely independent of foreign railroad iron. This can be done in three years.

Why is it that this matter has not before been understood? The writer's opinion is, that it was because our capitalists, railroad company directors, legislators, and some of our iron-masters* did not understand our RESOURCES, their AVAILABILITY, nor the cost at which railbars could be produced from stonecoal iron.

The reasons adduced in the first part of the paper on the manufacture of railroad iron in the United States, together with the above, are believed to be the true causes why we are not now independent of foreign manufactured railroad iron.

Let our railroad companies foster our own rail mills, and establish others, (which they can do at less cost for their iron than to buy,) what an impulse would be given to business of every kind. If the $12,400,000 now paid to government for duties, and to shipping interests and for agencies, etc., annually, was put in circulation in Pennsylvania and Ohio in the railroad iron business, giving labor to thousands, and consuming much of the produce of our farms, and giving transportation to railroads, canals, and our rivers and lakes, more than a compensation for transportation of agricultural products to Eastern markets is thus diverted.

It is to be hoped that the preceding remarks may arouse the attention of capitalists, and of railroad companies, to the advantages of the United States for the manufacture of railroad iron. Is it not a fine opportunity, that while the amount now paid in cash by railroad companies, $31 to $40 per ton, will pay for producing the railroad bars, the manufacturer can receive $40 more per ton profit in the railroad bonds, which they can convert into money if they choose; and with the duty retained could banish the Welsh bars even from New York; or with the duty remitted could compete on equal terms,

even there?

The great advantage, however, of the Western manufacturers is looked upon as being for supplying the thousands of miles of new railway, and the wear and tear of the old, throughout the great Mississippi valley. The advantages for manufacture are here, and comparatively near where wanted, with unrivalled facilities for distribution by 20,000 miles of river navigation, thousands by railroad, and 1000 more by canal and slack-water.

I believe the points are established: 1st, we can furnish railroad bars as cheaply as the Welsh bars are now furnished; 2d, also with as much credit in bonds; we can furnish railroad bars as cheaply as Wales, even if the duty be remitted, and still with a good profit.

Most of our iron-masters have made only charcoal iron, and those few making stonecoal pig, could get a good price for their product, with little investment of capital.

IMPROVEMENTS IN PUDDLING FURNACES.

Amongst the patents recently specified, is that of Mr. Isaac Hazlehurst, of Ulverstone, Lancashire, iron and steel manufacturer, for "Improvements in the manufacture of iron by blast, and in the construction of furnaces and machinery for the same," which the inventor thus describes ::

The nature of my said invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, is as follows:-1. The furnace bottom is circular, or nearly so.2. Certain tools of the nature and character set forth, are adapted and used in a furnace to which blast is applied (as for an air furnace), such apparatus consists of three legs, two being connected to the main leg, or shaft, by a double joint, which, when introduced into the furnace, opens out, and being immediately connected by the coupling-box to the upright shaft, sustained in suitable bearings (as ordinarily practised in mechanism), which being provided with a bevel wheel gearing with another bevel wheel on the horizontal shaft, mounted in suitable bearings (as ordinarily used in mechanism), is thereby driven by steam or water, or other suitable power, causing the aforesaid tool or apparatus to revolve at a proper speed. The legs being equal in length to the diameter of the furnace bottom, the whole of the boiling process can be completed in a very little time, without any manual labor, with the exception of changing the tools, which I effect as easily, and nearly as quick, as the puddler changes the ordinary tools, by means of the lever and guide rods, one of which is connected to the coupling box for connecting or disconnecting when required, whilst the other lever takes out the hot tool, being connected to it by the chain for conveying it to the cooling cistern, and replacing a cold one, the tool being guided in an upright position by a guide rod, its end being of horseshoe shape, for the chains to fall off, whilst the elongated form one side the shaft spindle, without contact therewith. When the boiling is finished, a shorter tool is introduced into the furnace in the same manner. This tool is similar to the former, with this exception-viz., that it has a hole through the head opposite the one in the coupling-box, through which a pin is placed to keep it above the iron. This tool having but one leg, has several prongs attached; whilst the tool is revolving, the puddler, with his paddle, raises up the iron when dropped (as we term it) from the "boil," which comes in contact with the prongs above described, and separates it into pieces preparatory to balling. The manner in which I apply the blast to puddling, heating, and other furnaces, is by a quadron, or T-pipe, with small holes in different positions on the top side, and a larger hole in the end, pointing under the bottom of the furnace-plates. The blast, whether cold or hot, may be regulated by a tap; this pipe is fixed under the bars of the fire-grate, and may be built in the wall of the ash-pit, being more convenient for cleaning the rubbish out. By the above arrangements and process I am enabled to use peat, either raw or charred wood, sawdust, the finest of coal slack, and coke. The benefits of the blast to the heating furnace, for the finishing of iron, are varions, the yield being much greater, and the quality amazingly better, especially when heated on a cinder-bottom furnace, it being much softer than can possibly be made when blast is not applied, the article thus made being better adapted for all pure and polishing purposes, and in great demand for all superior articles, such as rollers, rivets, tin-plates, and steel. Another important advantage to be derived from my invention is, that upwards of 3 tons of iron can be made from one furnace, with 30 cwt. of fuel, in the same time that 25 cwts. of iron take by the common process of puddling, especially when run from the blast, or refining furnace, in the liquid state, as, by this latter appliance, the enormous quantity of 5 tons might be made. Anotheri mportant advantage to be derived is, that parties erecting works would save above one half the outlay in the building of furnaces, fewer being required. It will also be evident that the puddler's work will be far less laborious, and would be far better remunerated, with one third of the present price now paid for puddling by the ordinary mode; and it will be evident to all practically acquainted with the VOL. III.-39

puddling process, the fatigue otherwise attendant would be almost avoided; it being well known, in hot seasons, that the quality of iron is inferior when the puddler is unable to perform his duty from excessive heat. Having now described the nature of the said invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim-1. The manufacture of iron by blast in the manner described.-2. Having the furnace bottom circular, or nearly circular.-3. Having puddling tools of the character herein described, whether such tools be introduced through the crown of the furnace, as illustrated by the drawings, or through the bottom plates, or through the doorway, as they may be applied in either way, according to the character of the furnace, though I find the former the most advantageous.-4. The application of blast to the furnace as described, although I do not confine myself to the precise form of pipe for introducing the blast, as given in the drawings, as any form of pipe, provided with small holes, pointing under the furnace bars, with a Jarger hole under the furnace plate to keep the same cool, might answer.

DILATATION OF CAST-IRON BY SUCCESSIVE HEATINGS.

We reprint the following article from the Plough, Loom, and Anvil.—It is of importance to a large number of our readers, engaged in the construction of machinery, especially so, to those engaged in the making of Boilers, Furnaces and Retorts.

The memoirs of the Societe Industrielle de Hanovre contain on this subject a short note, which we here present to our readers:

"The remarkable phenomenon that cast-iron presents after being heated, of not returning, on cooling, to its original dimensions, but of presenting constantly an increase of this volume, and, by consecutive heatings and coolings, of acquiring a permanent volume, larger and larger, was first observed by Prinsep, in 1829. This chemist found that a retort of cast-iron, of which the capacity had been measured with care by the weight of mercury it contained, gave the following results. Before even being heated, the retort contained 9.13 cubic feet: and after three successive heatings to the fusing point of silver, the contents was 10.16 cubic inches. The cubic dilatation produced then was 11.28 per cent., or a lineal dilatation of nearly 3.73 per 100. Since this there has been occasion to observe more frequently, and to investigate this property of cast-iron. It has been remarked, in effect, that all grate-bars which sustained a high heat became curved, little by little, that they elongated more and more, until finally they would push out the bars that sustained them.

M. P. W. Brix, in a work he has recently published, entitled Researches on the Caloric Power of the Principal Combustibles found in Prussia, has made known some experiments on this subject.-By the aid of numerous measurements, he has found that its permanent length augments after a heating, but that this augmentation was so much the less as the bar had been heated more often, and finally ceased. Thus, a grate-bar of 3.5 feet in length, after three days of a moderate fire, had taken a permanent elongation of 3.16 of an inch, (equal to 0.446 per cent;) at the end of 17 days, this elongation was 7.16 of an inch, (1.042 per cent.,) and at the end of 30 days had reached 13.16 of an inch, (nearly 2 per cent.) and did not yet appear to have attained its maximum. Another bar of the same kind, after a long service, had preserved a permanent elongation of 1.25 inches, or nearly 3 per cent. The bars, while in the fire, experience another elongation, which is temporary, and contract as the heat is diminished: and it may hence be concluded with Mr. Brix, that it is proper to give to each new bar a play, longitudinally, of about 1.25 of an inch, or 4 per cent, to allow for this permanent and temporary elongation. In all cases, it is necessary to make it long enough, that when cold it may not fall between the supports, but in general it seems that not sufficient play is given to bars supported in this manner.

NOTE BY THE TRANSLATOR.-This is a matter very important to be thought of in all cases where cast-iron is submitted to the action of high heat, as furnaces, retorts, boilers, etc., and especially in cases where the cast-iron, in expanding permanently more than the other metal, will give the surface a curved form, and tend to break the rivets, or other parts of the construction, and in certain circumstances might be productive of very inconvenient results. This is very plain to any practical man.

Where the cast-iron part of an engine is riveted to the boiler, as is often the case, the attachments should be made as far as possible, at places not submitted to great changes of temperature; but if this condition cannot be fulfilled, make the attachments in a manner to obviate, as far as possible, the evil referred to. This remark is made, not only with regard to the permanent elongation the cast-iron undergoes, but also with regard to the different degrees of expansion experienced by cast and wrought iron or other metals, by the same increase of temperature. The effects of this are soon noticed in the loosening of joints, warping of surfaces, etc. The intelligent builder with a knowledge of these facts and their extent, can, by the simple laws of common sense, arrange his work properly.

These effects may be noticed in almost every place where cast-iron is submitted to high heats, in retorts, furnaces, etc.: the shoving out of bricks, the pushing aside of supports, and neighboring parts, etc.

IRON ORE IN THE CARBONIFEROUS LIMESTONE AND COAL MEASURE OF IOWA.

Not far from Dam No. 26, and near the line between Sections 10 and 11, Township 77 North, Range 22 West, there are, probably, one or more beds of coal. Within three or four feet of the top of the shale, i. e., at the height of forty or forty-five feet from the Des Moines River, there is, at this locality, a band of ironstone having a specific gravity of 3.45, associated with some sulphuret of zinc, the joints being coated with a crust of silicate of alumina. The following analysis, by the humid method, gives as follows:—

After pounding and sifting the raw ore, a quantity weighing 1225 grains was roasted and exposed to a red heat in a shallow vessel; after roasting it weighed 865 grains; loss by roasting 360 grains, being equal to 29.4 per cent. The color, after roasting, was a purple-brown. An assay was then made, in a black lead crucible, at a high teinperature, with the following ingredients in the proportion of

There resulted therefrom a button of light gray iron, weighing 377 grains, equal to 43.5 per cent. of the roasted ore, and 31 per cent. of the raw ore, differing only 2.5 per cent. from the percentage of metallic iron by the humid method. It appears from the above analysis, that this ironstone is very analogous in its composition to the ore known in Scotland as "Mushet's Black Band," the chief difference being a smaller percentage of carbonaceous mat