America. He died at Catasauqua on June 20, 1882, in his eighty-eighth year.
Fig. 31 is a view of the first furnace erected at Catasauqua by Mr. Thomas.[1] This furnace was about forty feet square at the base and forty feet high; it was twelve feet internal diameter at the "boshes" and was lined with nine-inch fire-brick brought from Risca, in Wales. The hearth was four feet square. At first the "hot-blast stoves" were on the ground and fired with coal; they were three in number, and each contained two "bed pipes" connected by ten semicircular "siphon pipes." Each "stove" had a fire-grate at one end, and at the other was a chimney provided
Fig. 31.—Early Anthracite Iron-Furnace at Catasauqua.
with a damper at its top. The gas escaped freely at the "tunnel-head," and was, of course, wasted. The first blowing machinery comprised a "breast" water-wheel, twenty-five feet long and twelve feet in diameter; this operated two blowing cylinders five feet in diameter and six feet stroke. At first the pressure of blast was only about a pound and a half, but the following year another water-wheel of the same size was added, after which the pressure of blast was increased to two pounds and a half per square inch. The head and fall of the water-supply was eight
- ↑ Diligent inquiry failed to discover any photograph or engraving of this furnace; but from some plans and elevations, combined with explanatory information kindly furnished by John Thomas, Esq. Superintendent of the Thomas Iron Works, Hokendauqua, Pa., together with information obtained from Oliver Williams, Esq., President of Catasauqua Manufacturing Company, during a visit to the site of the old furnace, a pen-and-ink drawing was made by the writer, from which the above engraving was reduced. It is said to give a very correct idea of the furnace and its surroundings.
