PLANT OF SMELTER F. 683 



TLe chimney of the furnace A is connected by means of the angular sheet-irou 

 flue F' F", which projects above the roof V of the building, with the lozenge-shaped 

 sheet-iron chamber M. The fumes strike against the sheet-iron apron J, hinged to the 

 upper part of the chamber, which may be also used to regulate the draft by means of 

 a chain which passes through the wall of the chamber. After leaving the chamber 3f, 

 Fig. 1, the fumes circulate through the sheet-iron flue 0, and then escape through the 

 sheet-irou stack F. 



In close proximity to the wall of the furnace, the flue F' is provided with a 

 sheet-iron branch, (7, through which the flue-dust falls into the wooden box JB, from 

 which it is extracted at the door d. Flues F', F" are provided with sliding doors, not 

 seen in the sketch, for clearing them of their dust. The chamber M has also a large 

 sliding door, D. This chamber, as well as the horizontal flue and the stack F, are 

 cleared of their dust through the branches C, provided with sliding valves t. The 

 principle of ascending flues is in itself excellent, and the smoke which comes out at 

 the stack is remarkably free from lead fumes. About ten tons of flue-dust is collected 

 monthly in each of these chambers. The dust is mixed with milk of lime, the mixture 

 spread over ore-beds, and then resmelted. 



Smelter F is the only one in Leadville where a little metallic iron (old horse- 

 shoes) is added to the usual smelting charges wheu they contain more than a certain 

 percentage of galena. The smelting campaigns have an average length of nine weeks. 

 The furnaces are provided, as usual, with large hoods in front, above the slag-gutter. 



SMELTER G. 



Disposition of works This important smelter is situated on the northern bank of 

 California gulch, and, like all the smelters situated on this gulch, is divided into several 

 levels communicating with the upper and lower roads. One of the main features at 

 these works is that the fuel storage, which is placed at the back of the works, is nearly 

 on a level with the upper part of the stacks of the furnace and is connected with the 

 furnaces by ail elevated trestle-work having two branches, the one leading to the 

 furnaces the other to the boiler-room. The fuel is transported in light sheet-iron 

 mine cars, running on a light iron tramway, and dumped into chutes adjoining the 

 feed-holes of the furnaces and the boiler. In the boiler-room a saving of 50 per cent, 

 of the wood burned is effected by using the screenings of the fuel, which are usually 

 wasted. A great saving of labor also results, since two fuel men are sufficient to sup- 

 ply all the fuel nodded. In principle this arrangement is similar to the one adopted 

 a,t smelter A. The charcoal sheds have an area of 30 by 325 feet and 35 by 100 

 feet, respectively, and hold about two hundred thousand bushels of charcoal. Coke 

 is stored in sheds and bins of 500 tons capacity. The main smelting building is 

 SCO by 110 feet, and the ore-room, placed on one side of the main building, is GO 

 by 210 feet. The storage capacity of this room, through which a wagon-road runs, is 

 7,000 tons of ore. The large dimensions of this room allow the preparation of numer- 

 ous ore-beds, which insures great regularity in smelting. The offices, laboratory, Fair- 

 bauks scales, staff-houses, and 22 dwelling-houses for the workmen and their families, 

 are distributed around the works. Particular attention is paid to the welfare of work- 

 men, who are entitled to free medical attendance at the hospital, and for whom a bath- 

 room and a reading and recreation room have been constructed. 



