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is very abundant in Pennsylvania and other states. It 

 would be almost impossible to get along without this 

 highly important metal, for, as every one knows, it is 

 used in hundreds of different ways, for bridges, build- 

 ings, wagons, nails, bolts, and for use on ships in plat- 

 ing or sheathing them, for making locomotives, and in 

 the manufacture of many other machines and imple- 

 ments. In bridge building iron is used in plates or 

 large pieces, and also in wires as in suspension bridges. 

 Steel is much used for this purpose, and many long 

 spans have been successfully made, thus avoiding one 

 trouble, that of having the supports washed away by 

 floods. Steel is one of the most ductile of these metals 

 and can be drawn out into very fine wire. Gold also 

 has the same property, and it can be hammered into 

 sheets so thin that thousands of them can be placed in 

 a pile and not be an inch thick. 



All these substances, though being of a mineral na- 

 ture are called metals. Iron when first taken from the 

 ground is in a very rough state, and has to be melted 

 and refined before it is ready for use. The others have 

 to go through the same process, some more particularly 

 owing to the purpose for which they are wanted. Brass 

 is a combination of other metals, and is much used in 

 bell making. Platenum, lead, zinc and other metals 

 are used for different purposes. Zinc in contact with 

 carbonic acid immediately dissolves with steaming and 

 fizzing. Common sugar acts very similar and when set 

 fire to, burns rapidly for a short time, emitting a blu- 

 ish yellow flame and a large amount of smoke. When 

 it becomes quiet there is nothing left but carbon. Try 

 the experiment and witness the flame and smoke. 



