542 GEOLOGY OF OHIO 
during the first few years of the development of the Hocking Valley 
district, some curious records were made as to fuel used and quality of 
iron produced. | 
.. There are several points in regard to the action of this fuel of so 
great interest as well as peculiarity, that it is proposed to devote some 
space to their consideration. 
One of the first points is the large amount of fuel used. Turning 
to the table of furnace charges, it appears that from 2.6 to 3.18 times 
the weight of iron made is needed in fuel, and the lower figure is only 
reached when exceptionally rich charges are used (largely lake ore and 
cinder). Again, exceptionally large burdens of limestone.are carried. 
As to the iron made, it is often, if not usually, high in silicon, fre- 
quently being very silvery. This composition will be well shown by 
the following set of analyses, made at the Ohio State University by the 
writer : 
IL 2 3 4 5 6 
Canbony(erapluite) pees 3.55 2.89 2.62 2.66 
3.25 3.13 
Carbon combined ......... .......... undet. | trace. 0.40 0.26 
SiliCOM) jase tseces wanctesectsseaaessen sete 3.86 6.09 373 3.70 3.17 4.31 
PSLOUN DIE? Rocooence cb0080905060900500000000 trace. | undet. | 0.08 0.21 trace. | undet. 
TPINCSOVOOTDS cccossen0dso00000000060000¢ 0.50 | undet.| 0.53 | 0.60 0.656 | undet. 
Foundry iron, Straitsville. 
“Silver gray ” 
1 
2 iron, same locality. 
3. No.1 iron, Jackson. 
4. Mill iron, Star furnace, Jackson. 
5. Gray foundry, Hocking Valley. 
6. Straitsville. 
It is but proper to say that these are mostly of samples taken two 
to three years ago; the present practice is better. Still much silvery 
iron is made now, and constitutes one of the valley brands—it is valu- 
able as a mixture, but still is not the normal or best product of a 
furnace. 
The peculiarity of the working must lie in the mixtures; there is 
great diversity of furnace lines, but nothing so different from the coke 
furnaces as to give them a special character. 
