istered as to crush the
shell of a nut without injuring the kernel. These hammers are
employed in beating huge masses of iron into cranks for engines, and
other heavy work which is beyond the unaided strength of man. Each
of the hammers has its own steam-boiler and its furnace close at
hand, and overhead there are travelling cranes which convey the
metal to and fro. These boilers may be called vertical, and with the
structure on which they are supported have a dome-like shape.
Hissing, with small puffs of white steam curling stealthily upwards,
they resemble a group of volcanoes on the eve of an eruption. This
place presents a wonderful and even terrible aspect at night, when
the rail-mill and steam-hammers are in full swing. The open doors of
the glaring furnaces shoot forth an insupportable beam of brilliant
white light, and out from among the glowing fire comes a massive bar
of iron, hotter, whiter than the fire itself--barely to be looked
upon. It is dragged and swung along under the great hammer; Thor
strikes, and the metal doubles up, and bends as if of plastic clay,
and showers of sparks fly high and far. What looks like a long strip
of solid flame is guided between the rollers, and flattened and
shaped, till it comes out a dull-red-hot rail, and the sharp teeth
of the circular saw cut through it, throwing out a circle of sparks.
The vast fly-wheel whirls round endless shaftings, and drums are
revolving overhead, and the ear is full of a ceaseless overpowering
hum, varied at intervals with the sharp scraping, ringing sound of
the saw. The great boilers hiss, the furnaces roar, all around there
is a sense of an irresistible power, but just held in by bars and
rivets, ready in a moment to rend all asunder. Masses of glowing
iron are wheeled hither and thither in wheelbarrows; smaller blocks
are slid along the iron floor. Here is a heap of red-hot scraps
hissing. A sulphurous hot smell prevails, a burning wind, a fierce
heat, now from this side, now from that, and ever and anon bright
streaks of light flow out from the open furnace doors, casting
grotesque shadows upon the roof and walls. The men have barely a
human look, with the reflection of the fire upon them; mingling thus
with flame and heat, toying with danger, handling, as it seems,
red-hot metal with ease. The whole scene suggests the infernal
regions. A mingled hiss and roar and thud fill the building with
reverberation, and the glare of the flames rising