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User:Nowakki/Sparrows Point

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Ore Dock edit

In early 1954 a 1,000 foot extension to 2,200 feet was in operation, allowing simultaneous unloading of three ships. Sparrows Point was receiving approximately 7 million tons per year with 550 feet long 25,000dwt ore carriers. The new dock had a total capacity of 2,880 tons per hour.[1]

Coke Plant edit

At the end of 1901, 200 Schniewind coke ovens were under construction at Sparrows Point. They were a variation by Dr. Fred C. W. Schniewind of the Otto-Hoffman type of ovens.[2] None was complete by year's end 1902.[3] In March 1903, a first battery of 50 ovens was producing 300 tons per day.[4] During 1903 a total of 200 byproduct ovens were completed and producing 1,000 tons of coke per day.[5] A $500,000 12-mile 16-inch pipeline was built to furnish a minimum 4 mmcfd of gas to the Consolidated Gas Company of Baltimore at their station in Canton, but not completed soon enough for the coming winter. The city on average had a demand of 8mmcfd at the time (10mmcfd during a recent winter-time coal strike). Out of the total 10 mmcfd produced, half was used to heat the ovens. The 30 feet long, 8 feet high and 2 feet wide ovens had a rated capacity of 1,200 tons of coke per day at a 24 hour baking time.[6][7] The 200 ovens were torn down at the end of 1913 and were replaced by 120 ovens of larger capacity.[8]

In May 1913 a contract for two batteries of 60 coke ovens each and a byproduct and benzol plant was let to Koppers. Sparrows Point was expecting to supply surplus gas to the City of Baltimore. The ovens had a capacity for 540 cuft of coal or 13.25 tons of coke per charge.[9]

In September 1916 another contract for four more batteries of 60 ovens each with a capacity of 13.25 tons and a byproduct and benzol plant was let to Koppers, bringing the total to a planned 360 and making the benzol plant at Sparrows Point one of the worlds largest installations. Due to the large amount of orders at hand for Koppers, the ovens were not expected to be completed before 1918.[10] Only 180 new ovens were eventually built at the time.[11]

Blast furnaces edit

Two blast furnaces of 250 to 300 tons per day were nearing completion in October 1888.[12]

Part of the original plant were 4 blast furnaces arranged in 2 pairs. Two were already in operation for some time by November 1890, the other two completed soon after.[13]

In February 1917 contracts were awarded to Riter-Conley of Pittsburgh for construction of the first 2 of 4 new blast furnaces.[14]

Bessemer converters edit

Four 18-ton Bessemer converters were part of the original lineup with a capacity of 2000 tons per day. Only the building to house them was completed in November 1890 and at the time there were already plans made for the eventual erection of an open hearth shop.[13]

Open hearth furnaces edit

The first open hearth steel was made on March 2, 1910. The 459x165 feet open hearth shop with an area of 84,645 sqft including extensions had been under construction since June 7, 1909. It hosted 5 50-ton tilting furnaces which produced steel with the duplex process. Sparrows point was not the first in the state. The N. & G. Taylor Co. of Cumberland, Maryland had been producing open hearth steel for many years.[15]

Six new open hearth totaling 350-400,000 tons per year and expansion of railroad yards, as part of the program financed with $51 million in 600,000 new shares of spring 1929.[16]

Tin Plate edit

In 1917, the first of 2 tin mill units was completed, with each having a capacity of 1 million base boxes (60,000 tons) per year. All buildings on the 12 acre site were of brick and steel construction and designed to accommodate all the machinery needed for the second unit. The machinery was electrically driven. Tin bars were delivered from the steel plant via standard gauge railcars.

  • hot rolling shop (980x147 feet)
    • 12 stands, 3 on each side of two Westinghouse 2,200 Volt, 25 Hz AC, 1,200 hp motors
    • 28-inch diameter, 30 to 34-inch body length rolls
  • cold rolling, annealing and pickling (756x115 feet)
    • 12 stands 24x36 inch
  • tin house (840x66 feet)
    • 21 tinning stacks
  • assorting room (840x100 feet)
  • machine shop, blacksmith shop, carpenter shop, storehouse, garage, office[17][18]

The first unit went into production on July 26, 1917, the second unit on April 1, 1920.[19]

Financial edit

February 1918: $25 million spent in recent expansion including the tin plate mill. Another $25 million to be spent hereafter.[20]

July 1918: The War Finance Corporation of the U.S. government bought one-to-five-year notes amounting to $20 million to expedite a bond issue totaling $50 million to be used for expansions to coke ovens, blast furnaces, the plate mill and other facilities.[21] The notes were resold to the public almost immediately at a profit.[22]

People edit

  • Frederick W. Wood (March 16, 1875(sic) - December 23, 1944 at age 86): designed and built the plant of the Maryland Steel Company, president Maryland Steel 1891-?,[23][24] Board of Directors, Consolidated Gas Co. of Baltimore 1902-?.[25]

Coal edit

December 1902: Washington Coal & Coke Co. 500-600 tons over 1 year for the byproduct ovens.[26]

Ships edit

5 ferries for New York (1905) edit

A contract was awarded to Maryland Steel Co. by the New York City department of Docks and Ferries in late summer 1904 for 5 steel-hull screw-propelled ferries featuring two 2-cylinder compound steam engines. One boat was subcontracted to Burlee Dry Dock Co of Staten Island. Details: [27]

Manhattan and Bronx were launched on April 8, 1905, with two more launched at the Sparrows Point yard a few days later.[28]

The Manhattan went on a trial run on June 22, 1905.[29] and was delivered in August, Brooklyn sailed for delivery from Baltimore on September 21, Queens and Bronx were expected to follow a month later.[30]

World's largest floating dry dock (1905) edit

500 feet long, 134 feet wide, 63 feet tall, 60 water-tight compartments, weight: 11,000 tons, capable of lifting 20,000 ton vessels and could thus accommodate any U.S. Navy battleship. Work on the $1,124,000 dock began September 24, 1903. After completion in July 1905 it was towed to the Philippines by the Navy.[31]

Refs edit

  1. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  2. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  3. ↑ (1903) Minerals Yearbook, U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, p. 564
  4. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  5. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  6. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  7. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  8. ↑ (1915) Minerals Yearbook (Fuels), U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, p. 532
  9. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  10. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  11. ↑ (1922) Minerals Yearbook (Fuels), U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, p. 707
  12. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  13. ↑ a b Template:Cite magazine
  14. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  15. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  16. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  17. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  18. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  19. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  20. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  21. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  22. ↑ Template:Cite newspaper
  23. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  24. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  25. ↑ (26 July 1902). "Consolidated Gas Co. of Baltimore...". The Commercial and Financial Chronicle: 188.
  26. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  27. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  28. ↑ Template:Cite newspaper
  29. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  30. ↑ Template:Cite newspaper
  31. ↑ (13 July 1905). "The World's Largest Floating Dry-Dock". Leslie's Weekly 101 (2601).
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