First U.S. Bessemer steel railsIn 1865, the first Bessemer steel rails ever rolled in the U.S. were a few rolled at the North Chicago Rolling Mill from hammered blooms made at the Wyandotte rolling mill from ingots of steel made at the experimental steel works at Wyandotte, Mich. The American Iron and Steel Association was in session in Chicago at that time, and several of its members witnessed the rolling of these rails. The North Chicago Rolling Mill was the first large iron and steel plant in the Chicago area, founded in 1857. The first steel rails rolled for a business order in the U.S., were made at the Cambria Iron Company, at Johnstown, Pa., in Aug 1867, from ingots manufactured at the works of the Pennsylvania Steel Company, at Harrisburg, Pa.*[Image: detail from engraving of the much larger area covered by the factory buildings.] |
