Chapter 8
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steel became known as theBessemer process.
The growth of the steel industry is best
told through the story of
Andrew
Carnegie
. In 1848, Carnegie’s family
moved from Scotland (England) to
Pennsylvania. He worked in a Pittsburgh
factory for $1.20 a week. By the time of
Civil War, he was a youngman of 25 years
earning money from his iron and oil
businesses. However, he saw a future in
steel. Steel was needed tomake rails for the
railroads, locomotives, bridges, steamboats,
and tools.
In 1873, while on a trip to England,
Andrew learned about the Bessemer process
for making steel. Two years later, Andrew
opened a steel factory in Pittsburgh. It was
the largest factory of its time. Now steel
could be made at a faster and cheaper rate
than the old way. Over the years, Andrew
built a number of steel plants around the
state. By 1901, he sold his huge steel
company for almost $500,000,000. Andrew
believed that some of hismoney should be
used for good causes. During his life, he
gave away $350,000,000 to colleges,
libraries, and other worthy projects.
Pittsburgh became the steel-producing
capital of the world. Other cities became
well known for their steel. They are
Johnstown, Steelton, Bethlehem, and
Allentown. Today, Pennsylvania is still a
leading producer of steel.
In the 1840s, it was discovered that coke
was a cheap fuel made from soft coal. After
the Civil War, the most important use of
soft coalwas in themakingof coke. Because
coke was used as a fuel for producing steel,
the coke industry grew fast.
Henry Clay
Frick
ownedmost of the coke factories in
the United States. He later joined Andrew
Carnegie as a business partner.
There was heavy demand for soft coal as
a fuel for providing steamheat for factories,
railroads, and homes. Because of these
demands, the mining of soft coal was big
business! Some people called this item
KingCoal.
Another newmetal had its beginnings in
Pennsylvania. In 1886,
Charles Hall
invented a newer and cheaper method for
making
aluminum
. In 1888, along with
twoothermen,Charlesmadehis first bar of
aluminum at their Pittsburgh factory.
Aluminum was lighter than iron and a
strong metal. It had one other advantage
The Bessemer process was a quicker and
less expensive way tomake steel.
