| Most of what we learn in high school history about | | | | Fortunately for Edison, |
| Thomas | | | | he continued his work on the phonograph and |
| Edison is all about his successful inventions. Thomas | | | | motion pictures, |
| Edison | | | | and remained financially intact.Finding a cheaper way |
| electricity, the phonograph, and on and on. | | | | to produce steel was not only important to the |
| We know that Thomas Edison held over 1,093 | | | | financial enhancement of Edison but important to the |
| patents for | | | | American |
| a number of different types of inventions. What we | | | | economy. After 1840 the American iron industry |
| don't know or we very seldom hear is about his | | | | was experiencing |
| failures. One of the most noted failures was his | | | | a revitalization but American was not the major |
| inability to find an | | | | steel producer in |
| effective way to mine iron ore.Iron is the cheapest | | | | the world.In 1844, government surveyors found a |
| and most common metal available for | | | | large iron ore deposit of |
| mining. Iron is used for making steel. Steel, at the | | | | anthracite in the Great Lakes area. Pennsylvania |
| time | | | | became the nation's |
| that Edison was working on his invention, was very | | | | leading supplier of iron and steel. With the discovery |
| expensive. | | | | of the rich |
| The world now and during the life of Edison is very | | | | iron ore around Lake Superior and the ability to |
| dependent | | | | transport the |
| on steel.If Edison was successful in creating the | | | | bounty the mine produce by water, Pennsylvania |
| extraction process | | | | became the center |
| he would have earned billions of dollars in income, | | | | of American iron and steel production.British engineer |
| The possibilities that would extend from that | | | | Henry Bessemer perfected a steel extraction |
| success | | | | process. He completed the work that Thomas |
| would also create millions of jobs, and spur other | | | | Edison had started. |
| inventions.Iron is useless in its pure form. Iron is | | | | Bessemer developed an iron smelting process that |
| brittle and cannot be used to manufacture any | | | | made it possible |
| products because of this | | | | to produce large quantities of steel. Some |
| and other characteristics. Iron in its pure form is a | | | | manufacturers of steel |
| silver color. The gray that we see in iron comes | | | | use his process to this day.The invention was an |
| from | | | | economical and an efficient process to make |
| combining iron with oxygen. But iron is not adaptable | | | | steel from iron ore. But a better process was |
| to | | | | introduced |
| any practical applications on its own.That is why the | | | | By Abram S. Hewitt who became a steel magnate |
| discovery of an effective extraction process | | | | that rivaled |
| was important. Edison worked on this extraction | | | | Andrew Carnegie was the first American to try the |
| process | | | | Bessemer |
| from 1880 to 1890. For over ten years, he | | | | process. He then improved on the process to |
| performed experiments, | | | | develop the |
| hired scientist, and other experts to perfect his | | | | the open-hearth converter. American steel makers |
| extraction | | | | preferred |
| process. The impetus was to provide iron ore to the | | | | the process of Hewitt to that of Bessemer.The low |
| Pennsylvania | | | | cost of steel production after this discovery |
| steel mills.Edison moved his office from a | | | | changed the balance for American industries. |
| comfortable building to actually | | | | American |
| work in the old iron mines to find an economical | | | | Industry could now lead the world in steel |
| process to satisfy | | | | production. |
| the insatiable demands for steel . The testing and | | | | In 1873 the United States, produced nearly 115,000 |
| processing of | | | | tons of steel. As the price of steel continued to |
| his experiments was very expensive. To finance his | | | | drop, |
| invention | | | | It was possible to use steel in several industries.Over |
| Edison sold all his stock in General Electric. His heirs | | | | 70% of the finished steel that is produced in |
| still | | | | the United states goes to automotive industry.For |
| regret that to this day.Edison was never able to find | | | | more information on iron or more specifically wrought |
| a way to extract the iron from unusable, | | | | iron decor try visiting where you will find information |
| low grade ores. Edison eventually abandoned the | | | | on wrought iron chandeliers, iron beds, iron gates, |
| project. He never | | | | cast iron skillets, ieon railings, iron patio furniture and |
| recouped his money that he had invested. | | | | cast iron cookware. |